"Spirit Wind: Pentecost Power for Today"
Dear St. Andrew's UM Church Family,
Last week I was sitting on the back porch watching the wind dance through the trees and bushes in the yard. It was a chilly, gray day, but at least it had stopped raining for a bit. The breeze went from soft and gentle to something stronger and back again. I couldn't see the wind itself, of course, but its effects were unmistakable: branches bending, wind chimes singing, flower petals spinning across the lawn.
As Pentecost Sunday approaches on June 8th, I find myself reflecting on how perfectly wind captures the mystery and power of the Holy Spirit. In Scripture, the same Hebrew word—“ruach”—is used for both "wind" and "spirit." Similarly, in Greek, “pneuma” means both "breath" and "spirit." This linguistic connection reveals something deep about how God works among us.
Acts 2:1-4 tells us: "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."
Notice the imagery: wind, fire, and diverse languages—all elements beyond human control yet transformative in their impact. The disciples didn't manufacture the Spirit's presence; they positioned themselves to receive it. They were waiting, praying, expecting—and God showed up in ways they couldn't have anticipated.
Two thousand years later, we might wonder: Is this just a historical event we commemorate, or is Pentecost power still available today? Jesus's promise in John 14:16-17 speaks directly to us: "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."
The Spirit that rushed through that upper room in Jerusalem is the same Spirit offered to every believer. Not a diluted version. Not a symbolic concept. The actual presence of God, dwelling within ordinary people like you and me.
I've noticed that we sometimes fall into two opposite errors regarding the Holy Spirit. Some of us relegate the Spirit's work to the spectacular and unusual—speaking in tongues, prophecy, or dramatic healing moments. Others effectively ignore the Spirit altogether, functioning as if the Christian life is merely about correct beliefs and moral behavior.
The truth lies in recognizing that the Holy Spirit works in both extraordinary and ordinary ways. Yes, sometimes there are dramatic moments of intervention. But more often, the Spirit works like a gentle breeze—subtle yet persistent, recognized by its effects rather than by dramatic displays.
In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul describes these effects: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Notice he calls it "fruit," not "fruits." These qualities grow together as a single harvest in a Spirit-led life.
Remember that on that first Pentecost, bystanders initially mistook the Spirit's work for drunkenness! Spirit-filled living won't always make sense to those around us. When we prioritize generosity over accumulation, reconciliation over retaliation, or service over status, we may seem as puzzling to our neighbors as those first disciples seemed to the Jerusalem crowd.
As we celebrate Pentecost this month, let's not just commemorate a historical event but open ourselves to the ongoing reality of God's Spirit among us. Like those disciples in the upper room, may we position ourselves—through prayer, community, and openness—to receive whatever wind God sends our way.
The miracle of Pentecost wasn't just that the Spirit came, but that ordinary people became extraordinary vessels of God's presence in the world. That same invitation extends to us today.
Come, Holy Spirit!
In expectant faith,
Pastor Brian
P.S. On Pentecost Sunday, June 8th, I encourage you to wear red to symbolize the fire of the Holy Spirit as we celebrate together. And if you have a story of how God's Spirit has been moving in your life, I'd love to hear it.
Rev. Brian Lucas, Pastor | blucas@susumc.org
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