‘God in the Present-Tense’ by Rev Allister Lane 5th June 2022 Pentecost Sunday

‘God in the Present-Tense’ by Rev Allister Lane

5th June 2022 Pentecost Sunday

John 14:8-27 (RSV) and Acts 2:1-21

I think we hear the Acts reading every Pentecost Sunday.

Which is appropriate – it’s like hearing about the birth of Jesus every Christmas.

That first Pentecost was when the Church experienced the Holy Spirit coming, among them ALL.

In the reading from John’s Gospel today, we hear Jesus explain to just the small group of his disciples,

that he is about to depart from them.

But, he explains, they don’t need to fret –

because God the Father will send the Holy Spirit.

What appeared to be bad news to the disciples –

namely, Jesus’ departure from them,

turns out to be the best news for the disciples, and for us.

Jesus’ ministry on earth was limited to one person

and one place at a time.

Upon Jesus’ departure, all disciples become a contact point for the Holy Spirit and the sharing of God’s love.

Put very simply, the Holy Spirit can be understood as ‘God in the present-tense’.

Every experience you and I have of God in our lives (personally and communally), is the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Now, compared to the passage from Acts – with the dramatic flair and energy of the arrival of the Holy Spirit – the John passage highlights ‘quieter’ and ‘less-dramatic’ features of the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus –

let’s look at these…

The word John uses for the Holy Spirit is Paraclete.

This Greek word can be translated a number of slightly different ways.

Sometimes it is translated ‘Comforter’

or ‘Advocate’

or ‘Helper’.

I chose the Revised Standard Version to be read today,

as this translates Paraclete as:  Counsellor.

And I think of two meanings of the word ‘Counsellor’,

that are ways to understand the Holy Spirit.

The first way we can understand a Counsellor is

a)    someone who enables us to cope wisely.

It can be a financial counsellor, a marriage counsellor,

a pastoral counsellor, a psychiatric counsellor, a family counsellor, or a close confidant and friend.

The Counsellor is one who enables us to navigate life.

The second way we can understand a Counsellor is

b)    someone who gives us legal counsel and pleads our cause in court.

As in a Q.C. – a Queen’s Counsellor here in NZ.

The Counsellor is one who speaks for us.

So, using this translation, we can imagine how the Holy Spirit is both our Enabler and our Advocate;

the One who enables us,

and (when necessary) speaks for us.

As our Enabler the Holy Spirit is with us helping us experience the fullness of life as God’s children.

The Holy Spirit knows us – better than we know ourselves – and leads us with intimacy – guiding, teaching, and nurturing us.

When necessary, the Holy Spirit pursues us with relentless love. 

Don’t think for one moment this is easy-going, sentimental kindness.

A good counsellor will at times confront us, challenge our evasions, question our motives, allow us nowhere to hide from the hard truth.

And those who have allowed the Counsellor to enable them to navigate every part of themselves, they have found healing.

As our Advocate the Holy Spirit speaks on our behalf, making our words about God intelligible.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth (v17) who teaches all things about Jesus (v26) – and does this through our efforts to share the Gospel with others.

Everything about my ministry depends on this work of the Counsellor.

And the same is true for whatever pattern you have for serving Christ.

·      I offer pastoral care words with someone,      and the Spirit ‘pleads my case’.

·      I preach a sermon – more inadequate words – but the Spirit pleads my case. 

So, the Holy Spirit is both our Enabler and our Advocate;

the One who enables us, and speaks for us.

John’s Gospel highlights this about the Holy Spirit at a personal level.

The other things I want us to consider today, is how the Holy Spirit is present to us in community.

Last week we considered the Megachurch scandals we are hearing in the media alongside Jesus’ prayer for unity among his followers.

In other words – how we live and interact as Christ’s Church.

Our understanding of being Presbyterian is that, to exercise responsibility and decision-making, rather than acting as individuals, we organise ourselves in groups – councils and committees.

And, although this model of leadership can be frustrating for some at times, it is essential to recognise that the expectation of being church this way is that we are working with the Holy Spirit.

We are communally discerning God’s will, as the Holy Spirit prompts and guides us together.

In this sense, maybe we could think of the Holy Spirit as ‘The Navigator’.

Importantly (in the light of some revelations about harmful church culture) today’s readings remind us the Holy Spirit is a gift – sent by the Father (v16, v 26)

No strategy can entice, or force, the Spirit.

…no institutional manipulation,

no ‘next level’ prayer,

no lifted hands,

no style of music.

The Spirit is given at God’s initiative.

And, at the same time, the Church can rely on God’s promise.

God gives the Spirit to be with us for ever;

we can know him, for he dwells with us, and is in us.

In our faith journey together, it is the Holy Spirit who gives us experiences of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

These are ‘the fruits of the Spirit’. (Gal 5:22-23)

And if we need those in our life; if we desire these experiences, we can ask for the Holy Spirit to come to us.

‘Come, Holy Spirit, come. Change us.’

Enable us,

advocate for us,

navigate the way.

Wind can’t be seen, but we can see the change it makes as it blows the leaves and branches of the trees;

as it turns the blades of the wind turbine.

So, we can ‘see’ the Holy Spirit in our midst, as we see ourselves changed.

That’s what the Holy Spirit ‘looks like’!

This is how we recognise the Holy Spirit.

This is how we experience God’s presence with us.

And so, my friends, today’s message in John’s Gospel tells us clearly:

although Jesus is announcing his departure

(and impending death on the cross),

this apparent loss leads to an even greater experience of God-with-us;

an active and holy presence that is not limited to one place and one time,

but is made manifest in the lives of those who embody God’s love.    

Amen.