Sermon: “Preparing for the Pentecostal Power in You”
Scripture: Acts 2:1-4

Subtitle: As Public As a City on a Hill

by Jim Manchester

Sunday, May 31, 2009
St. John’s MCC • 805 Glenwood Avenue • Raleigh, NC

“Preparing for the Pentecostal Power in You”

When Pastor Belva asked me some time ago to deliver this message to you, I, of course, said “Yes” immediately. It was not until I was halfway home that I realized the significance of the day she wanted me to preach. To be asked to give a sermon on the one thousand nine hundred and eightieth anniversary of what Christians regard as the Birthday of the Christian Church is a very high honor indeed. After all, St. Peter delivered that first sermon on that first Day of Pentecost.

Perhaps it is not so strange that I should be given this task. I, too, have a history of denying Christ’s loving relationship with me, and in much the same way that Peter did, I have discovered the hard way that Jesus loves me anyway.

The title of this sermon is “Preparing for the Pentecostal Power in You.” With that in mind: “Breathe on us, Breath of God. Fill us with life anew, that we may love what You love and do what You would have us do. Amen.”

Luke’s account of what led up to the strange events of that first Day of Pentecost in the Upper Room with the disciples and others was sketchy. Luke tells us in Acts 2:1-4 that “When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Without warning, there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.” (The Message)

Now, when something involving violent, howling wind happens around here, we quickly turn to one of our favorite meteorologists. I am sure that if asked, Greg Fishel would respond with something like: “WHAT did it do?” After listening carefully to the story one more time, I am sure he would then ask something like: “Well, what else was going on?”

We don’t have the kind of data that Greg would need to explain the localized weather event one thousand nine hundred and eighty years ago. Nobody made a record of the types of clouds in the sky at the time. All we do know is that there were about 120 people in that room. Luke’s account in chapter one of Acts tells us that. In that chapter, Luke also explains that Jesus had told them, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift God promised to you, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

I’m sure they said, “Huh?”

Still, Luke insists that there was no warning. I’m not so sure about that. Even though Jesus had told them they would receive a gift, they still had no idea what to expect. So they sat in the Upper Room and waited. And they prayed. Despite Luke’s belief that there was no warning, I think that they actually called upon the Holy Spirit themselves. Let me explain….

I believe that they had learned that waiting and praying was a lot more than most people think. Deacon Charles, Deacon Val, and many others around here will tell you that praying is NOT just sitting in an uncomfortable position and contemplating what you need God to do for you. Prayer is direct communication between God and us. That communication is intentional from both directions, but it takes effort on our part to make it happen.

As Jesus said in the first chapter of Acts, he had told us many times about what the Holy Spirit would do for us. He had also told us in many different ways how we should prepare for it. I believe that the Saints gathered in that room actually had prepared for it.

St. Mathew recorded several of those ways in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, but I’m going to pick one of them. You’ve heard the story of when Jesus was teaching his disciples about how they were to be salt and light to the world. In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus explained, “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it under a bushel basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to God in heaven.” (New Revised Standard Version)

Easily Defended when Attacked

When they heard Jesus’ analogy, the disciples instinctively knew why a “city on a hill” was special. The cities in the area that were located on hills were able to last the longest. One reason was that the residents could see any perils that approached them from all sides. Jerusalem was just one of those cities.

From other religious texts of the day, we learn that Jesus may have called such cities “fortified cities.” At least some of the disciples may have heard it that way. By that, Jesus may have meant that it doesn’t do any good to reside on a hilltop if no one is watching for the difficulties that may approach it. Residents must be ready to defend their preferred spot to live.

As we build a City on a Hill home for St. John’s, we must equip ourselves to be ready when people try to steal away the grace, happiness, peace, and purpose that God has given us. We really DO need to continue to prepare to defend our ministry. Outside attacks happen from time to time, but that is a different sermon.

Looking Up

How quickly our minds turn to being able to defend ourselves! While I believe the disciples instantly understood the defensibility of living on a hill, I don’t think that is what Jesus was teaching them.

I really like the way John Peterson translates the same passage in Matthew in The Message. Jesus explained, “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand – shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives.” Here’s the really good part: “By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Parent to us all, in heaven.” (The Message)

This, my friends, is where this message’s subtitle comes from. “We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.”

When our church decided to rework our previously well-crafted website last Fall, and when I undertook that challenge, I needed a new folder to contain the new files on the web server. Scratching my chin and pondering quickly, I needed a new, significant name. You probably remember that the crafters of the 2006 website housed it in a folder called “new,” which was highly appropriate at the time. So we needed something else.

Then, it came to me. At St. John’s, we are a City on a Hill and our goal is to create a new ministry facility that we’ve decided will be a City on a Hill to thousands of people. With a few taps and clicks, I named the folder “CityOnaHill.”

When a person is taking a long, difficult journey, that person becomes very encouraged when she or he can clearly see that the destination – a City on a Hill – is just ahead. The struggle to get there is almost over. All of the efforts to start the journey and make it through the winding pathways to get there are about to be rewarded. Excitement is everywhere.

But looking up at their destination again – the City on a Hill – people realize that they must summon one more supreme push to climb the hill.

Fourteen years ago next Sunday, I finally got brave enough to come inside this building. I was scared because I knew it meant that I couldn’t ever lie about being gay anymore and I didn’t know what was going to happen to me. I knew my friends and family would shake their heads – knowing that I had finally jumped off the cliff. My lies had already been revealed, and my reputation was already smashed. With uncharacteristic courage – or perhaps as an act of desperation – I opened the door, walked in, and sat at the end of the pew next to the third window. It was the best decision I ever made.

You know what kind of effort it took for you to come into an MCC. The first time you came through the doors, you had to overcome all kinds of obstacles. Perhaps, for you, it was the fear of rejection by your friends and family. After all, coming here might have meant that you would no longer have their support or their friendship. You may have said something like, “What will happen if all my friends find out my little secret?”

I must tell you that it was true that I lost the support of 95% of my then-existing friends and family over this. But since then, the sheer quantity of friends I have gained and the quality of their support is at least 12 times greater than before.

Perhaps you were afraid that you would be laughed at for being too weak to “make it on your own” without the help of some Supreme Being that nobody can see. There are lots of people in our neighborhoods – some of them are our close friends – who think that God is just a crutch for weak-minded people.

Perhaps you had heard stories that the people at St. John’s were no better than the flighty, self-absorbed club crowd that takes advantage of you at every sign of vulnerability. You might have heard stories that lead you to believe that you would be just as vulnerable here.

You might have been told, “St. John’s is not the right place for you. The people there will not be able to identify with you. They are very different from you.”

Your story may be different from any of those, but I am sure that you felt some resistance before you first arrived.

The problem with all of that is that it is true. I can’t tell you that any of those objections are false. Yes, you may initially lose the support of family and friends – especially those who are looking out for their own reputations and standing with their friends and associates in their community– not really caring about your happiness and well-being.

Yes, you will be turning to God and God’s people for strength, guidance, and spiritual support for the rest of your days.

Yes, we are a bunch of people who have a history of being totally self-absorbed, but we are learning how to redirect our lives toward a different path. Some of us are farther along in that journey than others, but we are all trying to get there.

Yes, each and every person in this place is different. Our stories are different. Our gifts are different. Our preferences are different. That is the glorious miracle of St. John’s MCC. It is absolutely okay to be different.

• It’s okay if your dog or cat runs under the bed when you start singing in the shower. We recognize that God blesses ALL who have the courage to make a joyful noise unto the Lord!
• It’s okay if you are a man who feels most fulfilled when dressed in women’s clothes or a woman who would rather be dressed in leather vest and chaps. It’s even okay if you are changing your gender. We treasure you!
• It’s okay if you are dependant on mind-altering substances in an effort to make you feel better. There is a path for your recovery right here.
• It’s okay if you absolutely hate having to stand up and sing the “Gloria.” You know that you will soon be blessed by something else in the worship experience.
• It’s okay if the times you are happiest are when you are making fun of the entertainers at Flex on Trailer Park Trash Thursdays, or dancing with complete strangers at Legends, or mingling with revelers at CCs, or sipping coffee with friends at Starbucks, or browsing at the White Rabbit, or even stumbling around in the darkened recesses of another book store. God blesses our relationships with people that cause no harm and add happiness to people’s lives. We understand that here.
• It’s okay if you are homeless or jobless. We love you and will do everything in our power to empower you in your journey! On the other hand, you may have all the wealth and enjoy all the comforts that financial success can provide. Either way, we think we can show you what Jesus meant when he asked all of us to love one another.
• It’s okay if you feel abused and dirty and broken. Many of us have found cleansing and healing and wholeness right here, and we will love you through those terrible times.
• It’s okay if your picture wouldn’t be featured on the cover of a fashion magazine or if you’d be eliminated in the first audition round of “Make Me a Supermodel,” “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” “American Idol,” “So You Think You Can Dance” or “America’s Next Top Model.” What we love about you is inside you.
• It’s okay if you have taken advantage of people in your past to the point where you have robbed from them, cheated on them, abused them, and taken away their dreams … all in an effort to fulfill some selfish desire. I can personally attest to how joyful it is to find a group of people who had the courage to give people like me a chance for a fresh start on a journey toward a new goal of recovery.
• It’s okay if you are attracted to people of both genders. We treasure you and recognize the depth of experience you have.
• It’s okay if you lied to everybody about everything that is important in your life for as long as you can remember. We care about you and will help you find a different path toward living a life in God’s truth.
• It’s okay if you are straight. Do we care about that around here? No. Of course not!
• It’s okay if you are one of those people who doesn’t fit into any of those situations, but you have been abused by preachers who take God’s love for all of God’s creation and twist it to fulfill their own selfish desires for power and control over God’s children. Organized religion has done that to people for centuries.
• No matter! You are one of God’s rainbow people. You have come to the right place, because, no matter who you are, who you want to love, where you’ve been, or what you’ve done, God loves you and so do we.

The trouble is that you can’t tell that St. John’s people are like that from outside these walls.

Or Can You?

That’s where our website comes in. Our Website Team’s goal is to open up our walls so that people can see that the final climb to the City on a Hill might just be worth the effort. Our website highlights all the opportunities St. John’s provides.

I would be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to recognize the talented people who make our City on a Hill website happen.

As I introduce you, please rise if you are able and remain standing until we are all standing. But let me say this first. As gifted as our eager Team of people is, there are several talents God hasn’t given us. For instance, we need someone who knows how to create and present Flash animations to enliven the way we present our ministries. We need photographers to show the world how active and serious we are. And, we especially need people who are willing to learn the intricacies of how the website works, so if or when something happens to me, its work will go on. There may be other needs we have that we don’t know about yet, but YOU do. We need your ideas and your talents. So, let me introduce our Team….

Jay Kelderman will be here this evening. He was among very first members of St. John’s MCC 33 years ago. He brings his audio skills along with his resources to prepare and upload the sermons by Pastor Belva, Pastor Carlton, and others.

Our team of writers for the website includes Dave Conroy, Faye Krouse, Kevin Krouse, Mitch Meiners, and Heather Malobisky. If you have a story to tell or a ministry idea or event that others might be interested in, these are the people to see. They are eager to help you tell your story.

Paully Adams creates inviting clip art for our site. Paully is a highly gifted woman of God, and you will be hearing much more from her in the near future.

David Ray serves as one of the leaders of our church’s Outreach Ministry. He supervises our website efforts and maintains our online calendar and Prayer Wall. We could not do what we do without him.

Our Web Team needs your help, but we have no idea who we could approach. As much as we wish it was true, God doesn’t point a finger at someone and whisper in our ears, “There! Go talk to her! She can do that!”

But maybe – just maybe – God is already whispering in your ear, “Tell them! You can help! Let them know right now before you change your mind!” If that’s the case, approach any one of us. We need you so much! Will you join this Team?

Thank you, my friends. You may be seated.

It is our job to be ready and welcoming when people make that bold step to enter into the end of their journey toward our City on a Hill.

We have other teams here. Our Worship Team and especially our Music Ministry needs you. So does our Fellowship Team. Our Service Team pleads with you to help them serve our community. Our Discipleship Team wants to help you grow in your spiritual understanding. Our Outreach Team wants you to let others know about us. You already know about the work of all of these teams of dedicated saints. If you don’t know where you might fit, just ask any one of us or check out our website.

Ready for the Pentecostal Power

So what was it that happened in that Upper Room? The people in that Upper Room had taken the time to remember and to begin to understand what Jesus taught them. They realized that the revolutionary power of God’s love can free people from the oppression of fear and hatred. They felt empowered in a completely new and different way. They were ready to take Jesus’ teachings and share them with everyone in languages that they sometimes didn’t understand.

The odd conglomeration of Saints who is gathered in this very room is just like those who gathered in the Upper Room one thousand nine hundred and eighty years ago. You know how much God loves you. It is time to open yourself up to the amazing power that God gives to you.

No matter where your interests, talents, and gifts lie, whether it could be used for our website or any of the many other ministries we do around here, Pray, equip yourself, and be ready! When you are ready, let someone know! We need you!

Perhaps today is the day you will speak up – just like the Saints did so long ago.

“Breathe on us, Breath of God. Fill us with life anew, that we may love what You love and do what You would have us do. Amen.”

Thank you. God bless you.

– Jim Manchester