A Charismatic Church

St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Gainesville FL
The Chapel of the Incarnation, Gainesville FL
June 12, 2011

Year A: The Day of Pentecost
Acts 2:1-21
Psalm 104: 25-35, 37
1 Corinthians 12:3b-13
John 20:19-23

A Charismatic Church

A couple of Sundays ago I was standing outside before the start of the 8:00 service (at St. Michael’s).

A woman I hadn’t seen before pulled up, parked her car and made her way towards the church. I greeted her and we exchanged some pleasantries. She took a step closer to the church and then she stopped, looked at me with what seemed like embarrassment and said,

“Can I ask you a question?”

I said, “Sure.”

And then she said, “Is this still a charismatic church?”

As you may know, for Christians the word “charismatic” refers to the gifts of grace we receive from the Holy Spirit.

But, “charismatic” is also shorthand for a certain type of very emotional worship.

And, sure enough, that’s what she meant by “charismatic.” It turns out that she had last been at St. Michael’s about fifteen years ago when the presence and power of the Holy Spirit was celebrated in very vivid ways – ways more typical of a Pentecostal church, but certainly not unheard of in Episcopal churches.

When she asked me her question, I wasn’t sure if she was hoping the answer was yes or no.

So, I began by making a stupid joke about how I like to think of myself as having charisma, but, then said, no, nowadays St. Michael’s is pretty much a straightforward, middle of the road Episcopal church.

Fortunately, she was relieved by my answer and seemed to appreciate our quiet and dignified traditional language service.

I’ve told that story to a few people and each time it’s gotten a chuckle.

But, the more I’ve thought about it – and especially today on the great feast of Pentecost - I really regret how I answered her question.

The truth is that we are a charismatic church whenever we are open to the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen all of his followers – and that includes us.

Jesus kept his promise back in the First Century and Jesus keeps his promise today.

Although we may not speak in tongues or roll around on the floor, this church – and every Christian community that strives to be faithful to Jesus Christ – is filled with the Holy Spirit.

From the Episcopalians to the Pentecostals, every church that is open to the power of the Holy Spirit and strives to love God and neighbor is a charismatic church.

In today’s lessons we heard two different accounts of how the first disciples received the Holy Spirit.

Although John’s and Luke’s accounts of have different details, for both the essence of Pentecost is the same.

Jesus gives them – gives us – the Holy Spirit to be the charismatic church continuing Jesus’ work on earth.

In the passage from the Gospel of John that I just read Pentecost takes place on the evening of Easter. The resurrected Jesus appears to his disciples who were still afraid of the religious authorities who had helped get Jesus killed.

Notice that John doesn’t say that this appearance is limited to the apostles. John doesn’t specify how many were hiding in the locked room. The Holy Spirit is a gift for all of Jesus’ followers – not just for an elite.

And just as God had breathed life at the start of creation, so now Jesus breathes on his disciples – giving them the Holy Spirit and making them – making us – a new creation.

The charismatic church is born to continue the work of Jesus on earth.

Meanwhile, in our first lesson we heard the familiar story in the Acts of the Apostles, where Luke the Evangelist gives us a different – more public - take on Pentecost.

The details are different but the essence of the Pentecost stories is the same.

Jesus gives them – gives us – the Holy Spirit to continue Jesus’ work on earth.

In Luke’s version it’s now fifty days since Easter, but once again the disciples were gathered in “one place” in Jerusalem when suddenly they received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Luke tells us, “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.”

The charismatic church is born to continue the work of Jesus on earth.

I have no idea which of the two Pentecost stories is more historically accurate. All I know is that Pentecost happened because Pentecost happens all the time.

Pentecost happens when Christians gather together and allow the Holy Spirit to work through them – sometimes that may mean speaking foreign or even unknown languages and sometimes that may mean worshipping from a carefully crafted prayer book that links us to Christians past, present and future.

Pentecost happens when we allow the Holy Spirit to work through us, continuing the work of Jesus by reaching out in loving service to the nobodies, the outcasts, the disposable and despised people of our time.

Pentecost happens when we allow the Holy Spirit to work through us, offering forgiveness to those who wrong us.

Pentecost happens when we allow the Holy Spirit to work through us, sharing God’s love with the multitudes of people here in our own community and around the world burdened by fear and despair.

Pentecost happens all the time because the Holy Spirit is poured out on us all the time, beginning in the water of Baptism where God makes an indissoluble – an unbreakable bond – with all of us.

In Baptism, God promises that the Holy Spirit will be with us forever – in good times and not so good – when we are most faithful and when we have the deepest doubts.

In Baptism, God promises that the Holy Spirit will be with us forever – when we really do continue the work of Jesus and when we do shameful things that we hope no one ever finds out about.

In Baptism, God promises that Pentecost will happen all the time.

In Baptism, God promises that every church where people strive to be faithful to Jesus Christ will be a charismatic church - continuing the work of Jesus on earth.

Amen.