Clean and Green Power -- FPC sermon excerpt
The world needs power.
We know this, which is why the U.S. government is supporting solar-power projects, Exxon-Mobil is exploring algae oil, and wind farms are popping up all over the place. Turn on the news, and it seems that everyone today is talking about alternative energy. We have had some truly energetic discussions this spring in our adult class, “Being a Green Presbyterian.”
But sun, algae and wind is not enough, which is why the race for even more innovative technologies is heating up. According to mental_floss magazine (November-December 2009), three of the cleanest and greenest ideas include:
First, launching solar panels into space. Solar panels in orbit can soak up the sun’s energy 24 hours a day, and microwave transmitters can beam the energy down to earth.
Second, gathering methane bricks from the bottom of the sea. You know about methane, don’t you? It’s the combustible gas that emerges from volcanoes, garbage heaps, and cows. But it is also found deep under the ocean floor and in the Arctic permafrost, just waiting to be collected.
Third, harnessing the power of nuclear fusion. This is the process that powers the sun, pretty much the best energy source ever. It is also quite clean, since it can eat up the nasty radioactive waste that comes out of today’s nuclear fission plants. Although the technology still has a long way to go, it promises to be clean and green.
But it’s not just the world that needs more power — the church does, too. We feel powerless in the face of chronic hunger and homelessness in our communities … powerless to speak the many languages of our increasingly diverse neighborhoods … powerless to shape our children and youths with the grace, love, and guidance of the Christian gospel.
The church needs power.
God knows this, which is why the cleanest and greenest form of alternative energy came to a powerless church on the day of Pentecost. “Suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2).
Was this wind power? Well, not exactly.
“Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them” (v. 3).
Was this the burning of methane? No, this was not that kind of combustion.
“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability” (v. 4). Then Peter raised his voice and addressed a crowd, saying, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. … This is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh …. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved’” (vv. 14, 16, 21).
The first followers of Jesus were not energized by wind or sunlight or methane or nuclear fusion. No, their power came from the Holy Spirit of God, a force which enabled them to speak in diverse languages and offer a word of gospel hope.
Their power came from God, and it was a force that could — and did — change the world.
It’s clean and it’s green. And available to us today.
We know this, which is why the U.S. government is supporting solar-power projects, Exxon-Mobil is exploring algae oil, and wind farms are popping up all over the place. Turn on the news, and it seems that everyone today is talking about alternative energy. We have had some truly energetic discussions this spring in our adult class, “Being a Green Presbyterian.”
But sun, algae and wind is not enough, which is why the race for even more innovative technologies is heating up. According to mental_floss magazine (November-December 2009), three of the cleanest and greenest ideas include:
First, launching solar panels into space. Solar panels in orbit can soak up the sun’s energy 24 hours a day, and microwave transmitters can beam the energy down to earth.
Second, gathering methane bricks from the bottom of the sea. You know about methane, don’t you? It’s the combustible gas that emerges from volcanoes, garbage heaps, and cows. But it is also found deep under the ocean floor and in the Arctic permafrost, just waiting to be collected.
Third, harnessing the power of nuclear fusion. This is the process that powers the sun, pretty much the best energy source ever. It is also quite clean, since it can eat up the nasty radioactive waste that comes out of today’s nuclear fission plants. Although the technology still has a long way to go, it promises to be clean and green.
But it’s not just the world that needs more power — the church does, too. We feel powerless in the face of chronic hunger and homelessness in our communities … powerless to speak the many languages of our increasingly diverse neighborhoods … powerless to shape our children and youths with the grace, love, and guidance of the Christian gospel.
The church needs power.
God knows this, which is why the cleanest and greenest form of alternative energy came to a powerless church on the day of Pentecost. “Suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2).
Was this wind power? Well, not exactly.
“Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them” (v. 3).
Was this the burning of methane? No, this was not that kind of combustion.
“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability” (v. 4). Then Peter raised his voice and addressed a crowd, saying, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. … This is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh …. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved’” (vv. 14, 16, 21).
The first followers of Jesus were not energized by wind or sunlight or methane or nuclear fusion. No, their power came from the Holy Spirit of God, a force which enabled them to speak in diverse languages and offer a word of gospel hope.
Their power came from God, and it was a force that could — and did — change the world.
It’s clean and it’s green. And available to us today.
posted by Henry Brinton | 11:06 AM
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