Sunday Sermon, 24 May 2026
The Feast of Pentecost, St Andrew’s Church, Sedbergh
You can read the sermon below, or listen here:
A reading from the Gospel according to St John
On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.”’ Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 7.37–39 NRSVA
Many years ago Joy and I went on holiday to Morocco. We were young and didn’t do much research when when planning our trip. We decided to go in the month of August, which was the hottest time of the year. And being eager to make the most of our trip and see all the sights, we ventured out in the midday sun. I remember feeling like I instantly wilted the moment we stepped outside. We found ourselves hopping from cafe to cafe just trying to keep ourselves hydrated. It didn’t take us long to realise the wisdom of those who waited to come out in the evening, when it was cooler and much more pleasant.
In our Gospel reading this morning, Jesus says: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink.”
This is one of the primary spiritual metaphors that we find in John’s Gospel. Just as we might feel thirsty in a hot climate where water is scarce, so there are times when our soul becomes dry and arid, and we feel spiritually empty. In these moments, Jesus invites us to come to him and draw deeply from him. Christ is the sparkling fountain of life, who refreshes the soul, gives an assurance of God’s love, and provides meaning and direction in a difficult and confusing world.
It feels a particularly appropriate image for today. Many commentators have observed that contemporary society can feel like a desert place. The rise of modernity has uprooted local traditions and customs, and increased our sense of social isolation and loneliness. The climate crisis which is ravaging the earth is causing profound levels of anxiety and distress, especially amongst the young. And the prevalence of digital screens and the rise of AI is blurring the line between what is real and virtual, reducing our attention spans, and shaking the foundations of our common life.
Today is the Feast of Pentecost, which marks the birth of the church two millennia ago. This was the day when the Holy Spirit – the ‘living water’ that Jesus speaks of – was first poured out upon the Apostles. And, from that day until now, the church is called to be a spiritual oasis in a dry and parched land. It is meant to draw people towards it as a place where deep questions and yearnings of the soul might be raised and explored.
It causes us to reflect on whether this is people’s experience of the church today.
I had a conversation with someone just this week who recognised her spiritual need, but didn’t feel she could find it in the church because of her past experiences. She had experienced the church as authoritarian, repressive, and unwelcoming. Rather than being an oasis in the desert, it was like a dried up well that offered no hope.
This is an extreme example, and I am thankful that our local churches are welcoming places which seek to nurture faith. We can be encouraged that the Holy Spirit is active and at work in our churches and communities, as we grow in faith, hope, and love. There is a depth of genuine desire for God and a care for others that is very precious here. Events like our community BBQ this afternoon are evidence of care for our community.
But a birthday is a good time to look in the mirror and ask the hard questions. The Church is almost 2,000 years old. Are there ways in which our habits and practices alienate rather than welcome? Are there places where the well has run dry? Are we willing to listen to valid criticism and be prepared to change? Is this a place where people can hear and encounter the invitation of Christ to find spiritual fulfilment?
I am not suggesting that the church should market itself to contemporary society as just another lifestyle choice. I am also not suggesting we throw out the ancient practices of the church, or that we attempt a ‘rebrand’. Christianity declares that Jesus is Lord, and that Christ is on the throne. But our Living Lord sends his Spirit to challenge and rebirth the church in every generation, and so, on this birthday of the church, we must be alert and responsive to this. We ought to ask where the Spirit is leading us next, and be open to follow where she leads us.
Jesus says: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink.”
In this age of spiritual drought, may we respond to Christ’s invitation, and trust that in him, we may glimpse the divine and embrace the mystery of God.
As we come together in worship, let us pray for the empowering presence of the Spirit who causes streams to flow in the desert.
And as we share in bread and wine as our Lord commanded, may we be nourished by the Living Water of Christ, as it pours through our lives and churches, into the soil of our culture, and springs forth flowers of God’s love in the wilderness.
Amen.