Sermons

PENTECOST 2008-05-09

The house sits on a narrow street in the southeast corner of the old city of Jerusalem It is a two story structure made of quarried stone, possibly from the same quarry where Jesus was crucified. The first floor is a functioning synagogue and it purports to be the site of King David’s tomb. It is open to the public everyday except the Jewish Sabbath and holy days when it is a place of worship. The upper floor of the house consists of a large room with a fireplace at one end. Tradition has it that the house was owned by one of the New Testament women named Mary and that she had a young son named John Mark, who became Peter’s scribe and the author of the first Gospel.

This is the house to which Jesus sent two disciples to make preparation for the last meal that he would share with his friends. It was the time of the Passover celebration when the story was told of the exodus of the Hebrew slaves from Egypt, the miraculous crossing of the Reed Sea, and the deliverance of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai.

In that large Upper Room he welcomed them after sundown and when they were all gathered he took a towel and began washing their feet. There was much consternation and protest, especially from Peter. When he had finished he said to them, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another as I have loved you.”

At the meal he blessed the bread and broke it and said, “This is my body”, and then with the cup of wine he said, “This is my blood”. Shortly after the meal Judas slipped out the door.  John tells us that Jesus prayed over them, commending them to God’s care and keeping, and then he told them he was going away, but not to worry, he would send them an “advocate”, a Spirit who would empower them.

They left that house about nine p.m. and made their way to Gethsemane where Jesus prayed and his friends, bellies filled with food and wine, fell asleep. The soldiers came near midnight and Judas identified him with a kiss. Jesus was led off and the disciples fled. It is reasonable to assume that most of then made their way back to that same house where they had spent the evening. That house, that upper room, became their hideout and headquarters during the next two days when the crucifixion took place. It was in that house that Mary Magdalene found them to deliver the news that the tomb was empty.  Peter and John raced out the door to go see for themselves and returned to that upper room to confirm the women’s news.

It was in that large upstairs room, secured by barred wooden doors that Jesus appeared to them with the simple greeting, “Shalom el achiem.”, “Peace be with you.” They were both thrilled and terrified! Imagine their reaction when later that evening Clopas barged in and told them that Jesus had been with him and his friend on the road to Emmaus and had revealed himself to them at dinner.

 The risen Jesus would come into that room again a week later when Thomas was present and he would finally be convinced of the resurrection.  Over the next few weeks there would be other appearances, sometimes to the disciples and sometimes to large groups, but at the end of forty days he went away. At his departing he told them to return to Jerusalem and wait. And so, back to the house with the large upstairs room, they went.

Luke, in the Acts of the Apostles, which we read this morning, gives us a glimpse inside that room as the faithful waited. He tells us that in addition to the apostles there were a little over a hundred people. That’s less than our own Sunday morning crowd. They waited expectantly, but nothing happened. Eventually Peter stood up and said, “We’ve got to get organized!” He went on to say that Judas was gone and they needed to replace him. The criteria for election was twofold; someone who had been a follower since the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and a witness to the resurrection. Justus and Matthias were nominated, lots were drawn, and Matthias was elected. He was never heard from again.

I’m sure that in addition to Peter’s desire to get organized, James and John worked the crowd trying to garner votes for seats of prominence. Still, nothing happened. The days drug on and that upper room became a place of despair. We all know something of waiting and hoping for some anticipated arrival only to become disheartened when nothing happens. They waited and waited—all to no avail. And then, just as their faith had hit rock bottom “IT” happened. Luke described it this way:

 … Suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divide tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them ability.

Have you ever tried to tell someone about a life-changing event in your past and you searched for words to do it justice? Didn’t you find yourself saying things such as, “It was like a bolt of lightening!” or “It sucked the air out of me!” That’s what Luke is saying about what happened in that Upper Room.

We’ll never know exactly what went on in that moment, but of one thing I’m sure, it could only happen when those one hundred and twenty people were desperate enough and longing enough and finally convinced that no power of their own could bring it about. It was a gift over which they had no control except to embrace it.

In Tennessee Williams play, Streetcar Named Desire, there is a beautiful scene that illustrates the reality of what can happen in our brokenness. Blanche is trying to hold her life together; her world is falling apart. She is looking for some solid ground to stand on, some center for her life. She desperately needs to be loved. Unfortunately, she is one of those people who talks all the time, and the way she talks repels the very thing she wants most, which is for some one to love her.

Blanche meets a man named Mitch, who also has a social problem. He is overweight and, as he explains to her, he perspires profusely, especially when he is nervous. He is a very lovely person and much in need of love also. They get to that place in their relationship where Blanche is able to share with him one of the tragic moments in her life. She tells him the terrible story, and when she is finished, Mitch takes her in his arms. He says, “You need somebody, and I need somebody too. Could it be you and me, Blanche?” She stares at him in disbelief. Eyes filling with tears, she reaches for him and says this lovely line, “Sometimes there’s God, so quickly.”