From Resurrection to Pentecost: Embracing the Transformative Power of the Holy Spirit

Easter and Pentecost are interconnected events; the Resurrection signifies a transformative moment extending beyond Jesus to offer new life to all, while Pentecost marks the broader gift of the Holy Spirit beyond a single moment. Both events are pivotal, not isolated, shaping the course of Christian faith and practice. In both our own participation in Christ's resurrection and in our participation in the Church's Pentecost, the Spirit is giving us life.  The Spirit is the giver of life.  One passage that I think helpfully illustrates that is John 3:1-8. 

John 3:16 may be the most well-known verse of scripture in the Bible.  However, we often neglect the context. This famous verse of scripture was spoken to Nicodemus, a leader within his religious community. He came to Jesus "by night" (John 3:1).  The night in chapter 3 contrasts with the noon-time context of Jesus's  conversation with the woman at the well (John 4:6). I can't tell you how many times it was explained to me that Nicodemus came at night so as not to be seen by anyone whereas the woman came in the heat of the day because other people wouldn't be there. The woman at the well in chapter 4 was clearly not afraid to speak to her fellow villagers (John 4:27-30). Nicodemus as well at least somewhere along the way was not afraid to be associated with Jesus (see: John 19:39). It seems to me that it makes more sense to interpret this symbolically since that's exactly how Jesus interprets it in verses 3:19-21. 

In the Gospel of John, night-time is a time of emptiness.  John 21:3--Simon goes fishing at night but he catches nothing.  John emphasizes the Judas departed to betray Jesus at night (John 13:30).  The people who walk at night have no path (John 11:10).  The people who have vocation have no work at night (John 9:4).  Nicodemus comes with Questions at night and receives not clear answer. Nicodemus wanted to talk about signs (John 3:2).  Both the presence and inadequacy of signs is emphasized in John 2:23-25, the passage immediately preceding the conversation with Nicodemus. Jesus's answer, as is often the case in John, has nothing even remotely to do with the topic of the questioner before him.   

Instead, Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about birth in the Spirit.  The appropriate translation of “born again” in verse 3:3 is “born from above.”  Disciples New Testament Scholars Gene Boring and Fred Craddock stress, “It is not about the number of times one has been born but the origin of one’s birth" (The People's New Testament Commentary). The inability of flesh to comprehend by itself means that something new must be born in order for the spiritual life to commence.  We should not set up this passage as a condemnation of the flesh or some sort of dualism in which the Spirit is good and the flesh is bad. The flesh is good as John begins with the reminder "the word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). 

However, the flesh is good but insufficient. More specifically, I believe this passage belongs to a number of passages that reinforce the statement of the Nicene Creed that names the Holy Spirit as the "Giver of Life." 

John 3:3 & 3:5 are the only references to the "Kingdom of God" in John (very prevalent in the Matthew, Mark and Luke). It's important to note that "The Kingdom of God" is not merely a reference to heaven. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I'd say it has nothing to do with heaven. The kingdom of God is a reality that emerges when people live according to God's design. It comes as a birth in the Spirit. The Spirit is unpredictable.  It is the Spirit that enables us to move into changing situations. God is not static, the world is not static, the efforts to keep things predictable and comfortable will be thwarted not just by circumstances but by God God’s self. 

Faith is a gift of God through the Holy Spirit.  There’s an analogy to receiving a love letter from your beloved in a language you do not understand.  In order for you to receive the love letter, your beloved teaches you the language of the letter.  Now, what is the gift you have received?  The letter (i.e., the expression of the Beloved’s love) or the capacity to read (the capacity to believe)?  Clearly it is both.  And so also is the idea expressed of the gift of faith—it is by faith that we receive the gift of God and the knowledge of God’s grace.  The very capacity to believe is God’s gift to us.  

What might this mean for us?  Personally, I'm not much of a mystic.  I wish I were.  When people have asked me about deep experiences of the Holy Spirit, I generally say, "Don't knock it until you try it."  But if I were being honest, I would acknowledge that I don't take my own advice as much as I should.  In my own experience, faith has been something that I have tried to wrestle into submission rather than a sail that has received the Spirit's wind.  "The Spirit blows where it wills" is one of the more terrifying realities of faith for me. Despite all my own reticence about the Spirit, I am also convinced that understanding God's Spirit is experiential before it is intellectual.

I think it begins with attention. In John's Gospel, we experience the Holy Spirit in worship (4:24), brings understanding of the truth (14:17), enables us to remember and understand Jesus (14:26 & 15:26), enables us to give testimony (16:13) and indeed, "it is the Spirit that gives life" (6:63). Just as Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about being born of the Spirit, we too can invite the Holy Spirit to guide our lives. This means being open to the Spirit's leading, even when it takes us out of our comfort zones or challenges our preconceived notions. By taking time to engage in worship, prayer, and reflection, allowing the Holy Spirit to bring understanding and insight into your life. Whether it's through personal devotions, attending church services, or participating in spiritual retreats, we can create space for encountering the Spirit's presence. As followers of Christ, we are called to discern God's will for our lives and to follow Jesus' example in our actions. This may involve seeking wise counsel from spiritual mentors, studying Scripture, and actively participating in a faith community where you can learn and grow alongside others.

It has been freeing for me understand that my experience of the Holy Spirit does not need to resemble other people's experience of the Holy Spirit.  I can speak meaningfully about the difference Jesus Christ has made in my life and that the work of the Spirit.  Just as Nicodemus and the woman at the well encountered Jesus and were transformed by His teachings, we too can share our faith journey with others. Whether through conversations with friends and family, participating in outreach ministries, or simply living out our faith authentically in our daily interactions, we can bear witness to the love and grace of God.

1. In what ways have you experienced the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit in your worship, understanding of truth, and testimony about Jesus?

2. How do you navigate the tension between seeking to understand the Holy Spirit intellectually and experiencing the Spirit's work experientially in your life?

3. What practical steps can you take to be more open to the Spirit's leading and transformation in your daily life?

4. In what ways can we create space within our communities to honor and celebrate the diversity of experiences and expressions of the Holy Spirit?