Pentecost Thoughts

When preparing for a sermon I often note down lists of thoughts. Sometimes they are disconnected, other times they form a pattern. With Pentecost Sunday coming there is so much that can be said. Here are some of my random notes:

• Are you part of the New Creation? God through Christ is transforming this world - do we want to be part of that transformation? The great danger is that our spirituality is fixed solely on our own spiritual survival AND therefore we lack any concern for the world around us.
  
• Britain's Got Talent got huge ratings and massive hits on youtube. Has does God equip his Church with talent? I think sometimes when we consider 'gifting' and the Church we tend to think that its all about doing things 'in church' on a Sunday. Life in the sanctuary of Sunday worship is important but not as pivitol as the life we live out Monday to Saturday. What gifts does God give us to live out our Christian life in the real world?
  
• Romans 8. 26: Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. I suspect that the Holy Spirit can do little in us until we admit our weakness. The best prayer surely starts by not knowing how to start? The Church will only get somewhere when it is on its knees. In some cases when we look at Church decline in the UK - maybe the Father is bringing us to our knees. Have we not, as churches, become too focused on our own abilities? That confidence, or smugness, has prevented the Spirit from breaking through. Maybe this is a bit harsh - but I sense that we to regain confidence in God's power to resurrect the Church in Britain.
  
• Romans 8.26b The very Spirit interceeds with sighs too deep for words. If our critics say that we have nothing to offer the world in terms of "spirituality" then what about that sentence? It is a mighty blow for blow argument. God's Holy Spirit wants to rest so deep within in our hearts if we let Him. That relationship will be one beyond words, a connection which is physical, emotional, mental, spiritual.
  
• The image that comes to mind is of a wind-chime. That we are the chime and God is the wind.
  
• Somehow we need to relay that deep spirituality of Romans 8.26 to those outside the boundaries of the institutional Church. People need to know that the well runs very deep - if not infinitely deep.
  
• Spiritual giftedness is something that mainstream churches tend to shy away a bit. I want to consider this for a bit. The clergy maybe are suspicious of losing control to the laity? We have grown up in such a materialistic world view that I suspect churches are worried that talking or experiencing spiritual gifts may be too unpalatable for people outside.
  
• Spiritual giftedness is not some hidden talent we have. It is not like people who claim to be clairvoyants or mind readers. Surely its about how God's Spirit uses us for a ministry? I think that is the essence of the gifts of the spirit which Paul lists. They are there for a purpose and not for vanity.
  
• I knew a lady, who was a hospital cleaner. She had a gift that she barely recognised. Her gift was in being able to be the voice of God's comfort in specific situation. She transformed (I should write this in bold TRANSFORMED) several people's lives by a sentence. Depression literally fell off one person, guilt, anger, ebbed away. And yet, her own life, was one of pain, failure and the loss of a son who suddenly died in his forties. Somehow she was content in God's presence. Its really difficult to explain, but she was, is, a transforming personality.

• The more we relax into the stream of the Holy Spirit consciousness, the more we see the world through His eyes. The more, he prays in us. We begin connect with the heart of God and understand what He gave up on the Cross.
  
• I believe these gifts are for our work in the world and not so much in the Church. That is why is crucial that most active Christians turn attentions away from the inner workings of the church. We must be amateur ecclesiastics not professionals. The Spirit will look after the Church must better than we ever will.
  
• A high-up cleric (I wont say who) recently said that the Church must be made fit for mission. I want to give another point of view. We are fit for mission!!! We dont need massive reorganising. We need deploying. Saying that we must be 'made fit for mission' is saying that we are not fit for mission. In other words we ready or not good enough. I wonder what the average age here is in Salcombe parish church and benefice. Say it is a modest 50. A practising Christian will have gone to 50 x 52 Sunday services in his or her life. Thats 2600 hours of training. An average degree has 3000 hours. Basic training in the army would probably have 1000 hours. So including all the Bible Study groups, special meetings, reading, retreats, how can we say that the Church, including our church, is not fit for mission?
  
• When bishops and priests talk of mission here what they mean is a reconnection of the Christian message and the Church with the nation. Just in case you wonder. It's not about going off to work with folks in other continents.
  
• Some spiritual gifts I believe can also be less obviously supernatural. Many of the Old Testament prophets spoke up for justice, for what is right. They instinctively were led to see a structural evil in the world around them. From their passion for justice flowed imense energy and insight.

Well, that a few nuggets to work on. It's 10.43 and Susan Boyle has not won BGT. I cant help but feel she was built up over a few weeks and then cruely pounced on by the media. Hopefully she will have a brilliant singing career.