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Pentecost: A Time for Action
“Actions speak louder than words.”
That expression is often used to help people
understand that what a person may do is sometimes
more memorable than what a person may say.
It is a reminder that our activities indicate
where our hearts are even when our words may not.
Sometimes the phrase makes people believe
that words alone do not mean very much but that
actions do.
Jesus Christ is the Word.
He is the Word made flesh who has made His
dwelling place among us.
As the Word made flesh, He was not simply
“words on a page” or nonsensical chatting among the
people of Palestine.
Jesus Christ is also “Action” incarnate—a
“doing word.”
His Word is action, an action of incarnation
that led Him to complete identify with us in every
way except for sin.
His action was one of redemption, saving us
from our sin through His death on the cross.
His action was one of resurrection, rising
from the dead as the first fruit of those who have
fallen asleep.
His action was one of ascension, blessing His
people, instructing them and ruling the cosmos as
King of kings and Lord of lords.
His action will be one of returning in glory
to bring His people to the Paradise He has prepared for them.
As His people who hear His Word proclaimed, as His
people who are baptized into His death and
resurrection, as His people who are forgiven our sin
and as His people who are fed His Body and Blood at
His Holy Altar, we are blessed to experience the
power of His Word, the beauty of His ongoing
revelation and the extravagance of His amazing
grace.
We are called to be people of the Word, people who
are not just about “saying words” but “doing words.”
These are no ordinary “actions” that speak
louder than words; these are actions of the Word
that speak the Word loudly.
These acts are no “act” or charade; they are
actions…part of the ongoing action of Jesus.
When the Church is truly in the Word, truly
in Christ, she does actions that speak louder than
the meaningless words uttered under the guise of
campaign promises or the jibber-jabber of bored
bloggers. The
Church may be about true peace in the world, seeking
reconciliation and righteousness for all people.
The Church’s actions are Jesus’ actions of
feeding the hungry, helping the poor, clothing the
needy and working for economic and social justice
for all who are oppressed.
This is the ongoing activity of Jesus…the
ongoing actions of the Word made flesh in the
Church…the ongoing action that speaks the Word
loudly for the salvation and healing of the world.
The Word speaks action…Holy actions speak the
Word….The Word speaks through holy actions…The Word
speaks through our actions, all by the power of the
Holy Spirit.
Let this Pentecost be a time for the acts of
the apostles---the acts of Jesus—to continue in the
Church as we are sent into the world to be His
people who work and wait in the hope of His glorious
return.
As the Word dwells in us richly, let us be
Spirit-filled people proclaiming the Word so that
our faith-filled actions speak loudly with our words
of life, compassion and hope.
Peace, joy and love,
Pastor
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