How do you respond to a healing or some other amazing wonder in your life? As you ponder this, consider the healing in the life of the man who was disabled from birth and who begged daily at the Gate Called Beautiful. When this man gains the capacity to walk, Luke describes it as more than a new ability. This man now has a brand new life.
I find the music in today’s worship very inspirational. For my message I look at Peter’s first sermon in the early church, recorded in Acts 2. He concludes his message in much the same way he begins it.
He started by quoting the prophet Joel, "I will pour out my Spirit on ALL PEOPLE." Now, Peter concludes his sermon by saying, "YOU WILL RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT, THIS IS FOR YOU, YOUR CHILDREN, AND ALL WHO ARE FAR OFF."
This phrase, "ALL who are FAR OFF," echoes the same inclusivity with which Peter begins his sermon. Peter, the preacher of the first sermon in the early Church, wants everyone, everywhere to always know: Jesus loves you, and the gift of His Holy Spirit is for you, even when you are far off.
My wife, Cindy, and I came to Summerland Church a year ago this month. It was June 11th, 2023. That Sunday morning, we woke up, looked at each other, and decided to visit Summerland. We experienced an embrace of God's Spirit and heard the language of love. At the end of the service, we looked at each other and said, "This feels like home."
As I’ve talked with many in our church about what brought them to Summerland, I hear a common theme. Many resonate deeply with the church slogan: "Love is spoken here." This resonates so deeply because we’ve been to places where love is not spoken. Here, Christ’s love meets our lives.
Today’s passage from Acts 2 tells us about the early believers who showed up in Jerusalem and were open to God. It was the day of Pentecost, a Jewish holiday, and when they showed up, God's loving Spirit showed up in an amazing way.
Before Pentecost, the disciples exemplified a balanced approach to prayer and preparation. Their method of selecting a new Apostle showcased a thoughtful and orderly approach, aligning with best practices in management and planning. And yet they were thoroughly committed to prayer. That made the difference.
When we consider Jesus’ invitation throughout the Gospels and in Acts to receive the refreshment of the Holy Spirit and become witnesses to everyone everywhere, it is disheartening that many expressions of Christianity today are characterized by legalism, judgmentalism, or head-in-the-clouds religiosity. Many people are weary of this kind of Churchianity and long for the refreshing work of the Spirit.
That’s why the image of bubbly spring water from the Spirit of Jesus resonates with so many of us. When the church bell rings on Sunday morning, it’s like we are saying with the Samaritan woman, “Give us some of the water Jesus, baptize us with your Spirit. That’s what I need.” Many of us are wounded, even wounded by the church, or have walked in darkness and need the light. We need a home with spiritual refreshment.
That’s what this church is for us—a precious place where we can imbibe the bubbly water of the Spirit. When we drink of that Spirit’s water, the fruit of the Spirit grows, which is love, and love becomes our language for life—the very love of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Here are a Few Quotes I offered in my sermon message this past week
Van Morrison
In the Garden
The streets are always wet with rain
After a summer shower when I saw you standin'
In the garden in the garden wet with rain
You wiped the teardrops from your eye in sorrow
As we watched the petals fall down to the ground
And as I sat beside you I felt the
Great sadness that day in the garden
And then one day you came back home
You were a creature all in rapture
You had the key to your soul
And you did open that day you came back to the garden
The olden summer breeze was blowin' on your face
The light of God was shinin' on your countenance divine
And you were a violet color as you
Sat beside your father and your mother in the garden
The summer breeze was blowin' on your face
Within your violet you treasure your summery words
And as the shiver from my neck down to my spine
Ignited me in daylight and nature in the garden
And you went into a trance
Your childlike vision became so fine
And we heard the bells inside the church
We loved so much
And felt the presence of the youth of
Eternal summers in the garden
And as it touched your cheeks so lightly
Born again you were and blushed
And we touched each other lightly
And we felt the presence of the Christ
Within in our hearts
In the garden
And I turned to you and I said
No guru, no method, no teacher
Just you and I and nature
And the father in the garden
Listen no guru, no method, no teacher
Just you and I and nature
And the Father and the
Son and the Holy Ghost
In the garden, wet with rain
No guru, no method, no teacher
Just you and I and nature and the Father
And the Son and the Holy Ghost
In the garden, in the garden, wet with rain
No guru, no method, no teacher
Just you and I and nature
And the Father in the garden
J.R.R. Tolkien
Fellowship of the Ring
"The house, like a living thing, seemed to breathe with life”
“Tom Bombadil’s voice filled the rooms with song as if the house itself were an instrument in his masterful hands."
"Wide wooden boards made up the floor, polished and gleaming, as if washed by water from the river."
