Reflections...

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on 19 May 2024, by Rev. Phyllis Wong. The scripture readings that day were 2 Samuel 6: 14-19 and Acts 2: 1-21.

Happy birthday Church!

 

Today is Pentecost Sunday - a big day for the church to celebrate.

 

The two readings I chose were adopted from the worship materials -  Spill the Beans. They are 2 Samuel 6:14-19 from the Old Testament and Acts 2:1-21 from the New Testament. 

 

These two readings have given us insights that enriched our understanding about church. As we are celebrating the birth of Church, it is important for us to reflect on what church is all about.

 

What is church for you? Today, two friends joined the church of KUC, Carol joined by Baptism and Ronald joined by Restatement of Faith. It is very special and symbolic for them to join the church on Pentecost Sunday. 

 

Pentecost in Greek means “fifty”. Christian Pentecost is fifty days after Easter Sunday. Hebrew Pentecost is 7 weeks after Passover Festival.

 

We are familiar with the story of the apostles filled with the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. They were empowered to speak other foreign languages and Peter was courageous to proclaim the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and called the audience to repent. Filled by the Holy Spirit, the disciples were afraid no more. They did not isolate themselves anymore. They were bold to speak up for Jesus, the Lord and the Messiah that they believed.  It was on this day, 3000 people were converted to become Christians by returning to God and being baptised. 

 

Pentecost originated from Hebrew tradition. In Hebrew, Pentecost Festival is called “Shavuot”, meaning Feast of Weeks. Shavuot is associated with Torah, the Law given by God on Mount Sinai to the Jews as God’s chosen people and nation, and is a time for them to remember and celebrate God’s grace to liberate them from slavery in Egypt. 

 

In ancient Jewish community, Shavuot was also associated with the agricultural tradition and celebration by giving thanks to God for the grains they yielded: 

 

Giving thanks to God and sharing with others especially the poor with concrete action of care had been part of the religious practice. We thus see from the scripture reading taken from 2 Samuel 6 today, King David in a ceremonial ritual offered to God the sacrifice. He then blessed the people and distributed food among all the people. The reading from 2 Samuel 6 did not clearly say it was the Shauvot, but King David acted in the spirit of Shauvot: offering to God as thanksgiving constitutes a very important element, and sharing food for all is to acknowledge that we are all born equal with dignity. Everyone regardless of gender, age and class should be treated with respect and deserve a home that they belong and have adequate means to live. “Then all the people went back to their homes.” (v. 19)

 

The tradition of Hebrew Pentecost enlightens Christian on the understanding of the Church. When Christians are to celebrate the birth of the church, justice and loving care should be highlighted. It is also the mission of the church to set the oppressed free, to practice equality and to care for the poor with respect.

 

Now I would like to share about the reading taken from the Book of Acts 2:1-21.

 

This scripture is read in almost every Pentecost Sunday. 

Apostle Peter preached to the crowd – all the faithful – both the Jews and the non-Jews, the words from Prophet Joel –

The new insight that I received this year is this -  The celebration of Pentecost should include our remembrance and follow the Jewish prophetic tradition in the past.

Peter proclaimed -   

 

2:17 'In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.

2:18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.

2:21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

Pentecost is a moment of revelation of God’s amazing work in the past and God’s everlasting presence in the past, in the present and in the future. 

 

The Faith Community with people of different ages, gender and economic status are called by God to continue the prophetic voice and practice. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the disciples gained the courage and commitment to start the new mission and new ministry for proclaiming the Word of God and God’s salvation without fear. Their lives had been so much transformed. 

 

The message of Prophet Joel is to affirm the people of God, young and old, women and men, slaves and masters are all taken as valuable and they are all part of God’s kingdom and to be saved. The good news from the Prophets in ancient world and the newly formed Christian Community emphasize equality and dignity for all. 

 

For Christians today, Pentecost celebration is not only to receive the power of the Holy Spirit. What is important for us is to affirm and to experience the power of the Holy Spirit in our daily life by making changes and being transformed to live a life as Jesus Christ’s followers. As Church, we are to be transformed by the Holy Spirit to engage in the mission old and new in the era that we are living in. 

 

For Christians in the early church, they were the 1^st generation of Christian Community. They were facing a lot of challenges both from fellow Jews and the Roman Empire. Their Lord Jesus was killed. They had to struggle to find new ways to live out their faith and mission at that time.

 

As Christians today in the early 21st Century, we are living in a city called Hong Kong and belong to an international church at KUC. What is God’s calling for us?

 

KUC is celebrating her 100^th anniversary this year. What would be the next chapter for the church? What would be her unique identity and mission in the future?

 

I have inherited a lot of good traditions of the church when I started to serve here 17 years ago. Characteristics like being open and welcoming, flexible and generous, diverse and inclusive. I have also tried to do something new such as to build a closer link with many local churches, ecumenical networks, social services organizations, civil societies and minorities communities of various kinds. KUC has been more visible in the society for her engagement in social justice and solidarity with the marginalized and minorities such as the refugees and asylum seekers, as well as the LGBT community. 

 

Dear beloved people of God, as followers, we should affirm our identity as God’s church and to live out the life of Jesus, who has sacrificed himself for the sake of love for all especially the poor, to set the oppressed free, and to bring people back to God’s eternal home. 

 

United as one body in Christ, let us continue to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to commit ourselves to Jesus Christ, and to be courageous to the walk a new way of truth and love.