Daily Readings - Sun May 28 2023

¹When 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.⁷And they were amazed and astonished, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?⁸And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?⁹Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome,¹¹both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians--we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God."

1 Corinthians

Chapter 12

³Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit.⁴Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;⁵and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;⁶and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.⁷To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.¹²For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.¹³For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

John

Chapter 20

¹⁹On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."²⁰When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.²¹Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.²³If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld."

Sermon

The readings today guide us through the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, highlighting unity, diversity, and mission. In Acts, Pentecost unites people from various backgrounds through the Holy Spirit, who enables the apostles to speak in many languages, symbolizing the universal call to spread God's word. Corinthians emphasizes that while spiritual gifts vary, they stem from the same Spirit, likening the church to a unified body with diverse parts. In John, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to empower the disciples, giving them authority to forgive sins and continue His mission. These readings connect through the theme of the Holy Spirit's role in the church. Acts shows the Spirit's power to transcend cultural barriers, Corinthians highlights the unity amidst diversity, and John illustrates the Spirit's empowerment for mission. Together, they remind us that the church is a unified, diverse body, called to spread God's love and forgiveness. In our daily lives, let us embrace our unique roles within the church, supported by the Holy Spirit. Just as the apostles were empowered, we too can overcome challenges and share God's message. Let us seek the Spirit's guidance to foster unity and diversity, and to fulfill our mission with compassion and courage.