The Birthday of the Church!
Reflection: I haven’t done a whole lot of traveling outside of the U.S., but for those who do and go to a country that speaks a different language, you know the challenges inherent in that. Many study the language of the foreign country they are going to be able to communicate and get where they want and what they need. Today in the book of Acts, we see the Day of Pentecost, a Jewish holiday also called the ‘festival of weeks”, when all Jews from around the world would come to Jerusalem to celebrate the harvest feast. It was a feast 50 days after the Passover, which recounted 50 days from the giving of the Law to Moses on Mt. Sinai after the Exodus. Pentecost was one of 3 main festivals Jews were required to go to Jerusalem to celebrate.
But today we see how God used Pentecost to become the “birthday” of the Church. Jesus breathed on the disciples the power of the Holy Spirit, and now as they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke in tongues (gk. Glossolalia)of the languages of those who were gathered. Though later “tongues” would be used for other purposes of edification (see 1 Corinthians 12-14), the first purpose was a proclamation of the Gospel in the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. How else could these Galileans speak the foreign languages of all those gathered unless God had specifically given them this ability?
The outcome was that some were curious and others sneered and remarked, “They have had too much wine”. Obviously there was quite a commotion caused by this. Over the years there have been many debates over the use of “tongues” and their relevancy for the Church today. Some think this was only a gift for the apostolic era and teach against any modern day use of the gift of “tongues”. Others actively pursue this gift on a regular basis, and in Pentecostal churches speaking in tongues is normal part of the gathered community.
My observation would be how can Christians be more aware and more reliant of the power of Holy Spirit as they communicate the gospel to those who have not yet heard. As God gives us the opportunity, the Holy Spirit works through us to communicate the Gospel in ways that are relevant to people. A lot of people are reluctant to share their faith thinking they will get it wrong or say the wrong thing. Yet, I have found as one relies on the Spirit to give testimony to what God has done in your life through Jesus, the words flow in a way that you can tell it is not your own power or ability but God’s.
Are you likely to start speaking in other languages so people will hear the Gospel? Probably not, but I would never rule out God’s power to do whatever He wants with whatever means! But can God use you to communicate the Good News to people in your context under the power of the Holy Spirit? Definitely!
Psalm 140:1-5
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 Rescue me, Lord, from evildoers;
protect me from the violent,
2 who devise evil plans in their hearts
and stir up war every day.
3 They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent’s;
the poison of vipers is on their lips.
4 Keep me safe, Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
protect me from the violent,
who devise ways to trip my feet.
5 The arrogant have hidden a snare for me;
they have spread out the cords of their net
and have set traps for me along my path.
2 Kings 6:24-7:20
7 Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.”
2 The officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?” “You will see it with your own eyes,” answered Elisha, “but you will not eat any of it!”
The Siege Lifted
3 Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.” 5 At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there, 6 for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!” 7 So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives. 8 The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also. 9 Then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace.” 10 So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them, “We went into the Aramean camp and no one was there—not a sound of anyone—only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents left just as they were.” 11 The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported within the palace. 12 The king got up in the night and said to his officers, “I will tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know we are starving; so they have left the camp to hide in the countryside, thinking, ‘They will surely come out, and then we will take them alive and get into the city.’” 13 One of his officers answered, “Have some men take five of the horses that are left in the city. Their plight will be like that of all the Israelites left here—yes, they will only be like all these Israelites who are doomed. So let us send them to find out what happened.” 14 So they selected two chariots with their horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean army. He commanded the drivers, “Go and find out what has happened.” 15 They followed them as far as the Jordan, and they found the whole road strewn with the clothing and equipment the Arameans had thrown away in their headlong flight. So the messengers returned and reported to the king. 16 Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So a seah of the finest flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, as the Lord had said. 17 Now the king had put the officer on whose arm he leaned in charge of the gate, and the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died, just as the man of God had foretold when the king came down to his house. 18 It happened as the man of God had said to the king: “About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.” 19 The officer had said to the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?” The man of God had replied, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!” 20 And that is exactly what happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died.
Acts 2:1-13
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
2 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 Rome 11 (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?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. Psalm 18:30
Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.” Luke 12:22-23
Jesus, you are the bread of life. Let us be fed with strength and grace and no longer hunger for that which we do not need. Let us drink from the river of life and be satisfied. Amen.
But today we see how God used Pentecost to become the “birthday” of the Church. Jesus breathed on the disciples the power of the Holy Spirit, and now as they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke in tongues (gk. Glossolalia)of the languages of those who were gathered. Though later “tongues” would be used for other purposes of edification (see 1 Corinthians 12-14), the first purpose was a proclamation of the Gospel in the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. How else could these Galileans speak the foreign languages of all those gathered unless God had specifically given them this ability?
The outcome was that some were curious and others sneered and remarked, “They have had too much wine”. Obviously there was quite a commotion caused by this. Over the years there have been many debates over the use of “tongues” and their relevancy for the Church today. Some think this was only a gift for the apostolic era and teach against any modern day use of the gift of “tongues”. Others actively pursue this gift on a regular basis, and in Pentecostal churches speaking in tongues is normal part of the gathered community.
My observation would be how can Christians be more aware and more reliant of the power of Holy Spirit as they communicate the gospel to those who have not yet heard. As God gives us the opportunity, the Holy Spirit works through us to communicate the Gospel in ways that are relevant to people. A lot of people are reluctant to share their faith thinking they will get it wrong or say the wrong thing. Yet, I have found as one relies on the Spirit to give testimony to what God has done in your life through Jesus, the words flow in a way that you can tell it is not your own power or ability but God’s.
Are you likely to start speaking in other languages so people will hear the Gospel? Probably not, but I would never rule out God’s power to do whatever He wants with whatever means! But can God use you to communicate the Good News to people in your context under the power of the Holy Spirit? Definitely!
Psalm 140:1-5
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 Rescue me, Lord, from evildoers;
protect me from the violent,
2 who devise evil plans in their hearts
and stir up war every day.
3 They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent’s;
the poison of vipers is on their lips.
4 Keep me safe, Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
protect me from the violent,
who devise ways to trip my feet.
5 The arrogant have hidden a snare for me;
they have spread out the cords of their net
and have set traps for me along my path.
2 Kings 6:24-7:20
7 Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.”
2 The officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?” “You will see it with your own eyes,” answered Elisha, “but you will not eat any of it!”
The Siege Lifted
3 Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.” 5 At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there, 6 for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!” 7 So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives. 8 The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also. 9 Then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace.” 10 So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them, “We went into the Aramean camp and no one was there—not a sound of anyone—only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents left just as they were.” 11 The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported within the palace. 12 The king got up in the night and said to his officers, “I will tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know we are starving; so they have left the camp to hide in the countryside, thinking, ‘They will surely come out, and then we will take them alive and get into the city.’” 13 One of his officers answered, “Have some men take five of the horses that are left in the city. Their plight will be like that of all the Israelites left here—yes, they will only be like all these Israelites who are doomed. So let us send them to find out what happened.” 14 So they selected two chariots with their horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean army. He commanded the drivers, “Go and find out what has happened.” 15 They followed them as far as the Jordan, and they found the whole road strewn with the clothing and equipment the Arameans had thrown away in their headlong flight. So the messengers returned and reported to the king. 16 Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So a seah of the finest flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, as the Lord had said. 17 Now the king had put the officer on whose arm he leaned in charge of the gate, and the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died, just as the man of God had foretold when the king came down to his house. 18 It happened as the man of God had said to the king: “About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.” 19 The officer had said to the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?” The man of God had replied, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!” 20 And that is exactly what happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died.
Acts 2:1-13
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
2 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 Rome 11 (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?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. Psalm 18:30
Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.” Luke 12:22-23
Jesus, you are the bread of life. Let us be fed with strength and grace and no longer hunger for that which we do not need. Let us drink from the river of life and be satisfied. Amen.
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