It is interesting to note that the first reading and the Gospel for this day describe events that are separated in time by fifty days. In these two readings we encounter the two faces of the Holy Spirit. Indeed my stole that I wear is symbolic of these two events - the dove - the peace that Jesus leaves with us and the flame of fire of the Pentecost experience.

Pentecost has got a bad name, because the excesses of a group of churches that are called Pentecostal. It is common for these churches to claim a proprietary right to the Holy Spirit, and yet they in fact represent some of the worst excesses that arise from unbalanced theology. Theology is how we view God. And yet they are not the only ones with this problem. Sadly, as Anglicans, we tend to have a well-developed sense of theology about the Father and also about the Son, but when it comes to the Holy Spirit, we are often quite uncertain. Anglicans generally have had no theology of the Holy Spirit.

For many years, I struggled with the notion of the Holy Ghost (as he was called) for the only thing that I could get my mind around was something a little like the comic strip - Casper - the friendly Ghost. A sort of benevolent, but ineffectual being. Fortunately, the revision of language introduced us to a Holy Spirit - something a little less confusing for those of us with simple minds.

So today, I would like to begin this process that leads us to a proper understanding of the place and purpose of the Holy Spirit - A pneumatology is you want the technical term.

A balance view of the Holy Spirit takes in both the symbols - the dove and the flame. That is the two readings from this morning. The Pentecostal church on the other hand focuses exclusively on the flame.

I will come back to the flame in a minute, but let us begin with the Dove. The scene is the upper room, and the doors are locked. Suddenly Jesus appears in middle of his disciples. And the words he speaks are Peace be with you - (Not just the greeting, but a promise) - and then he breathed on them saying - receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit came to the disciples at this point (not at Pentecost as we might be tempted to believe). The Holy Spirit was active within the disciples from the day of the resurrection. Now this story, can lead us to all sorts of images about the Holy Spirit. We see that it is a gift of Jesus, to those who bore witness to the resurrection. That it was the gift of peace.

In the traditional Anglican understanding, the Holy Spirit is invoked at Baptism. It is at this point that the peace of God is offered. The Holy Spirit begins working in the person's life first to bring peace (or reconciliation with God). Whether you come to faith by a rapid conversion, or slow and gradual understanding of God, this is essentially about making peace with God. Reconciliation, with him and returning to him from the estrangement of sin. This is primarily where the Holy Spirit starts with each of us, and is the major work of the Spirit in the world. As John records in chapter 16 of his Gospel -

The presence then of the Holy Spirit in the world is about the bringing of others into right thinking about God and into right practice. And the Holy Spirit is present in the believer. In the beginning, the work is in making the person whole. One sermon I heard at Easter saw the time period between our readings as a time of instruction (as Jesus taught his disciples) and as a time of reconciliation. As a community, they responded to the reconciling work of the Spirit in their own lives (and it was suggested that as the 120 gathered in the upper room, they were making peace with each other).

This is where often we get stuck. Catholics, Anglicans etc emphasise the importance of dealing with sin. And let me tell you, that this is important, but there is a danger that we may become inwardly focused. We may start to have an experience of God that is individual and personal… And isn't this so Anglican in thinking … but as Tim Shaw says. Wait there is still more. Pentecost brings us back to the understanding that our faith is not just an individual experience, but a corporate one as well. In fact faith finds its expression in the Body image of Paul. The Holy Spirit is not just some sort of detergent that acts in our lives as individuals, but draws us together as God's faithful people. When the Apostles were ready, the peace of God ruling in their hearts, then the Spirit came again in power, equipped them and sent them out to continue the work of Jesus.

This has been the traditional understanding of Confirmation. It is not about reconciliation with God (this has happened) but it is about the sending out (equipped) into ministry and mission. (And this is the task of all believers.)

So our ministry is fundamentally Pentecostal. We are to be given the power of God to act. For some, of course there is the experience of the day of Pentecost - with tongues, but this is not what it is about. Pentecost is about the presence of God, equipping is to do his on-going work.

So what is this work?

It is about the building of the Kingdom. Take care, that it is not seen either as my Job (as your priest) or as what I do. Yes it is true, that I should be working hard to build the kingdom, but I am engaged, in peculiar priestly activities. At the end of our service, we say "Father, we offer ourselves to you as a living sacrifice - Send us out in the power of your Spirit, to live and work to your praise and glory"

This is a corporate prayer - This is the essence of Pentecost. It is the call for God to equip each of us to build his Kingdom. And this is not about the religious activities of preaching and teaching and prayer, it is about engaging others by our lives changed and empowered by God.

For me, I eventually got the message. I eventually understood that it is in daily living, that others may be brought to faith. Indeed, I sometimes wonder if the priesthood, may be the biggest obstacle, as there is always the excuse that I am different. Our church, our parish Family will draw others to faith when we as individuals have experience the reconciliation from God, and then are equipped to work in the world by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

This is not about speaking in tongues, or signs and wonders, but in the everyday walking that we as God Bearers bring the power and the presence of God into the situation. My prayer is that we as God's people will know the power of his Spirit as we engage the world. That we will see the fire fall and be powerfully equipped to change the world in which we find ourselves. This I believe is what God is calling us to do.

AMEN.