Kindling the Flame of the Spirit

Have you ever witnessed the birth of a fire that suddenly grew out of control? I love to walk. Keep your free-weights, treadmills and fancy gyms, and give me a quiet stretch of road and some headphones! I took up walking many years ago in an effort to find a way to exercise and lose some weight. What I didn’t know was that in that process, I would come to crave time with my tennis shoes on the pavement.

Back in 1994, I did a summer internship in Youth Ministry at the Austin Street Church of Christ in Garland, TX (many of you will know exactly where that is). During the course of the summer, I would stay with different families for weeks at a time. One such weekend, I was staying at a person’s house that was out of town. Evening came, and I got bored with whatever was on television that night, so I decided to lace up my shoes and go for a walk. Keep in mind, it was about 11pm on a hot summer’s night and I was in a subdivision I was totally unfamiliar with as I set out. Cautiously, I would walk to a spot as far down the street I could see, and then make a decision whether or not to turn a different direction or backtrack my path. At one such point in my walk, I noticed a strange sight around the corner – intrigued, I had to follow. What I saw in the distance was a strange, bright-orange substance dripping on the pavement from underneath a car. As I got closer to the car and the car got closer to me, it became apparent that something was terribly wrong with the automobile. The driver pulled his ailing car into a driveway a few houses in front of where I was standing, popped the hood, and ran to the door of the house. At this point, I realized that the strange substance I was seeing was molten hot engine fluid and the car was beginning to spark into flame. In a moment, the homeowner rushed out of the house with the driver of the flickering car, and tried desperately to get a garden hose to reach the hood – but to no avail, because the flames had already consumed the engine compartment and made their way into the cab of the vehicle. About that time, I heard sirens in the distance, and in a matter of seconds, fire trucks and prepared to battle the blaze. By the time they had arrived, however, the car was completely destroyed and the power of the fire had robbed it of any value.

The amazing thing about a small fire is that it can grow so big, so fast – all it needs is fuel. Have you ever wondered why a candle burns and burns and does no damage – that’s because what the flame needs to grow and gain strength is simply too far out of reach to be of any concern. The first Church was born in such a manner. A small flame was lit in the hearts of eleven men. Given the proper fuel, the flame consumed them until such a point that extinguishing it was futile. The fire was started, and as a spark in dry stubble, the flame of the Spirit moved on God’s people to become a community of faith that would shape societies and transform world powers.

The very same Spirit that manifested itself at Pentecost still resides in the hearts of Christians today! The question we have to ask ourselves as worshippers is this: will we allow that flame the fuel it needs to grow and consume us and those we come in contact with, or will we, like a votive candle in a bowl, be content to have that fire smolder innocuously in the corner of the room of our hearts until it eventually flickers and is extinguished forever.

Resounding Themes:
Continued, Amazing Love of God
Jesus’ Story
Igniting A Fire In Our Hearts
Glory of the Community

Ready, Set, READ

Acts 2 – the whole chapter!

Ready, Set, MEDITATE

- At first read, what do you find most intriguing about this chapter?

- What is Peter’s role at Pentecost? Why is that so significant, knowing just who Peter is?

- What does Acts 2 have to say about the Church and its role in the world? In each other’s lives?

- What is your role as a member of the body of Christ? If you are unsure, ask God to ignite a fire in your heart and a passion for ministry in the church.

Ready, Set, PRAY

Holy Father, You are revered among the nations. You sit enthroned above the flood and stoop down to consider even the lowliest. Your reign stretches from generation to generation. Your wisdom flows like an uninterrupted stream. Your promises continue to be fulfilled like the constant rising and setting of the sun. By your plan, we were rescued from eternal sin through the sending of Your son Jesus. And as the prophet predicted, we did not even recognize him or give him esteem. The truth of the matter is that we took Your precious gift and crucified him on a tree. Father, because of our crimes against You, we are cut to the heart! Your Son’s innocence has pierced our soul and convicted us of our sin. We are undone, O Lord! And yet, You love us and have saved us, and called us Your own. You have deposited Your own Spirit into our mortality, making us, ultimately, eternally immortal. You took the dry stubble of our hearts and ignited it to burn white hot for You. But You didn’t stop there – You anointed us with both power and purpose and called us to be a community of faith – Your Church - one in Spirit and one in example. O God, show us once again how we are treat one another. Remind us in this day what it is to have a common love and a common fire and a common Spirit with those who claim You as Lord. Move in Your Church once again to be Your envoys, Your ambassadors of light in a dark, dark world. And, Lord, let it begin with Highland Oaks. Through Jesus. AMEN.

Ready, Set, WORSHIP!