The first Christian Pentecost happens on the Jewish feast of Pentecost, a feast of God’s love and law. Those who believe in Jesus have gathered in one enclosed place. When tongues of fire inflame their hearts, they leave their enclosed place and step among people gathered from all over the world.
In this symbolic world space, they speak in the Spirit of a love that renews the face of the earth. Christ Jesus is the one whose Spirit can fill the hearts of all who seek God. They need only come to the water and be baptized in his name.
The scene Luke depicts reverses the confusion of tongues God created among the people who aspired to build a tower to heaven in the Tower of Babel story (Genesis 11.1-11). In this Old Testament story diverse languages cause dissension, end construction of the tower, and scatter people over all the earth.
In the Christian Pentecost story, language unites in spite of the diversity. People from many nations hear Jesus’ inspired witnesses in a language each understands! This is the language of the Spirit whose fruits are joy, peace, love.
Language has power. Spoken language, body language, written language — all have power to destroy as well as to gather and build up the common good. Language can include or exclude, equalize or discriminate. The language of the Spirit is inclusive, renewing, and creative.
Jesus sends his Spirit.
The day of Pentecost found the men and women who believed in Jesus all together in one place. 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. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. At this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered because all heard them speaking in their native languages.
Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? How is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?
“Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs — in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.”
Acts 2.1-11
- What language does our Church speak?
- How inclusive and gracious are the words we speak at home and work? Where have your words or actions caused unintentional offense? What can you do to break boundaries they have created?
- What reforms of worship, prayer, and ministry do you see the Spirit inspiring in our midst?