ACTS 2:1-12
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken.7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
ACTS 2:1-12 WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?Springford Baptist Church: May 21, 2023.
We are well aware aren’t we, of all that divides people? Jesus came to draw people to Him and to bring people together. Language is something that can divide people when they do not understand each other. We see here at the miracle of Pentecost that God’s Holy Spirit made it possible for people to hear the wonders of God being declared in their own languages. How will we learn to speak and to act in ways that allow people to feel included not excluded?
We are reminded that instead of a judgmental attitude of “us” and “them”, we as Christian believers are welcomed into an understanding of all being us. We are all sinners and we all need Jesus!
An “Our Daily Bread” devotion reflects on this Scripture from Acts that describes people of many different languages coming together at the time of the Feast of Pentecost. They were coming together because the Holy Spirit was giving the apostles the ability to speak in all different languages and people were amazed to hear their own languages spoken.
The writer of the devotion, recalls visiting a modern art gallery in London England where one piece of art in particular caught his attention. It was a giant tower of hundreds of old radios. Each radio was tuned to a different station and the result was a “cacophony of confusing and indecipherable speech”. What did the artist name this display? “Babel”.
We can think of the Tower of Babel, spoken of in the Old Testament, when God put a stop to the attempt to build a structure to reach heaven. People were given all different languages. “No longer able to communicate with one another, humanity fractured into tribes of various dialects. Divided by language, we’ve struggled to understand each other ever since.”
People tell me that hearing aids have improved over time, but this sounds like what my Mom described when she would be in a crowd and wearing her hearing aids. All the different voices would be picked up and amplified and it was impossible to really understand anyone.
This is a very accurate picture of all the divisions among human beings that threaten peace and we have seen and continue to see the competition and violence that breaks out as a result. We do live in a very troubled world and without Jesus and what He has to offer there really is no hope of people “coming together.”
We are here this morning in Springford to remember that Jesus breaks down divisions and speaks His language of love to each individual!
Notice in our Scripture from Acts that the crowd came together because to their amazement they heard their own language being spoken. (vs. 6) Each person comes to Jesus in his/her own way and Jesus tenderly communicates in a way that each person can comprehend. Our challenge as followers of Jesus is to discover how each person will best hear and receive what Jesus has to offer.
At the nursing home where I am Chaplain, we have a number of residents for whom their first language is not English. Some of them have learned English but revert to their original language. Some are just more comfortable in their original language. Their faces light up when someone (a family member or a staff person) can speak to them in their own language.
Divisions break down when there is understanding and this is what Jesus can bring.
It would be selfish to insist that other people approach Jesus in exactly the same way I do. Imagine if overseas missionaries refused to learn the languages of the people with whom they are sharing the gospel, the good news of Jesus.
The crowd at Pentecost asked, “How is it that each of us hears them in our own native language”? (Acts 2:8)
We can highlight that, “In a world of ethnic and cultural diversity… through Jesus, God is forming a new humanity from every nation, tribe, and tongue.” (Rev. 7:9)
God does continue to break down barriers to bring us together in Jesus!
For those at the Feast of Pentecost when the promised Holy Spirit was sent, it was remarkable to them what they were hearing in their own languages. They marvelled, “…we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues.” (Acts 1:11)
Language is just one barrier to people hearing and receiving the wonders of Who God is and what God has to offer. Consider other barriers to people hearing the wonders of God declared.
If the way that we act is not consistent with the love of Jesus, then whatever is said will be distorted and that will be a barrier to people knowing who is Jesus.
When people do not feel accepted and cared about by us, that will be a barrier to people apprehending the wonders of God and His love for them.
This occasion of different languages being spoken that permitted people to hear and understand the wonders of God was a turning point. This signalled that God had sent His promised Holy Spirit and it would be the Holy Spirit who would assist people with limited human capacity in declaring the wonders of God.
One of the key aspects in declaring the wonders of God in ways that people can receive them is having experienced this ourselves. We cannot effectively invite others to know God and the wonders of Who He is if we have not experienced this ourselves.
When we reflect on God revealing Himself and His wonders through nature; through a time of answered prayers and significant blessing; or through a time when we did not know where to turn, then we have a treasure to share with others.
We are told that the reaction of those who heard the wonders of God being declared in their own languages was this, ‘Amazed and perplexed, they asked each other, “What does this mean”’? (Acts 2:8)
What is your understanding of what this means?
Know that this indisputably means that God is on the scene. This means that God longs for people to perceive His wonders and to know Him. God does not want people to be divided from each other and from Him. The sending of God’s Holy Spirit confirms that God wants to bring people together to know Him and His amazing grace through His own Son Jesus.
After all that Jesus had done in giving His own life for our world, God was not going to permit any barrier to keep people from understanding what had been done out of profound love for them.
As we are committed to becoming more like Jesus, we will out of necessity be committed to breaking down the barriers that divide people.
This happens in seemingly small yet crucial and powerful ways. This happens when we embody the love of Christ in our families and in our communities.
People will be able to hear the wonders of God declared through us if we are empowered by God’s Holy Spirit to be who He daily calls us to be. This will be demonstrated in loving with generosity and determination and regarding each person as deeply loved by our God!