2 Days to Pentecost
In Their Own Words
Shane Stewart
Connections Pastor
Have you ever been travelling in a foreign country when you heard a language from your home country? I’m not sure there’s a sweeter sound in the world than hearing a language you understand, in a place you didn’t expect to hear it. All of a sudden, you’re no longer alone and on your own. There are roughly 7,000 languages in the world, but the language you understand, the language that you learned to speak when you grew up, that language is the sweetest.
The festival of Pentecost was a Jewish festival at the end of the harvest. It was one of three festivals on the Jewish calendar that required everyone to go to Jerusalem. 50 days after Passover, Jews would travel from all over the known world to celebrate Pentecost. In Acts 2:5-13, fifteen different people groups are referenced in this list, from all over the known world, and they are all hearing their own language from people they didn’t travel with!
Isn’t that just like God? The disciples are praising God, and God makes sure that everyone travelling to Jerusalem can feel welcomed and included. It’s a glimpse of heaven, where everyone from every nation, tribe, and tongue will be united by faith in Jesus.
And what was being said during this glimpse of heaven that was happening in Jerusalem? The Galileans (the disciples) were declaring the wonders of God!
In communication, how many times have you been speaking to someone, thinking that you’re communicating clearly, and then they have a lightbulb moment and repeat back to you exactly what you’ve been trying to say? It has happened to me, more times than I care to admit. But that’s the secret of communication, isn’t it? Figuring out a way to say something to someone, so they can understand it.
Application
Today, I invite you to declare the wonders of God – tell someone how good God is! It can be a family member, a friend, a co-worker, anyone! But don’t just declare the wonders of God in a way that you understand – instead, try to figure out a way to say it so that the person you’re talking to can understand it! There’s no need to use words like sanctification, atonement, holiness, or even redemption – not because they aren’t good words (they’re great words), but because most people who didn’t grow up with these ideas don’t know what they mean. Use words like good, kind, loving, forgiving, perfect, peace, gentle, and faithful.
Shane Stewart
Connections Pastor
Have you ever been travelling in a foreign country when you heard a language from your home country? I’m not sure there’s a sweeter sound in the world than hearing a language you understand, in a place you didn’t expect to hear it. All of a sudden, you’re no longer alone and on your own. There are roughly 7,000 languages in the world, but the language you understand, the language that you learned to speak when you grew up, that language is the sweetest.
The festival of Pentecost was a Jewish festival at the end of the harvest. It was one of three festivals on the Jewish calendar that required everyone to go to Jerusalem. 50 days after Passover, Jews would travel from all over the known world to celebrate Pentecost. In Acts 2:5-13, fifteen different people groups are referenced in this list, from all over the known world, and they are all hearing their own language from people they didn’t travel with!
Isn’t that just like God? The disciples are praising God, and God makes sure that everyone travelling to Jerusalem can feel welcomed and included. It’s a glimpse of heaven, where everyone from every nation, tribe, and tongue will be united by faith in Jesus.
And what was being said during this glimpse of heaven that was happening in Jerusalem? The Galileans (the disciples) were declaring the wonders of God!
In communication, how many times have you been speaking to someone, thinking that you’re communicating clearly, and then they have a lightbulb moment and repeat back to you exactly what you’ve been trying to say? It has happened to me, more times than I care to admit. But that’s the secret of communication, isn’t it? Figuring out a way to say something to someone, so they can understand it.
Application
Today, I invite you to declare the wonders of God – tell someone how good God is! It can be a family member, a friend, a co-worker, anyone! But don’t just declare the wonders of God in a way that you understand – instead, try to figure out a way to say it so that the person you’re talking to can understand it! There’s no need to use words like sanctification, atonement, holiness, or even redemption – not because they aren’t good words (they’re great words), but because most people who didn’t grow up with these ideas don’t know what they mean. Use words like good, kind, loving, forgiving, perfect, peace, gentle, and faithful.
Posted in 10 Days To Pentecost