Pentecost: Speaking in Thumbs

5/31/09 slightly edited version of sermon on Pentecost, “Speaking in Thumbs,” from Acts 2:1-21

“And each one heard them speaking in their own native tongue.”

Several weeks ago, I had you offer a different kind of prayer in worship. I had you take out your cell phone and call someone right there in worship and let them know you were praying for them. And that’s exactly what people my age did. But not the youth. You took out your phones and you texted.
It has become a new language with all kinds of abbreviations and shorthand phrases. A church choir director friend of mine has real trouble keeping his youth choir focused. They are texting even while singing. He calls it “speaking in thumbs.”
I know texting is huge among many of you. In a NY Times article I read this past week, it said that in the last quarter of 2008, American teenagers sent or received an average of 2,272 messages per month. They texted in class under the desk, in the back pack, behind the back, at night, at the dinner table, in church! Some doctors are worried about the psychological dependence that develops by being constantly in contact, having “textual relations” all the time. Some are worried about the physical effects—damage to the thumbs.
I hate to say it but I sent my first text message this past Thursday, about 1:30 p.m. It was to confirm a baptism date. No, I don’t hate to say it. I think when the Spirit comes to the Church, the Church learns to speak in the native language of each person. This is Pentecost….speaking in thumbs.
I have some younger clergy colleagues that are allowing themselves to be used by the Spirit in spreading the good news of Jesus Christ. At their worship services, people my comment on the sermon or ask a question of the preacher by texting during the service! Speaking in thumbs!
You see where I am going with this….the Spirit didn’t just come some 2,000 years ago when the Church was born. The Spirit continually comes to the Church helping us translate the Gospel in the native language of everyone, meeting them right where they are. The Spirit uses men and women, young and old, slave and free, to get the good news out.
The Church has come a long way from the days when only the priests could read the Bible and the liturgy was in Latin.
One of my younger clergy colleagues was contacted through his Facebook page, “Are you the Michael that I went to school with? It says here you are a pastor. I have a question about faith that maybe you can help me with.” Witnessing over Facebook!
I have a Facebook page! I blog now too! Both people seem to really enjoy it! No, our church website has become a real tool for evangelism. Pastor Jim has done a great job in shepherding this process. Many of the guests we have coming to worship with us found us through our presence on the internet.
How will the Holy Spirit speak through us?
The Holy Spirit will not keep still, will not keep silent. The Holy Spirit will keep filling the Church, will keep calling the Church to meet people where they are so that all can hear in their own native tongue.