2011 was…

I experienced Jesus through…

I was surprised by…

The Holy Spirit taught me about…

Two blessings from this year that I am very thankful for are…

If I had a chance to do 2011 over again, I would…

In 2012, I hope to see God…

Next year I want to show the love of Christ through…

In pursuit of Jesus, I hope to cast aside…

In 2012, I want to work on myself in these ways…

I want to serve those around me through….

The three things I hope to pursue next year are…

Sunrise at Black Balsam Knob – January 2, 2012

This is an Advent devotional I wrote for Orange UMC’s Advent season e-devotionals.  The devotional is based upon Matthew 25:31-46

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Jesus’ words in this passage from Matthew assure us of a future judgment.

None of us likes to think about this idea much.  We regularly proclaim in the Apostles’ Creed that, “He will come again to judge the living and the dead.”  We regularly read parables that include judgment scenes at the end.  Yet, we often choose to ignore or not wrestle with this truth.

In our culture judgment almost always negative connotations.  But have you ever thought about why judgment may be necessary and good?

It is good because it assures us that there is something beyond death – the possibility of eternal life with God.

It is good because it assures us that Christ will one day judge and handle all of the injustices caused by sin that we see in this world.

It is good because upon the cross Christ received the judgment for all of the times we’ve ignored the hungry, thirsty, homeless, cold, sick, and imprisoned.

It is good because the scriptures assure us that if we have faith that is made active in love then we will pass through judgment and live in community forever with our heavenly Father.

Question:  How is your faith being made active in love towards the hungry on Hwy 15-501, the homeless on Franklin Street, those whose houses are without heat, and those who will not be let out of their cells to see any family members this Christmas day?

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, we ask for your forgiveness for all of the times we’ve ignored the least of these in society.  Give us faith infused with boldness so that we may be your hands and feet of active love in the world.  Through your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Since then we have grown even closer and I’ve been able to watch each step of his and Ashley’s relationship that began that year.  I’ve loved getting to know Ashley and Bert as a couple and being present from the early days when they were merely exchanging facebook messages to riding with Bert to pick the ring up from the jewelery store.

Even though it started sprinkling as we began their engagement photo shoot, this didn’t stop it from being a great day!

In one of my classes this semester, Proclamation in a Virtual Reality with Dr. Joy Moore, we’ve been exploring how a new generation of preachers is to proclaim the Gospel in today’s world.  We’ve been reflecting on how technology shapes us and our views of the world,  how the biblical story challenges the default stories of our culture, and how we are to proclaim the biblical story to a generation whose imagination has not been shaped by it.

One of our recent assignments was to write a modern day parable.  I hope you find it to be challenging and edifying.

There was a playwright and director who was known throughout the nation for his magnificent works.  People received them with great fanfare whenever and wherever they were performed.  He loved traveling and sharing his works with new people.  So one day, this man moved to a new city and put out a casting call to all in the community.  He put fliers that included details about the audition in storefront windows downtown, on windshields of cars in store parking lots, and in the hands of everyone he came in to contact with.

Many in the community responded, and amazingly, the director found a role for each of them in the play.  This was his normal routine, for as he traveled to different cities he would always adapt his most famous script to fit with the region, their customs and culture, and the number who responded to the casting call.  The cast practiced nightly for many months.  The first few weeks they all simply read through the script and practiced their parts aloud.  The director told them his thoughts and feelings behind the script, how they should say each line, and why he crafted the words as he did.  After this, they began staging.  The director carefully placed them on stage for each scene and directed their movements.  Finally, they did weeks of dress rehearsals until the director was pleased with everything.

At this point, the director began placing fliers all over town and inviting all the new friends he had made to the show.  He encouraged his actors to do the same and for weeks they went around telling their friends and families how much fun they had had preparing and rehearsing for the show and how excited they were for them to come see it.

On opening night the show was packed.  People had begun waiting in line that morning in order to make sure they got tickets, and the box office sold tickets until they were sure the fire marshal would shut them down.  Children sat in their parents’ laps.  Young people stood along the walls so that the older people could have seats.  And the place was buzzing with excitement.  The director came on stage and thanked the community for their hospitality, their support of the arts, and for their attendance.  And then the show began.

The actors performed flawlessly and had the audience following their every word and move with undivided attention.  Throughout, the audience was laughing, crying, and sitting on the edge of their seats.  No play like it had ever been performed in the community.  And as the curtain dropped upon the final scene, the crowd gave a five minute standing ovation.  Backstage, the director commended the actors for their great work, and they all celebrated their performance together.

Late that evening, a few of the main characters in the play were hanging out at a bar celebrating.  They sparked up an old conversation that they had had a few months before during one of the rehearsals.

“Don’t you think the crowd would laugh even harder if in that scene the punch line was about a bull rather than a donkey?” one actor said to another.

“Oh for sure, and don’t you think the crowd would respond better if we changed why Jeremy is killed in the last scene?”

“No question.  Let’s do it.”

The next night, at the second, and final, showing of the play in town, there were even more people in attendance.  The director had talked with the fire marshal and arranged for more chairs to be brought in, and attendance was hundreds more than it had been the night before.  And many returned to see the play again.  The director gave his standard introduction and the show began.

The actors performed magnificently and had the audience following their every word and move with undivided attention.  Throughout the play, the audience was laughing, crying, and sitting on the edge of their seats.  The changes that a few of the actors made to some of the scenes were received even better than the original scenes had been the night before.  As the curtain dropped upon the final scene, the crowd gave a standing ovation for over ten minutes.  Everyone in the audience who had seen the show the night before exclaimed that the changes the actors made led this show to be better than it had been!  And many promised that they would travel to the next show, which was to be the following night in a nearby town.

Backstage, the actors celebrated their performance together.  While some had been surprised by the changes during the show, largely they were in agreement that these had made the show even better.  The director arrived in the midst of their celebration, but without a smile beaming across his face as it had the night before.

He said to them, “I can’t believe some of you disregarded the script and everything that we had rehearsed in those scenes.”

The room was quiet for a moment, but then one of the actors spoke, “We knew that the people would get a kick out of the donkey bit and that the change in the death scene heightened the story.  And the audience loved it!”

The director replied, “The script was not put up for discussion or change.  It is my masterpiece that I allowed you to participate in.  Everyone who took part in the scheme tonight to change the play needs to agree to not do this in the future, or you need to leave this celebration and not return tomorrow.”

“But didn’t you see the audience’s response?  You don’t know the audience as well as we do.  We can perform the play without you!”

“That’s right!” some of the actors quickly added.

To these actors, the director responded, “Leave this celebration right now.  I wrote the script. I casted you for the parts.  I am the director.”

After a number of the actors departed, the director reworked the script to account for the parts of those who had left, he celebrated with the others, and he told them how excited he was for the following night’s show in the nearby town.

The Hovering Spirit

Sunset from Screamer Mountain

Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Sylva, North Carolina

I also had the opportunity to visit an official state fair for the first time in my life.  Friends, moments like this only happen once.

Come and Get It

God willing, I will one day have the privilege of serving a church that has its own concession stand at a state fair!

I often have trouble deciding if Spring or Fall is my favorite season.  However, I’ve been able to pause school at a few points in the last few weeks, and they’ve pointed me to the beauty of this time in the year. I hope you’re able to step away from your routine and see some of this beauty as well!

Today we live in a world where options for our lives are seemingly endless, and they can often be overwhelming as we seek to be faithful followers of Christ.

Which of the more than 4,000 colleges in the United States should I attend? What should my major in college be? In what city should I look for a job? Should I live in a different country for a while or try and settle down somewhere? Is this girl the one I should marry? Should we have kids now? Are we going to send our kids to public or private school? Is this really the job I’m supposed to have long-term?

As a young adult, I’ve agonized and prayed over many of the above situations rather recently — and before you email me, I have not been agonizing over the ones about kids. Seasons of life where I must make decisions that affect the trajectory of my life are scary and difficult for me. And daily I also face the question “what is God’s will for my life today?”

Many times in the midst of important and difficult decisions I have prayed that God would cause a blimp to fly over me that somehow informs the path I should take. No joke.  I believe in miracles and that God can work through extraordinary means.

However, the blimps have yet to arrive.

Perhaps you’ve been there.

This week I came across one of  John Wesley’s sermons, “The Nature of Enthusiasm”, where he provides some of the clearest advice I’ve ever encountered for people wrestling with the question of God’s will for their lives. It is advice that resonates with how I’ve ultimately made decisions after no blimps appeared. And I believe you’ll find it helpful for your own life and the lives of your Christian brothers and sisters wrestling with the same question.

After affirming that God does, in rare cases, direct his children “by visions or dreams, by strong impressions or sudden impulses on the mind”, Wesley states that we are often “misled by pride, and a warm imagination, to ascribe such impulses or impressions, dreams or visions, to God, as are utterly unworthy of him!” And then he begins his explanation of how Christians ought to search for the will of God in all things:

“Ought we not then to inquire what is the will of God in all things? And ought not his will to be the rule of our practice?” Unquestionably it ought. But how is a sober Christian to make this inquiry? to know what is the will of God? Not by waiting for supernatural dreams; not by expecting God to reveal it in visions; not by looking for any particular impressions or sudden impulses on his mind: No; but by consulting the oracles of God. “To the law and to the testimony!” This is the general method of knowing what is “the holy and acceptable will of God.”

“But how shall I know what is the will of God, in such and such a particular case? The thing proposed is, in itself, of an indifferent nature, and so left undetermined in Scripture.” I answer, The Scripture itself gives you a general rule, applicable to all particular cases: “The will of God is our sanctification.” It is his will that we should be inwardly and outwardly holy; that we should be good, and do good, in every kind and in the highest degree whereof we are capable. Thus far we tread upon firm ground. This is as clear as the shining of the sun. In order, therefore, to know what is the will of God in a particular case, we have only to apply this general rule.

Suppose, for instance, it were proposed to a reasonable man to marry, or to enter into a new business: In order to know whether this is the will of God, being assured, “It is the will of God concerning me, that I should be as holy and do as much good as I can,” he has only to inquire, “In which of these states can I be most holy, and do the most good?” And this is to be determined, partly by reason, and partly by experience. Experience tells him what advantages he has in his present state, either for being or doing good; and reason is to show, what he certainly or probably will have in the state proposed. By comparing these, he is to judge which of the two may most conduce to his being and doing good; and as far as he knows this, so far he is certain what is the will of God.

Meantime, the assistance of his Spirit is supposed, during the whole process of the inquiry. Indeed it is not easy to say, in how many ways that assistance is conveyed. He may bring many circumstances to our remembrance; may place others in a stronger and clearer light; may insensibly open our mind to receive conviction, and fix that conviction upon our heart. And to a concurrence of many circumstances of this kind, in favour of what is acceptable in his sight, he may superadd such an unutterable peace of mind, and so uncommon a measure of his love, as will leave us no possibility of doubting, that this, even this, is his will concerning us.

This is the plain, scriptural, rational way to know what is the will of God in a particular case.

But considering how seldom this way is taken, and what a flood of enthusiasm must needs break in on those who endeavour to know the will of God by unscriptural, irrational ways; it were to be wished that the expression itself were far more sparingly used. The using it, as some do, on the most trivial occasions, is a plain breach of the third commandment. It is a gross way of taking the name of God in vain, and betrays great irreverence toward him. Would it not be far better, then, to use other expressions, which are not liable to such objections? For example: Instead of saying, on any particular occasion, “I want to know what is the will of God;” would it not be better to say, “I want to know what will be most for my improvement; and what will make me most useful?” This way of speaking is clear and unexceptionable: It is putting the matter on a plain, scriptural issue, and that without any danger of enthusiasm.

What have you done in such difficult situations? Have you found truth in Wesley’s model throughout your life?

He was using haunt to describe how he wanted some items from class to continually be in the back of our minds long after tests, the news of the day, and our current situations pass away. These resources, quotes, thoughts, or ideas aren’t meant to carry negative connotations. Rather, they are to be things that stick with us long after we initially encounter them.

Since it is my final year in Divinity school, I’ve been thinking alot about things that I’ve come across over the years that haunt me. I share some of these with you in hopes that they will haunt you as well.

The first thing I want to share in this series of posts is an essay by C.S. Lewis entitled “The Inner Ring” that I was assigned in my ethics class last year.

You can read it here: C.S. Lewis – “The Inner Ring”

When I finished reading this essay, I sat stunned.

The article was written as if C.S. Lewis had watched me live for the past 24 years and struggle with the inclination towards exclusivity that he beautifully describes and warns against.  His advice is priceless.

I hope that you’ll find it haunting as well.

What books, quotes, essays, etc. have you come across that haven’t left you years later?

In my mind, and largely in American media, being the new kid means being an outsider and an outcast for a while until you’re slowly brought into the new community. After a while of viewing you at a distance – or perhaps making fun of you – people slowly warm up to the fact that someone new is around, they realize that perhaps you have some unique contributions you could make to the community, and then you are grafted in, if you’re lucky. The basic movement in this narrative is one from hostility to hospitality.

Yet, from the moment I arrived in Central America I was treated with radical hospitality and rarely with any sense of hostility.

As I moved into the house of my host family in Guatemala, my soon-to-be friend, Rodolfo, moved out of his room and onto the floor of someone else’s so that I would have a room to myself.

One of my Spanish teachers, Apa, invited me to play soccer with some of his friends, and even after I played horribly – remember that at this time I did not understand words like “pass,” “cross,” and “shoot” – they invited me to return the next week.

After going to a restaurant with Cristian, one of the family members in my house in El Salvador, I told him that I really liked the grilled tortillas with casamiento – a mix of rice and beans. Sure enough, I found him in the kitchen a few days later trying to replicate this dish so that I could have it for dinner.

And when I visited struggling church members in the community with Pastor Marta, the members graciously welcomed me into their homes and allowed me to be present while they cried and talked with her.

While these four anecdotes alone may seem to illustrate that I was around nice people all summer, their significance is rooted in the reality that these incidences were not isolated. Rather, they were part of a pattern in the way people treated me.

And it is a pattern that I can look back and see brightly because it stands in stark contrast to the way I often treat people in my life.

While in school, I sin by slipping into the mode of treating people with hostility as I see them as “stealers of my time.”

I have books to read, papers to write, a youth group to volunteer with, meetings to attend, and scheduled time to hang out with my best friends. If you’re not in one of those groups I prefer a few weeks notice so that I can see if spending time with you will be manageable. And stopping into my life unannounced just causes me undue stress as I’m trying to get my to-do list done that never seems to end.

Perhaps you can relate.

Now, please take a moment and reflect on how embarrassingly counter to the Gospel of Jesus Christ the thought process in the above paragraph is. This disposition is one that could easily characterize the Priest or Levite who walks past the beaten-down man on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. And it certainly stands counter to the ministry of Christ and his selfless love for us on the cross that we’re called to imitate in our relationships with others.

Sin causes us to be hostile – to be resistant, unfriendly, and closed off.

God calls us to be hospitable – to be inviting, welcoming, and open to sharing the love and good news of God in Christ with all whom we encounter.

Thankfully, this summer I was surrounded by people who enjoyed offering me hospitality daily. And this school year I’m trying to offer the same to others around me.

Especially to the new kids in town who may not speak my language.

Yet, as I write this post I’m reminded of the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus tells a man who sees an insurmountable task before him, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Jesus’ words rang true in my life this summer.

Below you’ll find a video and transcripts (English/Español) of my sermon.  The sermon in the video is done with a paragraph in Spanish and then one in English, and the sound isn’t great quality.  Therefore, you may find it easier to read the manuscript in your native language.

Acts 2:1-21
La Providencia – Iglesia Evangelica Metodista
Ahuachapán, El Salvador

Acts 2:1-21 – “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved”

Father, May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you – my rock and my redeemer.  May the Holy Spirit speak through me this morning as I serve as a vessel carrying your Word to the people of this church.  En el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

Ten weeks ago, I boarded a plane in my home of Atlanta, Georgia headed to Central America.  When I sat down on the plane, I knew how to speak very little Spanish:  I knew the words for dog and cat, I was able to count to ten, but I didn’t even know how to say, “Hello, my name is Jonathan” yet.  As I sat on the plane headed to Guatemala I was extremely nervous knowing that I would soon arrive in a country that was very different from my own – one that had a different language, different food, different money, different houses, different skin color, and different customs.

My first night in Guatemala I met the family who would be hosting me for my time in language school there.  They spoke no english, and I spoke no spanish.  Therefore, meals during those first few days were very silent. Usually, the whole conversation went something like this:

Me: “Hola! Como estas?”

My house mother: “Bueno y usted?”

Me: “Bueno”

My house mother: “Buen Provecho”

And what I ate for those meals was also foreign to me.  For the first time in my life, I had beans for breakfast, fresh handmade tortillas, orchata, and hot milk with cereal.  Soon, I began to try to make my way around the streets and realized that I couldn’t read the signs, I didn’t know how to catch a bus, and that I had the whitest skin out of anybody around.

I felt very different from the people around me.  Have you ever had this feeling?

I know many of you here have opened your doors to Methodists from the United States and allowed us to visit with you in your homes.  Whether you were the host or visitor, perhaps you felt a little separation because of the language.  Others of you may have moved cities, or to the United States, to find work or to live with your spouse’s family, and found yourself in a new environment that was not like your old home.  Or, you may have seen people move into your neighborhood who seemed very different from yourself.

Age, gender, social status, history, language and culture can often be the bricks that build up tall walls that separate us from one another.  We have a tendency to sinfully judge people who look different from us and act different than us.  And for people who may not be Christians here today, you may feel that things that have happened in your past, or the way you live in the present, will forever separate you from all of the Christians here and God as well.  However, today’s scripture passage from Acts reveals to us that the Holy Spirit is stronger than any differences or barriers that separate us from one another or from God, and that “everyone – everyone -  who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” and united as one church in Christ.

Luke, who wrote the book of Acts, begins his account of the events in Acts chapter two, verse one, by telling us that the day of Pentecost had come and that all of the followers of Jesus Christ were together in one place.  Pentecost is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the 50^th day after Passover.  Passover is a celebration marking the exodus of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt, and Pentecost is the celebration of God giving the law to Moses at Mount Sinai 50 days later.  Therefore, in Jerusalem at this time, there would have been Jews from all over the world in town for this religious festival.  And it is in the midst of all of this that we also find all of Jesus’ followers waiting together in one place.

The believers didn’t just happen to be together.  Instead, they were acting out of obedience to Jesus’ command to them before his ascension when he told them, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait there for the promise of the Father.  For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”[1]  These words by Jesus echo the promise of John the Baptist when he told the people who were following him in Luke 3:16 that “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Therefore, when we read in verses 2 through 4 about the Holy Spirit filling all of the believers on the day of Pentecost, we find that this moment is the fulfillment of many of God’s promises to his people.  There, in Jerusalem, a strong wind filled the house where all of Jesus’ followers were waiting, and tongues of fire – a baptism of fire, like John the Baptist prophesied – rested on each of them.  This was the moment of the church’s receiving of the Holy Spirit in order to continue the mission of Jesus.

Luke tells us that at this point all of them began to speak in other languages as the Holy Spirit enabled them.  And here we see an amazing work of God as many of the Jews who were in Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost began hearing the wonders of God spoken in their native languages by a group of Galileans.  People from all over the world were amazed as they understood what was being said, and in addition to their amazement at being able to hear their own language, they were astonished that it was a group of Galileans who were speaking to them, for Galileans were known for being unrefined, uneducated, and speaking poorly. Yet, as we see time and time again in scripture God chooses an unlikely people for his amazing works.

Luke tells us in verses nine to eleven that Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, Egypt, parts of Libya, and visitors from Rome all heard about God’s deeds of powers in their native languages. Then we find out that many of them asked a question in verse twelve – a question we must ask ourselves today, “What does this mean?”  Why did God choose to send the Holy Spirit to the church through this miracle of people understanding their languages spoken by Galileans?  What does it mean that people from so many nations were present?

Some of the people present answered these questions by claiming that the whole event was insignificant and that the followers of Christ were simply drunk.  Of course, we know this was not the case, but can’t you see how some of them may have thought this?  Imagine for a moment that you are at the bell tower near NC State’s campus in downtown Raleigh at nine o’clock in the morning and a bunch of locals were gathered together speaking in many different languages that you didn’t understand.  Soon, a crowd of people from Brazil, Paraguay, and the United States gather and claim that they hear men speaking in their own languages about God.  Wouldn’t you have a hard time figuring out exactly what was going on?[2]

Fortunately, God gave Peter the boldness and wisdom needed to answer the question, “What does all of this mean?”  Peter interprets this event as he stands up and addresses the crowd.  First, he informs everyone that the men are not drunk on wine as some suspected, and then he tells the crowd that everything occurring was in fulfillment of what the prophet Joel had spoken long ago.  We read Joel’s prophecy in verses 17-21:

¹⁷ “‘In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams.

¹⁸ Even on my servants, both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days,

and they will prophesy.

¹⁹ I will show wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below,

blood and fire and billows of smoke.

²⁰ The sun will be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood

before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

²¹ And everyone who calls

   on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Peter informs the crowd that they, and we, are in the last days – the days that began with Jesus on earth and will be consummated when he returns.  And then he details what this period of time will look like.  Joel tells us that the Holy Spirit will come upon sons, daughters, young people, old people, the lowest classes of society, men, and women.  The Holy Spirit will be poured out on all people – not just the descendants of Abraham, not just those who were able to participate in all of the rituals at the temple, not just people who have jobs, not just people who have their lives together, not just those who we think are similar to us, but on all people.

At Pentecost, we catch a glimpse of the future work of the Holy Spirit as we see the Spirit bringing together people of all different languages and cultures.  And Peter’s use of Joel to interpret the event also tells us that the Holy Spirit will tear down the walls that have been built up by differences of age, gender, social status, and history.  As the book of Acts continues, we see exactly this happening: Jews and Gentiles both become Christians, Saul, who used to murder Christians, is powerfully converted through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Young, old, rich, poor, male, and female all call on the name of the Lord and are saved! This is good news!

Here is the fulfillment of God’s covenant with Abraham which said that through his descendants “all peoples on earth will be blessed.”  Pentecost means that no matter what differences we have, God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, can overcome them.  My ability, or lack of ability, to speak Spanish cannot ultimately separate me from other believers and the work of God.  And all of the believers here today – people from El Salvador, the United States, and other countries – testify to the power of the Holy Spirit which is poured out upon all.  This unity is based upon the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Savior, who is the only one able to forgive us of our sins, restore us into right relationship with the God the Father, and assure eternal life by the workings of the Holy Spirit.

Yet, after knowing all of these truths from Pentecost, what should we do?  The Christians in the book of Acts took this message of God’s love and Spirit for all people and used it as motivation for spreading the Gospel across the whole world.  They were willing to look like fools to the world for the sake of the gospel, and they were not afraid to go anywhere as they trusted God.  These truths from Pentecost should do the same for all of the Christians here today.

We should be moved to love God and love our neighbors deeper, repent for the ways we’ve failed in this area, and be willing to share this love with the ends of the earth.  For we find that no matter what our neighbor looks like, no matter how our neighbor acts, no matter whether we seem to have anything in common with them, and no matter how close or far away our neighbor lives, God loves them just the same.  And we must live out this same love, or else large groups of people who seem different than us will go unreached.  This love is not just some sentimental feeling – it is characterized by helping out everyone’s physical needs here and now, and by sharing the Gospel message with them that “all who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” from sin and death.

After seeing the miracle at Pentecost, people from all over the world who weren’t followers of Jesus also asked the question “What should we do” (v. 37) after Peter was done interpreting the event.  “Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away.’”  If you have not experienced the love of God, forgiveness of your sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, my prayer for you today is that God’s grace would overwhelm your heart, and that you would be born again by putting your faith and trust in Christ.

Today we have the opportunity to feel the winds of the Holy Spirit blow powerfully into our lives.  Will you stand on the sidelines and say, “I think all of these people filled with the Holy Spirit are acting like they’re drunk on wine?” Or will you respond with repentance, a deeper love for everyone who is your neighbor, and a renewed vision of the love of God?  At Pentecost we catch a glimpse of what heaven will be like – just as we do in this church today. And I hope and pray that one day I am able to stand before the throne of God with each of you and your neighbors – with a multitude of people from every nation and language – as we worship God together as one people.

God, we thank you for this day and for all of the blessings that you have given us.  Fill us with your spirit, change our hearts into your likeness, and send us forth from this place showing your everlasting love to all people. En el nombre del Padre, del hijo Jesucristo, y del Espíritu Santo, Amén, y Amén, y Amén.

Hechos 2:1-21 – “Todo aquel que invocare el nombre del Señor será salvo”

Muy buenas tardes, primeramente hermanos y hermanas que Dios le bendiga.  Mi nombre es Jonathan y estoy agradecido con Dios por darme este privilegio por traerles la palabra viva de Dios.

Oramos.  Padre, sean gratas las palabras de mi boca y la meditación de mi corazón delante de ti, oh Señor, mí roca y mí redentor.  Sea el Espíritu Santo que hable por medio de mí esta tarde, que me uses como una vasija que porte tu palabra a las personas de esta iglesia.

Hace diez semanas, yo tomé el avión en mi hogar, Atlanta, Georgia, con destino a Centroamérica.  Cuando me senté en el avión, podía hablar muy poco español: Sabía las palabras perro y gato, y podía contar hasta diez.  Y, no sabía aun cómo decir, “Hola, me llamo Jonathan.”  En el momento que me senté en el avión con destino a Guatemala estaba extremadamente nervioso, sabedor que llegaría muy pronto a un país que es muy diferente a los Estados Unidos – un país que tendría un idioma diferente, comida diferente, moneda diferente, casas diferentes, color de piel diferente, y costumbres diferentes.

En mi primera noche en Guatemala, conocí la familia que sería mi anfitriona en Guatemala durante mi tiempo en la escuela de español.  Ellos no hablaban inglés, y yo no hablaba español. Por lo tanto, las comidas durante esos primeros días fueron muy silenciosas.  Usualmente, la conversación fue como esta:

Yo: “Hola! Como estás.”

Mi Mama: “Bien y usted”

Yo: “Bien”

Mi Mama: “Buen Provecho”

Es todo.

Y lo que yo comía era extraño para mí también.  Por primera vez en mi vida, comí frijoles para el desayuno, tortillas recién hechas en plancha, horchata, leche caliente con cereal, y arroz con leche.  Luego, yo empecé a memorizar el camino a mi casa y descubrí que no podía leer las señales, no podía tomar el bus, y que tenía la piel más blanca que todos en la ciudad.

Yo me sentí muy diferente de las personas alrededor de mí.  ¿Usted ha tenido esta sensación?  Conozco que muchos de ustedes acá han abierto sus puertas a Metodistas de Estados-Unidos y nos han permitido visitar sus casas.  Tal vez, usted sintió un poco de separación debido al idioma.  Otros de ustedes, tal vez han visitado otras ciudades, o han emigrado a Estados Unidos u otros países para trabajar, o han ido a otras ciudades a vivir con sus suegros y descubrieron un nuevo ambiente que no fue como su viejo hogar. O, tal vez, vieron personas que llegaron a vivir en su colonia que les parecieron muy diferentes.

Edad, género, estatus social, historia, idioma, y cultura son a menudo los ladrillos que construyen paredes altas que nos separan de otros. Tenemos una tendencia pecaminosa a juzgar a las personas que se ven y actúan diferente de nosotros.  Y para las personas que tal vez no sean cristianas hoy, usted quizás pueda sentir que cosas han ocurrido en su pasado, o la manera en que vive en el presente lo separarán siempre de los cristianos y del amor de Dios. Sin embargo, nuestro pasaje de la escritura en Hechos nos revela que el Espíritu Santo es más fuerte que algunas diferencias u obstáculos que nos separan unos de otros o de Dios, y que “Todo – todo aquel que invocare el nombre del Señor, será salvo” y se unieron como una iglesia en Cristo, ¿verdad?

Lucas, quien escribió el libro de Hechos, comienza su narración en Hechos capitulo dos y versículo uno donde nos dice que el día de Pentecostés había llegado y que todos los seguidores de Cristo estaban juntos en solo lugar.  Pentecostés es un día festivo judío que ocurre al quincuagésimo día después de la Pascua.  La Pascua es una celebración del éxodo de la esclavitud en Egipto, y Pentecostés es una celebración donde Dios da la ley a Moisés en el Monte Sinaí cincuenta días más tarde.  Por esto, en Jerusalén en este tiempo, había judíos de todo el mundo debido a esta celebración.  Y es en medio de todo esto que nosotros encontramos todos los seguidores de Cristo en solo lugar.

Los creyentes no estaban casualmente, sino que obedecien el mandato que Jesús les dio a ellos justo antes de su ascensión, “Y estando juntos, les mandó que no se fueran de Jerusalén, sino que esperasen la promesa del Padre, la cual, les dijo, oísteis de mí.  Porque Juan ciertamente bautizó con agua, mas vosotros seréis bautizados con el Espíritu Santo dentro de no muchos días.”  Estas palabras de Jesús hacen eco a la promesa de Juan el Bautista cuando dijo a sus seguidores en Lucas tres dieciséis, “Yo a la verdad os bautizo en agua; pero viene uno más poderoso que yo, de quien no soy digno de desatar la correa de su calzado; él os bautizará en Espíritu Santo y fuego.”

Por lo tanto, cuando leemos los versículos del dos al cuatro acerca del Espíritu Santo llenando a todos los creyentes en el día de Pentecostés, encontramos que este momento es el cumplimento de muchas promesas de Dios a su pueblo.  ¿Dios es siempre fiel, verdad?  Allí, en Jerusalén, un viento muy fuerte llenó la casa donde esperaban, y lenguas de fuego – un bautismo de fuego, como la profecía de Juan el Bautista – asentándose en cada persona.  Este fue el momento cuando la iglesia recibió el Espíritu Santo para continuar la misión de Jesús.

Lucas nos dijo que en este punto todos comenzaron a hablar en otras lenguas como el Espíritu Santo les daba.  Y aquí vemos una asombrosa obra de Dios cuando muchos judíos que estaban en Jerusalén para celebrar Pentecostés comenzaron a escuchar de las maravillas de Dios en sus lenguas nativas por medio de un grupo de Galileos.  Personas de todo el mundo estaban asombradas porque entendían lo que hablaban.  En adición a su asombro de comprensión de las palabras, estaban asombrados que fuera un grupo de Galileos, porque los Galileos fueron conocidos por ser groseros, maleducados, y por hablar feo. Sin embargo, como vemos muchas veces en la escritura, Dios designa las personas menos probables para sus obras maravillas, amén?

Lucas nos dice en versículos del nueve al once que Partos, Medos, Elamitas, y los que habitantes en Mesopotamia, en Judea, en Capadocia, en el Ponto y en Asia, en Frigia y Panfilia, en Egipto y en las regiones de Africa más allá de Cirene, y romanos todos escuchaban de las maravillas de Dios en sus idiomas nativos.  Luego, leemos en el versículo doce que muchos de ellos hacían una pregunta – una pregunta que necesitamos hacernos hoy, “¿Qué quiere decir esto?”  ¿Por qué Dios decidió enviar su Espíritu Santo a la iglesia por medio de este milagro de personas que entendían sus idiomas hablados por Galileos?  ¿Qué significa esto, que personas de muchos países estaban presentes?

Algunas personas presentes respondían a esas preguntas diciendo que el evento fue insignificante y que los seguidores de Jesús estaban borrachos.  Por supuesto, sabemos que esto no es verdad, pero ¿Pueden ver como algunas de ellos lo pensaban? Imagine por un momento que usted está en el Parque Concordia a las nueve de la mañana, y muchos Salvadoreños están juntos hablando en muchos idiomas diferentes que no entiende.  Pronto, una multitud de personas de Brasil, Paraguay, y Estados-Unidos dicen que entienden lo que los hombres hablan de Dios en sus idiomas. ¿No tendría dificultades tratando de comprender lo que está pasando?

Afortunadamente, Dios dio a Pedro atrevimiento y sabiduría necesarias para responder la pregunta, “Qué quiere decir esto?”  Pedro interpreta este evento cuando se dirige a la multitud.  Primero, informa a todos que los hombres no están borrachos de tomar vino, como algunos lo pensaban, e informa a la multitud que todo lo que está pasando es en cumplimiento de lo que el profeta Joel había dicho hace mucho tiempo.  Leemos la profecía del Joel del versículo diecisiete al veintiuno:

Y en los postreros días, dice Dios,

Derramaré de mi Espíritu sobre toda carne,

Y vuestros hijos y vuestras hijas profetizarán;

Vuestros jóvenes verán visiones,

Y vuestros ancianos soñarán sueños;

Y de cierto sobre mis siervos y sobre mis siervas en aquellos días

Derramaré de mi Espíritu, y profetizarán.

Y daré prodigios arriba en el cielo,

Y señales abajo en la tierra,

Sangre y fuego y vapor de humo;

El sol se convertirá en tinieblas,

Y la luna en sangre,

Antes que venga el día del Señor,

Grande y manifiesto;

Y todo aquel que invocare el nombre del Señor, será salvo.

Pedro informa a la multitud que ellos, y nosotros, estamos en los últimos días – los días que comienzan con Jesús en la tierra y serán consumados cuando el regrese.  Y luego, Pedro detalla cómo esto periodo de tiempo será. Joel nos dice que el Espíritu Santo vendrá sobre los hombres, las mujeres, los hijos, las hijas, los jóvenes, los ancianos, y los de las clases más bajas.  El Espíritu Santo será derramado sobre toda la gente – no solamente sobre los descendientes de Abram, no solamente sobre aquellos quienes podían participar en todos los ritos del templo, no solamente sobre las personas quienes poseían tierra, no solamente sobre las personas quienes tenían trabajos, no solamente sobre las personas que tenía buena vida, pero sobre todo la gente.

En Pentecostés, echamos un vistazo a la obra futura que el Espíritu Santo realizará cuando el Espíritu junte personas de diferentes lenguas y culturas.  El uso que Pedro le da al pasaje de Joel para interpretar el evento nos dice que el Espíritu Santo destruirá las paredes que han sido construidas con las diferencias de edad, género, estatus social, historia, idioma, y cultura.  Como el libro de Hechos continua, vemos exactamente este acontecimiento: Judíos y Gentiles ambos se convierten, Saúl, quien acostumbraba a matar Cristianos, se convierte a través del poder del Espíritu Santo.  Jóvenes, ancianos, ricos, pobres, hombres, y mujeres todos invocan el nombre del Señor y son salvos! Estas son buenas noticias, amén !

Aquí es el cumplimiento del pacto de Dios con Abram que decía que por sus descendientes “todas las familias de la tierra serán benditas.” Pentecostés significa que no importa que diferencias tengamos, Dios, a través del Espíritu Santo, puede vencerlas.  Mi habilidad, o la falta de esta, para hablar español no pueden separarme de otros creyentes y la obra de Dios.  Y todos los creyentes juntos hoy – personas del Salvador, Estados Unidos, y otros países – testifican del poder del Espíritu Santo que Dios derrama sobre todos. Esta unidad está fundada en la vida, la muerte, y la resurrección de Jesucristo, nuestro Salvador, quien es el único capaz de perdonar nuestros pecados, restaurar nuestra relación con Dios el Padre, y asegurar vida eterna a través del Espíritu Santo.

Sin embargo, después de conocer estas verdades de Pentecostés, ¿Que debemos hacer?  Los cristianos en el libro de Hechos anunciaron este mensaje del amor de Dios y del Espíritu para todas las personas y lo usaron como motivación para extender el evangelio por todo el mundo.  Ellos estaban dispuestos a parecer tontos ante el mundo por el evangelio, y no tenían miedo de ir a cualquier parte puesto que confiaban en Dios.  Estas verdades de Pentecostés deben funcionar de la misma forma para todos los cristianos aquí hoy.

Debemos ser movidos a amar Dios y a nuestros vecinos mejor, y repentir por las maneras que hemos fracasado en esta área, y a estar dispuestos a compartir este amor con lo último de la tierra.  Porque no importa como nuestro vecino sea, no importa como nuestro vecino actúe, no importa si tenemos cosas en común con ellos, y no importa que tan cerca nuestro vecino viva, Dios lo ama de la misma forma. Y necesitamos vivir con este mismo amor, no sea que multitudes de personas que parecen diferentes de nosotros no sean alcanzadas.  Este amor no es solamente una sensación sentimental – se caracteriza por auxiliar las necesidades físicas de todos aquí y ahorita, y por compartir el evangelio con ellos, que “todo aquel que invocare el nombre del Señor, será salvo” de pecado y muerte.

Las personas de todo el mundo que escuchaban a los Galileos hablando sus lenguas hacían la pregunta “¿Que debemos hacer?” en el versículo treinta siete después que Pedro termino de interpretar el evento: “Pedro les dijo: Arrepentíos y bautícese cada uno de vosotros en el nombre de Jesucristo para perdón de los pecados; y recibiréis el don del Espíritu Santo.  Porque para vosotros es la promesa, y para vuestros hijos, y para todos los que están lejos.”  Si usted no ha experimentado el amor de Dios, el perdón de sus pecados, y el regalo del Espíritu Santo, mi oración para usted hoy es que la gracia de Dios conmueva su corazón, y que usted nazca de nuevo poniendo su fe y confianza en Jesucristo.

Hoy tenemos la oportunidad de sentir los vientos del Espíritu Santo soplando en nuestras vidas. ¿Será espectador y dirá, “Creo que todos estas personas llenas del Espíritu Santo actúan como borrachos?” ¿O, usted responderá con arrepentimiento, amor sincero por sus vecinos, y un visión renovada del amor de Dios?  En Pentecostés tenemos una visión de cómo será el cielo – así como la tenemos en esta iglesia hoy.  Y espero y oro que un día pueda estar delante del trono de Dios con cada uno de ustedes y sus vecinos – con una multitud de personas de todas las naciones y lenguas – mientras adoramos a Dios juntos como un solo pueblo.

Oramos.  Dios, agradecemos por este día y por todas tus bendiciones que nos has dado.  Llénanos con tu Espíritu, cambia nuestros corazones a tu semejanza, mándanos de este lugar mostrando tu amor eterno a todos.  En el nombre del Padre, del hijo Jesucristo, y del Espíritu Santo, Amén, y Amén, y Amén.