“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD FILLETH THE WORLD”
Saint John 14. 23-31
The Feast of Pentecost: 15 May Anno Domini 2005
Fr Watson
Pentecost is not the "birthday" of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The Church, the "ecclesia," that is, the "called out" people of God; is the assembly that has existed ever since The Lord God "called out" Adam from the mud, and "called out" Mother Eve from Adam's side. The "calling out," the "creating," is always by the Word of the Lord.
The New Testament Pentecost, this Day, your Day, is Christ Crucified coming upon you, to be with you, for you, in you, by you, in the Way He desires. Pentecost is the gift of Him continuing now in your lives, in the life of His Church; His Bride, His Family. "The Spirit of the Lord filleth the world."
"If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word..." said Christ. We do not keep His word of the Law by ourselves. We break daily, in all the ways possible of breaking. His word of "doing." But Jesus came into the flesh to be the second Adam, the New Adam, your brother. Jesus in the flesh, the same flesh and blood you have, save for sin, loved the Father perfectly and kept the Word of God perfectly. Now, if you "love Jesus," that is, if you believe Him, trust in Him, you are given "credit" with keeping His word. Do you love Jesus? Do you believe in Jesus? Yes you do. But how do you "know" that you do? Do you look to inner "gut feelings" of warmth, devotion, service, and works?" We pray to God that we don't! No, you believe in your Lord because you have been "baptised." He has washed you clean of sin and made you His adopted child. He is "in you" as your "blood parent," "blood relative," more so than the chromosome makeup of your earthly parents is in you. You believe in your Christ because the Holy Ghost calls your ears to attention this very morning by the Gospel message of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection on your behalf. Your ears are made attuned to the loosing word of forgiveness for your black deeds, and your reception of Jesus' perfect deeds in your stead. You believe in your Savior because He doesn't just shed His precious blood on the tree. He doesn't just give up His holy Body on Calvary---"way back then," but, He comes to you Bodily this very Pentecost Day 2005, and gives you to eat that same Godly Body, and gives you to drink that same redeeming Blood. When the Son gives you Himself you have Him and His Father and the Holy Spirit. This is how His word is kept in you. He keeps you! They make Their home with you! You are brought here into their earthly abode, the Church Catholic. Every Sunday is a glorious family reunion! Here you fellowship not just with departed Uncle Harry or Grandpa Joe, but with your Cherubim guardians, your Seraphim co-altos, sopranos and basses. Here you laugh, and cry for joy, and eat and drink, and embrace David, Moses, Paul, Samuel, the Magdalene, John and Abraham. Here the Helper gives you The Peace which passeth all understanding: Jesus the Christ.
Today isn't "birthday-day" for something you've planned, put together, and created by your gifts. Today is Pentecost. Pentecost means "fiftieth." Today is the fiftieth day of Easter. God originally created all that there is, visible and invisible, in six days and then rested on the seventh. Seven is the number of perfection, of God's grace in giving you everything as a gift of love. When that number seven is squared, multiplied by itself, for both the Old Testament period and the New Testament age, the number 49 is reached. Day fifty then becomes the next day, the eternal day of "dwelling in the house of the Lord forever." The day of Pentecost which occurred 50 days after Jesus' Resurrection, was the day when your Lord sent His Holy Ghost upon the Apostles in Jerusalem. It was the day that the Word of God officially moved from being "first for the Jews," to being now for all the world; for you and yours. A light to lighten the gentiles. "The Spirit of the Lord filleth the world." Pentecost Sunday was the third of the three great Days in earth's history. The first Sunday was the "Eighth" day after creation, the beginning of salvation history worked in the world of flesh. The Second, and greatest Sunday, was the Passover of God, Easter, the Resurrection of Christ from the chains of hell, sin, death, and Satan. The third great Sunday, Pentecost, is Jesus keeping His promise to be with you until the end of the age. Pentecost is what "ties or links" every subsequent Sunday, Sunday 15 May, 2005, to the Resurrection, to Jesus' bodily presence. The same Spirit that moved the "12" to preach, teach, and baptize, is here now in your baptisms, in this same Word of God, in your forgiveness, in the eternal, never-ending Supper of love. "The Spirit of the Lord filleth the world."
Jesus loves you. He keeps His Word. He keeps you until life everlasting.
In the Name of The Father and of The Son + and of The Holy Ghost