Genesis 11: 1-9
NPMC
Psalm 104: 24-34, 35b
Pentecost
Acts 2: 1-21
May 23, 2010
John 14: 8-17
Anita Retzlaff
The Language of Love
Pentecost is traditionally known as the beginning, the birth day of the
church. The Holy Spirit bestows a visit upon a group of 120 of Jesus’ followers
gathered together “in one place.” Fifty days, which is the “pente” of Pentecost,
have passed since Easter morning. 120 people have committed to a new hope and a
new way to live together. It seems to me that this visitation of the Spirit in
wind and fire is God’s way of saying, “You guys are on the right track. Keep it
up. This won’t necessarily be easy!” The Spirit encourages Jesus’ people to
continue on the course that they have chosen and blesses them as a community.
Now, let’s take a brief trip back – all the way back – to Genesis where we hear
the story of the Tower of Babel. Here God seems to do the opposite of what
transpires at Pentecost. At Babel God confuses the language of the Hebrews and
scatters them as one who steps on an anthill. This is a foundational story of
humanity for it comes from a time imagined when the whole earth had one language
and the same words and one purpose. Wouldn’t that be amazing? So, what went
wrong? This unified, unilingual, uniform community overreached its boundaries.
In its solidarity they thought they could storm the gates of heaven since all
were of the same mind and glory, permanency and ultimate knowledge would be
theirs to possess. That kind of power was not to be. God confuses their language
and they are symbolically scattered into the complexities that constitute the
reality of what it means to be human beings.
In the Acts story of the Holy Spirit’s visit, the language of the people though
of different sources and manifestations becomes a binding and uniting language:
all is drawn together. In the “one place” where all are gathered the power of
God brings understanding: the reverse of what happens at Babel. It is the
language they are speaking in that room of 120! I don’t mean the linguistics
inherent in the words of Phrygia, Pamphylia or Cappadocia rather I mean the
language of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate. That language which brings
understanding and unity does not build ladders to heaven so that glory is
captured and exploited rather that language given by the Spirit at Pentecost is
the language of love poured out.
This is the vocabulary of love that Jesus gives to his friends and gives to us.
In Jesus’ name of love we build a vocabulary of faith and a life of action. “If
in my name you ask me for anything,” says Jesus in this morning’s gospel
reading, “I will do it. If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” The
language of the Spirit of truth, of a God of peace, informs our understanding so
that we do not try to storm the gates of heaven or attempt to corner the market
of divine knowledge. If language is a system common to people of the same
community then the language of a Jesus follower is the language of love. No
slavish rule-keeping or church building project or Mennonite history book –
these have their place - will build the kingdom of God. Only a language of
living that is informed by the love of Christ for all people will build the
community of the Spirit.
Every community has its language, its assumptions and common knowledge. Every
community builds a culture that reflects the values and goals of its people. On
this Pentecost Sunday, in this community we celebrate the Spirit of power with
images of wind and fire. In so doing we remember that the power dispersed,
scattered by the Holy Spirit is the mighty power of love. We witness that power
in the language of choral music this morning. We hold closely the power released
to each of us who has need through the prayers spoken this day. We offer great
thanksgiving for the power that comes to us in the words of scripture read in
this assembly - in our hearing.
And so we ask God to continue to show us the way of love, the language that
builds community, the breath of the Spirit that makes of us a people of peace.
May the Spirit of Truth abide in us today and in all our days. AMEN