Isaiah was living in a time of crisis. We don’t actually know very much about Isaiah other than that he was a prophet and that he was living in a time of crisis. He is called the “Song of Amoz.” In his introduction to Isaiah, Walter Brueggemann notes that scholars generally believe that he lived in Jerusalem from 742 BCE to 689 BCE. In some parts of the collected prophecies we now call the book of Isaiah, it appears that Isaiah knew members of the royal court well enough to have conversations with them and even to get an informal meeting with the king. But, this is most of what we know of the prophet’s life outside of prophecies preserved in this text.

The prophecies themselves aren’t a product of one person sitting down to write up all of the messages they have received from God. Instead, it’s a product of generations of faithful curation that includes the prophecies of Isaiah as well as insights offered by later disciples of Isaiah. In his introduction to the book we call Isaiah, Joseph Bleckinsopp invites us to think of this work as an on-going communal interpretation from different times and occasions that are passed down and used to help make sense of the events of another, more recent era. When we read Isaiah, we’re reading the work of a people looking at lessons from the past to help them address the issues of the present.

As I said, Isaiah was living in a time of crisis, specifically jockeying for power among several smaller kingdoms, including Israel and Judah, and the threat of war from the large Kingdom of Assyria. As we know, in war, the suffering is not limited to the people who lead their countries into battle. According to Bleckinsopp, the whole of Isaiah is addressing the consequences of multiple wars: the Syro-Ephraimite War, Assyria’s invasion of Israel and takeover of territory in Judah, the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and capture of leaders who they took into exile, and finally, the return of those who were taken. Isaiah the prophet was alive and active during two of those events, the Syro-Ephraimite War and the Assyrian invasion. When you hear his call story, know that he felt this call to a prophetic mission in response to these significant tensions.

Isaiah’s vision is extraordinary, isn’t it? The prophet sees God sitting on a high throne in a robe so enormous and overflowing that its hem fills the temple. That is an incredible amount of fabric. Angelic being called seraphs are floating above God’s head. Remember, these aren’t cute little angel babies. According to Bleckinsopp, the word “seraph” literally means “burning one.” They might have been serpentine in form (they are in other parts of Isaiah, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). They have six wings. They cover parts of their body with some of the wings and fly with one set of them. These flying snakes are singing to each other as they fly around God: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of God’s glory.” We also sang that today. I’m sorry that I couldn’t provide flying snakes for our service.

Dr. Wil Gafney, in a commentary on this text, calls it “a visit into the presence of the living God.” And, this visit is completely harrowing and overwhelming. Kee Boem So, in his commentary on this text, talks about this moment as “tremendum mysterium”... a tremendous mystery. He notes that Isaiah, like many people who encounter a holy mystery, is overcome with feelings of shame. For what it’s worth, I don’t believe shame is the natural response to this kind of awe. But, I do understand how people can feel small in the face of grandeur, and in that smallness, feel unworthy. This definitely appears to be Isaiah’s impulse.  And yet, even as he feels unclean and unworthy, he is certain that he had seen God. It is good to be reminded that feelings of shame don’t keep you from also recognizing the divine.

A seraph flew to Isaiah with a hot coal, touching his mouth with it, and declaring him purified. Kee Boem So speaks of the next few verses as a movement encounter with the Divine to personal spiritual transformation which, then, empowers Isaiah to call for a second transformation, that is social transformation. It is rare in the Hebrew Bible to speak repentance and restoration in solely individual terms. The prophets aren’t roaming around yelling at individual people to try to get them to change their ways. Well, maybe they yell at kings sometimes, but that is usually because the king is leading the whole nation astray and the prophet is offering wisdom, exhortation, and correction from God to the whole nation. Prophets serve God by speaking to the people and offer a whole people message from their God.

Julián Andrés González Holguín, in his commentary on this text, points out that this particular reading emphasized the connection between an individual’s transformation to hope for a community’s transformation by placing Isaiah’s vision of God within the context of a political change of power. Uzziah has died. He served for many years. The crowning of a new king would be an important and tumultuous time in the life of the people. It is perhaps appropriate to have a new messenger from God appointed and empowered, ready to go to speak truth to whomever would be king. In the same way that God’s cloak will fill up every corner of the temple, Holguín argues that God’s sovereignty will “permeate” the nation. Isaiah will become one more conduit for the Spirit to move in this whole nation that was on the cusp of a dangerous and destructive time.

Isaiah sees God clearly and also sees the mission ahead clearly. He is unafraid. God asks a question, seemingly to the ether, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah seems to shout, “Here I am; send me!” He has been moved by the Divine. He has been empowered by the Divine. And, he is hopeful that the Spirit can help him show his nation that they can change. May we all remember Isaiah’s story when we are in awe and overwhelmed by our encounters with the Divine. All of our transformations are tied up with one another. Salvation is never just for one but for all. Kee Boem So says of this passage that our encounters with God can lead us to our responsibility in the world. May you hear clearly the voice of God inviting you into this work of love and justice. And, may all of us, like Isaiah, be willing to shout, “Send me!” when the time is right. 
 
Resources consulted while writing this sermon:
​
Julián Andrés González Holguín: https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/the-holy-trinity-2/commentary-on-isaiah-61-8-8

Walter Brueggemann, An Introduction to the Old Testament: The Canon and Christian Imagination (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003)

Joseph Blenkinsopp's introduction to Isaiah in The New Oxford Annotated Bible: The New Revised Standard Version with Apocryphya, ed. Michael Coogan (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001)

Wil Gafney, "Epiphany V, " A Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church, Year B (New York: Church Publishing Incorporated, 2023)

Kee Boem So, "First Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity Sunday)," Preaching God's Transforming Justice: A Lectionary Commentary, Year B Featuring 22 New Holy Days for Justice , Ronald J. Allen, Dale P. Andrews, and Dawn Ottoni- Wilhelm, eds. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011)

     The disciples have been waiting for something. I’m not sure they were expecting all the chaos they got. When I say disciples here, I mean more that the restored twelve apostles. In her commentary on the text, Dr. Wil Gafney makes the case for reading the “they” in our opening verses as being, at the very least, Mary, Jesus’ mom, a group of other unnamed women who are mentioned in chapter one, and the twelve apostles. It might also include the whole 120 people that Peter has been teaching. This room, with every seat taken, can seat about 120 people. Imagine it full to the brim with people and all of them talking at the same time and all of them speaking a different language.

     Michal Beth Dinkler reminds us in her commentary that the people are gathered for a celebration known as Pentecost. We have adopted that name for our church year holiday, but it was first the name of end of the Jewish Festival of Weeks, a harvest festival. Dr. Gafney notes that by the era in which this story would have been written, Pentecost had also become a celebration of Moses receiving the Torah, a story we know from the book of Exodus. It is perhaps fitting that the Holy Spirit knocks their socks off during a celebration of hard work that bloomed into sustaining food alongside the religious revelation that helped define them as a people. What a reminder that the Spirit can move and can help you grow into something more than you could have imagined.

     In his commentary on the text, Dr. Jeremy Williams notes that at this harvest holiday “what was reaped was not produce, but people.” If you want to reach people, you have to speak a language they understand. Dr. Williams reminds us that the Torah that would have been celebrated on that day wasn’t just the religious laws that had been written down but also the interpretations of those laws passed down from teacher to student. These disciples, be they 20 or 120, received God’s Spirit and became teachers... teachers who spoke in languages they hadn’t previously known.

     It is glorious, isn’t it, that we know the Spirit is working when people from different regions, speaking different languages, have their difference acknowledged and addressed. Their distinct regional differences aren’t wiped away... they don’t all suddenly speak the same. Instead, God is seen most clearly at work in their particularity. The Spirit knows what words and sounds will make sense to them and will give those words and sounds to the disciples. Dr. Williams points out that Judaism had found homes across the Mediterranean. Even though the central place for certain religious festivals would be Jerusalem, Jewish life happened in all manner of languages and cultures. The earliest Christians would follow a similar path. The next part of Christianity’s journey begins here, with new teachers empowered by the Spirit to speak in ways to people who had not expected to hear their own languages spoken.

     Some consider Pentecost to be the “birthday” of the Christian church. That’s not the language Acts uses. Instead, Acts understands the revelation of the day to be a fulfillment of prophecy. The prophet Joel once said that God, who would not be limited by humanity’s understandings of power and hierarchy, could and would empower “all flesh.” Dr. Williams notes in his commentary that people of relatively less social power are the ones specifically noted to be receiving the Spirit. It’s not that all people can’t or won’t receive it. Dr. Williams argues, and I’m inclined to agree, that by lifting up those who continue to be ignored and pushed to the side of communities, Joel was calling upon them to use “new tongues” to reach those who already felt safe because of their higher status in society.

     On this Pentecost when we are also celebrating the confirmation of two teenagers from our church, may we remember the gift of every new people who chooses to become a part of this church. May we be prepared to learn from the new teachers God sends us. May we be prepared to listen to the Spirit who invites us to speak of our faith in a new way. And, when we’re confused, may we remember that God can bring us clarity. We in this all together now. May the Spirit help us remember that.
​
Resources consulted while writing this sermon:
Michal Beth Dinkler: https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/day-of-pentecost-2/commentary-on-acts-21-21-17
Jeremy L.  Williams: https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/day-of-pentecost/commentary-on-acts-21-21-16
Wil Gafney, “Pentecost Vigil (or Early Service),” A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church, Year B (New York: Church Publishing Incorporated, 2023)

     Tasha and I really like this British show called The Repair Shop. It is a show about expert builders and restorers who work on returning precious but worn things back to their original luster. Sometimes it is an heirloom jewelry box. Sometimes a beloved old teddy bears. Dolls’ houses, pocket watches, broken chairs, and bagpipes are all lovingly, painstakingly restored by the experts on the show. Sometimes the end-product of a restoration is as near to identical to how the item looked on the day it was purchased as humanly possible. Sometimes, though, the same-as-it-once-was isn’t possible or even preferable.

     While working on this sermon, I rewatched part of an episode where two of the restorationist, Will, who is carpenter, and Suzie, who is a leatherworker, work on a rocking horse. It had been worked on by a couple, Julie and Paul, who’d intended to work on it again for their grandchildren. Unfortunately, Paul died before they could complete it. The two experts took great care to make the color of the horse look as close as possible to the original, and fixed so much broken plaster and a mane and tail that had once faced bored children with scissors. In this way, the horse looked very much like it did when Julie’s parents bought it for her when she was a child.

     The experts also changed some of the design. Paul, who had died, had signed the horse up under where the saddle would lay when working on it for his own children. During the restoration, Suzie made a whole new saddle that could be removed, so that Julie could show her children and grandchildren Paul’s signature. Julie was astounded when she saw the finished piece, and deeply moved by the change that allowed everyone to see Paul’s signature. In this case, the most useful restoration for this family wasn’t just making the horse look like it did 55 years ago. It was going to be a restoration that took their grief and their love seriously, making a space for them to remember one they had lost, while also offering a gift to the next generation of their family. A good restoration meant a change from the original design that actually helped them better fulfill their ultimate goal, which was passing along a toy to help the grandchildren feel connected to their grandfather. 

     Today’s reading is an act of restoration. Restoration attempts to bring something that has been damaged in some way back to the state in which it was created. The damage in the reading comes from Judas’ betrayal of Jesus back in Luke. Remember, Acts is the sequel to Luke. The author of Acts uses the first chapter of the book to remind us of important things that happened at the end of Luke and set the stage for the next steps of the disciples’ ministry after Jesus is no longer physically present with them. Their ultimate goal was to go out into the world, empowered by the Spirit, to teach and heal as Jesus did. They knew that it would be necessary to have coworkers for this calling. It also seemed important for them to have twelve specific apostles, as Jesus’ first 12 disciples were called. With the death of Judas, they only had eleven. It seemed clear that they would need to restore themselves to twelve.

     Scott Spencer notes in his commentary on today’s reading that finding a new 12th apostle is the first thing that Jesus’ first followers do in this book. Why is twelve important? At least part of the reason, according to Christopher Matthew’s notes on the chapter, seems to be that it may have been important to them to have 12 apostles in order to mirror the 12 tribes of Israel. Like last week when we talked about the ways that Jesus’ 40 days with the disciples after the resurrection was to mirror his 40 days in the wilderness at the beginning of his ministry, Moses’ forty days of fasting before receiving the Torah, and the Israelites 40 years in the wilderness, the repetition of a number from one vital part of their scriptural history into a newer story is used to remind us that all of these stories are connected. Jesus was concerned about the restoration of his people, according to Amy Lindeman Allen, and calling the first twelve apostles, who become his closest confidants, was meant to evoke that history and also the future he wanted to work for.

     Judas’ actions and subsequent death had disrupted that particular image of restoration by creating a rupture in The Twelve. While, as Spencer notes, Peter, who also betrayed Christ by denying him, was given a second chance and ultimately redeems himself, Judas will only be replaced. It is Peter who is most clear about the need for a new twelfth Apostle. And, it is people who offers up theological explanations for Judas’ actions, pointing to Hebrew scripture that he believed foretold of Judas’ actions. And, he roots his argument for a return to Twelve Apostles in his biblical interpretation.

     Notice how easily the 120 people gathered come to an agreement. This is the eleven remaining apostles plus other loyal disciples who had gathered. It was about as many people as can fit in this room if we sit in every seat. They lifted up two names, Joseph and Matthias, as potential new apostles and did something called “casting lots” to decide which of the two would be chosen. It seems like a game of chance, but they trusted that the Spirit would make the right decision for them through what would look like a game to us. The Spirit brought them Matthias, completing the Twelve and setting them up for the next steps in their mission.

     The Twelve would not look the same going forward. How could they after such trauma? These changes aren’t a failure though. That’s what Peter argued. The change was necessary. They did not have to leave a gap to remember what had been lost. They could bring in something... someone new to help them fulfill their mission more completely. Matthias is so well integrated into the Twelve and the Twelve are so connected to one another that we never really hear about most of them separately again. As Spencer points out, only Peter and John will be named again individually in the book of Acts, though their roles will be significant.

     Generally speaking, The Twelve have a purpose, but it is not to exist for their own sake. It is to remind people of their connection to Jesus and, I think, to show that others can be adopted into this new movement. And, others will. As Spence points out, the Twelve and the 120 will grow like branches on a vine, even if we don’t hear most of their names again. Newer disciples like Barnabas, Stephen, Philip will come to prominence as key “servant-leaders.” Eventually Saul will be transformed by a vision of Christ and adopt the name Paul. He’ll come to call himself an apostle, but not one of the Twelve. There will be women- Tabitha, Lydia, Priscilla, and Philip’s four daughters- who will become leaders, teachers, and prophets in their congregations.

     Jesus’ movement for love and justice will grow beyond those whom he appointed in life into those who feel the call of his Spirit. The change that brought in Matthias became the foundation for the development of every follower of Christ who came later. May we follow their example and be open to our restoration and evolution. And, may our shared service bloom, yet again, into God’s love and justice.

Resources consulted while writing this sermon:

A definition of Restoration: https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restoration

You can watch the episode of The Repair Shop with the Rocking horse story here:
https://youtu.be/LBJVIud8mLA?si=tIFuIK0NJoriphmd

Scott Spencer: https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/seventh-sunday-of-easter-2/commentary-on-acts-115-17-21-26-6

Amy Lindemen Allen: https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/seventh-sunday-of-easter-2/commentary-on-acts-115-17-21-26-4
​
Christopher R. Matthew’s notes on Acts in The New Oxford Annotated Bible: The New Revised Standard Version with Apocryphya, ed. Michael Coogan (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001)

Alright, we’re going to have a Bible quiz! Anyone can answer.

•      Name one of the Gospels! (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
•      Which one was probably written first? (Mark)
•      Which Gospel has the story of turning water into wine? (John)
•      Which Gospel has two donkeys in the Palm Sunday story? (Matthew)
•      Which Gospel has a sequel? (Luke)
•      What is the name of the sequel? (Acts or the Acts of the Apostles)

     Well done. Well done. You all get A’s in Sunday School.

     Today’s reading is from the book of Acts. It’s the very beginning of the book. Did anyone catch the name of the person the book was written to? Theophilus. Yes, very good. Does anyone know what the name Theolophilus means? “Dear to God.” Now, think back to all of what Maryelise read. Can anyone give me a two or three sentence summary of what the reading was about? Good. I like to think of it as a summary of the last part of the Gospel of Luke. Sometimes when you start a sequel to a story that has already been told, you have to remind people of what happened the last time. In the Star Wars movies, you might get text scrolling up the screen so you can read along to understand what’s happening. This time, it has nothing to do with Ewoks though. Instead, it’s “remember that time Jesus came back after Rome killed him and then made sure his followers could continue his work without him?” Specifically, the author mentions Jesus’ ascension into heaven.

     F. Scott Spencer points out in his commentary on this scripture, Luke is the only Gospel to talk about the Ascension. He describes it as a “hinge” between Jesus’ ministry with his disciples and the disciples’ ministry inspired by Jesus’ spirit. Everything that follows in this book is because the disciples will follow Jesus, even when he no longer walks alongside them.

     Has anyone here ever been a part of a relay race? What do you do in a relay race? Yeah. There are multiple people who are on one team. One team member starts the race and runs a portion of it, then, often by passing something called a baton to the next runner. That person running takes the baton and carries it to the next runner. Then, they pass it to the next runner. Carolyn Brown, who worked in children’s ministries, has written before that she thinks that the book of Acts is kind of like a relay race where Jesus is passing the baton, that is his spirit, on to the disciples so they can run the next leg of the race. There’s a song with a line that says “Guide my feet while I run this race. Guide my feet while I run this race. Guide my feet while I run this race, for I don’t want to run this race in vain.” Maybe that could be our theme song for the book of Acts.

     This part of Acts talks about Jesus staying with the disciples for 40 days to continue to teach them and prepare them for the rest of the race. Does anyone else remember any Bible stories that have 40 of something in them? The Israelites were in the desert for forty years. A scholar named Scott Spencer listed a couple more in a commentary he wrote about today’s reading. He talked about, in addition to the 40 years in the wilderness, there are other stories about 40 of something in the wilderness. Moses had two time periods of forty days where he fasted on Mount Sinai when he received the Torah from God (Deut. 9:9-10:10). Also, when Jesus himself was preparing himself for ministry after his baptism, he was in the wilderness for forty days where he was tested, affirmed God’s law, and tended to by God.  In that time, he affirmed that he would use what Spencer called his “Spirit-power” to help other people, not give himself more wealth or earthly authority (Luke 4:1‒13). 

     I think maybe we should think about this forty days as Jesus encouraging his disciples to do the same thing. They will be empowered to do some important things. Any of them who use their power to hurt other people or to build up their own reputations would not be following his example or be doing what God hoped for them. Jesus says that when you have power, you use it to help people. Always.

     One of the trickiest parts of a relay race is when one runner is passing the baton off to another. It’s so easy to miss each other’s hands, drop the baton, or mess up the timing. Runners practice passing the baton so that they can be prepared to pass it along and to receive it. You really have to be ready and paying attention to receive the baton correctly in order to run your portion of the race. Over the next couple Sundays, we’ll be talking some more about what the disciples do to get ready to receive the baton. Jesus says they need to wait in Jerusalem because that is where they received the power to run the next leg. They can’t rush the hand off. If they do, they risk dropping it.

     I imagine you have had a time in your life when something important is clearly over and you are transitioning into the next part of your journey. That is also what is going on in this story. The Ascension is Jesus’ final steps up to the next runners and their time in Jerusalem will be that full moment of hand off. In a time that may have seemed like a breath and also like days, they waited to receive what was coming, and begin what was coming next. We know that they’ll run their race, mostly because we are running ours, having been passed the baton by those who came before use. May you receive the power to do whatever you are called to next. And, may you be inspired by the preparation of the ones who have come before.

Resources consulted while writing this sermon:

Scott Spencer: https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ascension-of-our-lord/commentary-on-acts-11-11-9
​
Carolyn Brown: https://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2016/04/year-c-ascension-of-lord-thursday-may-5.html