Confirmation Sunday, May 6, 2012
Acts 8:26-40
This is the story of Philip, who
found himself traveling by the power of the Holy Spirit, from Jerusalem, north
into Samaria, and from Samaria south to Gaza, and from Gaza north to Azotus and
all the way up the coast to Caesarea. In first century terms, that is an
impossible distance. It would be like saying, Philip was in Minneapolis, and
then the Spirit said, go down to Tucson, Arizona. And then the Spirit lifted
him up and he found himself in San Diego, and he went up the Pacific Coast
Highway until he got to Seattle. It’s hyperbole—there’s that word again,
hyperbole—a literary device employed to make the point that the power that was
in the prophets and in Jesus and in the apostles is at work in Philip, even
though he was only recently confirmed.
That’s right. This Philip was not
the Philip who was called one of the Twelve (apostles), this Philip was one of
the Seven, the first confirmation class, though the Bible doesn’t actually use
those words. The book of the Acts of the Apostles tells the story of the first
church, the first congregation in Jerusalem, which gathered around the Twelve Apostles
after the resurrection of Jesus. It was all good, in the beginning, so good
that day by day, more and more people heard about Jesus, and saw how well the
Christians loved each other, and hearing and seeing and believing this to be
something they wanted to be part of, people responded by being baptized and
becoming part of the church. Then it got complicated, because the church was
getting too big for the Twelve to manage on their own. So they appointed the
Seven-- seven new Christians to assist them in leading the church. The book of
Acts describes how the Apostles prayed and laid their hands on these seven.
Which is exactly what we are going to do with you Nine in just a little while.
I have had
hands laid upon me twice: once at my confirmation when I was about your age,
and once again when, after a much longer period of study and prayer and tests
and interviews, I was ordained to the ministry, and given the titles of
“Reverend,” and “Pastor.” Have you noticed how, in the masthead of the church
bulletin, I am not the only “minister” here? Ministers: All Members. Pastor:
Rev. Deborah G Celley. Ministers are people who serve, and that includes you,
particularly now that you are becoming full adult members of the church. But
nobody can do ministry on their own power. Not even the first Twelve Apostles
could do much of anything without the power of the Holy Spirit which came to
them in a mighty way on the day of Pentecost.
The laying
on of hands is the way the church has, throughout the ages, recognized the
potential for leadership, and instilled the power of the Holy Spirit. It isn’t
magic. We don’t control the Holy Spirit with our hands, it is a wild and
untamed power. You have already felt it, I am sure. It is that power that makes
you get up and do good things, brave things, that you never thought you could
do before. It is the power to stand up to the bully and defend the victim. It
is the power to put yourself between danger and the endangered. It is the power
to comfort those who grieve, and to heal the sick. It is the power to endure
pain, and believe that the pain will give way to healing. It is the power to
know that suffering pain or discomfort for a time will not break you, but will
strengthen you in body, mind and soul. You are young, but you have already
learned much, by the power of the Spirit that have been with you since your
birth. This ceremony, this laying on of hands is a visible and memorable symbol
of an invisible and sometimes forgettable power at work in you.
Oh, the
places you will go with the Spirit. O the places you have already been with the
Spirit. Oh the places you will go, with the Spirit.
