Romans
8:22-27
22 We know that the whole creation has been
groaning in labor pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we
ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we
wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved.
Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25 But if we
hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise the
Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who
searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit
intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our
weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought
· Last Sunday, I spoke of our mission as disciples of Christ and how the
Gospel touches and forms everything that we do. I said it was a tough mission.
What I might have said is that this mission will take more than us to fulfill.
· Take a look at//Remember the first reading again. The disciples of
Jesus – all of them, not just the apostles – are gathered during the festival
of Pentecost. (It seems that Jesus’ mother was included.) They are scared and
confused. Jesus is no longer with them and although they went to the Temple to
pray quite often (Luke tells us that), they are clinging to each other and
trying to hold on, to see what comes next.
· What comes next is a manifestation of the Spirit… unexpectedly and
unlooked for. Jesus promised the sending of the Paraclete, the “Advocate” as
our translation puts it, but who knew what that meant? The term Jesus uses –
Paraclete – can be translated as Advocate, as Comforter, as Helper, even as
defense attorney. It’s one of those
words. In Acts, the Spirit looks like tongues of fire. In the Gospels, it’s a dove.
· What happens next is even more unexpected. All the disciples begin
to speak in languages they didn’t know; that would be quite handy! The crowds
in Jerusalem, who speak in so many languages (you heard all the many places
they’re from), are amazed to hear their own language. Some consider the
disciples drunk… at 9:00AM. Peter, known for being impetuous and the first to
speak, takes the lead to proclaim the saving Good News of Jesus. He doubted
before, but not now. He now tells the crowds what they might not want to hear
but what they need to hear. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our
weakness…
· We speak many languages today, some more than others. French?
Could be. Spanish? Maybe. {German? Natürlich!
Rumanian? Hungarian?} The Anglican hymnal has hymns in Cree. The Lutheran
hymnal has hymns in Chinese, Xhosa, and Swahili. The Christian Church is
world-wide.
· The one language we all speak is the language of love and concern.
The extended hand or the offered cup of water don’t need words. This isn’t
always easy to do, yet the Spirit helps us in our weakness…
· Some of us here are charged with the privilege of preaching the
Gospel. All of us here are charged with the privilege of living out the Gospel.
That is not easy. It can be hard to reflect the love of God in what we say and
do, especially when we are faced with situations and people that make that very
tough. It really can be hard to follow the commandment to love one another as I have
loved you.
· As hard as this might be, this can only be done with the
inspiration and the help of the Holy Spirit, who as Paul says helps
us in our weakness...
· We may never get over the weakness that is part and parcel of
human life. That isn’t a bad thing, for we depend on nothing less the grace of
God and the power of the Spirit which overcomes any weakness of ours.
· Although in the letter to the Romans, Paul is speaking of the
Spirit’s part in the prayers of Christians, what he says applies to every
aspect of the life of a Christian. Depending on the grace of God and the
inspiration of God’s Spirit, it is possible to act like people who have been
redeemed and with that – in both action and word – proclaim the Good News that God
loves the world God created and has redeemed all that is in the life, death,
and resurrection of Jesus, God’s Son and chosen Messiah.
· The coming of the Spirit upon the Church at that Pentecost may
have been surprising. The Gospel of Jesus Christ continues to be surprising,
powerful, amazing, and the truth.
When the Spirit of truth comes, he
will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will
speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to
come.
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