Fire, Sheep, & Burnt Toast

Message Title: Fire, Sheep, & Burnt Toast
Theme:  Christian role
Season: Pentecost
Main Text: John 10:1-10
Scripture Reading: Acts 2:42-47
RCL Scripture: *Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 23; 1 Peter 2:19-25; John 10:1-10
Focus: Jesus uses a parable to emphasize God’s values.
Function: To live abundantly responding to the voice of the Shepherd, carrying the flame of the Spirit.
Other Notes: PENTECOST/MEMORIAL DAY

Pentecost Reading to open service: Acts 2: 1-4 When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. ⁴ They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

1. Candles by the pulpit & the cross

SCRIPTURE READING: Acts 2:42-47 ⁴² The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. ⁴³ A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were united and shared everything. ⁴⁵ They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. ⁴⁶ Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. ⁴⁷ They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved.

INTRODUCTION:

1. AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT: What is your preferred level of toasted for bread? (PICTURE)
   1. What do you do if you over toast the bread?
      1. Grandma Edith toast

TRANSITION:  Today, we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Jewish holy day of Pentecost. Fire is the typical symbol of the Holy Spirit but we don’t intend to burn any bread today. We will investigate how the fire of God dwelling in us inspires us to act.

MAIN TEXT:  John 10:1-10¹ I assure you that whoever doesn’t enter into the sheep pen through the gate but climbs over the wall is a thief and an outlaw. ² The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The guard at the gate opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ Whenever he has gathered all of his sheep, he goes before them and they follow him, because they know his voice. ⁵ They won’t follow a stranger but will run away because they don’t know the stranger’s voice.” ⁶ Those who heard Jesus use this analogy didn’t understand what he was saying. ⁷ So Jesus spoke again, “I assure you that I am the gate of the sheep. ⁸ All who came before me were thieves and outlaws, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. ⁹ I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest.

EXPLAINATION:

1. The last few years on Pentecost we have focused on the traditional passage of Acts 2. Well, except last year. Last year Pentecost was June 5^th and Stevie decided to arrive 3 weeks earlier than planned. Thanks again to the deacons for being ready to pivot on that day.
2. This year, I want to pull in a more practical perspective to the coming of the Holy Spirit.
3. Jesus differentiates himself from other teachers, leaders, or those who would deceive. Bottom line: his goal is to give us life to the fullest. Some translations even say abundant life. Overflowing satisfaction. Enough.
4. Jesus contrasts himself from “thieves” with the intention to destroy life—to leech away all the goodness from life.
5. Jesus plans to provide more than enough. His sheep, his more than enough sheep, follow his voice. They too live in the more than enough, abundant, fullness.

INTERPRETATION:

1. Our Scripture Reading tells us that once the followers received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, they go to work, living abundantly.
2. No one was hungry or naked. Possession and property weren’t valued more than people. The communal goal of abundance was prioritized.
3. Exposure to the “flame” changed things. There was no going back to life before the abundance. No “un-toasting” the bread. … So now what?

APPLICATION:

1. …We get to work! The sheep follow the voice of the shepherd, not to earn salvation but to respond to his call.
   1. Summer is a time to dream. This time is a chance for us to take a breather from the school year routine and consider how we will let the Holy Spirit guide us into new ministries.
2. Paul on Spiritual gifts
   1. One Spirit, Many Gifts -1 Cor 12:4-7 ⁴ There are different spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; ⁵ and there are different ministries and the same Lord; ⁶ and there are different activities but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. ⁷ A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good.
   1. One Body, Many Parts – 1 Cor 12: 20-21 ²⁰ But as it is, there are many parts but one body. ²¹ So the eye can’t say to the hand, “I don’t need you,” or in turn, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
3. Called to Serve: Liberty Committees, Calendar, & Service
   1. For years we’ve had the habit of filling positions through the “voluntold” method. Originally, there was enough committee positions for each member of the church to fill a spot because all are called to serve. However, over the years – fewer people stepped into roles and more responsibilities were poured onto a few faithful servants. This has led to exhaustion.
   1. We are pivoting. It is our new goal to create an environment where each of these positions are filled by the Spirit’s prompting. Not every role will create rainbows and butterflies but every role honors God.
      1. Or if ministries need to shift
      1. It may be hard to envision the Spirit caring about building maintenance BUT every job is an opportunity to show God’s love, grace, and compassion.
      1. 1 Corinthians 12:22-25 ²² Instead, the parts of the body that people think are the weakest are the most necessary. ²³ The parts of the body that we think are less honorable are the ones we honor the most. The private parts of our body that aren’t presentable are the ones that are given the most dignity. ²⁴ The parts of our body that are presentable don’t need this. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the part with less honor ²⁵ so that there won’t be division in the body and so the parts might have mutual concern for each other. 
         1. (Post covid – Find inspiration in the shepherds abundant life)

CONCLUSION: We have been changed by the fire of God. This new status invites us into abundant life; like how toast is improved with peanut butter and jelly.

BENEDICTION: Listen to the voice of the Shepherd. Carry the flame of the Spirit.