23rd May 2010: Acts 2,1-18
Dear friends of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God our Father, who sent his Holy Spirit, so that we would believe and trust in him alone now and forever!
On this day the one holy Christian and Apostolic Church celebrates its own birthday. Together with Christians all over the world, together with Angels and Archangels, with Saints and Martyrs of days gone by we are praising the living God for all he has done for us and our salvation throughout the Ages through this his very own institution, Christ’s living body and most effective instrument: The holy Christian Church from all nations and throughout all Ages.
Oh yes, the Church was there from the very beginning. The triune God spoke to his people since the times of Adam and Eve. He spoke his holy word in Law and Gospel from the very beginning – and we know that Jesus Christ is that word, which became flesh and lived amongst us on Christmas, but was there one with God before all time and space. Since those very early days long gone by the triune God has called people from all parts of the world to trust and believe in him – and we know that the Holy Spirit is the one, who does these miracles and wonders amongst his folks, that they repentant, that they are converted and that they believe and trust and love Jesus Christ as their only true Lord and Saviour. Oh yes, this has been the divine activity from the very beginning – gathering, collecting, joining together, unifying, strengthening, building and edifying the Church from all ends of the world. That was his business on Pentecost and that is his business even today. Wherever the living and most gracious God uncovers sin to forgive it by his grace, wherever he proclaims his own goodness and mercy with sinners, wherever he feeds hungry people, heals ill and sick, frees captives and those in bondage, makes foreigners and migrants be at home even in strange places and allows the poor and needy to hear his good news – that’s where his Church is right amongst us in this very world. God did his church business in the time of the apostles amongst the nations in the Middle East, reaching out from Jerusalem [the centre of the world] to people in Asia and Africa and Europe: Parthians, Medes, Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia , Pamphylia, Egypt and parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians. What a international, global event Pentecost has always been! That’s where the living God himself made up for the mischief of that idolatrous tower of Babel. Now by his forgiving grace these different cultures, languages and traditions are no longer doomed to live separated in fear, hatred, envy and strive with each other, unable to understand each other, unable to sympathize with one another and just banned to worshipping their family deities, village spirits and tribal idols or national ideologies By God’s grace and forgiving mercy the most diverse people are brought together by the Holy Spirit into one body, one Church so that they can hear the miracles and wonders of the one and only God of this universe and together with one voice give him his due praises as one big happy family as it was meant to be from the beginning. Here at Pentecost the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob grants his own Church to witness the starting realization of his final Church version for the entire globe encompassing all nations and continents. His beloved Apostle and Bishop of the seven Churches St. John saw it on Patmos and we too are looking forward to seeing this vision with our own eyes and to hear this beautiful song with our two ears and joining in with our humble voices too. St. John describes the “great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" [Rev. 7,9f]
This Pentecost message is especially comforting to those, who in this life and time experience the discrimination, isolation and persecution of the Church. However there is comfort, because it is the living God’s promise, that his Church will not be overcome but will remain to the very end. Not even a thousand or more devils nor any evil or anything else can stop him from taking his Church to its final destination – the glorious perfection of his honorable bride. You can build on that. You can trust him on that because he is faithful and will surely do as he promised. Already his great works are proclaimed beyond Africa, Europe and Asia in the Americas, Australia and even Oceania. That is another good reason to rejoice and thank God today. He alone can take credit for all this goodness for it is done “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.” [Zech. 4,6 Watchword for Pentecost] This is so true everywhere, but especially in the Church. Look how it was with Moses. [OT Reading Nm.11,11f.14-17.24f]. God gave him 70 elders to help him carry his burden. For God it is easy to help in this or that way. Nothing is impossible for him. Look how it is with me. I can’t even talk or write in isiZulu, but my father has translated this sermon and so you can hear of God’s miracles and wonders anyway. We are never alone in the Church, but rather we are joined to various members and limbs under the one head Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit joins us together with a common faith, love and hope so that we become more and more what God has envisioned for us – one, holy Christian and Apostolic Church proclaiming his miracles and wonders in this world and even amongst those, who don’t yet believe. God has established his Church worldwide and we are part of it, because he is good, gracious and merciful. Therefore let us continue in his word and remain at home where his glory dwells. He will continue to teach and guide us with his holy word and thus keep us in all truth despite all affliction and temptation. [Gospel Joh.14, 23ff] To him be all the glory now and forever. Amen. The peace of Christ be with you always+
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