Sermon
Will
We Let The Spirit Guide Us?
Pentecost
– May 27, 2012
John
15:26-27; 16:4b-15
I have
learned not to trust the “I am ready for change” statement lesson the hard way.
Reflecting back over the years, I can recall in a nanosecond several painful
examples of this love/hate relationship that we all have with change -
situations that I have muddled into; and, then rather ungracefully and quite
painfully muddled out of.
Take for
instance the time, when as the Director of the Altar Guild at Bethesda by the
Sea, I took seriously several of the guild members’ comments about combining
the Altar Guild and the Flower Committee. “Wouldn’t it make great sense,” they
wondered. “It would mean that we could work together each week to dress the
altar as beautifully as possible.” To me, they seemed open to and eager for
change.
Never a
person to hang back, I went to the Rector and informed him of our plans. He
looked at me skeptically and said, “Are you sure?” With full confidence I
replied, “Yes, I am sure. Everyone supported it at today’s meeting. In fact,
several of the women said they had been considering making this change for a
long time” With a clearly pastoral sigh, he said, “Alright, give it a try. Let
me know if there are any problems”
Well, I
tried – I really tried. For six months I tried and tried - and tried. I tried with
group prayer; with readings from Scripture; with team building exercises – I
tried. And, guess what? You guessed, right. It didn’t work. In fact, it failed
miserably.
It didn’t
work primarily because for years at Bethesda the Flower Committee had been
independently creative, self-sustaining, and justifiably proud of the beauty
and creativity that they brought to their ministry. They did not believe anyone
else worthy enough to participate in the creation of their spectacularly artistic
floral arrangements.
The Altar
Guild, on the other hand, had been a fiercely protective group of elderly women
who believed that they could detect whether or not one was called by God to
devote their lives to the tender and loving care they poured out upon the
contents of the sacristy and the setting of God’s table. It appeared clear to
me, and several others, that the Altar Guild members did not believe that the
Flower Committee members were among God’s chosen for their particular ministry.
People on
these two committees had been operating within a certain set of beliefs and
within two separate cultures for a long time. While they dreamed of change,
their hearts were not open to experiencing a new way. They were unable to let
go of the past and to step outside their current, well-known, world into a new
and uncertain world in which they would be asked to journey along a new path.
They could not summon the faith to trust the new; the possible; the unknown.
By the
seventh month of our attempt at change, we reverted to the old two committee system.
Everyone appeared happier. The Rector was very relieved; I could sleep
peacefully again each night; and, I was a little wiser in the ways of
attempting to implement change without really preparing the way for those who
would be affected by the change.
Today is
Pentecost. Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the twelve apostles and other followers of Jesus as described in the Acts of the
Apostles. Pentecost is sometimes described as the
"Birthday of the Church."
Today is the
day that “suddenly from Heaven there came a sound like a rush of a violent
wind, and it filled house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2). Today is the day that the Holy Spirit
breathed the fire of life into all the nations of the world. Today is the day
“that devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem” received
God’s Spirit. In amazement, they cried out and asked, “What does this mean…What
should we do?”
Today is the
day, “That about three thousand persons were added and they devoted themselves
to the Apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the
prayers.” (Acts
2:42)
Today is the
day that Christianity became a world religion. People were changed. They were
changed in a major way. They tossed aside belief systems held for thousands of
years. They became one with God. They became Christians.
Today is a
day of change - A day on which we open our hearts and minds to the Holy Spirit
- A day on which we recommit ourselves to follow the Apostles’ teaching and
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers - A day on which we
recommit ourselves as followers of Jesus to a life based on faith that the Holy
Spirit is with us always – to guide us through the challenges of change.
This summer,
we at Grace will begin a process of change – big change - as we identify and
call a Priest in Charge Under Special Circumstances. A priest who will replace
Father Dale as our spiritual leader.
There is no
question that the challenges this change will bring to us are far greater than
my little experiment at Bethesda by the Sea when I attempted to combine the
Altar Guild and the Flower Committee. The change we are about to undertake here
at Grace will affect far more than two small committees. Our upcoming change in
spiritual leadership will affect each and every one of us here at Grace in the
Desert. No one will remain untouched.
This change
will be similar in scope to the change that the Jews experienced that day 2000
years ago as they felt the “rush of a violent wind,” and experienced the power
of the Holy Spirit as it entered their lives – lives that would be forever
changed; no going back.
Late this
fall we will say “goodbye” to our beloved Father Dale, who, with a deep
devotion to God, and guided by the Holy Spirit, has led this parish in its
transformation from a small community church housed in a trailer to a vibrant
congregation that dwells in a gracious and welcoming campus.
Late this
fall we will say, “goodbye” to Father Dale, and “hello” to a to a new and
completely unknown person – a new priest who, just like Father Dale, will be
filled with a deep devotion to God and a heart with eyes and ears open to the
Spirit. A new priest, who with new ideas will bring many new ways of being to
our way of life here at Grace in the Desert. Late this fall, our community will
experience a big change.
Precisely
because of my disastrous results in trying to effect change at prior times in
my life, I have learned to respect the dynamics of change. I have learned that
if change is to be eagerly embraced and integrated into an existing culture
that possesses a strong identity, it is important to set the stage for this
change.
When Father
Dale leaves us we will be not so very different than the disciples when they
lost their beloved leader, Jesus. We will be grief stricken, we will be lost,
we will be confused, we will be angry. We will say, “What are we going to do
now? Who is this new person anyway; what do they know about us? Do they
understand that we have always done it this way, and that it works for us?”
The sadness
of this “goodbye” will be profound. The worry about what is to come will create
anxiety among many. The questions about
where we are going will be too many to anticipate. The changes that will occur
are unknown.
My question
to you today is: How will we, as a congregation, meet these challenging changes
that face us?
Will we be a
fearful and closed minded community like the Altar Guild and the Flower
Committee at Bethesda by the Sea? Will we refuse to enter an unknown future
with faith and hope for an even larger and more vibrant Grace in the Desert? Or, will we be a Pentecost people? Will we
open our hearts to the fire of the Spirit and become one with God, and
ourselves, as we welcome our new leader into this parish home?
Will we in
eager anticipation and with the courage that Christ demands of us, walk with
him or her as they shepherd us into new and exciting ways; ways that will
encourage us to grow spiritually, both personally and in community, as faithful
servants of our Lord Jesus Christ? Will we follow the Apostle’s teaching and
fellowship, and in the breaking of bread and the prayers?
As a
community, if we are to succeed in successfully journeying through the pain and
grief of “goodbye,” the anxiety of the unknown, and the welcoming of the new,
we must journey together, as one, in faith.
If we can
succeed in achieving unity through faith, personal courage, intentional prayer,
contemplative conversation, and healing through the ministry of caring with
compassion for one another, we will exemplify Paul’s hope for the members of
his church in Philippi – we will live our lives in a manner worthy of the
Gospel of Christ.
In deep
contemplation and prayer, let us remember Jesus’ parting words to his disciples
on that Pentecost day many years ago: “When
the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will
speak not on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to
you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what
is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason
I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-15)
And, in our
hearts, minds and lives, let us honor with courage and faith Jesus’ final command
to Peter, and therefore to all of us, “Follow
me.” AMEN.
