May 19, 2024
Indianola Presbyterian Church, Columbus
"Expanding the Interesting Neutral Space "
Sermon by Rev. Trip Porch
May 19, 2024 Based on Acts 2:1-21
This is a story about change.
Everything the disciples know fundamentally changes by the end of this story.
Their identity, their purpose, their calling.
Because this is a story about the birth of the church.
The story takes place just weeks removed from Jesus' death.
Where despite Jesus’ return and words of reassurance fear and uncertainty are still dominating everyone’s psyche. Up until this point, they had been followers, not leaders. Up until this point they had been the students, not the teacher.
How will this movement work without Jesus?
How will it look now that they are in charge?
There was still so much unknown.
And then, wham! The Holy Spirit shows up, literally shaking things up.
It rushes into their gathering and grabs hold of everyone there. They all start speaking in languages they had never learned.
People from different cultures, used to misunderstanding each other, suddenly understanding one another.
It must have been a rollercoaster of emotions In fact that’s how I picture this story, like cedar point’s top thrill dragster. Where one moment the disciples are in this static and stagnant place. And in an instant when the spirit shows up all of the sudden they are launched at top speed, thrust into a new reality and barely given a chance to wrap their minds around it. Just boom and they are at top speed into a new state of wonder and mystery, and I’m sure no shortage of disorientation, confusion.
The Holy Spirit's work is often like that. Whether it nudges us, pushes us, or launches us into the change, when that change finally it can often leave us disoriented, uncertain and uncomfortable. And we don’t like feeling uncomfortable and disoriented. In fact, we often do whatever it takes to get out of that experience of discomfort. A change rushes in and we try to rush out of it, to re-establish normalcy and stability.
The saying is true, the only constant in life is change. And I’d say the next constant in life is that change makes us uncomfortable.
In fact, in preparing for the sermon this week, I did a search of TED talks to try to spark some ideas. I searched “Change” and immediately found pages and pages of videos on the topic, and practically all of them with titles like “Why Change is so scary” and “How to Deal with Change” and “why people say they don’t like change” and more than 5 with the title “Embracing change.”
Change is something we humans struggle with, and yet, change is universal, and constant in our life.
I watched several of the videos and did find a nugget of wisdom from one of the five videos titled “Embracing Change” [https://youtu.be/vPhM8lxibSU]
The speaker likened change to this.
He says: Have you ever noticed when a young kid is running and they fall down. One minute they are upright and running, so sure of themselves, but then in an instant there is a complete and total change and they on the ground. and for a moment they sit up and then enter this space where they don’t yet really understand if what happened was a good thing or a bad thing?
They just sit there for a moment in this neutral space thinking “okay this is different” Until an adult intervenes. One parent laughs and says “oh that was really funny” and the kid starts to laugh and then gets up to do it again
Or maybe the parent runs over saying “Oh my god, my baby, are you okay?!” And the child says “I don’t think so” and starts to cry.
As children we have this interesting neutral space. But as we get older that space shrinks. We spend less time there because it’s an uncomfortable unresolved space, and we rush out of it to rationalize and make value judgements about the changes we experience.
And it’s this interesting neutral space that the Holy Spirit invites us to enter. The spirit brings change like a whirlwind, we look around and everything is new, unknown, and uncertain. The adult in us wants to escape the discomfort of not knowing what is happening. The adult in us wants to try to take control of what is outside of our control. The adult in us wants to immediately have a gut reaction and decide whether the change is good or bad. But on Pentecost, the invitation is to stay for a while in this interesting neutral space after a change. To expand the time we spend in the uncertainty, in the unknown that change brings. To get our bearings and better understand what just happened.
The speaker goes on to argue that this interesting neutral space is where the artist lives, where the innovator and inventor live.
He says it’s this space where we can look at change we experience, or problems, issues, or things happening and not judge it but instead think: “hmm this is unusual what can we do with it?”
So, as we reflect on the story of Pentecost, we see the disciples thrust into this whirlwind of change, launched from a place of fear and uncertainty into a dynamic, new reality by the power of the Holy Spirit. They had a choice to make in that moment—cling to their old ways of thinking, or embrace the disorienting, yet transformative, work of the Spirit.
The lesson for us is clear. We, too, are often faced with sudden changes that shake us to our core. We may feel disoriented, unsure, and even scared. But it is precisely in these moments of discomfort and uncertainty that the Holy Spirit is at work, inviting us to grow and transform.
In our lives, we may find ourselves in that interesting neutral space—caught between what was and what is to come. Instead of rushing to label our experiences as good or bad, let us take a moment to breathe, to sit with the uncertainty, and to be open to what God is doing in our midst. This is where creativity flourishes, where new ideas are born, and where we can truly see the possibilities that change brings.
Remember, the birth of the Church came out of a moment of incredible upheaval and transformation. The disciples did not shrink back from the unknown. Instead, they leaned into it, empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak new languages, to reach new people, and to begin a movement that would change the world.
We are called to do the same. When the winds of change blow through our lives, let us be ready to embrace them, trusting that the Holy Spirit is guiding us. Let us be willing to dwell in that space of uncertainty, allowing God to shape us into something new and beautiful.
So, as we leave this place today, may we carry the spirit of Pentecost with us. May we welcome change, not with fear, but with faith. May we look upon the unknown not as something to be avoided, but as an opportunity for God to work wonders in our lives.
And may we, like the disciples, be open to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, ready to be launched into the world with renewed purpose and vision.
Amen.
WE GATHER IN AWE AND PRAISE
PRELUDE
INTROIT “Holy Spirit, Come to Us” Jacques Berthier
WELCOME Rev. Trip Porch
One: This is the day that the Lord has made
All: Let us rejoice and be glad in it
*CALL TO WORSHIP All Liturgy by Rev. Adrian White [they/them] | A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org
One: As we gather together in this place,
let us strain our ears to hear the rush of wind, the crackle pop of fire.
All: We listen for your call, God of spirit and flame.
We take our place in your unfolding creation.
One: Rejoice, for God’s spirit flows among us!
Rejoice, for today the church embraces transformation.
All: In the midst of rebirth, we join our voices in praise!
Let us worship God.
*HYMN 280 “Come, O Spirit, Dwell Among Us” EBENEZER
*PRAY OF CONFESSION Jim Legg
God, you invite us to wonder.
We confess that we find more comfort in the mundane.
We lean into the familiar and treat the amazing
as suspicious or even threatening.
We long for a routine to keep us safe from pain,
and we’re willing to give up joy in exchange.
Reshape our hearts for possibility, O God.
Awaken our senses to your wondrous work in the world,
and give us the courage and will to follow you.
...time of silent prayer..
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON From Psalm 104, verses 24, 28, and 30.
One: The psalmist writes,
All: “O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
One: When you give to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
All: When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of
the ground.”
One: It is through this same creative, renewing Spirit that we experience God’s grace.
All: We give thanks as a renewed, forgiven people!
*RESPONSE OF PRAISE 286 “Breathe on Me, Breath of God” (vs. 1) TRENTHAM
*PASSING OF THE PEACE
One: The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,
All: And also with you.
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
ANTHEM “Spirit Moving Over Chaos” David Ashley White
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE Jeremy Carroll
SCRIPTURE Acts 2:1-21
When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak.
There were pious Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered. They were mystified because everyone heard them speaking in their native languages. They were surprised and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all the people who are speaking Galileans, every one of them? How then can each of us hear them speaking in our native language? Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; as well as residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya bordering Cyrene; and visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the mighty works of God in our own languages!” They were all surprised and bewildered. Some asked each other, “What does this mean?” Others jeered at them, saying, “They’re full of new wine!”
Peter stood with the other eleven apostles. He raised his voice and declared, “Judeans and everyone living in Jerusalem! Know this! Listen carefully to my words! These people aren’t drunk, as you suspect; after all, it’s only nine o’clock in the morning! Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young will see visions. Your elders will dream dreams. Even upon my servants, men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will cause wonders to occur in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.
The sun will be changed into darkness, and the moon will be changed into blood, before the great and spectacular day of the Lord comes. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Holy Wisdom, Holy Word
Thanks be to God
SERMON Rev. Trip Porch
WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD
*HYMN 771 “What is the World Like?” NEW WORLD
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE followed by The Lord’s Prayer
TIME OF OFFERING online giving is available at www. indianolapres.org/give
OFFERTORY
OFFERTORY RESPONSE 609 “Praise God, from Whom All Blessing Flow” LASSST UNS ERFREUEN
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Holy God, we dedicate our time and treasure to you for the good of your whole creation, which even now you are still enacting. We pray that you will multiply these humble gifts toward a future of greater justice, flourishing, and joy. Amen.
*HYMN 289 “On Pentecost they Gathered” MUNICH
TIME OF COMMUNITY SHARING
CHARGE & BENEDICTION
CHORAL RESPONSE “Come Down, O Love Divine” Ralph Vaughan Williams
POSTLUDE
Acknowledgments: Unless otherwise indicated, all texts and music are printed and broadcast under OneLicense.net license #A-702452