Pentecost and the Church- Acts 2:41-42

Traditional calendars emphasize the importance of Pentecost by providing propers for Monday and Tuesday of Pentecost week as well as including the early summer Ember Days on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. In thinking about Pentecost, many have called this feast "the birthday of the Church." Although one might trace the birth of the Christian Church to the beginnings of  Jesus' ministry and the calling of the Twelve, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples really marks a new beginning. We see this in the first verses of Acts 2 read at the Communion service on Pentecost. 

Unfortunately, we sometimes forget or ignore the rest of the story as it continues in Acts 2. There we see that Pentecost has specific and tangible results, not just for individuals but also for the community of believers, the Church. Peter as spokesman for the apostles and other disciples preaches a sermon. He proclaims the gospel of the crucified, risen, and ascended Lord Jesus Christ. He calls for repentance, faith, and baptism. The responses to this sermon are individual, but the results are manifested in the believing community. In Acts 2:41-42, "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."

Thus, we see several basic characteristics of the Church, characteristics which have continued and will continue through history. These characteristics are preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Christian Baptism, apostolic teaching and fellowship, the Eucharistic meal, and basic and daily prayers. In these verses and the characteristics they describe, we really have a basic Christian catechism. We see the concrete results of the descent and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. We see what the Church is and what it does. Of course, there is much to contemplate, and there are innumerable applications. There are many sermons, discussions, written volumes, and personal developments, but the basics are clear. So during this week, let us recall the basic workings of the Holy Spirit and renew our dedication to be open to them!

Pentecost or Whitsunday- John 14:26

 This Sunday is the fiftieth day after Easter and the tenth day after Ascension Day. The biblical name is Pentecost, and on this day Christians think about the coming of God the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and other disciples. Some Anglicans also call the day by the nickname “Whitsunday.” Apparently, this name arose in northern Europe from the white gowns worn at Baptisms on this day.  After all, in northern climes, the temperatures were likely to be better for baptisms than they were seven weeks earlier.

In Christian doctrine, the Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit is the invisible or hidden person, nature, and power of God, especially as it is at work in the world and in human lives. But sometimes it’s hard for us humans to deal with invisible things like a spirit; so we like to visualize spirits having forms. The Bible itself gives us some concrete ways to think about the Holy Spirit. At Jesus’ Baptism (Matthew 3:16), we are told that the Spirit came down like a dove- a peaceful and innocent bird. In Acts 2, the Spirit comes like an invisible but powerful wind. It is also full of energy and movement like flames of fire.

At Pentecost, we remember the descent of the Holy Spirit in a powerful new way upon Christ’s followers fifty days after Easter. Besides the account in the Acts of the Apostles, the Gospels, especially the Gospel according to St. John, also promise the blessing of the Spirit.  In John 14:26 (KJV), Jesus teaches, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

By these words, Jesus teaches us about the basic work of the Holy Spirit among Christians. The Spirit has done, is doing, and will do many things, but the central work of the Spirit is related to the message of Jesus Christ. The work of the Spirit of Truth is to inspire believers. The Spirit of Truth is to remind, motivate, and help the disciples apply the Truth they have already heard from Jesus. Although the Holy Spirit certainly brings new life and new insight, He never brings some sort of new gospel. The Spirit does not and will not change the core message. The Divine Spirit’s chief work is to help us apply the Word incarnate in Jesus in new contexts. The Spirit gives new life to the Gospel and to the Church, but the Spirit always works with and through the message revealed in the Scriptures (especially in the incarnate Word Jesus Christ), summarized in the Creeds, and applied to us through the Sacraments. So today let us recall that basic message and give thanks for it!

Trinity XI- Creedal Christianity- I Corinthian 15: 1-11

Both the Epistle and the Gospel for this Eleventh Sunday after Trinity are powerful passages in differing ways. We always need to be reminded of the message in the Gospel from St. Luke 18:9-14. In the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, Jesus reminds us of the proper human attitude in prayer and in life. All are sinners in some respect, and all of us need to turn to God's mercy in humble repentance and faith, not in pride, self-righteousness, or self-justification.

As important as today's Gospel is, this time, I would emphasize the Epistle from I Corinthians 15:1-11. These verses constitute one of several New Testament passages which have been characterized as early Christian creeds. Here St. Paul emphasizes the core message preached by all the apostles. Jesus Christ really suffered, died, was buried, and rose again on the third day. He was seen alive by many witnesses. Christ our Lord did these things to save those who believe in Him from sin and to offer them new and eternal life.

In I Corinthians 15:1, Paul calls this core Christian message the gospel or the good news, to evangelion. Later in 15:11, he uses the verb kerysso, which means proclaim or preach. This message derived from the life and teaching of Jesus Christ is shared by the whole apostolic Church. It has specific content about Christ and His redeeming work. Although a person's attitude, thoughts, and feelings about the message are personally important, the message itself claims to be objectively true. Christians are expected to profess and really believe these teachings or doctrines. In other words, from the beginning, Christianity is by nature a creedal religion.

As time went on the ancient Church faced various challenges to biblical beliefs. These challenges led to the formulation of early baptismal creeds affirmed by those being baptized and by their Christian sponsors. The core of these creeds affirmed beliefs about Christ such as those found in I Corinthians 15. These creeds were not contrary to Scripture; rather they summarized and defended biblical faith. In different forms, two ancient baptismal creeds have come down to the Church through the centuries. One is the Apostles' Creed which developed from simple baptismal affirmations in the Western or Latin church. The other is the Nicene Creed which took Eastern or Greek baptismal creeds and added phrases to clarify true Christian beliefs in light of fourth-century un-biblical challenges. Later, a third creed, the so-called Athanasian Creed, was accepted in the Western Church as a longer statement defending the doctrine of the Trinity. Although theologically important, its use in popular Christian worship and instruction has been less frequent.

These three ancient and ecumenical/catholic creeds reflect Scripture and have become basic expressions of Christian doctrine. It is absurd for someone to claim that he/she has no creed but the Bible. Every person and every congregation has some kind of creed, explicit or implicit. Each of us may have our private summaries or paraphrases, but we are on much sounder ground to acknowledge and affirm the ancient Creeds. They reflect Scripture, apostolic preaching, and the wisdom of generations of faithful Christians. Ignoring or rejecting them is at best stubborn pride and at worst unbelief or heresy. May God guide us in His truth!