This weekend we will celebrate Pentecost, the special day in the calendar of the church when we remember the experience of Spirit giving life to the early church. It is not like Christmas or Easter, one of the biggies, but it is one of my favourites because it celebrates something we can experience every day- all the time.
Life was not easy for those first followers of Jesus. They had left their homes to follow Jesus and everything had changed. They were Jewish but they were not liked or trusted by the leadership within the Jewish community and the Roman authorities were constantly threatening. And yet they had message that they felt compelled to share, if only they could muster up the courage.
And then something happened. Hard to describe. The Book of Acts uses words like mighty wind and tongues of flame to talk about the divine Spirit filling the place, filling them. And although afterwards, their compatriots within the Jewish community still gave them the side-eye, and they were still persecuted by the Romans, they had courage, they had bravery, they had confidence, the community was tighter, and they had the sense that come what may, God would have their back.
It is a mysterious thing, the Spirit, but it is the necessary ingredient in the life of the church- the thing that makes everything else work. It is present all the time even though we can’t see it or contain it. All of which makes Pentecost Sunday a little weird, but so full of life and breath and sound and hope.
So this Sunday, wear something flame-coloured (red/orange/yellow), and come celebrate the Spirit alive among us.
Blessings, Will
PS. This musing will be at the top of the next three Friday messages as Melissa will be out of the office. However, you will find all the announcements and worship links you need to help you be active in the life of Highlands below.