The church today largely sees itself as post-Jesus, and we’re deeply embarrassed about it. There is no bearded guy in a bathrobe healing sick people or turning water into wine. The older generation insists on singing songs about Him walking with us and talking with us, but we’ve never seen it. We just wish we had and we’re trying to convince ourselves He’s there and we can totally feel it. Most of us can’t, though a lot claim to. If you really equate a tingly feeling to the God who took flesh to heal lepers, your standards are too low. You should expect more from God. His word demands it.

The Bible talks about miracles and a Jesus who says ”I will not leave you as orphans (John 14:18)”but then ascends into heaven and we haven’t seen Him since. We’re getting so desperate a funny shaped potato chip is close enough…as long as we squint. We just want to know God’s there, but we can’t shake the feeling we’re on our own in a post-Jesus church.

We’ve tried to rebrand ourselves. “The church of Jesus lite: it’s not like you really have a better option.” It comes with catchy tweets. Jesus didn’t charge a copay to heal lepers. Of course…we can’t heal anyone at all, but it fits an agenda. Roll with it.

Charity is good. You should love your neighbor, but if you think you’re only doing it because God isn’t, it’s hard to maintain the concept of a loving God. The post-Jesus church still talks a lot about Jesus, but it’s about as satisfying as talking about a cheeseburger when you’re hungry. If anything, it makes the problem worse.

Even as Christ gets ready to begin the passion that would end in His ascension, even as He promises not to leave us as orphans, He says something else. Something important. I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:16–17)

Pentecost. The sending of the Holy Spirit. The great miracle where God spoke to all nations at once through His apostles as tongues of fire danced on their heads. I’m not sure it was all that impressive, though. Most people just thought they were day-drunk at 9am.

Still, God worked. In the waters of baptism, He carved 3000 souls out of the city that kills its prophets and stones those sent to it. God hasn’t abandoned His church. If anything, He’s closer to it. Pentecost celebrates the Holy Spirit, at work wherever God’s word and sacraments are given to sinners.

The problem with the post-Jesus church is that it assumes God has given up on the physical world. He hasn’t. Pentecost means we’re not the post-Jesus church. The Holy Spirit works here. He brings Jesus to you. He doesn’t walk with you or talk with you. He sits on your altar under bread and wine because feelings come and feelings go, but to commune is to live with Him forever. Don’t lower your standards to a Jesus shaped potato chip or a tingly feeling that only exists until the next bad thing happens. Celebrate the Lord’s Supper, where God lives up to His promise to strengthen, forgive, nourish, and save no matter how bad things look.  He conquered death. He’s here for you to carry you through whatever’s killing you.

God cares about this place enough to fix it. He loves you so much that He was willing to die and rise to forgive your sins, and that love means He refuses to be far away from you now. The church isn’t the place where we talk about Jesus. The church is where Jesus insists on being truly present for you. Don’t be embarrassed by Pentecost. Rejoice, because Pentecost means you can know God is here for you.