First Love Church
These podcasts are messages that were preached at First Love Church in Ocala, Florida. We hope that you are encouraged and inspired by what you hear. We are a non denominational, egalitarian church that practices a generous orthodoxy. Find out more about our local congregation online at firstlovechurch.org.
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First Love Church
The Pentecost Miracle: Finding God Through Connection with David Drake
The sacred celebration of Pentecost invites us into a profound spiritual truth: unity isn't found in isolation but in understanding and connection. This episode explores the supernatural reality that draws us together despite our differences.
What does it mean that the Holy Spirit serves as our "advocate who will never leave you"? We unpack how this divine presence transforms loneliness into connection, offering companionship precisely when we feel most distant from God. But here's the surprising part—this Spirit doesn't demand perfect silence or elaborate rituals to manifest. Instead, it emerges most powerfully when we're serving others.
Through compelling stories, including a revealing anecdote about a pastor who created a luxurious private lounge while volunteers built genuine connections in less-than-ideal conditions backstage, we discover a powerful truth: while some seek God through separation, divine presence often manifests in the sweaty, messy work of serving together. The miracle of Pentecost wasn't just supernatural languages—it was understanding across seemingly insurmountable differences.
The most challenging yet rewarding opportunities for spiritual growth come when we encounter behaviors that confound us. Those head-shaking moments of disbelief at another's choices create the perfect laboratory for practicing unity. Instead of judgment, we're called to ask, "How can I find a space where I see them better?" This question invites transformation, helping us find connection where division seems inevitable.
This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church you can donate at https://www.firstlovechurch.org/giving
In the service of LOVE,
Pastors Dennis and Heather Drake
Welcome to the First Love Church podcast. This is a collection of Sunday teachings inspired by the Revised Common Lectionary and recorded weekly in Ocala Florida.
Speaker 2:I'm very excited to be speaking with you. I hope you're ready for a very long-form benediction, but I am very excited to be able to get together with you, especially on Pentecost, which the oneness with my mother makes me shake my fists in excitement. Pentecost, the idea of unity. Can you just do that? Yeah, let me do this.
Speaker 2:Yeah he's going to do that. You guys can look at me for a second and you can put this in your back. The closer button is what he's saying I'm going to leave, goodbye. I'm going to leave goodbye. I'm a loud and audible for everybody. Fantastic hooray.
Speaker 2:I love the celebration of our people. I love seeing Caroline come up. I always love it when my brother is able to share. I love being able to see my family when we get to come up here Nathaniel playing the drums, thomas, people that are my family in the spirit. I get to see my sister Caroline and my brother Ray come and just give beautiful, beautiful words and I'm very grateful to be able to come up here and talk to you about Pentecost.
Speaker 2:And the whole of it is that Pentecost is about unity. It is about this deep, beautiful, supernatural realization that we are one deep, beautiful, supernatural realization that we are one and that every single thing that brings us closer to God is an act or a work towards unity. If I could get, we could start up with verse 15. I think it's a good idea to start with the scripture. All right, so if you guys would like to read along with me, if you love me, obey my commandments and I will ask the Father and he will give you another advocate who will never leave you, and then 17. He is the Holy Spirit who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him because it is not looking for him and does not recognize him, and so that's a beautiful thing. I think, in that point where we look at the Holy Spirit, it is a beautiful hope that we get to have when we feel alone and when we feel left and without, and when we feel like that we cannot fully understand or fully grasp this space with God. And the Holy Spirit is this advocate, is this holy space that comes in and is with us and it's something that is made available for you and me, and I think that is a beautiful thing. And God recognizing our humanness in giving us this companion, this spirit, this space for us to love and live together. The Holy Spirit comes to us in a very supernatural space and in a space that is very quiet and often for some folks unnatural to be in, in that slow listening space. But I think that we can find that if we're looking for that Holy Spirit, it's not so much trying to find the quietest place to be, the quietest place to be. I think that we can find the Holy Spirit most often in service and in the good works of love. The Holy Spirit is with us.
Speaker 2:I think for me, most often when we are at, when we are at outreach, when we get to come together and bring food to people. Because I speak with what authority I have and I can say that it's hard to fully grasp and understand and look at where does God want me? It is a big question that we all ask and that we all feel. But I can say with what authority I have that God does want you at Outreach. God wants you feeding people and loving on people in a real, in present way. It is a space that at Outreach that place where we just stop and feed people, pray and listen to those that are often forgotten that the Holy Spirit comes upon us.
Speaker 2:I've had a wonderful opportunity numerous times to be kind of the first time chaperone for people that come to outreach. It's been really really wonderful. Chaperone's kind of an intense word. I mostly just give you the low down and watch people kind of come into the beauty of Christ-like work. But it's been beautiful because what you do at outreach, if you have not been, which I would love to see you when we get together on Wednesdays. Of course, some folks have work and it's difficult to schedulereach. If you have not been, which I would love to see you when we get together on Wednesdays. Of course, some folks have work and it's difficult to schedule, but if you ever have the time, please come. It is transformative.
Speaker 2:But at Outreach you stop, you give the groceries to these folks who are just filled with such gratefulness for it, and then you stop and ask them if you'd like to pray. Not everybody wants to pray, some people are just happy with the food. And then you stop and ask them if you'd like to pray. Not everybody wants to pray, some people are just happy with the food and that's the blessing you can give them. But we pray. And then you know it may be that someone asks how do you pray? And it is not at all any kind of particular ability or class. You have to learn. You open up and ask and that's what I've talked with people about when it comes to praying at outreach is saying Lord, come and give us this grace, give us this space, and that Holy Spirit comes in and you start to understand and become aware of the desires of people and the needs of others, and when you ask in that prayer, it is unifying in that space that we get to come together with. So I truly believe that with this Pentecost, that this opportunity to really understand and get into the idea of unity is something that I would love to get across for everybody, because it's what Pentecost is about.
Speaker 2:The miracle that Ray was talking with us about when he was reading was the fact that not so much that the amazing thing was the language, which was a part of the miracle, but it was the understanding. It was the fact that, past everything because in the verse you hear them identify them from where they're from and what makes them different, and they're dumbfounded at the idea that they can understand. And in that understanding there is that unity that's created. They realize that they are all servants, that they are all under that same beautiful umbrella, and that beautiful work of unity is that miracle. And I hope that, with this understanding of Pentecost, that you hope and portray and give more and more of that beautiful unity and find more of that unity, because in that finding unity it makes for I would say the word easier is not correct, but a smoother and more comfortable way of being, and I think that it's very, very simple in that space but not easy to practice, because any good thing is not easy. I think that most of us who have been around long enough some of our members would tell you that it's not easy to find unity. It's a lot of beautiful hard work, but I think that you guys can agree in your beautiful experience that looking for unity ends up making everything a lot better. So with that, as best I can communicate, I do really hope because you find those Christ-like spaces.
Speaker 2:Nathaniel is ready, wherever he is, for my little anecdotes. But one time when I was working at a church in New York, we went to go help another church because they were short on staff and the church was separated in a way that I felt was very odd. There were the leading members, so the pastors and the pastor's assistants, and then there were everyone working backstage and it was a great, big, grand church. It had the kind of curtains that would go up the big giant hole show shebang and we had to help them backstage because they didn't have enough backstage people. And I was very interested because I had gone backstage and found that there was a whole area that was locked off, like with big key cards, like security, you see, in a bank, and I was like what's that? And uh, one of the guys that works there tells me it's the pastor's lounge. Um, and the pastors all go there.
Speaker 2:And to me that was foreign, because I grew up in this church where the pastors are working and serving the bread and going and doing communion, so that to me already felt odd. But when I was asking about it, one of the pastors was actually behind me and said I need that to get into my space and find my part with God. And I looked inside and it was this big, beautiful living room that had a mini fridge and a small little kitchen and everything. So this wild, isolated, very clean, sterile space in which he then went into the space and as I was sitting with the people I was working with to make the show of this church happen, I couldn't help but feel bad because when I was sitting with the people backstage, a lot of us were sweating. It was New York in summer and if you've ever been there, it is a level of uncomfortable heat that sometimes matches dead Florida heat. It is gnarly.
Speaker 2:So me and the other people who helped run the show were sitting there and I saw the pastor just sitting there in his little lounge alone and I realized I'm like I think in his attempts to get closer to God, he separated himself Because God was sitting around eating a pizza that was too small on little metal folding chairs in the back. And it was this place where we realized it made me understand that if my ways of getting connected to God are involved with isolation and separation and I'm not saying that you can't go out into the woods and listen to the trees and the land speak to you but if you're at church and you need to separate yourself from people to get with God, then I think you miss a lot of what God wants you to do, because Pentecost, this space, this beauty and all throughout the Bible, not just this verse that we're focusing on always speaks. Everything that God wants is closer love and that idea that we bring together.
Speaker 1:We pause here for a moment to thank you for joining us today. If you're finding this episode meaningful, would you take a moment to share it with a friend? This podcast is made possible thanks to the generosity of people just like you. If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church and the continued work of our podcast, visit us online at firstlovechurchorg, reminding you to like, follow and subscribe.
Speaker 2:Because I had a beautiful revelation. I got to speak into someone's life while we were sweaty behind the stage. It was quite beautiful, despite everything else about it. If you've ever been behind the stage of a large production, most of the machines look like that. They're used the other part of the week to bring Frankenstein back to life.
Speaker 2:It's not exactly a heartwarming environment if you've worked backstage, but to be able to talk and speak with people and meet other people who were serving was a beautiful thing and something I'm grateful for and I wish that that pastor and I'm sure that he's opened up the lounge by now I'm just believing the Christ for that, but I wish so bad.
Speaker 2:It's like man, this guy kind of he's setting himself out of something beautiful, because there was that space in that, in that wonderful humbleness that was practical, because there is a lot that goes into the thought that I think that people get this idea that getting to God is this very intellectual and very arduous process. It is work, but it's work for people. It's that understanding because God is in this space and in that unity, everyone that you meet. And God can sometimes be if I quote my mother, who quotes other things in distressing disguise, and sometimes it's hard to recognize Christ in people and sometimes you need someone to help you find the Christ in someone else. I know I do. Sometimes there are people that are hard for me to love, but then people in my life can love them incredibly.
Speaker 2:Not you, robert, don't you wave when I say people are hard to love. You're one of my favorites, you help me make sure that everyone can hear me and that's the beauty, because I can do my best to help Robert. Remember that Robert is loved and there's someone in your life and you can. I think we should take a moment in the holiness and let our beautiful, holy imagination repeat Think of someone who helped, inspired unity in your life. Just take a moment, close your eyes, just silence for a minute. I'm sure you had somebody, someone close, maybe more than one person, that helped you find that unity. And so I hope to you that you can, in this Pentecost, remembering the beautiful words, the wonderful songs that we preached, and I hope that I can impart to you some kind of wisdom from what wisdom I have, that you can remember the things that helped bring that unity from that person that you love so much, and that that memory of that unity is something that can stick with you, even when things are difficult, because unity is required when people are being disordered. It's not often that you get to practice unity when things are easy. It's a lot of times you get to practice unity when people are harsh and when people are difficult and when people do something that boggles your mind. I think that's my hardest point when someone does something that truly makes me stop. And just you know, have you ever stopped at someone's decision making and shook your head like this? Not in a no, not in a okay, I can see where they're coming from, but just a disbelief. And that is the place where you need unity, because you just have to see and say, okay, my brother, my sister in Christ, whoever it is, how, lord, can I find a space where I see them better? How, lord, can I find a space where I can, in a gentle and beautiful way, lead them more towards love? And I think by asking it creates a really good space, because sometimes we can feel overwhelmed, because there are people I deal with where I go. I don't think anyone can deal with you. I've looked at people, I've looked at myself sometimes to go, what am I going to do with you? I don't know sometimes if you looked at yourself and you're not sure exactly what to do next, but I have before.
Speaker 2:And that unity can be with you and the Holy Spirit, and I think that's a great place to start when learning that understanding that coming together in Christ. And we're going to pull up a verse here Nathanael, would you start with 25 and then we'll be going from 25 to 27? All right, and I'd like us to read together because I like the way it sounds. All right, I am telling you these things now, while I am still with you, but when the Father sends the advocate as my representative, that is the Holy Spirit, he will teach you everything and remind you of everything I have told you. I am leaving you with a gift peace of mind and heart, and the peace I give you is a gift the world cannot give. So do not be troubled or afraid. That's a beautiful thing. Honestly, what I could have done is just read those lines and left. I think we would have found a beautiful space to remind you, but I'll add my little tidbits and my anecdotes. The story of this comes together and the story of Pentecost, the story of this unity, is the completion of an older story. We all understand and have heard the story of the Tower of Babel, how, so long ago, people tried to build a tower to ascend to heaven and they had lost themselves and forgotten the languages and become separate. And in this space. We see Pentecost as that reunion, that turning that beautiful bookend to the story that had kind of just been left out. I think it's a wonderful thing to remember that that unity is a place that is found in people and it's important to not look for our unity outside or separate of the people in our lives.
Speaker 2:I would like to very quickly just give a prayer and a blessing. I love giving the benediction and I'd like to give a quickly just give a prayer and a blessing. I love giving the benediction and I'd like to give a little extra one here, if you would let me. Father God, we come to you and we ask you for the Holy Spirit again. We thank you that it is with us. We ask you to open our eyes to it. We ask you to open our hands in a beautiful, grace-like manner, in a way that lets us love people deeper.
Speaker 2:We thank you for our ears to be opened, to listen deeper to the Holy Spirit, to understand and have a mercy that comes from the divine. We thank you for this holy companion, this comforter and this wonderful reason no longer to be afraid. We thank you for all of this in your name, amen. Thank you for letting me come together and preach and give you a moment and a gentle reminder of what you already are capable of, that you are more than able and more than competent enough to be that unity and that kindness in a place where some people can't see it, and I thank you for taking the time and practicing the ability to see it. We're going to go into communion here. I can do my best to preach, but I think communion does the best job. That reminder of the table is a beautiful thing. Before we go into communion, though, I would like to invite my friend Kylie to come up and give us some more beautiful words.
Speaker 3:I have a Pentecost blessing for everybody. On the day when you are wearing your certainty like a cloak and your sureness goes before you like a shield or like a sword, may the sound of God's name spill from your lips as you have never heard it before. May your knowing be undone. May mystery confound your understanding. May the divine rain down in strange syllables, yet with ancient familiarity, a knowing born in the blood, in the ear, the tongue, bringing the clarity that comes not in stone or in steel, but in fire and flame. May there come one searing word, enough to bear you to the bone, enough to set your heart ablaze, enough to make you whole again.
Speaker 1:We hope you've enjoyed this week's sermon. If you would like more information about us, visit us online at firstlovechurchorg.
