I have posted my sermon from last Sunday on my sermon blog. Based on Genesis 11:1-9, Acts 2:1-21, and John 14:8-17, it is my Pentecost Sermon for this year and entitled “Do You Believe In The Spirit?”.
Here’s a portion of it:
I read about a Sunday School teacher who taught her class the Apostles Creed by giving each child one phrase to learn. When the day came for the class to give their first recitation, they began wonderfully.
“I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth,” said Tommy.
“I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord,” said Natalie.
And so it went perfectly.
They came to the child who said, “He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty: from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.”
Then — there was silence.
The next line, of course, was: “I believe in the Holy Ghost . .” but there was only silence.
Finally, a little girl spoke up and said, “Teacher, Sam is the one who believes in the Holy Ghost, and he’s not here today.”
Here we are on this day of Pentecost – the day we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit – or what the Apostles Creed refers to as the Holy Ghost” .. but, sometimes, friends, it may seem like Christians who truly believe in the Holy Spirit and let the Holy Spirit change them and empower them to do the work of God in the Church, the community, and the world are few and far between. It may seem like those who believe in the Holy Spirit are not here.