Preached by the Right Reverend Grant Lynn Ford at the Sunshine Cathedral on Pentecost Sunday, June 4, 2006.
Acts 2: 1,-8, 12b-18, 21
It was Harvest Festival — seven weeks after the resurrection of Jesus. 1The followers of Jesus had come together for the Feast of Pentecost. 2All at once the sound of a violent wind — like a tornado — filled the place where they were gathered. 3What looked like flames appeared over the heads of each of them. 4Every one of them overflowed with Spirit, as Spirit spoke through them in languages not their own.
5Because of the Festival Jerusalem was filled with devout pilgrims from many countries. 6When they heard the commotion, many of them came running. What they heard was their own languages being spoken by this strange group of people. 7They were amazed! “Aren’t these people from Galilee? 8How is it possible, then, that we’re hearing them speak in our various native languages? 12bWhat’s going on here?” 13Others laughed and said, “They’ve had too much cheap wine!”
14But Peter, backed up by the other Eleven, grabbed the opportunity, shouting out: “Good Friends — citizens and visitors alike — listen to me! Let me explain! 15These people aren’t drunk. It’s nine in the morning, too early for that sort of thing. 16No! The prophet Joel predicted this many years ago when he spoke on God’s behalf:
17In the End Times my Spirit will pour forth from all people. Your sons and daughters will speak with divine inspiration. Your young will see visions, your old will dream dreams. 18In that Age those who serve me — men and women alike — will overflow with Spirit, and will speak prophetically. 21And everyone who appeals to God for help will be made whole.”
The Young Church in Action – J.B. Phillips
These [people] did not make acts of faith, they believed; did not say prayers, they really prayed. They didn’t hold conferences on psychosomatic medicine, they simply healed the sick… But if they were uncomplicated by modern standards we have ruefully to admit that they were open on the God-ward side in a way that is almost unknown today. Consequently it is a matter of sober history that never before have any small body of ordinary people so moved the world that their enemies could say that these [people] “have turned the world upside down.”
John 20:19-23
19It was evening on that first day of the week. The disciples were huddled behind locked doors, afraid that the populace might try to harm them. All of a sudden, Jesus appeared right there with them, saying, “Peace be with you!”
20He then extended his hands to them, and showed them his side where he had been wounded. The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were ecstatic with joy. 21Jesus repeated his greeting. “Peace be with you! In the same way I have been sent by God, I am sending you.”
22He breathed on them and said, “Be filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive any person’s faults, they’re completely wiped out. On the other hand, if you don’t forgive faults, they never seem to go away!”
The Reverend Dr. Larry Bethune, pastor of University Baptist Church, a welcoming and affirming American Baptist congregation in Austin, Texas, said in a sermon on Pentecost Sunday 2001:
“At [the tower of] Babel, human arrogance led to a confusion of languages. At Pentecost, the Spirit of God led all to understand the story of the Messiah in their own language. Acts preaches an inclusive gospel, breaking down the walls of language and race and ethnicity from the very beginning. Well, it’s a miracle if you can get all the people in one room to understand what you’re saying and be unified before God, let alone when you have such a diversity of people.”
But that’s what happens when the Good News of God’s love is preached to an inclusive congregation, one in which ALL the people of God are present.
The modern-day Pentecostal Movement started in the year 1900 in the Bethel Bible School in Topeka, Kansas. Charles Fox Parham, the white leader of the school, began preaching on the very texts we heard read today, and people began to speak in tongues.
William Seymour first heard the Pentecostal message in 1905. In compliance with Texas law — because he was African-American — Seymour had to sit in the hallway to listen to Parham teach.
Seymour went on to Los Angeles to preach what became known as the Azusa Street Revival. The Los Angeles Daily Times on April 18, 1906, reported about a “Weird Babble of Tongues: New Sect of Fanatics is Breaking Loose”. A hundred years later Pentecostal churches have sprung up around the world and include some of the largest churches on the planet.
An interesting side note to this great numerical success: Though Seymour insisted that the Pentecostal message be preached in an integrated church, the Pentecostal movement is still highly segregated. Charles Parham was arrested in 1907 on charges of “sodomy with young males”. Though the matter was never brought to trial, Parham’s days of preaching were pretty much over. All this is conveniently forgotten by a church that has over the years become more and more homophobic even as it continues to be quite racist in many places.
So a hundred years later God is choosing to use a church made up of homosexuals, heterosexuals, bisexuals, transsexuals — and those who resist any labeling — to bring the Good News of God’s love to South Florida and to the world. That’s us, folks, a highly unlikely bunch of people, just like that early church.
I believe we are being called to preach a message that the earlier movement forgot: God’s grace is sufficient for everyone, not just for a chosen few. We are being called to experience again the miracle of Pentecost. One Message, Many Tongues! We have the opportunity to share the Good News of God’s inclusive love in Christ in many languages, in many media. There’s radio, TV, the World Wide Web, and iPods — in every language. Talk about the need for talking in tongues! We, the 21st century church, must rise to that challenge. Here at the Sunshine Cathedral, we intend to do just that — and all that.
Let’s look at the early church and see what they did. They will give us a roadmap for our own future ministry, not just one hundred years after the modern day Pentecostal revival, but two thousand years after that first Pentecost.
That early church was in one accord. They were together in every way, in one place with one prayer and one message. We have that same message.
Listen to Peter’s final words: “…everyone who appeals to God for help will be made whole.” Healing, wholeness, wellness — that’s the message of Jesus to a hurting world. It’s not about going to heaven someday; it’s about experiencing heaven right here, right now — abundant living, as he promised in John 10:10: “I have come that you might have life, and have it abundantly.”
That early church was committed. JB Philips, the translator of the New Testament, wrote in his introduction to the Book of Acts: “…it is a matter of sober history that never before have any small body of ordinary people so moved the world that their enemies could say that these [people] ‘have turned the world upside down’.”
The early church was described in the book of Acts, chapter 2, verses 44-45: “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.”
While that first experimentation with primitive communism didn’t work well, it demonstrated a willingness to support the work of the church. Indeed, generosity was a hallmark of the early church. Today we need that kind of generosity if we are to fulfill our purpose.
You have been wonderfully generous this past 12 months. You poured out your heart and your wallets for victims of Katrina and then Rita. Then Wilma hit, and we all had to start pouring out cash for hurricane windows and shutters and repairs to our roofs. You poured out again to replace the Cathedral’s roof and steeple. Then we entered a Capital Campaign, and you have given over 1 million dollars in cash and pledges so far.
That’s a glorious record. Now, in this moment, we face June, July and August. Our cash reserves are gone and our income is far below our ministry needs. We have a choice to make: either cut ministry programs and staff or increase our income.
That’s where our future plays into the picture. If we are to Go and Grow this summer, rather than stepping back in our ministry, it will require the support of all of us, not just some of us. 75% of the giving comes from 25% of the people. You can do the math to figure out what would happen if like that early church we had all things in common, including the support of this ministry. We need you to be even more generous in June, July, and August.
Also, if we are share this Good News in many tongues, we need your participation to do it. We need sound techs, audio recording and duplicating personnel, camera operators, projectionists, video producers and editors, animators, web designers, graphic designers for both the web and print media…and people to write press releases, brochures, mailers and the like. If we’re going to reach our generation, we’ll have to do it with both 1st century passion and 21st century methods.
That’s why I’m asking the ushers to quickly pass out some cards. On one side, it says “One Message – Many Tongues”. There are opportunities for you to get involved in our ministry sharing the Sunshine Experience. We’d like to you indicate how you would be willing to help.
On the other side it says “Full Speed Ahead”. There’s the little train that could! We asking you to do three things to help us Go and Grow during June, July, and August.
First, we’re asking you to invite as many people as possible to church. If you’ll give yourself a target number, you’ll do it or try hard at any rate.
Second, we’re asking you to financially support your church this summer. If you have already pledged, then indicate if you are able to help even a little bit more. If you have not yet pledged, this is your golden opportunity to do so. Don’t miss out on God’s best for you; give to the best of your ability to God’s work.
Finally, we’re asking you to affirm with us: “My spiritual home, the Sunshine Cathedral, is Going and Growing in all spiritual and material Good, reaching out to bless our community in the Consciousness of Christ.”
I hope you’ll fill out this card and put it in the offering basket or hand it to an usher or me on your way out.
If you’ll join us in bringing in new people, in giving generously and pledging your support, and in praying this affirmation every day for June, July, and August, I believe we can be just like that early church, turning our world upside down — for God and for Good.
Let’s make it happen! And that’s the Truth!
I am growing in Spirit!
My church is growing in Spirit…
…sharing the Light with the World!
People’s lives are changing.
My life is changing.
I am Going and Growing,
and so is my church,
and I like it like that!
And so it is! Amen!
