It’s the most powerful thing created by mankind….
Nature goes beyond that – when Mt St. Helen’s erupted in 1980,
the blast was equivalent to 24 one megaton nuclear bombs…. That’s 24 million tons of TNT!
But there is an energy available to us even more powerful
than a 24 megaton bomb… it’s the power
released on that first Pentecost. It was like a bomb dropped on earth. Not a destructive bomb – but a creative
bomb. Starting with an intense explosion
in the hearts of the apostles in the upper room, it quickly blew out the
windows into the streets where the shock blast hit everyone with
amazement. In the following days and
weeks, thousands of people were impacted by the fallout – being baptized into
the Faith. Within years, the shock wave
had spread east to India, north to Europe, south to Africa, west to Rome. Tens of thousands were affected by the fallout
from that one blast. Many died because
of the impact of that bomb – governments declared that anybody impacted should
be put to death… for three hundred years hid to avoid being killed– but all the
while, the shock wave kept growing… going
all the way around the world and continues even to this day. The power of this bomb was not measured in
tons of TNT – but instead, those impacted by the fallout are known by their
love for each other – These people impacted by the bomb came to be known by one
derogatory name: “Christians”. The effects were contagious – people couldn’t
help being drawn to the Love they saw in those Christians – and they too became
carriers of the contagion called Love.
People have died for the name ‘Christian’ continuously ever
since that day – and believe it or not – more people are dying right now for
being Christian than at any point of history.
Maybe not here, yet – but look at Sri Lanka – or the Middle East – the Far
East – India – and several countries in Africa.
Just this week I was reading that right now, an average of 11 people are
dying every day for being Christian.
The question that’s gotta enter your mind is – what could
possibly make people want to join this group of people? Why would anybody purposely join a church
that could get them killed? Why would
anybody accept a teaching that says we must give up our selfishness to help
others – we must give of our time, talent, and treasure for other people rather
than simply worrying about our own wants?
The simple answer is the Holy Spirit; The Holy Spirit is the bomb. Ground zero was the upper room, but the
energy released in that single blast has caused a chain reaction of explosions
across the earth for two thousand years.
Can you imagine what the apostles said when they ran out
into the streets on that day? How about
– “here’s a new creed to believe in!”… no – doctrines are not going to touch
anyone’s heart. How about “repent! Feel guilty for your sins! Follow the 10 commandments!” No way – making people feel bad about themselves
is NOT the way to get them to convert to a new religion or to change their
lifestyle.
No – the message they delivered was direct from the Holy
Spirit. Our first reading tells us they
were speaking of the ‘mighty acts of God’.
Catch that? They weren’t telling
people how to live or what they were doing wrong or what rules they have to
follow to join up, or what Doctrines they had to believe… they were telling
their personal stories of what God did for ME.
That’s such an important lesson for all of us. Too often, we Christians are known to the
rest of the world not for what we believe in, but for what we’re against. We’re seen as intolerant, judgmental,
hypocritical… why? Because unfortunately,
that’s often how we present ourselves!
Instead – the first message we must deliver is Love. We must love them as they are - and that love
will catch their attention, because every human heart is starving for
love. We can feed them and let them know
there is a source of Love which is unconditional… we cannot make God stop
loving us.
We might think – BUT What about those people… stop –
remember – God loves them as they are.
Until that message is accepted, Morality and changing their lifestyle is
secondary. The main message is to make sure
they know God loves them.
Second - Always be ready to witness to the ‘mighty acts of
God’ in our own lives. Each of us should
be ready to tell people what Jesus has done for me personally. THAT is the story that can intrigue the world
to want to take a closer look at Christianity.
And when they look at Christianity – let them see how we love one
another. Our inner change of heart is
visible to the world by how we live:
Self-giving Love is attractive to people.
What started as a gang of frightened people in an upstairs
room in Jerusalem detonated into the largest charitable organization on the
planet – ever. Christians were different
because they started hospitals and clinics, schools, nursing homes, nutrition
centers, pregnancy support clinics. Christians
give of their own money to help their neighbor – and their brothers and sisters
in other countries even. They give their
time to visit the shut-ins and prisoners, to pull weeds at their local parish,
to teach, sing, decorate, clean, and help administer the business of their
local parishes. Yes – we ARE the largest
charitable organization on the planet… Yet – charity is not our reason for
existence….it is simply the fallout from the Love in our hearts.
THAT is the power that made Pentecost so explosive.
There’s a song by Jeremy Camp which I think sums it up
nicely – I’ll spare you the singing – but listen to these words.
The
same power that rose Jesus from the grave
The same power that commands the dead to wake
Lives in us, lives in us
The same power that moves mountains when He speaks
The same power that can calm a raging sea
Lives in us, lives in US
HE lives in US, LIVES IN US!!!
The same power that commands the dead to wake
Lives in us, lives in us
The same power that moves mountains when He speaks
The same power that can calm a raging sea
Lives in us, lives in US
HE lives in US, LIVES IN US!!!
