The Water is Fine

May 15, 2005 (Day of Pentecost; Whitsunday)

By The Very Rev. Terry White, Dean

- Acts 2:1-11
- Ezekiel 11:17-20
- Psalm 104:25-37 or 104:25-32 or 33:12-15, 18-22
- 1 Corinthians 12:4-13
- Acts 2:1-11
- John 20:19-23
- John 14:8-17

(From The Lectionary Page)

[Please remember: when we hear in today’s reading that the doors “were locked for fear of the Jews,” the text is referring to those religious leaders who conspired to arrest and execute Jesus, and in no way should the text be understood to be a pejorative statement about either the Jewish people or the Jewish faith.]

Last year at this time everyone is our family was engaged in cleaning up and throwing out, preparing to move here. Re-discovering that which was thought lost was usually fun. But there was a downside to this as well.

Our basement refrigerator produced a special surprise: tucked was in the back we discovered the remnants of the cake from our Easter dinner. The yellow cake with chocolate frosting, shaped like a lamb, was quickly taken to the dumpster behind the church. I don’t know why it surprised me, but as I tossed the cake into the bin, I wasn’t prepared to hear the cake make a rather large “thud.” I guess I still thought it was cake-like. But in reality, after seven weeks, this symbol of Easter had grown quite stale and belonged in the garbage.

The Gospel lesson for the Day of Pentecost, the fiftieth day after the Resurrection, takes us back to the night of the first Easter. The story is awesome, as St. John describes how the Risen Christ cannot be held by death and the grave, let alone by the doors we shut and lock out of fear.

To his friends, Jesus says, “Peace be with you.” Jesus then passes on to them the same mission his Heavenly Father gave Him – to proclaim the Good News of God’s love and salvation for all people.

And then, most pertinent to this Feast of Pentecost, he gives them the Holy Spirit. St. John employs an unmistakable reference when he writes: Jesus breathed on them. The Hebrew scriptures as well as the Gospels speak of that which is lifeless becoming fully animated once receiving the breathe of God.  Ruach.  This breath puts creation in motion according to Genesis, this breath brought Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones to life, this breath of God brought the dead to life when shared by the prophets and by Jesus.

New life. True life. Eternal life. This is Pentecost, the fulfillment of the Great Fifty Days of Easter. Yet, as amazing as this reality is, as staggeringly wonderful as is this promise that death is not the end -- a leftover lamb cake is not the only part of Easter which can quickly grow stale and be forgotten.

My friends, as the people of God, as the baptized who stand in the line of the apostles, as members of the Body of Christ, the one holy catholic and apostolic church – we must make our proclamation of redeeming grace fresh and lively, otherwise, we permit the Gospel entrusted to us to become stale, and if stale, God’s Good news in Christ will create only a dull thud in each of us, in the Church, and in our society.

I came across an address given at a conference of the United Methodist Church, (that would be a gathering similar to our diocesan convention). The address included these words:

When God sends forth the Spirit amazing things happen:
barriers are broken,
communities are formed,
opposites are reconciled,
unity is established,
disease is cured,
addiction is broken,
cities are renewed,
races are reconciled,
hope is established,
people are blessed,
and church happens.

The pastor continued:

Today the Spirit of God is present and we're gonna have church. So get ready...God is up to something...

discouraged folks, cheer up,
dishonest folks, 'fess up,
sour folks, sweeten up,
closed folks, open up,
gossipers, shut up,
conflicted folks, make up,
sleeping folks, wake up,
lukewarm folks, fire up,
dry bones, shake up,
and pew potatoes, stand up!

According to the Acts of the Apostles, there was nothing stale going on that first Day of Pentecost. And while the church today might like to think radical inclusion is a recent development of the Spirit, the scriptures say the apostles’ message was understood by people identified by at least 18 different labels. The Church was born not out of uniformity, but amidst diversity. And by the power of God’s Holy Spirit, amidst such wondrous diversity, unity in Christ was found that day, and is still found. To this day, that unity is found in Baptism. That unity is also one of the graces of the Eucharist – we being many, are one bread, and one cup.

There’s a scene in the movie “O Brother Where Art Thou”, where three escaped prisoners come upon a preacher baptizing folks in a river. One of the three virtually sprints into the water, butts into line, and is immediately baptized, so great is his desire to be saved and to find peace for his soul. Newly born again, he returns to his two cohorts who stand some distance away. Wearing a peaceful look he says that his sins have been washed away, his past is forgiven, and he utters this invitation to his skeptical friends: “Come on in fellas, the water is fine!”

The water of Baptism is the finest kind. But let us not be mistaken. The water of Baptism, infused by the Holy Spirit, is often turbulent. The water of Baptism rushes through creation to destroy oppression and injustice, and carves out in us a place where compassion and mercy reign. The water of Baptism carries us into places and situations where boldness, courage, and nothing short of sacrifice will be required of us. Before the Good Shepherd leads us beside the still waters at our last day, the Holy Spirit has some mighty work for us to be about, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, the redemption of all through the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus.

My sisters and brothers, let us respect the fire of Pentecost and expect that fire to be built in us, and at times beneath us, transforming that tendency to be pew potatoes into bearers of light and power, ministers of justice and compassion, and fearless preachers of Good News. Let us learn to speak God’s language that was heard at Pentecost, for many have yet to hear of God’s wondrous deeds.

Let us give thanks for the rich diversity of God’s people and the variety of gifts which further the reign of Christ. Let our Easter joy be fresh again. Unlock the doors and banish all fear. May we claim the holy gifts so generously showered upon us in Baptism, and together, wade into the rampaging current of the Holy Spirit, for though the current is swift, the water is mighty fine!