Acts 2:1-21
Pentecost
 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A1-21&version=NRSVUE

The Jewish Festival of Pentecost, fifty days after Passover, is what gathered the people together in one place, as this scripture begins. The Holy Spirit fell upon them in the form of a gale force wind and in individual flames alighting on each one of them. The coming of the Holy Spirit spread like wildfire through their ranks, and they were able to speak and understand in different languages, all the languages that were shared by the diversity of people who had gathered there. The Christian Church views this event as the birth of the church because the large number of people who experienced the Holy Spirit proclaimed the good news of Jesus with bold urgency.
 
Fire is a powerful symbol in the Bible that often represents purification, transformation, and divine presence. Just as fire refines metal, the Holy Spirit refines and purifies hearts. The flames burn away impurities and empower us to live in accordance with the Holy Spirit. Like a fire that spreads, the Holy Spirit spreads the message of God's love and grace throughout the world by igniting hearts with love and hope.

The image that comes to mind is a “controlled burn” by the fire or forestry service. A controlled burn is a technique that intentionally sets fires in a controlled environment to maintain and restore the health of the ecosystem. Fire managers plan carefully to make sure the conditions will assist in a successful burn. They consider the wind and the air quality. They create fire breaks to control the fire and to prevent it from spreading into areas that don’t need burning. They have on hand the right fire extinguishing tools to make sure the fire doesn’t get out of control.

Fire is unpredictable and uncontrollable, which is the nature of the Holy Spirit, and that loss of control is scary for a lot of people. Too many fire managers in the church try to control the flames of the Holy Spirit, only to find that the Spirit cannot be contained or controlled. They will even attempt a controlled burn, but the flames will be smothered out. We cannot control the Spirit’s fire.

If anyone is a fire manager, it’s God, who controls where the Spirit spreads like wildfire and where a controlled burn is needed to maintain and restore the health of the church. No matter how scary it may be to experience the power and the swiftness of the Holy Spirit flames, we need to put away our fire extinguishing tools and let the Spirit spread through the ranks, empowering each of us with strength and boldness to proclaim the good news of Christ’s love.

Come, Holy Spirit, in a gale force wind! Come, Holy Spirit, in a blaze of glory!
 
Reflection Questions:
What image of the Holy Spirit speaks to you?
Have you ever experienced the Holy Spirit spreading like wildfire?
Have you ever been a fire manager or a fire extinguisher? What was the end result?
Is it time for a controlled burn by the Holy Spirit in your life?
 
Action:
Boldly share the love of Jesus with one person this week. 

I will be taking a break over the summer from writing spiritual reflections here, but I will return in September. Check out the "In the Sanctuary" podcast for weekly sermons. 

John 15:9-17
Love Each Other 
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A9-17&version=CEB

Jesus speaks tenderly to his disciples and reveals a profound truth about his relationship with them—and with us. He says, "As the Father loved me, I too loved you. Remain in my love" (John 15:9 CEB). This love, rooted in the very essence of God, is the foundation of our friendship with Jesus.

Jesus goes on to say, "You are my friends if you do what I command you" (John 15:14). This statement may initially sound like a condition, but in reality, it reveals the nature of true friendship with Jesus. Friends trust and serve one another out of love, not out of fear or obligation. Jesus wants us to trust and serve him out of love just as we would with our other friends.

Jesus further deepens this understanding by saying, "I don’t call you servants any longer, because servants don’t know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because everything I heard from my Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15). We see a shift in the disciples’ relationship with Jesus. They go from a servant / master or student / teacher relationship to one that lifts up the disciples to the same level just as the Father and the Son are on the same level. Friendship with Jesus looks similar to the Father’s and Son’s relationship – so close-knit and functioning as one.

Similarly, as we mature in our relationship with Christ, there is a shift that draws us even closer on the same level with Christ. We are brought in with the divine to work together as one being of love. Jesus invites us into a relationship of intimacy and trust, where we are no longer mere servants, but friends who share in his divine purpose and mission.

The transformative power of God's grace enables us to respond to Jesus' invitation to friendship. Through prayer, worship, and the study of Scripture, we can cultivate a deeper relationship with Jesus and allow his love to abide in us and transform us from the inside out.

Let us embrace Jesus as our Friend who walks with us, guides us, and shares in our joys and sorrows. May we remain in the love of Christ, and in turn, be faithful friends to Jesus, who obey his commandments and share his love with all whom we meet.

For those who are following the lectionary, you may notice this scripture was for last week. I reversed the readings for this week and last week to fit what our church is doing for the current sermon series. I just thought I should explain that to avoid any confusion.
 
Reflection Questions:
Do you consider Jesus a friend?
How does it make you feel to know Jesus calls you a friend?
What does friendship with Jesus look like to you?
What does it mean for us to be Christ’s friends today?

Action:
Do one thing this week that deepens your friendship with Jesus. 

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