Acts 2:1-8, 11b-12, 14a, 16-17a, 21 - When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? ... We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God." And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" ... But Peter ... addressed them: "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, ... this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: "'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh ... And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.'"
I love this story, because in it we see God beginning to put our broken world back together again. You remember the story in Genesis of how people were building the Tower of Babel and God came down and confused their language? Everybody had to stop working on their ridiculous building project because they couldn't understand each other; and they all moved away to live with the only people they could find who still understood them.
But look at what God is doing on Pentecost! He starts with the followers of Jesus "all together in one place," waiting; and then He sends the Holy Spirit. And the first thing the Spirit does is to make it possible for them to speak in all different languages, and for what? So that all the foreign visitors in Jerusalem could understand them when they started telling about Jesus!
No doubt some of the people who heard them went home again shaking their heads. But at least 3,000 of them stayed and believed in Jesus, who died and rose again to save us all—everyone who will trust in Him. Those 3,000 stayed together, even after they finally left for their homes far away—because now they were part of God's building project, the baby Christian church.
That is the unity God planned for all of us—that we should all be one in Jesus (see Ephesians 1:10). We can't bring it about—but the Spirit can and will. Because Jesus died and rose for us, the human family that broke into pieces in Eden will be healed and united in Jesus once again.
WE PRAY: Dear Lord, make us one in You. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. What command were the people breaking when they tried to build the Tower of Babel? See Genesis 9:1 and 11:4.
2. Why do you think God chose to give the first Christians the ability to speak other languages instead of simply reversing Babel so everyone could understand everyone else?
3. Why do you think God chooses to build up the redeemed human race with people of every language and nation?
Today's Bible Readings: 2 Samuel 15 Psalms 3 Psalms 69 John 4:27-54
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