A sermon preached by the Reverend Canon Dr. David Anderson, at St. Jude’s Church, Oakville on Sunday, June 8, 2025, The Day of Pentecost. Title: The Power of the Spirit—A Pentecost Message. Text: Acts 2, et al.
I speak to you in the + name of our risen Lord. Amen.
Today is Pentecost, a special day that marks a dramatic event in history—the day when God’s Spirit came to live among his people in a powerful way. Today we celebrate a life-changing moment that gave birth to the church—a new beginning.
Let us be clear: this isn’t just a story from long ago, a piece of ancient history. This day comes to us as an invitation to experience that same power and presence today. Because the truth is, love, healing, courage, and hope are available to us through the Spirit, if we open our hearts and lives to receive it. And how much we need these gifts in our lives and in our church at this time!
Last Sunday, we celebrated the Ascension of our Lord. We marked that moment when the resurrected Jesus left his disciples and ascended into heaven from where he reigns over his everlasting kingdom at the right hand of the Father. Over the past few Sundays, we read passages that described Jesus preparing his followers for his departure and all that would happen after. He made promises: “I will send you someone to help you—someone to come alongside of you and be with you forever” (John 14:16, my paraphrase). This ‘someone’ is the Spirit of Jesus himself, that is the Holy Spirit, God who comes alongside us, inhabits us, and is with us.
Imagine the position of those earliest followers of Jesus. Jesus had been crucified, executed in the cruelest way we can imagine. His followers were left devasted and bereft. But on the third day, Jesus was resurrected. So again, amazingly, he was present to them as he had been before. He appeared to many of them and continued to teach them, to eat with them, to have fellowship with them. But then he began to speak about going away again. Despite saying that he was “going away,” Jesus promised, “I will not leave you orphaned” (John 14:28, 18). And then, just as he departed, he told them to wait in Jerusalem. Imagine the challenge of waiting while they found themselves again without Jesus but trying to trust his promise that he would again come to them in the power of the Spirit. How much must they have longed for that renewed presence!
Think about a time when you’ve needed encouragement or support. Maybe you’ve faced a difficult situation, like starting a new job or going through a tough loss. Imagine what it would feel like to be alone, without the support of someone you had come to rely upon. But then imagine having someone with you, always there, giving strength and hope—that’s what the Spirit offers.
Pentecost is the day this promise was fulfilled. It’s proof that God keeps God’s promises and has come alongside us, available to support us with what we need to face life’s challenges.
This morning’s reading from Acts 2 tells us that when the Spirit arrived where the followers of Jesus were waiting in Jerusalem, there was a loud rushing wind, tongues of fire, and people speaking different languages (Acts 2:2-4). It was dramatic moment showing that God’s Spirit is not distant or quiet—but vibrant and alive.
I recall speaking with one of our parishioners who told me that when she first came to this church, she was feeling lost and overwhelmed. She really didn’t have a community. She didn’t have a place where she felt like she belonged, where someone understood her. Then, one day, she attended a service here and she felt the Spirit’s presence. Suddenly, she felt a surge of energy and clarity. She realized she was not alone—that she was accepted and loved just as she was, not only because of God’s presence in the Spirit, but because of the presence of that same Spirit among a community to which she belonged. She shared with me that that moment changed her life, giving her the courage to reach out and build new connections, not only within her parish family, but beyond. The Spirit works in powerful ways, breaking down barriers and bringing us closer to one another.
I’m thinking that we don’t speak enough about the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is for most of us a mysterious figure. So, lets delve into this a little deeper this morning. What does the Spirit do? Jesus said that the Spirit gives us power—power to live differently, to be witnesses of what’s true, and to love others deeply.
I knew an older gentleman who struggled with anger throughout his life. He was quick to judge, quick to criticize. But when he started paying attention to his own feelings and asked God to help him, the Spirit began working in his heart. Slowly, he became more patient and kinder. His relationships improved. That’s the Spirit at work—transforming us from the inside out. St. Paul teaches us that the Spirit helps us grow qualities like patience, kindness, and joy. These might not seem like much, but in practice, they change everything. They help us be the kind of people others want to be around. They help us to be the kind of people Jesus calls us to be, reflections of and participants in God’s good kingdom. Pentecost isn’t just about an event long ago. It’s about today. The Spirit is still with us, ready to fill our lives with courage and hope.
I remember Lisa, a woman I knew in my previous parish. Like many of us Lisa was hesitant to share her faith. Her faith meant a great deal to her, but she was uncomfortable speaking about it with family or friends, although part of her really felt that her experience of God, and life in the church community, gave her something she wanted to share. One day, she decided to take a small step—she asked the Spirit to help her find the courage to be open about her experience with family and friends and to find a way to do so without being unnatural or weird. (I think that is what most of us worry about when we think about talking about our faith with someone is that it might be weird.) That week, she found herself in conversations where she could encourage others and share her story. She said she felt a quiet strength she had never experienced before— it was like the Spirit was guiding her.
So, we might ask about ourselves. How can we rely upon God’s gift of the Holy Spirit more deeply? Maybe it is asking the Holy Spirit to help us grow in what St. Paul calls the ‘fruit of the Spirit’—those godly virtues of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22). We can ask the Spirit to help us develop and deepen these characteristics.
Maybe its exploring what the Bible describes as the ‘gifts of the Holy Spirit,’ those practices, skills, and abilities that God gifts to us for the building up of others. If you search the entire Bible, you can make a long list of these gifts, they include such things as teaching, encouragement, leadership, hospitality, craftsmanship, and intercession, just to name a few. The gifts are as varied as our own unique shape as individuals in the community of faith. God gives us each gifts that are meant for the common good.
Maybe our next step is simply a prayer for courage or openness. The Spirit loves to meet us right where we are, giving us the strength to live with purpose and love.
Pentecost teaches us that God’s Spirit is not just to be found in a story from the long-ago past, but is a living reality today. It’s an invitation to experience God’s power, love, and presence in our lives. And so, we might pray …
Holy Spirit, come and fill us. Help us to be brave, to love deeply, and to serve others. Guide us in our daily lives that we might grow in fruit of your Spirit and use the gifts you give for the common good. Remind us that we are never alone—because you are with us. Amen. +
