Fire and Water
I baptize you with water, said John, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire...
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, 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, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ - Acts 2:1-21
Fire symbolizes cleansing.
When it comes to melting silver, it burns away the impurities and leaves only pure metal.
This is the analogy Jesus used with his disciples to let them know that God is looking to refine them, to extract and burn off the impurities, leaving only pure silver, pure enough for Him to see himself in it.
The silversmith is God and His Spirit is the fire, descended upon them and us when we receive the Holy Spirit in baptism.
We go through the water and emerge clean but it is the fire of the Holy Spirit that keeps us pure and faithful.
When we accept God's help, we have the power within us to stay the course, overcoming every obstacle in our way.
The church was born with the Spirit on Pentecost and the Spirit continues to guide it.
Each of us is empowered to become one with God and stay in God's grace, filled with God's love, emblazoned with His Spirit.
All we need to do is choose to draw on that strength within us.
How great is that?
More to come...