Today is Pentecost Sunday, which is celebrated by many as the church’s birthday. It’s the day when Christians remember how the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, was poured out on the disciples just as Jesus Himself had promised immediately prior to His own ascension ten days previously.
So then, given how Jesus had said they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon those early believers, and Christians today believe they too are filled by the Spirit, why does the church so often appear weak and insignificant? Why do Christians continue to suffer as much, if not more, than non‑Christians? And why do those who claim to follow Jesus so often fail to live the way that both He, and they, desire?
The answer, I think, is because of the paradox that lies at the heart of the Christian faith, and which Paul expresses so perfectly in 2 Corinthians 12:9. There we see how Paul struggled with a thorn in his flesh – one that grieved him greatly, yet became the means by which he learnt that Christ’s power was made perfect in his weakness – as indeed it is in ours.
This is a core feature of genuine Christianity, demonstrated supremely by the One who brings about our salvation by allowing Himself to be crucified: an act considered so weak as to make it a stumbling block for Jews looking out for an all‑powerful Messiah, and foolishness to those who, along with most of the world, consider self‑promotion rather than sacrifice as the order of the day. [1 Corinthians 1:23]
So how does recognising this help us answer my earlier questions?
Firstly, why does the church so frequently look weak? Well, because rightly expressed, it does not seek health, wealth, and prosperity, but seeks rather to give itself in the service of others. The Gospel – that seemingly foolish message of a dying Saviour – is a treasure that we hold in jars of clay, “to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” [2 Corinthians 4:7] This is a message that is as unpopular today as it was in the first century. And so it is one that, unless the Holy Spirit humbles the proud by renewing the minds of those He irresistibly calls, will never prove popular.
Secondly, why do Christians suffer? Partly because they are called to do so for the sake of the Gospel, by putting the eternal needs of others before their own immediate concerns. [1 Peter 2:21; 2 Timothy 1:8]
But they suffer, of course, for other reasons too – just as unbelievers do – experiencing what some have referred to as the ‘severe mercy’ of God. And so it is that, through the work of the Holy Spirit, who sustains them in their affliction, the tested genuineness of their faith – more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ. [1 Peter 1:7]
And thirdly, why do Christians continue to fall short of the standards set for them by the One they say they love? Well, simply and sadly, because they are not yet what they are already declared to be.
The righteousness they are now counted to have by faith in Christ is in stark contrast to the unrighteousness that they all too often display. And here too, the Holy Spirit is active: for whilst He does indeed come alongside us in our battle to put to death the deeds of the body, [Romans 8:13] He also reveals the truth and convicts us of our sin. And so we become those who possess a broken spirit – a broken and contrite heart – which, making us always dependent on Him, the Lord will not despise. [Psalm 51:17]
So Jesus was right when He said His followers would receive power when the Holy Spirit came. But the power He provides is more than just the strength to speak truth and serve – it is also the willingness to appear weak – to be humble, to endure, and to confess one’s sins, all the while relying on the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ which, being sufficient for even me, is more than sufficient for everyone else as well.
And it is the reason why, like Paul, we can boast in our weaknesses – so that the power of Christ may rest upon us – and say, also with Paul, that when we are weak, then we are strong. [2 Corinthians 12:9-10]
Because that is how the world is renewed, how Christ uses His church to make a difference today, and how, because of His own suffering, we can be sure that what for now is oh so wrong, will one day be made oh so right.
Related posts:
To read ‘Pentecost and the war in Ukraine’, click here
To read ‘Speaking in Tongues’, click here
To read ‘Permanence – and the search for stability’, click here
To read ‘The Day that Never Ends: An Easter Reflection’, click here
To read ‘Good Friday – Good for those who know they’re not’, click here
To read ‘A Warm Welcome Awaited: From Hosanna to Hallelujah’, click here
To read ‘Visions of Blue: Echoes of Grace’, click here
To read ‘Minding the Gap’, click here
To read ‘And not just because baked beans get in the way’, click here
To read ‘The Kindness We Don’t Needand the Truth We Do’, click here
To read ‘No Ifs or Buts’, click here
To read ‘Hope in the Ashes: Why Sin Remains But Does Not Reign’, click here
To read ‘Twenty Four Reasons for Hope this Christmas’, click here
Some musings 