Bible Reading: Acts 2
Acts 2:8-11 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
Some were amazed and some mocked and said the people were drunk! I guess that is the way with all witnessing. Some people listen and others mock. But the truth of the situation was that this was the beginning of what the apostles and others in the upper room had been waiting for – The Promise of the Father. At Pentecost the church was born when they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. This began the mission that Jesus had given them before he ascended up to heaven. They were to be his witnesses starting in Jerusalem and continuing to the uttermost part of the earth.
The mission in Jerusalem was interesting because at that time, Jews lived all over the world. They were in Jerusalem for the Feast of the Lord called Pentecost. They spoke many different languages. When the disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost, they began speaking the wonderful works of God in the languages of the people. Can you see it? One person was witnessing in Hebrew and another was talking to a group who spoke Arabic. There were 120 disciples and they scattered out through the crowd witnessing in the language that people spoke.
It is not coincidence that Jesus is called the Word of God. He is about communication. In his mission to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10), he wants his Word to be heard and believed on in the world. Tongues are languages that are spoken and understood by people. The purpose of this gift is to communicate and to show as a sign to unbelievers that someone is a believer (1 Corinthians 14:22).
Our God confused the languages at Babel (Genesis 11:7-8). He did this so that people would not all work together in their rebellion and false religion. Now he is calling out a people for his name from all the different Gentile peoples of the earth. He wants all to be able to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. God desires communication. Jesus is the Word of God. God gave us a Bible to read and hear his Word.
Who are you communicating with? I pray it is with God in prayer, with believers in fellowship and with the lost as you witness for Jesus Christ.
In Christ,
Rody
