Sunday 24th May 2020
SERMON
Please read:
Acts 2.1-21
Psalm 104. 26-36
1 Corinthians 12. 1-13
John 20. 19-23
Acts 2.1-21
Psalm 104. 26-36
1 Corinthians 12. 1-13
John 20. 19-23
May I speak in the name of God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen
“I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh… and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Today we celebrate the feast of Pentecost, the great festival of the church where we give thanks for the Holy Spirit which God poured out upon the first disciples and which he also pours out onto us as Christ’s followers. It is an important day. It is a great day.
The Spirit of God equipped these followers of Christ to proclaim to the world the good news of God’s Kingdom. This Spirit is one of comfort, power and peace. We are told in John’s Gospel that the disciples are frightened. The disciples are together, for support and comfort; uncertain about the future and worried that they too may face death, just as Jesus had experienced. We are told that Christ came and stood among them and he poured on them the Spirit of God. In Acts we are told a slightly different story; the Spirit was poured upon them after the ascension of our Lord into Heaven and this concurs with Mark’s Gospel. The key to all three texts is that the Spirit of the living God is given, poured out upon these human beings and they are equipped, abled and empowered by God to share with other people the Good News of Jesus Christ. This same Spirit also enabled them to heal, comfort, strengthen and help those who came to them. In Acts we read of countless examples of this God-given Spirit working through the lives of the early saints of the church in a new vigorous, energising and powerful way. In our New Testament reading Peter proclaims this Good News through the work of the Spirit within him and brings many to faith in Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit works in us also. We are baptised into the Spirit and receive Confirmation in this same Spirit. We bring our prayers in the power of the Spirit each Sunday and we ask each and every day that the Spirit of the living God will work in our lives to bring comfort, love and peace from our Heavenly Father to us and to the world. As Christians we desire more of the Spirit of God in each other and we ask God to guide the church with this same Spirit, enabling us to listen to his voice through it.
The Holy Spirit is powerful yet often quietly working in the church and our lives. During our long history the church has debated the work of the Spirit. For some Christians they expect the Spirit to work in their lives in powerful and tangible ways, for others, a more reserved approach is sought. Neither is better than the other. I remember vividly when my mother was dying, praying continuously for her and for the family that we would be filled by God with his Spirit in the difficulties of those dark days. I am confident that God heard our prayers and the Spirit of peace and comfort was upon us, almost palpable in our lives at that time. The Spirit equipped us to walk through those difficult days in peace and love.
In our Corinthian reading set for today we understand in greater detail how the Holy Spirit works through different members of the church. Each of us has different gifts and abilities given by the Spirit to build up the church, the body of Christ. This is the same for the church today. The joy of being your parish priest over the past couple of years has been seeing how the Holy Spirit has worked in each of you individually, how the Holy Spirit has comforted those of you who have mourned the loss of a loved one or faced an illness or family problem. Equally, it has been joyful to see that same Spirit working in us as a community; been present in PCC meetings, in church activities from Fayres and Bible Study, to afternoon teas and carol singing round the parish. The Spirit has been present and active in confirmation classes and coffee time, as well as in our prayers at the altar and most importantly in bread and wine which we have received from Christ as his body and blood. Never underestimate the working of the Spirit or doubt that this Spirit is working in your lives. For Christ has promised us that he will never leave us nor forsake us. This Spirit of Christ, who has walked with us in the past will continue to work with us into the future; in the appointment of a new priest, the completion of the Vicarage and in the challenges and trials that modern life presents to us. The Spirit of God lives in each of us and we reminded to keep in step with the Spirit in both our corporate as well as our individuals lives as Christians.
As I bid goodbye to you today I know the Holy Spirit is at work within each of you. My hope and prayer is that you will continue to allow this Spirit to work during this difficult national crisis and on into the future. Never underestimate the power of God or the prayers you offer in Christ’s name. May the Spirit of Peace and Love, continue to fill you as the Body of Christ here in Parklands and may God Bless each and every one of you. Amen
Amen
“I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh… and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Today we celebrate the feast of Pentecost, the great festival of the church where we give thanks for the Holy Spirit which God poured out upon the first disciples and which he also pours out onto us as Christ’s followers. It is an important day. It is a great day.
The Spirit of God equipped these followers of Christ to proclaim to the world the good news of God’s Kingdom. This Spirit is one of comfort, power and peace. We are told in John’s Gospel that the disciples are frightened. The disciples are together, for support and comfort; uncertain about the future and worried that they too may face death, just as Jesus had experienced. We are told that Christ came and stood among them and he poured on them the Spirit of God. In Acts we are told a slightly different story; the Spirit was poured upon them after the ascension of our Lord into Heaven and this concurs with Mark’s Gospel. The key to all three texts is that the Spirit of the living God is given, poured out upon these human beings and they are equipped, abled and empowered by God to share with other people the Good News of Jesus Christ. This same Spirit also enabled them to heal, comfort, strengthen and help those who came to them. In Acts we read of countless examples of this God-given Spirit working through the lives of the early saints of the church in a new vigorous, energising and powerful way. In our New Testament reading Peter proclaims this Good News through the work of the Spirit within him and brings many to faith in Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit works in us also. We are baptised into the Spirit and receive Confirmation in this same Spirit. We bring our prayers in the power of the Spirit each Sunday and we ask each and every day that the Spirit of the living God will work in our lives to bring comfort, love and peace from our Heavenly Father to us and to the world. As Christians we desire more of the Spirit of God in each other and we ask God to guide the church with this same Spirit, enabling us to listen to his voice through it.
The Holy Spirit is powerful yet often quietly working in the church and our lives. During our long history the church has debated the work of the Spirit. For some Christians they expect the Spirit to work in their lives in powerful and tangible ways, for others, a more reserved approach is sought. Neither is better than the other. I remember vividly when my mother was dying, praying continuously for her and for the family that we would be filled by God with his Spirit in the difficulties of those dark days. I am confident that God heard our prayers and the Spirit of peace and comfort was upon us, almost palpable in our lives at that time. The Spirit equipped us to walk through those difficult days in peace and love.
In our Corinthian reading set for today we understand in greater detail how the Holy Spirit works through different members of the church. Each of us has different gifts and abilities given by the Spirit to build up the church, the body of Christ. This is the same for the church today. The joy of being your parish priest over the past couple of years has been seeing how the Holy Spirit has worked in each of you individually, how the Holy Spirit has comforted those of you who have mourned the loss of a loved one or faced an illness or family problem. Equally, it has been joyful to see that same Spirit working in us as a community; been present in PCC meetings, in church activities from Fayres and Bible Study, to afternoon teas and carol singing round the parish. The Spirit has been present and active in confirmation classes and coffee time, as well as in our prayers at the altar and most importantly in bread and wine which we have received from Christ as his body and blood. Never underestimate the working of the Spirit or doubt that this Spirit is working in your lives. For Christ has promised us that he will never leave us nor forsake us. This Spirit of Christ, who has walked with us in the past will continue to work with us into the future; in the appointment of a new priest, the completion of the Vicarage and in the challenges and trials that modern life presents to us. The Spirit of God lives in each of us and we reminded to keep in step with the Spirit in both our corporate as well as our individuals lives as Christians.
As I bid goodbye to you today I know the Holy Spirit is at work within each of you. My hope and prayer is that you will continue to allow this Spirit to work during this difficult national crisis and on into the future. Never underestimate the power of God or the prayers you offer in Christ’s name. May the Spirit of Peace and Love, continue to fill you as the Body of Christ here in Parklands and may God Bless each and every one of you. Amen
Collect for today |
God, who as at this time taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit to have a right judgement in all things and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
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