“When the day of Pentecost had come – they were all together in one place.”
I thought about that “one sentence.”
Why were they all together in one place? Were they celebrating? Were they scared? Were they having a meeting? Were they still hiding out? Was it in a bigger place? Or, were they in the same place…that…”Upper-Room-area?”
Was it the Jewish celebration of Pentecost that brought them all together? Was it the Sabbath? Or, were they just still hanging out?
WAS it their faith…their “trusting” in the Lord, Jesus Christ- that had them all together?
And of course, you know “who” we are talking about, right?
I mean, it is the believers, the disciples, the followers of the rabbi from Nazareth in Galilee…they were the ones who were all together in one place.
They were just following orders, after all. Because…didn’t Jesus himself —tell them to stay in Jerusalem —and to wait for the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, the Paraclete, the Comforter – to come?
I hear people describe Pentecost as being the birthday of the church…(I myself have said it- many times) which has always kind of “smacked” of “over sentimentality” to me. It’s nice. It’s simple. It’s true! It’s Sunday-Schoolish!
Because this is not exactly a “quaint little story…”
It continues to be a “dangerous one.”
They were still afraid. They were still in danger. They were still hiding out. They were still living “in fear.”
It had only been 50 days since Jesus was crucified, buried and risen…and only ten days since he had ascended.
They still “feared for their lives”…they were “alone,” or so they thought!
They would have been “terrorized” by a knock at the door. Any knock at the door…So, they were still – all – together in one place! Isn’t that a little surprising after 50 days? Maybe not! But maybe a little shocking…
I wonder “how many of them, there actually were?” 11? What about women? Other followers? Jesus’ mother and brothers? How many were they “in total?” (That’s what I am talking about!)
The story opens with that “small group” of believers “isolating themselves” as the text says, “all together in one place.”
They were perhaps afraid of “outsiders” so they all stayed together. It must have been safer that way.
I guess it is pretty normal to be afraid of “outsiders”…I mean, we do not know them. If we did, they wouldn’t be “outsiders.” They would be “insiders” instead. And if they were “insiders” we wouldn’t be afraid of them, right?
We are afraid of all kinds of people, especially people that differ from us! Is that what was going on here?
They were afraid of the “non-believers?” “Jews,” “Gentiles,” “anyone” who did not believe like them or look like them?
And so they were “isolated-cut-off.” They had chosen to “isolate” themselves. It was a choice!
Had they actually known better – they would have been afraid of “not dispersing” because what was “about to happen” — would have “freaked out” even the bravest amongst them.
They were in danger alright, but not from “outsiders” – the danger they were in, as they sat all together in one place, was from a God who is about “to crash their party” and “bring in” everyone they were trying to avoid.
God was about to mix and stir things up!
This “isolation” was not going to continue! God had other ideas…
The church was going to begin – with “a new look!” Young and old, male and female, Greek and Jew, slave and free, physically challenged, sinner and saint all side-by side. They were about to become inclusive…and were about to be confronted by their biggest fears. “Outsiders were going to become “insiders!” Enemies were going to become brothers and sisters in Christ.
This was not their doing. This was God’s doing! With “whooshes of sound” and the “blowing of wind” and “flames and fire dancing” and the “ability to speak – strange foreign languages”…something new was taking place.
And it became more than obvious – that “isolation: would not be permitted. Outsiders were now insiders and would always be welcomed!