Pentecost Acts 2

Pentecost Acts 2:1-21, Rom. 8:14-17,John14:8-27 5/27/07

What does this mean? Matt, by now, you should be pretty familiar with that question that makes my sermon title today. Studying catechism with Mrs. Bauer and going through the mentoring program, you’ve surely been confronted with that question (or a variation of it) many times.

Luther begins each of his explanations to the Commandments with "What does this mean?". As you reflected on various topics with your mentor, "What does this mean?" was the root question. What does prayer, keeping the commandments, living out your baptism, etc. mean in real life...in your life.

"What does this mean?" is an important question to continue asking as you grow into adulthood and beyond. And you celebrate today a special blessing that will help you with the answer - the Spirit of God who came into your life some years ago at your baptism.

That Spirit made a grand entrance on that Sunday when the disciples were gathered a bit more than 2000 years ago. The Spirit’s appearance seemed to come as wind and fire. But, more important, it filled the disciples and led them to speak in languages they couldn’t possibly have known - the languages of the multi-national crowd gathered in the area.

Those who heard the disciples witnessing to Jesus in their own language said, "What does this mean?" But, Peter reminds the people of their own history by interpreting the prophet Joel to them. What this means is that God’s promise has been fulfilled. Salvation has come.

"What does this mean?" goes beyond that though...as important ultimately as salvation is. In the second lesson we learned that this Spirit of God makes us children of God.

We might think that the big benefit of salvation comes only at the end of life. We expect then to stand before the judgment seat of God and hear that we have been declared innocent of our sin through Jesus’ saving death on the cross. That will surely be a BIG day, but it is a day far off for you Matt and for most of us.

On the other hand, we learn from the Letter to the Romans that the Spirit who came on Pentecost and again when each of us was baptized, is the Spirit of Adoption. This is a benefit we can use, enjoy and respond to every day.

The Spirit of God made you (and you, and you, and all of us) God’s child. As much love and care we may receive from our earthly parents, it does not begin to compare with the love and care of God. God showers us with blessings.

Oh, it may seem at times like they were the rewards for our own hard work or gifts of family and friends, but the true giver of every good gift is God. He makes those other gifts possible and gives spiritual gifts more valuable than any earthly gift.

Remember that word "grace" we discussed just a couple of weeks ago. It’s a really hard word to understand, one I hope you will struggle with the rest of your life.

Grace is the gift of God’s unfailing love which He offers to each of us even though we don’t in any way deserve it.

Grace is being told that we are saved as a gift of God and that nothing is required of us in order to receive it.

Grace is the constant presence of the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of adoption, the Spirit of Advocacy. The Spirit is with you Matt, and with each of us, every moment of our lives ready to reassure us, nurture us, comfort us, strengthen us and guide us.

The Spirit doesn’t come like it did that Pentecost Day 2000+ years ago, of course. It comes now as a still small voice answering our questions when we pray, study Scripture, or seek to serve God in the many ways presented to us.

So often, people think that when a young person is confirmed he or she has graduated. They’ve learned all they need to know. They’ve reached the church’s goal. They’ve got religion.

Please, please, hear me! It is NOT over. Matt has NOT graduated. Matt has NOT learned all he needs to know. Matt has NOT got religion - whatever that means. Matt (and each of us) has only just begun.

We’ve only just begun to learn about this wondrous God who loved us enough to die for us...loved us enough to adopt us into His family...loved us enough to send the Spirit to be with us and work in us all the days of our lives.

Even the most loving mother or father can lose patience with the child who asks non-stop questions. God never does though. Through the Spirit God is always willing to listen to our questions, our doubts, our fears and our requests. The Spirit, the Advocate just revels in the openness implied in a question.

While the term "Advocate" is used more to suggest that the Spirit will be there for us like a defense attorney when we are accused of some unpardonable sin, I think the Spirit can also advocate with us, trying to guide us along the better path, trying to help us see the better choice, trying to help us find the answers to all of the "What does this mean?" questions in our lives.

And believe me, Matt, that question will be there more often than you can imagine in the years ahead. What does this mean that I feel pulled to study for a career in this field in college? What does this mean for my future, my life? What does this mean, these strange intense feelings I have for this other person? What does this mean that I’m to spend the rest of my life with her? What does this mean, this miracle of life I see as I hold my first child? What does this mean that I’m old and dying?

Even more importantly perhaps, "What does this mean?" will be the question when the tough and painful times come in your life as well - job loss, broken relationships, sickness, death of loved ones. The question may seem to haunt you at these times.

But, whether the question comes in good times or bad, know that the Holy Spirit will be with you, helping you struggle through "What does this mean?" to a meaning intended just for you.

So Matt, during the next few minutes reflect a bit yet again on what does this mean to stand before your family, friends and the church and affirm the vows made for you in baptism. What does being confirmed an adult member of St. Paul’s mean to you? What does this mean that you will publicly witness to having received the Spirit of Adoption, the Spirit that makes you God’s child?

Don’t let those question scare you. If you listen carefully, you’ll surely hear a still small voice suggesting the answer. Amen