Pentecost #3 - Tongues
Acts 2:1-21
Some people find the story of Pentecost quite difficult & disturbing - why?
I think because the Bible says that the Holy Spirit (HS) came & the disciples heard saw & experienced the HS.
They are all gathered on the day of Pentecost in prayer & HS came both audibly & visually.
Audibly - sound like a mighty rushing wind - so loud attracted people in Jerusalem.
Visible - resting on each like tongues of fire.
Like a rushing wind & like tongues of fire – language prevents them from being any more precise – they just can’t get words out to describe what they see & hear.
To what effect! Initially the text tells us they spoke in different languages & proclaimed gospel in the native languages of the many peoples gathered there.
Here is where I have found some folk have major league problems with Acts 2, & perhaps you today have always discounted this as a fanciful story or such like because your modern worldview won’t allow you to believe it to be true.
So a question: do we believe it?
We are given all sorts of information by all sorts of people & organisations – at the end of the day we all have a decision to make – do we believe the facts that are presented to us.
Before the Iraq war did the government tell us the truth about WMD in Iraq or did they spin the facts? Blair & Bush say they told us the truth - other voices saying didn’t. History doesn’t seem to help because on one side we see the reluctance of Saddam to allow inspectors in, while on the other the lack of WMD found since tells a different tale.
So it all comes back down to who do we believe, & how you answer that will depend on how reliable we consider the source to be – so we trust Blair?
Exactly the same thing was going on here with this text before us today - Do we trust it? Today I want us to think about that & hopefully God willing the HS will aid our voyage of discovery.
At the end of the day the claims of Acts 2 are incredible because such a diverse list of nations listed: Parthia & Medes – to the East – would have included north of modern day Turkey. Elamites – modern day Iran while Mesopotamia, Phrygia & Asia Minor – now inside modern day Turkey. You all know where Judea is/was! Cappadocia – ancient kingdom in Asia. Pontus - another powerful Asian kingdom. Pamphylia & Crete in the Med while Egypt, Libya & Cyrene in Africa. Visitors from Rome would have been Latin speakers & Arabs – Saudi / Gulf area.
How could 12 & more mostly uneducated folk from an obscure part of the Roman Empire be able to speak to such a diverse group in all their native languages?
Many scoff at this account – come up with alternative explanations like: emotional furore got the better of them – like in a whirling trance they are able to overcome their fears & started telling people of gospel & they all spoke normally just that exaggerated account later.
Or they memorized the speech in different languages for the express purpose of telling the good news to different people - not to fool but simply to tell – then years later those who witnessed saw as miraculous & so described it in terms we have.
Or the example the text itself gives us – they are drunk!
People then & now look for excuses & explanations because the answer the text offers is so difficult – what is they answer? God did it!
They spoke not gibberish but in definite languages to underline & proclaim so powerfully that this Gospel is for all people’s. Please don;t get sidelined & miss this point.
Out of fear people explain away the coming of the HS which may do justice to our modern worldview – but does it do justice to Luke’s telling of history as he & his witnesses experienced it?
PAUSE
The Bible said the HS came - haven’t suggested Neil said or Wesley or some expert that these things happened. Not saying out of 100 people surveyed so many believe like on ‘Family Fortunes’. If it had just been that then we could far more easily explain it away.
You could say well that Neil has a vivid imagination or Wesley must have misunderstood. But the point is that the Bible said it & real issue here is do we trust the Bible more than the opinions of our friends, experts, or 4 out of 5 Methodists surveyed? The issue is do we really believe the Bible?
Before you all think I’ve gone off the deep end I’m not talking about some blind unthinking literal belief.
You will have heard me say before I hope that God gave us brains & He expects us to use them. Yes of course some of the Bible is poetic - says God will cover us with his wings (Ps 36:7), which doesn’t mean God is a great big chicken! No it poetically expresses the idea of God protecting us.
Some of the Bible is fictional stories or parables told to illustrate a truth, so Jesus said, "There was a man who had two sons" – He is clearly not reporting an actual incident but telling a fabulous fictional story that illustrates the love of God.
Some of Bible clearly presents itself as parable BUT Acts doesn’t.
Acts claims to be history. Luke states at the beginning that he is attempting to describe the course of events as they have been told to him by the eyewitnesses
The question isn’t this is poetry or parable but do we believe Luke & his witnesses?
If it were just some guy named Luke we could question his motives – after all Luke’s motives are clear: he wants people to believe in Jesus, but what Luke wrote is not just Luke’s words - part of the Bible: God’s Word. So do we trust it not to lead us astray - are we willing to accept what it says?
It is very important for our everyday life for this is such pivotal point in history of universe. The day the HS was poured out first upon the disciples at Pentecost isn’t poetic expression but historical report.
The HS gave the disciples abilities they previously didn’t have i.e.: gave them the ability to speak in other languages.
This means that God does come into people’s hearts and lives and change them - not matter of the disciples discovering a hidden confidence in Jesus that led them to go out into the street. They all lived in terrible fear before the HS gave them the courage to go out into the street to proclaim the Gospel – it is laughable to suggest that they unearthed some hidden linguistic potential – the Spirit did it! God gave them abilities they didn’t already have - But why?
To answer that need why question we have to understand that up till this salvation has been for one race of people – the Jews. His mercy might have extended to others but the primary message of hope & love was always for the Jews alone. Until now. Until now HS only ever came upon an individual for a specific task or role. Until now.
Now at this pivotal point in history the HS comes on humanity. Not just the men – not even just the traditional 12, but all of them were gathered & "all of them" were filled with the HS & they began to speak in other tongues. This "all of them" included a number of women named in Acts 1:14 & those who had gone to the tomb & others including Mary the mother of Jesus.
As an aside isn’t it wonderful to be able to note that women were among the preachers proclaiming gospel that Pentecost.
The Bible clearly says that in the last days – in other words the last era – the HS will be poured out on all flesh & sons & daughters will prophesy.
Equally revolutionary this Pentecost is the reach of the gospel message, for now the gospel will be preached & heard & understood by both Jews & gentiles – today at Pentecost hundreds of each will be born again.
That is why HS fell in this way, & this miraculous ability to speak to all the nations present underscores the gospel message of the universality of salvation. It is NOT a pretend or con communication but real living languages are used by God to communicate His love.
There must be no mistake – this gospel is earth shattering in its scope. It isn’t just for the Jews or just for the whites or just for our own. The text will not allow such perversions. It reaches Arabs & Africans, Europeans & Asians – it reaches all.
It is for all people & all will not only be offered salvation – they will be able to by the power of the HS understand it & receive it.
God still does that – pouring out the HS on us & all disciples & drastically changes them from the inside out - if we are willing to let Him.
Don’t believe all this because I said it or because the Methodist Church says it - believe it because the Bible said it – because HS assures you of its truth.
When the message was spoken in tongues it was heard & understood but that wasn’t the end of the miracle that day. For HS caused the loving message of Jesus to be received into the lives of these men & women & children.
Today you me & all people need to make that same step. Have you asked Jesus into your heart? Have you made him Lord of your life? Have you personally and publicly committed your life to him? If not then do it today!
Bible, not Neil or church, but God’s word says that God pours out his Spirit upon those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. Not those who attend Church or pay the right collection – but those who confess Jesus as Lord & receive Him by the HS into your life.
Bible also says then the HS comes into your life & changes you - giving you abilities you never had before, faith you never had, strength you never had, & ability to love like you never have before.
2000 years ago on the day of Pentecost HS poured out on the followers of Jesus & "all of them" proclaimed the Good News to the people in the streets. God how we need that to true for our generation – dear God drive us onto the streets!
Don’t miss this opportunity to invite Jesus by the power of the HS to enter into your life & transform you from within. Don’t let this moment pass you by – allow the HS to supernaturally transform your faith for God’s glory - now & forever
Amen.
