Sermon 100523

Sermon 05/23/10
Act 2:1-21

Spirit Poured Out

Nothing is more contagious than genuine love and genuine caring.

Nothing is more exhilarating than authentic awe and wonder.

Nothing is more hopeful than a genuine reorientation toward Nature.

Nothing is more exciting than to witness people

having the courage to fight for their highest vision.

Nothing is more sustaining that a life filled

with spiritual practices and joyful service to others.

- Michael Lerner

Happy Pentecost! We know that the Spirit is truly moving among us because tonight we will finally know what really did happen to those people in the T.V. series "Lost!"

This day has become known in Christian theology as the celebration of the birth of the Church. Pentecost is a rich, and multi-layered festival. Throughout it's history it has been called by many names: Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, the Festival of Reaping, the Day of the First Fruits, and Pentecost. It probably began as an agricultural festival celebrating the first fruits of the harvest (i.e. the early-ripening fruits/grains). It was one of the pilgrimage festivals in which people were expected to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to offer a portion of their early harvest to God at the temple. In other times it was a celebration of the appearance of the rainbow, the sign of the covenant God made with Noah after the flood. Later the meaning shifted to being a celebration of the giving of the Ten Commandments by God to the Hebrew people at Mount Sinai. And, of course, we already know about the new meanings given to this festival by the early followers of Jesus who believed that they were witnessing the first fruits of a different kind of harvest and a new expansion of the covenant which God was now making with all people.

One interesting text that speaks to our Pentecost theme is in the book of Isaiah. It expresses the prophet's vision of the pouring out of God's Spirit that leads to the restoration of the people and of creation, and to the establishment of justice and peace within human society.

For the palace will be forsaken,

the populous city deserted;

the hill and the watchtower will become dens forever,

the joy of wild asses,

a pasture for flocks;

until a spirit from on high is poured out on us,

and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,

and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.

Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,

and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.

The effect of justice will be peace,

and the result of righteousness,

quietness and trust forever.

My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,

in secure dwellings,

and in quiet resting places.

Isaiah 32:14-18

(Notice the lack of apocalyptic destruction . . . .)

Another Pentecost story: Lilith and Eve, a Jewish Feminist Midrash written by contemporary author Judith Plaskow.

(Explain midrash . . . .)

(Explain Lilith . . . .)

In the beginning the Lord God formed Adam and Lilith from the dust of the ground and breathed into their nostrils the breath of life. Created from the same source, both having been formed from the ground, they were equal in all ways. Adam, man that he was, didn't like this situation, and he looked for ways to change it. He said, "I'll have my figs now, Lilith," ordering her to wait on him, and he tried to leave to her the daily tasks of life in the garden. But Lilith wasn't one to take any nonsense; she picked herself up, uttered God's holy name, and flew away. "Well, now, Lord," complained Adam, "that uppity woman you sent me has gone and deserted me." The Lord, inclined to be sympathetic, sent his messengers after Lilith, telling her to shape up and return to Adam or face dire punishment. She, however, preferring anything to living with Adam, decided to stay right where she was. And so God, after more careful consideration this time, caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and out of one of his ribs created for him a second companion, Eve.

For a time Eve and Adam had quite a good thing going. Adam was happy now, and Eve, though she occasionally sensed capacities within herself that remained undeveloped, was basically satisfied with the role of Adam's wife and helper. The only thing that really disturbed her was the excluding closeness of the relationship between Adam and God. Adam and God just seemed to have more in common, being both men, and Adam came to identify with God more and more. After a while that made God a bit uncomfortable too, and he started going over in his mind whether he might not have made a mistake in letting Adam talk him into banishing Lilith and creating Eve, in light of the power that had given Adam.

Meanwhile, Lilith, all alone, attempted from time to time to rejoin the human community in the garden. After her first fruitless attempt to breach its walls, Adam worked hard to build them stronger, even getting Eve to help him. He told her fearsome stories of the demon Lilith who threatens women in childbirth and steals children from their cradles in the middle of the night. The second time Lilith came she stormed the garden's main gate, and a great battle between her and Adam ensued, in which she was finally defeated. This time, however, before Lilith got away, Eve got a glimpse of her and saw she was a woman like herself.

After this encounter, seeds of curiosity and doubt began to grow in Eve's mind. Was Lilith indeed just another woman? Adam had said she was a demon. Another woman! The very idea attracted Eve. She had never seem another creature like herself before. And how beautiful and strong Lilith had looked! How bravely she had fought! Slowly, slowly, Eve began to think about the limits of her own life within the garden.

One day, after many months of strange and disturbing thoughts, Eve, wandering around the edge of the garden, noticed a young apple tree she and Adam had planted, and saw that one of its branches stretched over the garden wall. Spontaneously she tried to climb it, and struggling to the top, swung herself over the wall.

She had not wandered long on the other side before she met the one she had come to find, for Lilith was waiting. At first sight of her, Eve remembered the tales of Adam and was frightened, but Lilith understood and greeted her kindly. "Who are you?" they asked each other, "What is your story?" And they sat and spoke together, of the past and then of the future. They talked not once, but many times, and for many hours. They taught each other many things, and told each other stories, and laughed together, and cried, over and over, till the bond of sisterhood grew between them.

Meanwhile, back in the garden, Adam was puzzled by Eve's comings and goings, and disturbed by what he sensed to be her new attitude toward him. He talked to God about it, and God, having his own problems with Adam and a somewhat broader perspective, was able to help him out a little - but he, too, was confused. Something had failed to go according to plan. As in the days of Abraham, he needed counsel from his children. "I am who I am," thought God, "but I must become who I will become."

And God and Adam were expectant and afraid the day Eve and Lilith returned to the garden, bursting with possibilities, ready to rebuild it together.

Judith Plaskow, from "The Coming of Lilith," in WOMANGUIDES

This is a Pentecost story: the discovery of a new vision and of the power to rebuild human community.

As the celebration of the birth of the church, it is important to remember that the early followers of Jesus practiced a more egalitarian style of community than often acknowledged. There were women leaders, deacons, bishops, even one Mary Magdalene who was the first apostle.

The midrash about Lilith reminds us not only of the Spirit's power to inspire within us new visions and new power to rebuild our world, but of the need for human initiative, courage, and a relationship-building process that seeks out the other, especially the marginalized and the outcast, and asks, listens, discerns, shares stories, makes connections, and forms and reforms the bonds of human community.

That's Pentecost!

Introduction to Acts 2

Not history, but theology.

A reinterpretation of the Jewish festival of Shavuot.

Quotes the Prophet Joel who envisioned a pouring out of God's Spirit upon all people before a final apocalyptic vindication of the faithful. I'm not a big fan of apocalyptic destruction. It always seems too much like human retribution and vindication than Divine decree.

LukeActs uses this vision to portray a unity and empowerment of the early followers of Jesus who will continue Jesus' ministry as it leads up to Paul and the inclusion of Gentiles into the community of faith.

Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout people from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabsóin our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine."

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "People of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

'In the last days it will be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

and your young shall see visions,

and your old shall dream dreams.

Even upon my slaves, both men and women,

in those days I will pour out my Spirit;

and they shall prophesy.

And I will show portents in the heaven above

and signs on the earth below,

blood, and fire, and smoky mist.

The sun shall be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood,

before the coming of Yahweh's great and glorious day.

Then everyone who calls on the name of God shall be saved.'

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