“The Spirit Intercedes for Us!”
Romans 8:22-27 (8:26) – May 19, 2024
Have you ever been in a building with a power outage? A brown-out? Where something disrupted the electricity? A number of years ago, I was at an evening meeting in a large building here in Evanston, and that is exactly what happened. The electrical power was somehow shut off or interrupted, and everyone had to evacuate the building.
In situations like that, there can be a real feeling of helplessness. What happened? Where did the power go? When can we get it back? What do we do now?
This is the situation at the beginning of Acts, chapter 2. We have a small band of disciples, followers of this Jewish Rabbi Jesus, who was crucified, raised from the dead on the third day after He died, and ascended into heaven several weeks after that. Jesus was not always perfectly clear in His communication or explanations, at least as far as His followers were concerned. Even after His resurrection and ascension, Jesus’ disciples still had problems understanding exactly what they were to do.
So, after His ascension into heaven (complete with some more, rather cryptic, remarks from Jesus, recorded in Acts 1), Jesus’ followers are in possession of this really far-out story; their miracle-worker of a teacher, rabbi and leader, died, buried, resurrected, and ascended to heaven. And, they are still on the run, or at least keeping a very low profile, in the eyes of both the Jewish and Roman authorities.
Let’s turn to one of our Scripture passages for today. Acts Chapter 2. All of a sudden, things have made a surprising turnaround! Listen to verses 1 and 2. “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.”
Something extraordinary happened. We now know it today as the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Day of Pentecost, the birthday of the Church. But, think of what it must have been like for these few dozen followers of Jesus—something extraordinary had happened!
Let’s fast forward. No matter where people live in this world today, no matter what their situations are, no matter what they do for a living, a common desire among many people is that desire for reassurance, a wish for something to hope in, to believe in. A desire to know exactly where their power is coming from.
Some people—for various reasons—give up on a belief in a Higher Power, and fall back on the vacuum of nothingness, or hopelessness, the concept that life ends at the point of death, and there is nothing whatsoever afterwards—that is all there is. Others raise up the substitution of some man-made idol (like the golden calf). All kinds of things can function in our lives like a golden calf—something else like money, prosperity, position, success, or comfort. Other people cling to the Higher Power of self-sufficiency, the substitution of self for God, the crazy idea that I run the show, I’m all that matters, I can be that Power-Source in everyone’s life.
One huge surprise on that first Pentecost, “was that even though Jesus had died, been raised, and then gone to heaven, his disciples were not alone. The Holy Spirit, the very power of God, was with them giving them the power to be the body of Christ in the world! What was true for them on the day the church was born is also true for us today, [two thousand years later].” [1]
Which brings us to the Scripture we highlight today. Here in Romans, the apostle Paul tells his friends about the Holy Spirit – that same Holy Spirit that was heard and felt like a powerful rushing wind on the day of Pentecost! That same Holy Spirit helps us day by day. And, that same power enables us to do God’s work here on earth.
The apostle Paul gets specific, and lets us know that the blessed Holy Spirit will not leave us alone and forsaken. Instead, the Holy Spirit comes alongside of us, giving us heavenly power when we need it. The Spirit assists us as we journey our way through this day-to-day life.
As Paul says in Romans chapter 8, “the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”
Just as the Holy Spirit empowered those first disciples on that Pentecost morning so long ago, God still intends for followers of Jesus to do powerful things for God! “God gives us power that enables us to do God’s work on earth. God inspires us, gives us gifts (talents), and works through us. God expects us to ‘do something in God’s name.’” [2] Yes, we all can pray, to further God’s work in the world! And yes, our Lord Jesus encourages each of us to touch people’s lives, speak to others in Christ’s name. We are encouraged to do acts and speak words of kindness and Godliness, each and every day. Each person, to their best ability.
Just think of it. On that first Pentecost morning, the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, the Ruach ha Kodesh came down from heaven! The Spirit blew through these people’s lives, through their hearts, turned them inside out and upside down! The Holy Spirit is still blowing through the lives and hearts of the followers of Jesus today.
Yes, Pentecost happened, two thousand years ago, and Pentecost can happen again, right here and right now. Is the Holy Spirit speaking to you right now? God’s power can be scary, but remember, God will be with us, through whatever comes our way. Thank God for turning on the power in all of our lives, today! Alleluia, amen.
(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. and A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!
[1] http://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2015/04/year-b-day-of-pentecost-may-24-2015.html
[2] Ibid.
Pastor, Preacher, Pray-er 