Monday's Thoughts on Sunday's Sermon

Sunday May 23rd is Pentecost Sunday

"The Damned Church"

Pentecost is thought to be the day the church was born. It is remembered as a day when the disciples got together to celebrate a Jewish festival of Thanksgiving. Luke, who wrote Acts as well, describes this in Acts 2. He tells us the disciples experienced the Holy Spirit and people began speaking in their own language and yet everyone understood each other. It was reported to be a celebration of ecstatic proportions. Some suspected the people who were in ecstasy had had too much to drink, but that was not the case.

Most scholars believe the Pentecost story was not historical. That may be true but there was a time when the disciples and the early followers of Jesus, after Jesus' death on the cross, determined that the church should be born. It probably began as a movement and grew in number. It probably has a less than auspicious start and its development was a surprise.

Today we are recipients of the courage of many who stood firm in the idea that the Gospel message had to be preserved and perpetuated to the children and to subsequent generations.

The church of today is quite unlike the church at is early origin. It has become an institution and at times lacks the vibrancy and immediacy of the original movement.

We experience positive and negative aspects of our church life. Sometimes we find ourselves lifted up by what the church does. Sometimes we feel let down.

What has your experience been? When have you felt that the church had lived up to the ideal we have hoped for it? When have you been disappointed or disillusioned by what you have seen?

What do you think the church ought to be and become today?

If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with others click on the box below. I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster