Go, Effect Recovery*

*(It’s odd to see ‘effect’ as a verb, but it’s correct here, and it means “bring about”)

• Pentecost Sunday

Acts 2:1-21 and Romans 8:14-17

FirstChurchBville@gmail.com  @FirstUMCBville  @kerrfunk

• I went to a workshop yesterday at Huntington First UMC, “Understanding Addiction and Supporting Recovery”. Presented by Sis Wenger (president and CEO of the National Assoc for Children of Alcoholics). Useful, informative, timely.

There is a variety of statistics out there, but safe to say that it’s likely that someone in your family is directly affected by some kind of substance use disorder, be it alcohol or pills or street drugs, and that you know somebody in unacknowledged addiction.

In the event you are unsure whether you know anybody in recovery from a substance use disorder, let me assure you, you do:
(Hi, I’m Kerry!)

One of the first things in the notebook we got had to do with the “Wall of Silence.”
Folks reach out to their faith communities when they’re in distress but they typically don’t find welcome. Sad to say that far too many people in need avoid the church because of judgment and shame, or that church folk are either in denial that substance use disorder is here (not in my backyard! Not church people!) or they simply don’t know about it or what to do about it.

And yet, faith & faith community can significantly and positively impact a person’s recovery, if that wall of silence is broken down and the addict is embraced.

By the way, alcoholism and substance use disorder
are equal opportunity.
It’s not them, it’s us.

Prince died three weeks ago, and signs point to painkilleraddiction. Our response should be care and compassion,
and not chastisement and condemnation.

Addiction is a disease – a treatable one –, not a moral weakness or failing.

We’re not ashamed to say someone died of cancer – a treatable disease – but when addiction comes up, we treat it differently,
and it hurts sick people, and it hurts their families.

• What has this to do with Pentecost? I think much.

Jesus told the apostles on the day he ascended to wait for power to come to them, and that they would be witnesses in the world, testifying, proclaiming, telling about who Jesus was and what he did. And who was he? Son of God, Messiah, Savior. And what did he do? Effected forgiveness. Newness of life. Salvation.

That’s recovery, right there.

There was brokenness in the world. God addressed that brokenness by introducing the repair in Jesus Christ. Jesus led 12 disciples for 3 years, and then entrusted them with his mission, and empowered them with the Holy Spirit. The apostles receive the HS, they witness, and the church is born!

You didn’t receive a spirit of slavery to lead you back into fear, but a spirit that shows you are adopted. Family. Children of God and heirs. Glory to God.

We are called, entrusted, and empowered to be in recovery and to effect recovery – that’s why the Holy Spirit is given – so that the mighty works of God might be declared to all.

• Hymn 465 Holy Spirit, Truth Divine

Romans 8:14-17     (CEB)       

¹⁴ All who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons and daughters.
¹⁵ You didn’t receive a spirit of slavery to lead you back again into fear, but you received a Spirit that shows you are adopted as his children. With this Spirit, we cry, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The same Spirit agrees with our spirit, that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ But if we are children, we are also heirs. We are God’s heirs and fellow heirs with Christ, if we really suffer with him so that we can also be glorified with him.

Acts 2:1-21     (CEB)

2 When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. ⁴ They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

⁵ There were pious Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. ⁶ When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered. They were mystified because everyone heard them speaking in their native languages. ⁷ They were surprised and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all the people who are speaking Galileans, every one of them?
⁸ How then can each of us hear them speaking in our native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; as well as residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya bordering Cyrene; and visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the mighty works of God in our own languages!” ¹² They were all surprised and bewildered. Some asked each other, “What does this mean?” ¹³ Others jeered at them, saying, “They’re full of new wine!”

¹⁴ Peter stood with the other eleven apostles. He raised his voice and declared, “Judeans and everyone living in Jerusalem! Know this! Listen carefully to my words! ¹⁵ These people aren’t drunk, as you suspect; after all, it’s only nine o’clock in the morning! ¹⁶ Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

¹⁷ In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young will see visions. Your elders will dream dreams. ¹⁸ Even upon my servants, men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
¹⁹ I will cause wonders to occur in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and a cloud of smoke. ²⁰ The sun will be changed into darkness, and the moon will be changed into blood, before the great and spectacular day of the Lord comes.
²¹ And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.