Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.

Earlier this week I was asked how do you preach on the outpouring of the Holy Spirit when a man in custody, in handcuffs had the breath of life choked out of him? I am not sure I know a good answer to that. There are protests and riots happening in many cities around our country. The governor of Minnesota has mobilized the National Guard in order to protect the citizens of Minnesota. Those citizens need protection because in addition to the anger of the citizens of Minneapolis outside agitators have shown up to do damage and to destroy and do all they can to create anarchy.

How do you talk about what is happening in our country? How do you talk about centuries of discrimination, of racism, of violence against those who were guilty of no crime except trying to live life, to promote the welfare of themselves and their posterity. I have read a few books, of course there are many more to be read which deal with this difficult issue of racism in our nation. If you want a list I am willing to share. It is a hard topic to talk about, to think about. How do you talk about injustice done by others which I did not do, but still I benefit from? How do you talk about this injustice in our society in such a way that moves people to think, to ponder, to wonder if there is not a better way for my neighbor which is also a better way for me. You of course remember that Jesus gave us a pretty broad definition of neighbor. There was that Good Samaritan parable which he told about who was neighbor.

How do you proclaim the good news of Jesus in such a way that our knowing this good news makes us move on behalf of our neighbor? Do you quote things, do you remind people of what has gone before? New Orleans 1866, 44 killed 150 wounded. Memphis 1866, 46 killed 75 injured, 4 churches and 8 schools, all of each in the black community were burned. St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, 1868 between 35 and 135 killed. That is only the beginning of one part of a list which is far too long, a list with far too many casualties, a list of racial violence in America starting after the Civil War. There are far too many places named on that list, far too many occurrences of white people attacking people who were not white. My home state, Springfield, Illinois, Chicago, Illinois are on the list. It is a history I know I never learned in school. How do you talk about the long history of our nation, a nation which has done so many good things, provided so many opportunities for so many down through the years and still? How do you talk about Red Lines for who can buy property where or of discrimination which removed 93% of black farmers from their land during the period from 1940-1974? How do you talk about lynchings? How do you express the anger at the many injustices which have been and which still continue in such a way that hearts are touched and spirits moved and no more walls are put in place?

We as the people of God are to care for our neighbor. There is no getting around that one. What does caring for our neighbor look like in the face of injustice? What does caring for our neighbor look like in the face racism? How do we become so aware of the injustice which threatens all of us because it is out there and injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere? How do we recognize and admit and talk about the righteous anger which is present in so many?

How do we stand with the victims? How do care for the children of God who haven't been living as such? There are so many questions, so many hard questions which have to be faced. We are workers in the kingdom. We are joint heirs with Jesus. You know, I always thought about that as all the heavenly things, those glorious rewards which we have because we are heirs of because of Jesus. What about the serving, what about the suffering side of things? Are we joint heirs with that as well? That old definition of sin which I know I use often, 
curved inward on the self. In what ways has the church curved inward on itself and not done a very good job of living and serving like Jesus calls us to do.

How do we talk, honestly and deeply? How do we listen to the story of our neighbor and let that story move us? My parents never had to have “the talk” with me. I grew up knowing that the police were there to be helpful. If you were in trouble you looked for them, you looked to them. They would help you. They would care for you. Imagine learning later that there is a talk which African American parents have with their children, sons especially, on how to be careful when interacting with the police in order that they would survive the interaction. That is a story I could not imagine and also needed to hear, and I know is most certainly true. How do we listen so that we hear such stories? How do we listen to those stories which are far too easy to ignore? How do we not dismiss such stories? How do you raise questions so that they may be helpful instead of raising more walls? There are many stories to be told. May we learn to listen well.

Maybe there is no good way to talk about some of these things. I don't believe that. I think I will cling to this verse in Acts 2 that we have for today. Young men shall see visions and old men shall dream dreams. Spirit inspired visions, Spirit inspired dreams, what would that look like? What would it look like for us to do a whole lot better at following the commands of Jesus? What visions, what dreams would we fulfill if loving our neighbor was our default setting? What visions, what dreams would we fulfill if we “Had this mind among us which is ours in Christ Jesus, to count others as better than yourselves.”

Maybe it would look like what happened at 3001 East Lake Street in Minneapolis. Touchstone Mental Health put out a call for food donations on Friday. Touchstone provides programs which help clients recover from mental illness and develop the skills they need to live well in their communities. From residential treatment to home and community based programs, they meet a wide-range of client needs and focus on their health and wellness every step of the way. At 3:30 in the afternoon they stopped carrying food inside. There was simply too much. They became a free food distribution center after they had reached capacity. People were told to come and take what they wanted. Tell others to come and take what food they needed. Maybe it would look like Camden, New Jersey where protestors and mayor and police officers marched together to protest the wrong which happened to George Floyd in Minneapolis.

With a sound like a mighty rushing wind the Spirit was poured out in Jerusalem that day. With the gentle breath of our savior the Spirit was given that day in the upper room. That is the story which gives us life, for in the mighty Spirit of God, in the very breath of God we live and move and have our being. That Spirit in you, that Spirit of Jesus in you is greater than the Spirit of the world. I'm still not sure how to preach on Pentecost Sunday with all that is happening around our world. The spirit of darkness is strong. Hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth good will to men. Then tolled the bells more loud and deep, God is not dead nor does he sleep. Yeah, I know it is from a Christmas carol, so often the best lines, the best confession of faith, the best proclamation of faith can be found in the words of those old hymns, or even the new ones.

Sometimes they are just the right prayers which need to be prayed. God of tempest, God of whirlwind, drive us out from sheltered comfort, past these walls your people send. Sweep us into costly service, there with Christ to bear the cross. Through your church, Christ's living body, let your flaming Spirit surge! Where deceit conceals injustice kindle us to speak your truth. Shake us loose from lethargy. Break the chains of sin asunder, for earth's healing set us free. Crumble walls that still divide us; make us one in Christ our Lord. Stir in us love's restlessness. Where the people cry in anguish may we share your heart's distress. Rouse us from content with evil, claim us for your kingdom's work.

For all who have fears that come with the night, have mercy, for all those who need to be held in the light, have mercy. Have mercy on this fallen world.

Come with the vision and the strength I need to serve my God and all humanity; fulfillment of my life in love outpoured my life in you, O Christ, your love in me.

We are the body of Christ. Called, claimed, marked in the waters of baptism, sealed by the Holy Spirit, filled with the Holy Spirit, now and forever. We will love and serve this world as long as we are given breath. We will love and serve and bless our neighbor as long as we have breath. It is who we are. It is how we live out our calling. One day there will be the time for our souls to rest.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.