The Big Shift

Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (The Day of Pentecost: Whitsunday BCP 227)


Christian history has a good number of big moments. However, this coming Sunday we celebrate the second biggest. The coming of the Holy Spirit. The followers of the Way, as followers of Jesus called themselves early on, may have only ended up as a footnote in history if it weren't for Pentecost. All their courage in sharing the Good News in front of rulers and those who threw them in jail came from this moment. Even Jesus' resurrection (the biggest moment in history) didn't quite propel them into the streets proclaiming the story and making disciples, until the Holy Spirit arrived.

The arrival of the Holy Spirit was a big shift for the disciples of Jesus. It completely changed their lives. They still couldn't see the future, but they were given direction and agency. The Holy Spirit gave them hope that their new way of being faithful to God was not at an end. They were set on fire and able to spread that passion with all those around them.

Not only was Pentecost a big shift for the early disciples in terms of empowering them to share the Good News, the coming of the Holy Spirit opened the small group of reformed Jewish believers up to a wide world of different people. The Holy Spirit invited diversity while still embracing unity. This paved the way for the universal church we know today. The disciples started the morning off together in one place, but the Holy Spirit sent them out into the world united in Gospel Truth.

I pray we may invite the Holy Spirit to set us on fire this coming Sunday. We need the diversity and unity, the agency and passion brought on by the Spirit to do the work of God in this world. May we open ourselves to the Spirit, wherever it might take us. 

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