Grace and peace to you, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” What does peace look like for you? 

Perhaps it is a peaceful setting where all you have to do is act like a sponge and absorb everything around you, where you actually become part of the setting. 

Or maybe you find peace in the excitement of a sporting event; hockey, football, or napping on the couch to accompany a golf tournament? 

Peace is promised as a gift that engages each individual who hears it. Jesus is the “I Am”: the way, the truth, and the life. 

This Sunday we celebrate Pentecost, the 50th day after Christ was raised and the fulfillment of the promise to send an advocate, the Holy Spirit. 

As I was preparing this sermon I would like to share a little of my process. 

One of the first things I do is breathe and prepare a space that helps me get in the moment- essentially to be at peace with the WORD. 

I calmly read the gospel text and let it sit, abide with me and feel what happens. Essentially I intentionally put myself in a place to receive the Holy Spirit. 

Sometimes an idea is spirited to immediate action, the fiery tongues in our gospel, but more often than not it begins a spark. 

A spark that may continue to develop into a wildfire of thoughts or an ember that burns slowly. 

We have all felt the effects of the recent wildfires in our area and beyond in the raging fires in Canada. 

When mother nature descends upon us, peace can seem distant.

Fire burns in what’s known as the fire triangle; fuel, heat, and a sustained chemical reaction. 

Remove one and the fire goes out. 

As the words of the Gospel spark and idea I pray for a similar triangle; the inspiration is the heat, the fuel is what I have learned, and the sustained reaction is loving you as Jesus has loved us as God working through him. 

Remove any one of these and my preparation slows down, sometimes even stops and I need to take a break. 

For this week I found some fuel from a sermon by the Rev. Dr. Eric Barreto, who was once a professor at Luther Seminary. 

I listened to his sermon and was intrigued by his message. 

What stood out for me was the use of the term Generic. 

Merriam-Webster: defines Generic as, “Having no particular distinctive quality or application.” 

In my teenage years we had many grocery products that were generic. 

Not a brand name, usually black and white packaging, and of unremarkable quality, but often less expensive. 

Buying generic products was not a way to impress a guest or friends. We have all been taught that brand names carry as status symbols. The cool kids had Levi’s and I grew up wearing Sear’s “ToughSkins” jeans. Fortunately Jesus isn’t about fancy and expensive clothes. 

Thankfully Jesus is not generic.

Jesus gives us a thoroughly distinctive quality and application to love God and in turn to love one another. 

Love is also the opposite of generic. 

In our gospel Philip seems to miss the point entirely by trying to simplify the message, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” 

But Jesus offers us more, the promise of burning compassion through love of God and in turn love for one another. 

Jesus’ reply to Philip hints at sarcasm, “Where have you been?” Where have we been the last two thousand years since Jesus left us with peace? 

It feels like we have been fighting to put this fire out rather than let it burn within us. 

Fighting to control who follows the right dress code, who speaks the best language, and who wants everyone to be the same. 

Wouldn’t it be kind of boring if everything was the same, generic? 

Like the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray where he wakes up and everyday plays out exactly the same. 

Our comfort might come from a daily schedule with clear expectations and outcomes but what is the fun in that? 

How do you hear the “Good News” if it’s only good for you? 

Jesus’ message is to love; love like your hairs on fire, with truth that leads to eternal life. 

Love that seeks out the other, the stranger, the one who hasn’t been to church in years.

Love that speaks in a language we can all hear and understand. Where do you feel and see those tongues of fire in your life? God doesn’t speak to us in a generic voice. 

Love is not generic, but meaningful and diverse. 

The purpose of Jesus is love. 

Love for everyone, even our enemies. 

God speaks our language and their language. 

Rev. Barreto made a clear point in his words that diversity is not a problem to solve. 

Diversity is exactly who we are and how God created this magnificent place for us. 

We do not all look the same and that is a beautiful thing. 

We do not all believe the same thing and that is a blessing. 

Unfortunately, we can see how diversity has been used as a sinful and dangerous proposition to judge who’s in and who’s out according to our rules. 

God created diversity, sending an advocate to support each individual person as they need, but who is standing in the way of people helping other people? 

Can we really support a rule that contradicts loving one another as God commanded? 

God speaks to us individually as we are able. 

How does that Spirit kindle your love?

When I find myself comparing or judging then I have to take a moment to realize that is not what Jesus teaches me. 

I’m not suggesting to turn a blind eye, but to look into my heart, to my spirit, and feel compassion for the one who loved me first. 

Even more so I am careful not to have a generic response, to agree to disagree may sound peaceful, yet it can silence potential growth and understanding. 

I find it amazing that God has sent us a Paraclete. 

On this celebration of Pentecost we have an advocate, a voice that speaks our language. 

A language of love expressed through thought, word, and deed. 

A language full of Christ's love and applied to everyone equally, simply through faith. 

Love that holds hands and hearts together. 

That is our message for the world, that everyone matters. 

The gift is all of the many blessings and diverse ways we can share our love. AMEN