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Sermon for Pentecost
- C evening - 2013 - 19th May
Exodus 33.7-20
2 Corinthians 3.4-18
I make no apology for repeating tonight, a sermon
that I first used some three years ago. But it seemed to me to
still be pretty relevant for us here tonight. So if your memory
is good enough that you recall it word for word, you have my
permission to switch off and think your own thoughts on the subject
of Pentecost. But I suspect that the rest of us might benefit
from a second hearing (me included)!
Next weekend sees another bank holiday. And one that traditionally
often sees people hard at work on a domestic project. Either
redecorating a room or re-vamping part of the garden… has
anyone got a project in mind for next week? Or does the mere
thought simply exhaust you?
But have you ever had the
experience at home of changing just one thing in a room - maybe
the carpet or curtains, or even thought you could get away with
decorating just one wall - only to find that suddenly what you
thought was alright… would do for a while yet, looks suddenly
dingy and dirty? The new item, whatever it might be, throws into
relief just how tired and out-dated everything else is? And yet,
before you changed the first thing, you thought all was well?
When I hear this passage from
Corinthians, - about a veil laying over the minds of the people
until they turn to and perceive the glory of Christ - it makes
me think of that. And just as sometimes we resist the task of
changing, cleaning, renewing the rooms in our homes - because,
once we start we know it will go on and on (!), so too for many
the sheer effort of turning their gaze on the living light and
love and Spirit of Christ - of letting it shine into all the
dark places in their lives and hearts, feels just too much. Once
it starts we know that nothing short of a complete makeover will
do. Our lives, our very selves will be turned inside out and
upside down in the glare of God's glory, in the searching, searing
love of Christ's gaze.
And yet - although we often cling to our comfortable darkness
and dinginess, it isn't actually our effort that will be required.
For God's spirit - the Spirit we celebrate this day of Pentecost,
will do all that 'making over' for us.
Do any of you watch the makeover
programmes on TV?… I don't often catch them - although I
once used to make a point of watching Groundforce when that was
on, and recently I have discovered Alan Titchmarsh cropping up
in a remarkably similar format! But one common feature of such
programmes is that the person for whom the transformation is
being done is usually unaware of what is happening until it is
all over. They are distracted, kept away from the house or garden,
until at the end they are brought in to the accompaniment of
stunned silence or gasps of wonder at what has been achieved.
Surroundings that once seemed so familiar have been transformed
- hopefully improved - and the person is then able to go on with
their life, knowing that someone cared enough to do all this
work for them.
The Children of Israel were
determined to keep their faces veiled and turned away in the
presence of the Christ. And so the Spirit was unable to work
much in the way of transformation. Not without the invitation
to come in and begin the work.
Moses - out of all the Children,
was prepared to risk all by asking God to reveal his glory to
him - even though that might mean death. But he asked. He was
prepared to let God's light shine before him and through him.
The people were too scared, too stuck in the comfort of their
old ways. But Moses invited God in. And was rewarded by a very
special relationship with God. The Lord will be gracious to
whom he wills; will show mercy to whom he wills; will reveal
to those who love him, just enough of his glory that they can
bear without damage or hurt.
And after the three years of
knowing and working alongside Jesus, the disciples and even Paul
- who had to rely on just one transformative exposure, were open
to God's transforming Spirit - to his Glory - to come in and
light up all the dark corners; to effect the makeover. God writes
his presence and his principles no longer on tablets of stone
that have to be held up before the people, but on individual
human hearts. Ordinary fishermen and tax collectors were given
the strength and confidence to preach to the crowds - despite
the risk to their lives. They were transformed - almost beyond
recognition.
When someone has invited God
in - has invited the Spirit to begin the transformation, you
can see it and sense it. Life may never be the same again. Some
old certainties are removed. Some favourite features may be swept
away. When the TV designers are invited in, often favourite old
items of furniture are swept away - or at the very least completely
transformed with new coverings, new springs. Making them unrecognizable
at first, until they are tried out and lived with.
So how would you react if the
Holy Spirit came to give you a makeover? Would you be horrified
by having all the dark corners swept clean and your old treasures
maybe put out for the refuse collectors or recycled beyond recognition?
Or will you be thrilled at the new look you?
"and all of us, with unveiled
faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a
mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree
of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit."
TBTG
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