Language struggles to express lucidly what Pentecost and the
gift of the Spirit are all about. We end
up with a list of analogies and word pictures.
Each one no doubt sheds light on some aspect of what God gives us in the
Holy Spirit of Christ – what Jesus’s promise means when he said, When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to
you from the Father… he will testify on my behalf [John 15:26]. So it
is that we have “tongues of fire” and an alleged “gift” of ecstatic speech – both
of which I find less than helpful. But Paul
lists for us a range of “fruits” (καρποι) [Gal 5:22] – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control – and also a range of
“gifts” (χαρισματα),–
wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing,
miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits… [I Cor 12] Later he lists these “gifts” as offices in the
church – apostles, prophets, teachers,
deeds of power, healing, forms of assistance, leadership…
However after all that, in declining years, I find my
favourite depiction of the Spirit has not changed in 50 years. It is back in John 3, the encounter with
Nicodemus. Jesus speaks to this pharisee
of the wind. As a pharisee, Nicodemus
had a structured, orderly, prescripted life.
But of the wind, Jesus says: It blows where it chooses... you do not know where it comes from or where
it goes. So it is with everyone who
is born of the Spirit [John 3:8].
Luke in the Book of Acts tells us that the coming of the Spirit was like the rush of a violent wind [Acts
2:2]. James K Baxter gave this analogy a
special Kiwi flavour when he wrote about the wind blowing across the paddocks,
both inside and outside the fences. So it is with everyone who is born of the
Spirit, Jesus tells Nicodemus.
I remember, from long ago, a ferocious lecture from a
visiting cleric, on what he saw as the “perils of private inspiration”. And indeed, we did know about what can follow
when someone claims to have been inspired by the Holy Spirit while the rest of
us remain uninspired in darkness. Private
inspiration was deeply suspect. Chaos could
ensue. Tried and tested rules could be
transgressed, the church’s vast collective wisdom set aside. This man had evidently not read the yearning
prophecy in Joel, which Peter quoted on the Day of Pentecost: I will
pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions. Even on the
male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit [Joel
2:28]…
This gift of the risen Jesus to his followers is the same wind
of the creation story, the ruach, the
breath of God, that blew over the abyss, separating light from darkness,
bringing newness to life, making new worlds, initiating meaning and purpose –
and all in love. Nicodemus needs to
stand in the wind, says Jesus. Outside
somewhere. Discipleship does mean
feeling a draught or two, it entails being uncomfortable in places and at
times. It does mean making friends with
change. Prayer is out in the wind,
where we are still and silent, with listening hearts, and paying
attention.
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