Romans 8:14-17 and Genesis 11:1-9
As we continue following the Lectionary, we come today to “Pentecost Sunday,” when we celebrate the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon the Church.  The most obvious thing about Pentecost is that it is the “Anti-Babel” of God, that is, God’s reversal of man’s rebellion, with its consequent confusing of the languages of mankind, which we see in our Old Testament reading.  But, there is a personal aspect of the work of the Holy Spirit that should be dear to the heart of the believer, and that is his work of assuring us that we are, indeed, the children of God, as we see in our New Testament reading.  Paul says that because of the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer, we need not be “a slave again to fear,” because we have, “received the Spirit of sonship.”  This is a profound need in the heart of all believers who take seriously the call to live the life to which we are called in Christ. How very often we fear that we are not living up to God’s standards.  How often we fear that we are not, in fact, children of God - after all, how could we go on sinning as we do?  And so God gives his Holy Spirit to give us assurance as he applies the gospel to our hearts.  “By him,” says Paul, “we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”