Sermon Archive

It's Pentecost morn, the time when God puts the wind of the Spirit in our sails and the fire of the Spirit in our hearts—the wind and fire of God's divine presence. For on that first Day of Pentecost, amidst a mighty wind and tumbling tongues of fire, the Church was born. And on each and every Pentecost morning, God's Spirit comes down to us anew!

Now on every Day of Pentecost here at Rutgers, we throw a big birthday party for the church, with a birthday cake and everything. So Taras, bring out the cake!

Now there on top of the cake are candles. And the candles say "1,975," because today the Church is one thousand, nine hundred and seventy-five years old! So which of you bigger children can help me get some fire going here? Who can help me light the candles? Wow, now we've got the cake and some fire of Pentecost! So now we're going to sing "Happy Birthday, Dear Church." George give us a pitch of D (key of G)!

Now, who can provide me with the wind we need to blow out these candles? OK, let's do it!

So that's some of the fire and wind of Pentecost. Now, can you see any more examples and symbols of fire around here? OK! Now, fire is red—like fire trucks and fire houses. Everything red that you see around here is supposed to remind you of the happy tongues of fire that came down from heaven on that very first Day of Pentecost—long, long ago.

But what about some symbols of wind? Do you see any of those around here? Well, when I think of wind and birthday parties together, I always think of pinwheels. And there're some pinwheels up there on that railing, and here's another one in my hand. Now, pinwheels don't move until someone blows some breath, some wind, on them. So who wants to blow on my pinwheel so that it will move? Thanks! Now, we can't see wind, but we sure can hear it. So let's see if we can get some sounds of mighty wind in here. Maybe the choir can help us out.

OK choir, can you make mighty wind sounds? OK, kids now let's hear you make some mighty wind sounds! Louder! And now let's see if the rest of the congregation can do it. Now let's hear everybody together—choir, kids, and people! OK!!! We've got a mighty wind, and we've got lots of fire!

So we're all ready to tell the story of Pentecost, and we're going to have some fun doing it, for we're going to tell that story with the help of some jazz musicians—Jon, and Bruce, and Rebekah. So let's turn to our jazzed up story of Pentecost found at page 10 in our orders of service. And, with the help of our instrumentalists, let's practice your lines, the refrain.

We were gathered that morning in the upper room
    We were waiting, we were waiting
With our sisters and brothers in Jerusalem
    We were waiting, we were waiting
Jesus had said the Holy Spirit would come
    We were waiting, we were waiting
To give us power and loosen our tongues
    We were waiting, we were waiting
Pentecost morning dawned clear and bright
    We were praying, we were praying
And we gathered to pray in the morning light
    We were praying, we were praying
When out of the quiet there came a sound
    We were praying, we were praying
A rushing wind began to pound
    We were praying, we were praying
It filled the house, it filled our souls
    We were praying, we were praying
A breath of life, like a midwife blows
    We were praying, we were praying
A rush of joy, like the waters of birth
    We were praying, we were praying
The Spirit laboring on the earth
    We were praying, we were praying
Tongues of fire haloing each
    We were praying, we were praying
Our hearts aflame, we began to preach
    We were preaching, we were preaching
In languages from far and near,
    We were preaching, we were preaching
Praising God whose love casts out fear
    We were preaching, we were preaching
Love like that can't sit and hide
    We were preaching, we were preaching
It spilled out of the house to the crowd outside
    We were preaching, we were preaching
All who heard were quite amazed
    We were preaching, we were preaching
In their own languages to hear God praised
    We were preaching, we were preaching
They came from Parthia, Pontus, Egypt, Arabia,
    We were preaching, we were preaching
Crete, and Cyrene, Libya, Asia
    We were preaching, we were preaching
In Cappadocia, n'Phrygia they made their homes,
    We were preaching, we were preaching
And don't forget Elam and Rome,
    We were preaching, we were preaching
And a few other places I can't pronounce
    We were preaching, we were preaching
But all understood God's power announced
    We were preaching, we were preaching
But others laughed, "They're full of new wine!"
    We were preaching, we were preaching
It's easy to "dis" what you can't define
    We were preaching, we were preaching
We were full of new wine, but not the kind they meant
    We were preaching, we were preaching
It was the wine of the Spirit, it was Heaven sent
    We were preaching, we were preaching
By wind and fire on Pentecost morn
    We are the body, we are the body
The body of Christ, the church was born
    We are the body, we are the body
Two thousand years later we gather still
    We are the body, we are the body
To pray and preach, to teach and heal
    We are the body, we are the body
To be that love that casts out fear
    We are the body, we are the body
But we need the Spirit, that's oh so clear!
    We are the body, we are the body
For without the Spirit, we are only dust,
    We are the body, we are the body
Creator, sustainer, in you we trust
    We are the body, we are the body
Come Holy Spirit, come quick'ning breath
    We are the body, we are the body
Raise us again to life from death.
    We are the body, we are the body
Renew us, remake us, fire us, shake us
    We are the body, we are the body
From the slumber of sin, come and wake us
    We are the body, we are the body
Let us see with Your eyes; let us touch with Your hands
    We are the body, we are the body
Speak only Your love, and let all understand.
    We are the body, we are the body
    We are the body, we are the body
   We are the body of Christ. Amen!

(by Denise Bennett, in The Abingdon Women's Preaching Annual, Series 3, Year A [ISBN 0-687-09583-2], ed. Beverly A. Zink-Sawyer [Nashville, Abingdon, 2004] pp. 128-131)

Whew! We've sung Happy Birthday! We've told the story in jazz. Now we're really ready for the Holy Spirit to come down on us anew, by wind and fire, this very Pentecost morning.

So kids and congregation, we're going to sing for the Holy Spirit to come down to us from above right here, right now. We're going to sing the song printed in your bulletin on page 8. And at the end of the first line, you and the choir are going to make some mighty-wind sounds while you look up at the ceiling where some Holy Spirit holes will open! And then at the end of the second line of our song something will come down through those holes like tongues of fire, the gift of the Spirit. And then at the end of the third line, another gift of the Spirit will come down from the ceiling that will make it seem like there is a big birthday party in here!

OK! George please play once through our tune so that we can learn the melody and get ready to make our wind sounds!

All right. We're ready! And Holy Spirit are You ready up there? Now remember, at the end of the first line, we're all going to make mighty-wind sounds. Let's go!

Come, O Spirit (Tune: St. Kevin, in the key of G)
1. "Come, O Spirit, with Your sound like a wind quick rushing;"
2. "Come, O Spirit, with your flame; send down tongues of fire!"
3. "Come from heav'n and stir our hearts, each disciple touching;"
4. Come, O Spirit, fill Your church; all our lives inspire!

Welcome, Holy Spirit, and Happy Birthday, Church!