Acts 2:1-21 (The disciples of Jesus wait together for whatever will empower them to become the body and presence of Christ in the world. It's the Feast of Pentecost -- a celebration of the first fruit of the harvest; this is what they are to be in the world -- a first sign of what all humanity is meant to be on Earth. Then it comes -- a wind from heaven, tongues of fire upon each of them, and all of them empowered in different and complementary ways to help the world understand the good news of God's kingdom-come-and-coming.)
John 14:12-17, 25-17 (At the Last Supper Jesus promises his disciples that when he leaves, they will be empowered by God's Spirit to do as he has done in, with and for the world, and to do even more than he has done.)
In my late teens and early University years I attended a large Bible study of mostly young people from across the city of Winnipeg -- Jesus Freaks, curious seekers, a corps of charismatic leaders, and a bunch of well-heeled church kids looking for something. Each Friday night 75-100 people crammed into a large, old home for up to 3 hours of singing, praying and Bible exposition; almost weekly there was also a manifestation of glossolalia -- a number of people speaking in tongues. It was my first and only experience of hearing people speak in tongues.
My church home was a German/English Baptist church with hour-long worship dominated by the minister's sermon, a few hymns and a choir anthem. We were mostly spoken to, and not at all in tongues. The charismatic Bible study seemed a radical, risky and rebellious thing to be attending, and even though I was never drawn myself to seek "the gift of tongues" I was immensely glad to be able to listen in.
It was probably the most beautiful thing I have ever heard in my life. It usually began quietly in a corner of the room, gradually rose to draw in a few more voices, was carried for maybe 10 or 15 minutes that seemed like a heavenly eternal moment, and then gradually faded. I do not doubt it was a movement of the spirit, and I was deeply grateful to know "there is something more" to church, God and faith than what I felt in my home church.
Something more.
I wonder if that's what Pentecost and the emergence of the church are about -- discovering and beginning to live out "something more" that we are created, promised and called to be. Something beyond us, that we can only receive as gift and be surprised by. Or maybe something deeply within us, not foreign at all, but which normally is hidden, unrecognized and unexpressed.
Does this fullness of living in the kingdom come only in fellowship and communion with other followers of Jesus?
How do we wait for it? Open ourselves to it?
Have we found it -- do we find it now, in our being-together and waiting at Fifty? What holy and Christ-like thing are we able to do and to be in, with and for the world -- because we are together and waiting on God, that we could never do or be on our own?
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