The Diocese of East Tennessee
Sermons

May 23, 1999
Day of Pentecost
Delivered at St. Paul’s, Chattanooga

Sermon: The Fire of Pentecost
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Bishop of East Tennessee

I am grateful to the clergy and people of St. Paul’s for your kind and gracious welcome of Annie and me. We have had fun here in Chattanooga – considerable more fun, in fact, than on our first visit during the "Meet and Greet" sessions prior to the episcopal election! I also want to say that I rejoice that your clergy and church leaders understand that the local Episcopal Church is part of something much bigger. I have encountered some of you at Sewanee, at youth gatherings, and in committees dealing with church matters beyond St. Paul’s. I appreciate your advice and your commitment, expressed in your presence and in the financial contributions you make to the larger Church. Thank you for all that you do, here at St. Paul’s and beyond this parish as well.

Spring’s arrival in Knoxville reminds me in some ways of this same time of year in other places we have lived. During the evenings – especially weekend evenings – the smell of charcoal fires permeates the entire area. Cooking outside seems to provide an excuse to enjoy the nice weather in the springtime . . . and I admit to taking advantage of that excuse myself.

The Day of Pentecost – today – is associated with fire, too. It represents a different kind of fire . . . and, yet, several characteristics of Pentecost resemble those charcoal fires in the back yard. And so, let’s use that typical, everyday example to try to understand some things about this very special Christian feast day, Pentecost.

The first thing outdoor cooks need is some raw material for the fire. This might be charcoal or wood or gas. In any event, however, some raw material is necessary . . . something to burn . . . and this material is basic to the whole enterprise.

Corresponding to the raw material in terms of Pentecost is revelation – the revelation of God in the person of the Holy Spirit. Now, many scholars have written numerous books about what actually happened on the biblical day of Pentecost . . . what was revealed . . . what those "tongues of fire" really were. . and what speaking in various languages really meant. And the scholars have speculated about what an eyewitness might have reported. But the fact is that two different eyewitnesses probably would have reported two entirely different things.

However, the important matter for our faith is that God was revealed at Pentecost in the person of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had promised that Holy Spirit . . . and on Pentecost, his promise came true. He was trustworthy. And, therefore, the revelation of God the Holy Spirit comprises the essential raw material of Pentecost.

Secondly, the outdoor cook knows that he or she must have a flame. . and usually a match provides that flame. Now, for the sake of this sermon, let’s say the cook follows this procedure, which is usually what I try to do: use some charcoal lighter, let it soak into the charcoal, and then light the fire at several points. For my analogy, it’s important to have that image in mind rather than the less careful approach of drowning the charcoal with lighter fluid and throwing on a match from about ten feet away. So, please think of that first image.

The various points at which the cook lights the charcoal fire represent empowerment on Pentecost. Power results from having received the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the reality of the Holy Spirit – the very meaning of the Holy Spirit – is power . . . power from God Himself. And this is like a flame.

Now, the power referred to in the reading from Acts involved speaking in new languages so that all the foreigners present could understand the message . . . a real gift coming to that group of people gathered from around the known world. And the power elsewhere in the Bible becomes associated with the giving of other gifts – wisdom and knowledge and faith and healing and so forth. The Holy Spirit is known in power . . . the power to live one’s life in Christ by exercising the gifts that come from God.

The occasion of Confirmation provides an opportunity to experience the grace of God, which is known in powerful ways. Listen to this prayer that we will soon pray on behalf of the candidates for confirmation: "Send them forth in the power of the Spirit to perform the service you set before them"(BCP, p418).

The flame of Pentecost, then, represents power . . . power to serve as God intends. The content and meaning of the person of God the Holy Spirit is empowerment . . . power to live the Christian life.

Finally, the outdoor cook knows that the little individual flames must come together to make a fire. And this is the point at which I usually have trouble. It seems that the different flames I light sometimes just go out, rather than growing together into a fire . . . especially if I skimped on the lighter fluid!

Sometimes that happens to individual Christians, too. We are like little flames of power, but we tend to remain separated, not growing together into a roaring fire. However, it is important that we know the purpose of the Holy Spirit. And that purpose – at Pentecost and always – is unity. Little individual flames do not accomplish very much. They may blaze up for a while, and then they burn out. In such cases, the cook has to start over again – and I know about that necessity from much experience. But if the individual flames do grow together into one fire, then unity is achieved. Only then, the task at hand may indeed be accomplished.

In the Episcopal Church, the individual flames grow together in the parish, in order to do much good in the name of Jesus Christ. And, the flames from individual parishes grow together in the diocese, in order to accomplish the work of Christ not possible only in local settings. Unity is a necessary hallmark of life in our Church.

The message in this analogy restates the message in the Pentecost readings – the Holy Spirit’s work intends to achieve unity. This purpose manifested itself at the first Pentecost – different people, from different countries, speaking different languages . . . but all hearing the one message of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Thus, to sum up the analogy, the fire of Pentecost is something like the fire on a charcoal grill. There is raw material, like the charcoal on the grill – the raw material of revelation . . . the revelation of God in the person of the Holy Spirit. Secondly, there is a flame . . . the flame of power. And that power presents the very meaning of the Holy Spirit, who works powerfully in our lives and world. Finally, there is a fire made from several flames burning together . . . and the fire of the Holy Spirit always burns for unity. Revelation, empowerment, and unity – these three ingredients indicate the message of Pentecost.

In conclusion, I pray that these candidates for confirmation and all the rest of us may know the reality and presence of God in our lives. God is revealed to us in the person of the Holy Spirit. God becomes known to us in the exercise of power. And God works in us and in the world for unity among everything that God has made

Copyright ©1999 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee