Sermon: Embracing the Elements (Pentecost Sunday, Acts 2:1-11)

Preached live at Armour Heights Presbyterian Church on Sunday, May 24, 2026

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-11, NRSVUE

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ² 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. ³ Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

⁵ Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem. ⁶ And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. ⁷ Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.”

Livestream (Sermon starts at 31:40)

Sermon Manuscript:

Sometimes, things need to burn in order to make space for new growth.

I live just across from High Park on the West side of Toronto. And every year, usually at the beginning of April, we get a notice in our mailbox that tells us what date the City of Toronto and the Indigenous Land Stewardship Circle plan to do a traditional and prescribed burn in the park.

This practice of a prescribed burn involves purposefully setting fire to some of the old growth in the park. When I looked into why they purposefully set these mini controlled fires, I learned that High Park contains a “fire-dependent ecosystem” called the Black Oak Savannah. This ecosystem contains rare native prairie plants that respond positively to burning, growing more vigorously after they have been burned.

Now this knowledge, of burning in order to promote new growth, is actually an ancient and traditional practice that has been carried out and stewarded by Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island, which we know as North America, for a very, very long time.

Among local First Nations, the element of fire is understood as maintaining balance among more-than-human relations: plants, animals, bodies of water, and of course people.

The practice of using fire to burn not only renews the Black Oak Savannahs but also creates open, sunlit spaces where native plants such as berries and medicines can thrive. And these renewed habitats also invite deer and other animals, supporting biodiversity and community well-being.

The element of Fire keeps the whole system in reciprocal balance.

In our scripture reading today, we see the element of Fire very strongly and dramatically. Tongues of flame appear above the heads of those gathered in the upper room.

You may or may not read this literally, but there is deep symbolism here. In biblical times, Fire was understood as the element of illumination, purification, and passion. Fire can be terrifying. Pair it with the element of wind, give it oxygen, and it can become uncontrollable, destroying whatever is in its path.

Yet, as demonstrated by the Black Oak Savannah, fire is a necessary part of nature’s cycle of life. Fire promotes new growth by clearing overgrown forests and providing much-needed nutrients for new forests to grow. It prepares the land for a new creation.

In the case of Jesus’ disciples, fire burned away their fear, purified what was holding them back, and activated new growth in the community. The day of Pentecost was the day that marked the transition from the disciples being quiet, secret followers of Jesus, to being loud and embodied messengers, living out Jesus’ teachings in the world.

But it’s not just the element of Fire that activated this new growth.

According to Diana Butler Bass in her book A Beautiful Year, in ancient biblical times, all of creation was understood to be made up of four elements. Fire is one, but there is also Wind, Water, and Earth. These four elements were among the most pervasive symbols in all of the world’s spiritual traditions. The Greeks spread this idea throughout the Mediterranean, and many cultures embraced the notion that the whole of creation was composed of these four elements.

Certainly, the author of the Book of Acts would have been aware of this symbolism. And so, with this in mind, we can interpret the story of Pentecost as a story of God’s Re-Creation. It is about how the Spirit moves and transforms each of us through these four elements, and about how God intends to recreate the world.

We’ve spoken a bit about the element of Fire, but what about Wind? Wind is also strongly present in our story. As the disciples are gathered, it is said that a sound like the rush of a violent wind fills the entire house.

This image of Wind is a callback to the Book of Genesis, at the opening of the biblical creation story, where the wind of God hovers over the waters.

While the element of Fire purifies and illuminates, Wind represents God’s creativity. It also symbolizes divine breath. The breath that creates the world is the very same breath that sustains our very being. So the presence of Wind in the Pentecost story reveals God’s intention to re-create the world.

Then there is the element of Water. While water isn’t explicitly mentioned in this story, we know that Water is the most prominent symbol in the New Testament for baptism. Prior to the events of Pentecost, the risen Christ acknowledges that the disciples have already been baptized with water. Thus, water is seen as a preliminary act: cleansing and preparing each disciple for their baptism of fire.

And then there is the fourth element, Earth. Earth might feel like the most elusive of the elements in our Pentecost story, but if you look closely, you’ll see she is there. Earth is represented by the crowd of people:120 Jews from all over the ancient Mediterranean and Eastern world: Greeks, Libyans, Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Cappadocians.

This again harkens back to the Book of Genesis, which says that all humankind is made of the earth’s soil. And so, while Jesus has ascended into heaven, his followers, through the descending of the Holy Spirit, are tasked with a sacred mission on Earth: to share his teachings and to embody them. Not in some afterlife, but rather right here, right now. And that is a task that transcends time as we know it. It is not just for Jesus’ disciples in that upper room in the first century. We are also those disciples in the upper room, called to help bring about God’s recreated world here on earth.

But that is a big task, is it not?

When we look at the world today, it can be very easy to get cynical about God’s created world. How can we bring about this “new earth” when the world seems to be run by tyrants who are bent on its destruction?

If we’re going to bring about a “New Earth,” then we need to acknowledge the elephant in the room. The wars, the conflicts, the division, which in most cases we are helpless to do anything about. There are so many situations that I could speak of. The atrocities in Iran that many of you know intimately and have fled, that are being committed by internal as well as external powers as just one example.

My dad is currently visiting one of his homelands, Armenia, and he recently visited an area where there are over 120,000 refugees who have lost their homes and their lands. They fear that their country might not be around for that much longer.

And there are so many more situations that each of you could name, conflicts that many of you have had to flee. So I acknowledge: it may feel hard to believe that God really is trying to recreate this world.

So what can we do, when there is so much that we have no control over?

Well, in addition to social justice and advocacy work, there is also something to be said about looking inward. I believe that real change must happen both out there in the world, but also in here, in our very being. Because the Pentecost story shows us that the Holy Spirit transforms both, simultaneously. The Holy Spirit brings about transformation in the world, but also is working to bring about change within each of us.

We, as human beings, are made in the image of our Creator. We are a microcosm of creation.

Each of us contains the four elements of creation: Fire, Wind, Water, and Earth. They are alive in the fabric of our very being. And when we can balance these elements in us, we create inner harmony. That harmony, in turn, radiates outward. It infuses our actions, our thoughts, our speech, our choices, and our way of being.

Imagine if every human being took the time to harmonize their inner creation, knowing that this creation through the four elements was itself the Spirit alive in them. What kind of different world would we live in?

So let me ask you this: How are these four elements operating in you right now?

Perhaps you have a strong dose of Fire in you. There are whole cultures known to be “fiery” cultures. I come from a Greek and Armenian family, and Greeks especially are known for their fire. We speak passionately, sometimes we talk over each other, and sometimes, yes, there is yelling, but usually it’s productive.

It can, however, also be destructive if not kept in check. Too much fire can turn into toxic anger, rage, resentment even. It can lead you to say things in the heat of an argument that you later regret. Too much fire can keep you from recognizing when you are in the wrong, refusing to apologize when really you should just apologize.

On the other hand, not enough fire, and people might walk all over you. You may have trouble holding to your boundaries or acknowledging that you are worthy. You may refrain from righteous anger because you were taught that being angry is not okay. Maybe you are stuck in a place of fear, just like the disciples were in that upper room, stagnant and holding on a little too long to old growth, when really that old growth needs to be burned away in order to make space for a new creation.

Wind: Wind is the elemental gift of the Holy Spirit that keeps the world moving. It is that urge to get up and make a change. To move or immigrate somewhere new despite all of the risks. It is what motivates people to want to give their children a better life. Wind is intuition, creativity, ingenuity, and yes, our breath.

Too much Wind, and you might find yourself running away, when really you should stay. You might find yourself trying to escape the ordinary or mundane. You may find you get bored easily, you’re always looking for something new, creative, and stimulating to make you feel alive.

Too little Wind, and life might feel a little too safe. You may enjoy routines, structure, and predictability, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. But a little fun, a little spontaneity, a little adventure can sometimes open us to the movement of the Holy Spirit in ways that we otherwise might be closed to.

Water: Water does not resist. She flows. Our bodies are made up of something like 60% water. She softens our sharp edges, helps us to go with the flow and not get so worked up over the small things. Water can be a powerful raging force but she is also patient and humble.

Too much water, however, and you might find yourself saying “it’s all good, mate,” when really it is not all good. You might find yourself drowning in an attempt to please everyone else but yourself. You may on the surface pretend to go with the flow, but really underneath there is fire, an underwater dormant volcano that wants to erupt.

Too little water, and we might be a little too stubborn, too resistant, too close-minded.

And then there is Earth. Earth is our foundation, our support system. Earth keeps us present, grounded and rooted. She connects us to family, to community, and to our bodies.

Too much Earth, and we might find ourselves feeling a little lethargic. We might find that we never leave our comfort zone. We live in a little bubble, and we are fine so long as that bubble does not get disrupted. We might feel discomfort when anyone brings up an uncomfortable topic. We might also carry some unconscious biases, racism, even. We may find ourselves falling stagnant in our views and our beliefs.

Too little Earth, and we might find ourselves being a little too flighty. Living in some high-up spiritual realm, but never grounded in reality. People with too little earth might struggle with self-discipline or commitments. They may tend to run away, rather than face their problems head-on.

So now, I’ll invite you to consider: Which elements are strongest in you? Which elements could you use a little more of in your life? Which could use a little bit more balance?

As you think about that, I want to leave you with this.

The disciples in that upper room on the day of Pentecost were afraid. They lacked the fire necessary to burn away their fear. They didn’t have the wind to move them to speak their truth. They didn’t have the water to let that truth flow outward, and they were disconnected from their mission on earth.

But then the Spirit came. Wind and fire descended. And suddenly, those terrified disciples became bold witnesses. The old growth: the fear, the silence, the smallness, burned away. And from that burning, emerged a movement so profound that it spread like wildfire across the ancient world.

That same power is alive in you right now. The wind that hovered over creation at the very beginning, and rushed through that upper room, is moving through your very breath. The fire that purified the disciples is burning in your passion, your purpose, your righteous anger. The water that cleanses and flows is in your tears, your vulnerability, your willingness to open and be changed. And the earth is in your body, your presence, your commitment to community and place.

Each of us is a prescribed burn waiting to happen again and again, moving through cycles of old growth and new growth. And so this week, I invite you to consider: What needs to burn away in your life? What’s keeping you from speaking your truth, from feeling deeply, from showing up fully in your communities? And what new growth is waiting on the other side of that burning?

Because when we tend our inner creation, when we can bring Fire, Wind, Water, and Earth into balance within ourselves, that harmony radiates outward. It infuses everything we do. And that’s how we participate in God’s re-creation. Through the daily, sacred work of becoming more whole, more authentic, more alive to the Spirit moving in us and through us.

May we remember this Divine power and channel it accordingly.

Amen.