August 7, 2011

8-7-11 Sunday, 5:28 am Springfield, 76 degrees.

Thunderstorms rolled through the area last night and in the early morning hours bringing much needed rain. The upper air masses and jet stream are changing which will result in cooler weather this week, with highs on Wednesday predicted to be just 89 degrees. We have our staff retreat on Tuesday and Wednesday, and I was hoping for a break in the extreme heat.

I awoke this morning to my alarm clock rustling me out of a dream. In the dream I was pastoring a small church, and on this Sunday not preaching. I was wearing a huge headset and mike, similar to my David Clark set that I fly with. The battery pack had gotten wet, and this particular one was set in a large oak box, with the bark still on. During the sermon I was trying to get the thing to work again, and I missed the end of the sermon. Things got quiet, and the leader was setting out mission information, and I did not realize the sermon was over and I needed to stand up and pronounce the benediction. Many of the congregation had left by the time I finally got up front. What a weird dream, and I can see threads of connection with various parts and my experiences this week.

Acts 2:1-24

This is the account of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. A mighty rushing wind, tongues of fire, speaking with other tongues all occurred. Bystanders came to watch. Peter stood up to preach and quoted Joel 2:28 stating this was that promised outpouring. Peter also preached that Jesus, who had performed miraculous acts, and had been nailed to a cross, was raised from death to life by God, “putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.” (2:24)

In the first decade of the 20th century there was another revival of this outpouring which gave birth to the Pentecostal movement. Today there are around 600 million Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians worldwide. God is always pouring out His Spirit, and my message today will be one of openness to the fullness of God and to all that He intends for the believer and for the church.

I continue to read the biography of Bonhoeffer, and am up to about 1937 in Germany. It continues to be almost unfathomable to me the course of events and the horrors of the Nazi regime. I expect there will be future horrors which exceed those of Hitler. He embodied the anti-Christ more clearly than anyone to date, but did not usher in the end times.

Guide me holy Lord on this first Sunday of August, as I lead your church called Wesley in preaching, fellowship, and the sacrament of Holy Communion. Use me and the spiritual gifts you have given me to serve this precious body.