Pentecost Sunday is one of the few days in the church year when we highlight the person and work of the Holy Spirit. So it seems a shame when we focus too much on some of the symbols associated with this day – wind and fire – both inanimate forces, which point to a powerful and perhaps threatening force at work (think storms and bushfires).
In the Acts 2 account that we usually read at Pentecost, the effect of the Spirit is certainly powerful, leading the disciples to praise God loudly and in multiple languages, which soon gathers a crowd of bewildered onlookers. The Spirit then emboldens Peter (and perhaps other disciples) to speak about Jesus and about the recent events of Easter. The Spirit challenges the hearers to respond and then gives vibrancy to the new community that forms. So the Spirit is indeed a powerful agent, pointing people towards God and towards Jesus and prompting life-giving responses.
This week we will instead be reading from the second Pentecost story that occurs in Acts 10, in which Peter is led through a series of Spirit initiated occurrences to speak to the household of a Roman soldier named Cornelius. The result is similar to the first Pentecost story with those present led to praise God and respond positively to the message about Jesus. The key difference is that this time around, those listening are Gentiles, non-Jewish people, Romans no less who were often despised by Jews.
This second Pentecost story illustrates that God’s Spirit often leads us to go beyond where we might feel comfortable, with surprising and life-changing results. It turns out that God accepts every person whose heart is open – everyone is acceptable to God, even those we might consider beyond the pale. So the person of the Spirit works powerfully and surprisingly. Where might the Spirit be leading each of us this Pentecost?