Transformed by the Spirit

Gospel Reading: John 20:19-23

There’s a book series I loved as a kid called Redwall.  The characters are woodland creatures like mice and squirrels and badgers who talk and act like humans.  They live in peace at a place called Redwall Abbey.  And the bad guys are animals like rats, foxes, and wolves.  In the first book, Redwall, there’s a young mouse named Matthias who is clumsy and unsure of himself but who longs for adventure.  One day the evil rat Cluny and his army attack the Abbey and Matthias and the others are forced to defend their home.  Matthias goes through a number of trials and quests, including finding the legendary sword of the Abbey’s founder Martin the Warrior.  At one point Matthias feels hopeless, like he’s about to give up—then he falls asleep and has a dream where he’s visited by the spirit of Martin the Warrior and he wakes up inspired and encouraged to continue the hero’s journey.  As the story unfolds, Matthias transforms from an awkward adolescent into a true warrior.  And at the end he is successful in defeating Cluny and his army and saving Redwall Abbey!

Matthias’ transformation from an uncertain young mouse into a strong, confident leader and hero is a common theme in books and movies, and stories of such bold transformations have occurred in a lot of real people throughout human history too.  Today is the day we celebrate such a major point of transition in church history.  It’s the day when the awkward, uncertain disciples are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and are transformed into strong, courageous leaders.  

Our first reading from Acts 2 this morning tells us what happened ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven.  Jesus died and rose again on Good Friday and Easter, then for forty days he made at least several appearances to his disciples and prepared them for what was next.  Then on the day of the Ascension, Jesus told them to return to Jerusalem and wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. 

The disciples didn’t really understand what it was that they were supposed to be waiting for.  But after all that had happened, they knew they could take Jesus’ word for it, and so they returned to Jerusalem and waited.  Then after ten days of waiting with prayer and patience, they found out what this coming Holy Spirit was all about.  That morning, what looked like tongues of fire appeared above their heads, and they had the ability to speak in different languages and tell everyone what they had learned from Jesus.  Jesus’ message of the Kingdom of God, that alignment of heaven and earth.  Jesus’ message of God’s transformative love, forgiveness and healing.  Jesus’ redeeming death on the cross on Good Friday and Resurrection on Easter.  The disciples were able to share this with everyone now.  And they didn’t even need to plan it, they knew exactly what to say.  And not only did they experience the miracle of knowing exactly what to say, they experienced the miracle of being able to speak in whatever language the people they were talking to spoke. 

And then Peter speaks up to address the crowd.  Peter, who always said the wrong thing at the wrong time.  Peter, who had once tried to tell Jesus he shouldn’t be crucified which earned him an especially strong rebuke.  Peter, who once fumbled his words at the Transfiguration so badly that the Gospel writers even commented “he did not know what he was saying.”  Peter, who said he’d die with Jesus and then denied him three times.  Peter, who always seemed to put his foot in his mouth.  That Peter stands up to address the crowd. 

He starts off by assuring them that he’s not drunk.  Always good way to start I guess.  And then Peter nails it!  He speaks with confidence and eloquence.  He quotes scripture and shares his own experience of Jesus.  He delivers wisdom and good news.  He proclaims the gospel and shares the message of Jesus.  After he’s finished verse 37 tells us his listeners were “cut to the heart” and verse 41 says that 3000 people were baptized that day! 

Clearly the Holy Spirit was active in Peter.  He’s been transformed from this brash, tactless, rough-around-the-edges kinda guy into a poised and eloquent preacher, a confident and deliberate leader, the rock of the church.  He’s the same person of course, yet his experiences have refined him, his mistakes have humbled him, and the power of the Holy Spirit has transformed him. 

The other disciples are transformed and empowered by the Spirit too.  That group of scared, confused disciples become empowered, bold apostles.  A disciple is a student and follower.  An apostle means one who is sent out.  In this new stage of God’s presence in the world, Jesus will no longer be with them in the flesh—but the Holy Spirit will empower them and guide them on their way.  They will always be disciples, but now they are also apostles. Messengers sent to share the good news! They will spend the rest of their lives traveling the world telling people about Jesus.  Many will die a martyr’s death, courageously killed for their faith.  From now on they are no longer timid, confused, and shy.  From here on out they are bold, brave, and empowered.  Transformed by the Holy Spirit.

And it’s not just those leaders of the early church that the Holy Spirit chooses to transform.  The Holy Spirit calls us to spiritual growth and maturity as well.  The Holy Spirit is at work transforming us too.  And if the Holy Spriit can do that to Peter and the other scared, confused disciples, just imagine what the Spirit can do in you! 

This same Holy Spirit that empowered the disciples at Pentecost lives in you!  This same Holy Spirit is at work in us to transform us into bold apostles.  To facilitate spiritual growth in us and bring us to spiritual maturity.  To establish us as good fruit for the world.  To make us people who embody God’s goodness and love in our words and deeds. 

As followers of Jesus, we are given the Holy Spirit at Baptism.  And we spend the rest of our lives becoming more attuned to the Spirit, more led by the Spirit, more transformed by the Spirit.  No matter where life takes us, we know God’s Spirit is leading us, inspiring us to follow God’s calling in life.  

Christians of every time and place are called to entrust ourselves the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  To invite the Spirit to transform us and grow us up into the mature children of God we’re created to be.  That may look like: devoting ourselves to a new spiritual practice of prayer and meditation.  Or it may look like the spiritual practice of service, volunteering to feed the hungry or advocating for those oppressed by injustice.  Or your good fruit may take the form of evangelism, that is sharing the message of God’s love and grace with the people in your life and inviting them to experience it too.  All of these things are signs that the Holy Spirit is active in you, at work growing you up, guiding you to live in alignment with the divine.

And we dedicate ourselves to these things not because we have to in order to earn forgiveness or get rewarded with God’s love or favor or salvation.  We already have all that!  We follow the Spirit’s guidance because that’s what life is all about.  That’s why we’re here.  To learn to live in alignment with the divine, to attune our wills with the divine will, to grow into the mature children of God we’re created to be.  And the Holy Spirit leads that process.

And so this Pentecost let us welcome the Holy Spirit to transform us like the disciples 2000 years ago.  Let us lead lives of spiritual growth and deepening our relationship with God.  Let us lead lives of love and service, manifesting the love of God through our words and deeds.  Let us dedicate our lives to being disciples who follow Jesus and apostles sent out into the world to share the good news.  Living into the Spirit’s guidance is what the disciples did on Pentecost and for the rest of their earthly lives.  And it’s what Pentecost reminds us is our mission and purpose.  To align our wills with the divine will, to dedicate our lives to the spiritual journey, to follow the movement of the Spirit in all that we do.  This Pentecost let us be empowered, let us be inspired, let us entrust ourselves to the power of the Spirit.  

Thanks be to God for the gift of Pentecost.  For the Spirit’s empowerment of Jesus’ first disciples, for the Spirit’s movement through the ages, and for the Spirit’s work in us today. 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.   

Pastor Brian | Day of Pentecost | May 24, 2026