John was a product of the Jesus movement in the 1960’s.  He met Christ in a dramatic way, and began reading the New Testament, beginning with the Gospels and then on to the book of Acts.  He was excited about what he was reading, and he realized that he needed to find a church where he could experience all he was reading about.  But when he went to a church, he was disillusioned.  The polite and tidy service was over exactly on time.  John looked at some of the people around him and said: “When are you gonna do the stuff?”  “What stuff?” they wanted to know.  He said, “You know...the stuff!”  He had been reading in Acts about the conversions, healings, deliverance and other miracles that took place in the early church.  But instead of signs and wonders, he saw no sign of anything that would make him wonder, except the deadness of the ritual he had just sat through (borrowed from a forgotten source).

I have been rereading the book of Acts recently myself as I prepare to celebrate Pentecost on May 23.  I am seeing again that signs and wonders were not the exceptions, they were the norm of the early church.  Healings and supernatural happenings were expected and occurred regularly.  Today, some explain this by saying, “We are living in a different century and that the age of miracles is over.  The story of Pentecost and the miracles of the early church were for a specific time and place to authenticate the message of the apostles, but we no longer need that today.”

That prompts me to ask, “Does God really divide history up into neat little segments where he acts one way with one generation and a totally different way with another?”  If he does respond differently at different times, then he is one kind of God at one point in history and an entirely different God at another.  If so, then God is not, “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

I believe that we have an unchanging God and an unchanging kingdom.  Therefore, we need once again to discover the power of Pentecost, and become an Acts 2 church.  “When God sends forth the Spirit, amazing things happen:  barriers are broken, communities are formed, opposites are reconciled, unity is established, disease is cured, addiction is broken, cities are renewed, races are reconciled, hope is established, people are blessed, and church happens…when the Spirit of God is present… in the church, God is up to something…

discouraged folks cheer up, dishonest folks “fess up”, sour folks sweeten up, closed folks open up, gossipers shut up, conflicted folks make up, sleeping folks wake up, lukewarm folk fire up, dry bones shake up, and pew potatoes stand up!  But most of all, Christ the Savior of all the world is lifted up.” (Rick Kirchoff).

Notice that when the Holy Spirit works and all of the miracles take place, The Holy Spirit works through the people.  So how is the Holy Spirit using you in the Trinity Family?  Is it reading Scriptures during worship?  Singing in the choir?  Volunteering in the office one morning or afternoon a week?  Leading a small group or teaching Sunday School or Bible Study?  Being a Stephen Minister?  Playing in our 9:40 praise band, Promise? Or what about helping me rehearse my sermon on Thursday evening?  That’s a good one.  There are many places the Holy Spirit can use us in Trinity’s mission and ministry.  Some come around six on Thursday evening to listen to my sermon and give helpful comments on how to make it better.  Some have said that they struggle with doing this because they feel they are questioning the Holy Spirit’s inspiration in my sermon.  But have you thought that the Holy Spirit might be using your insight to help me be a more faithful preacher?  Yes, by understanding how God’s word is received “in the pew,” I am better able to convey God’s word in an effective way.

Another way that God can use us is in helping the Joel Team discern the Holy Spirit’s vision for Trinity’s future mission and ministry.  One way we can do that is to log onto Trinity’s web site, open our own personal account, participate in the online survey, and share our dreams and visions for the future God has planned for Trinity.

There are so many places and ways to serve at Trinity, and the Holy Spirit is alive and well in our growing family.  Wherever the Holy Spirit is leading you to serve, we will make sure you have the training and opportunity to serve in that way.  See you at the Acts 2 Church on Sunday.  I love you.                  Jeff