Devotion for May 31, 2022

John 14:8-17, (25-27)

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

“I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

Pentecost Sunday is upon us. While the two major holidays on the Christian calendar are Christmas and Easter, it stands to reason that Pentecost should be equally significant. This is the Sunday we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit. God is still with us in the third part of the Trinity. Even more than the coming of the Holy Spirit, this is the day the church celebrates its birth through the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles and followers of Christ at the Feast of Weeks described in Acts.

Too often we do not draw the lines of our faith heritage directly back to the days of Christ. It seems a time long-ago and through the teachings of Jesus that we are still trying to make sense of and follow, yet here is the day we celebrate the birth of the Church, our Church, the great Homecoming. Dinner on the grounds should be a big deal as the global faith community celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit. Instead, Pentecost may be mentioned in many places through a passing comment or a worship service about the miracle of the speaking in tongues. I hope we all find time to focus on the beauty of the Global Church and God’s continued presence in it through the Holy Spirit.

This week’s devotion is brought to you by Campbell University’s Center for Church & Community.