Pentecost Sunday

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[Ephesians 4:1-6] “…walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

The Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace

Be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” [Ephesians 4:3]

Unity can require following the directions of the one who knows better. A box of disconnected boards, screws, parts, and pieces can become one whole tv stand, bookshelf, or cabinet when we keep to the directions of the designer. But when we follow our own reason or intuition instead, that unity of the whole may be disrupted.

So it is as a creature of God. We didn’t come from nowhere, but our lives, ourselves, our bodies, our relationships – these have been created and designed by a Designer. In faith and trust, we keep to the commandments and promises, the Word, of the One who designed us and our human life – as we enjoy the various kinds of unity created for our life. The unity of a family. The unity of a husband and wife. The unity of a church. The unity of a community.

But when we follow our own human reason or way of thinking instead – individually or as a society – the good things God created for us are disrupted or stripped away. This is because the good things of life – including these important unities we need and enjoy – are not human achievements made by our design but are gifts of God given by His grace and received and enjoyed according to His design.

In today’s Old Testament reading [Genesis 11:1-9], those men and women who built the city and tower of Babel were seeking their own kind of unity by human design, according to their reason, and, in doing so, achieved the very opposite of what they intended and lost the true blessing they already had.

Shortly before today’s reading in the book of Genesis, after the destruction of the Flood, God had renewed to mankind the blessing first given in Paradise, saying twice, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” [Genesis 9:1,7]

“Fill the earth” – spread abroad across the face of the earth, fill it. But the whole of mankind sought to do the opposite, as they saw fit: “They said to one another… ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth” (meaning, “so that we’re not dispersed…”). [Genesis 11:4]

Man’s own way. His way to heaven – “a tower with its top in the heavens.” Trust in man’s name instead of faith in God’s name – “let us make a name for ourselves.” And unity, by man’s design – “lest we be dispersed…” Banding together in one place, in defiance of, or thinking they knew better than, God’s blessing, “fill the earth.”

Knowing this would only be the beginning of what they would do, God says, “‘Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.’ So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth.” [Genesis 11:7-8]

The God-given unity of “one language and the same words” man had originally enjoyed would now be lost. And their defiance of His blessing would fail – man would still be dispersed across the earth as commanded, but now as God’s judgment instead of as a blessing enjoyed.

Sin did then what it does now. Disregarding the Designer divides us apart from each other as well, disrupting those true forms of unity. Just as sin has done from the beginning – dividing Adam and Eve so they felt shame in each other’s presence – and dividing them from God and paradise [Genesis 3].

In the days of Babel, man was divided by languages and nations. But now, in these last days, the Holy Spirit has been poured out upon us. Today we celebrate Pentecost. In today’s second Scripture reading, in Acts 2:1-21, we see the consequence of Babel reversed when the Holy Spirit is outpoured. Men and women of many languages, from many nations are united in the hearing of one Gospel:

                When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language… “We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” [Acts 2:1-11]

                They heard the good news of Jesus, all in their own native tongue, though they spoke many languages. Pentecost reversed the disunifying effect of sin because the Holy Spirit delivers and applies the message and the forgiveness of Jesus’ saving work.

                The Holy Spirit does not do His own thing. The Holy Spirit takes what God the Father has done in Jesus His Son and preaches and applies it to you. What has God done in Jesus?

                “In Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them” [2 Corinthians 5:19]. “We have been sanctified – made holy – through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” [Hebrews 10:10].

                The Holy Spirit is called the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit makes you holy by applying to you the forgiveness of sins won for you in the cross of Christ. Because your sin is forgiven in the blood of Jesus, you are holy to God.

                And because your neighbor’s sin is forgiven – in the blood of Jesus – and because your husband’s sin is forgiven – and because your wife’s sin is forgiven – and your children’s – and your parent’s – and your sibling’s – and your brother or sister in Christ – because the Holy Spirit makes them holy in the forgiveness of their sins, they are holy to you.

                You who have all been made holy to God and holy to each other. That is the “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” which we are “eager to maintain” – “There is one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism…”

                This is the unity that you have by God’s grace through faith in Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit poured out on you, as His baptized people here. Something that no human reason could achieve, but which is the gift of Pentecost —

                — poured out in our day in Holy Baptism, as Peter said on Pentecost, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off…” [Acts 2:38-39]

                The Holy Spirit’s work of the forgiveness of your sins makes you holy to God and to one another right now. It’s always the basis of your unity together.

                The Holy Spirit’s work of sanctification – of shaping and changing you – causes you to grow in that holiness toward each other and toward God, more and more, as you also make an effort to follow God’s direction and God’s design. This increases and strengthens your unity together, in all those important relationships.

                Just as the Holy Spirit reversed the effects of Babel on the day of Pentecost, uniting those divided by language, the Holy Spirit just as certainly reverses the dividing effects of sin in our life today. So, “be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” And be confident that the Holy Spirit will accomplish His work in you. Amen.