In Our Own Language

Overview

In Our Own Language: Pentecost and the Church's Voice

Acts 1 left us with a church that was obeying and praying, immersing itself in Holy Scripture, and submitting to apostolic authority. The replacement of Judas mattered precisely because the apostles were the ones entrusted to receive, declare, and preserve the Word of God. Acts 2 now opens with a flurry of meaningful numbers: the fiftieth day after the resurrection, the tenth day after the ascension, the eleven restored to twelve, the 120 gathered, the third Person of the Trinity poured out, and three miracles unfolding together in one great event.

Three Miracles, One Outpouring

The first miracle is auditory: not an actual hurricane, but a sound like the rush of a violent wind that filled the house Acts 2:1-2. The second is visual: divided tongues as of fire resting on each believer Acts 2:3. Fire is often associated with judgment in Scripture, but here it signifies the sanctifying, purifying work John the Baptist promised when he said the Coming One would baptize "with the Holy Spirit and fire" Luke 3:16. Through Word and Sacrament, the Spirit conforms believers to Christ.

The third and primary miracle is verbal: the believers spoke in other languages as the Spirit gave them ability Acts 2:4. The wind-sound and the flames are secondary—divine attention-getters that draw the crowd. The heart of Pentecost is speech: God filling His people so they declare His mighty works. That devout Jews "from every nation under heaven" were present Acts 2:5 is itself a fulfillment of prophecy—a foretaste that all nations would comprise the church.

Galileans with a Message

The crowd's astonishment carried an edge: "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?" Acts 2:7. City dwellers regarded rural Galileans as uneducated commoners—recall Nathanael's "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" John 1:46 and the dismissal in John 7:52. Yet these very Galileans were heard proclaiming "God's deeds of power" Acts 2:11 in some fifteen languages: creation and its preservation, the formation of a people, and the birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and return of Jesus Christ—the gospel that our sins are atoned for in His blood and cast as far as the east is from the west.

The Tongue Set Apart for Christ

James 3 reminds us that the tongue is a small member with enormous power—it can bless or curse, build up or burn down. From the same mouth ought not to come both. The tongue can also hide in silence when words most need to be said. Pentecost is God's answer: the Spirit loosens the tongues of ordinary believers to speak extraordinary news.

Do not expect the Spirit to grant you a foreign language you've never studied. Do expect that, through Word and Sacrament, the Spirit fills the church and empowers her to speak the deeds of God. The world needs our words—our gospel words. At week's end, ask honestly: did I speak more about the Super Bowl, or about my Savior? Church, do not be silent. Speak.

Transcript

Would you open your Bible please with me to the second chapter of the Book of Acts as we pick up from where we left off last week as we moved out of the first chapter of the Book of Acts. 0s

Remember there are three fundamental points to summarize the first chapter of the Book of Acts. 12s

First is that the people were obeying and they were praying. 19s

Weren't they? Secondly, the believers were immersing themselves in holy scripture. So they were obeying and praying. 23s

They were immersing themselves in holy scripture in the third aspect that we saw. 32s

Is they were submitting themselves to apostolic authority. 37s

Remember when Judas died, we betrayed Jesus and then he went and he committed suicide. 42s

The 12 now had become 11. So there needs to be a replacement for Judas. 48s

We examine the scriptural criteria there for Judas' replacement. Why was that so important? 54s

Because the apostles were those that would receive the Word of God, the clear the Word of God, right down the Word of God, approve that which is the Word of God. 61s

It is a critical, critical role that the apostles play. 71s

So in the first chapter then, they were obeying and praying. They were immersing themselves in holy scripture. 76s

And they were submitting to apostolic authority. 83s

Now we move into the second chapter of Acts for a few weeks. 88s

Numbers are an important thing. 94s

Just to look at some of the numbers in association with Acts. 97s

The coming of the Holy Spirit comes on the 50th day after the resurrection of our Lord. 104s

It's 10 days after His ascension. 112s

The 11 have become 12. 117s

The 120, which made up the church, has gathered once again. 121s

You've got the outpouring of the third member now of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit. 127s

And you've got three miracles in Acts 2. 135s

So let's look at the three miracles. 144s

We begin in verse 1. 147s

When the day of Pentecost had come, that's the 50th day after the resurrection, 148s

they were all together in one place, suddenly from heaven. 153s

They came a sound like the rush of a violent wind. 158s

And it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 163s

This is miracle number one. 168s

The sound is it a literal expression here of wind. 170s

I would like some hurricane moving through the house. 175s

There? No. 177s

Look here at the preposition. A sound like the rush of a violent wind. 179s

So as incredible, loud sound here fills the house where the believers were. 186s

That's miracle number one. 193s

Miracle number two. 195s

Verse three. 197s

Divided tongues as of fire appeared upon them and a tongue rested on each of them. 199s

That's a little bit of a flame. 207s

No. 212s

Because the scripture says divided tongues as of fire appeared upon them and a tongue rested on each of them. 213s

Interestingly, fire is oftentimes associated in scripture with judgment. 223s

Not so here. 230s

Remember what John the Baptist said in Luke the third chapter. 232s

He said, I'd baptize you with water, 236s

but one who is more powerful than I is coming. 239s

I'm not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. 242s

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. 247s

And let's see next week. 251s

Fire. 255s

Fire. 256s

So as the Holy Spirit comes upon now the believers. 257s

This is not the act of judgment. 261s

This is the sanctifying and the purifying work of the Holy Spirit. 264s

This is the Holy Spirit making the believers to be more and more like Jesus Christ. 271s

But the Holy Spirit does to word and sacrament. 278s

As he makes us to be more and more like Jesus. 281s

So miracle one is the sound. 285s

Miracle two is the appearance of these divided tongues of fire. 288s

And now miracle three. 294s

Verse four. 296s

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the spirit of the Holy Spirit. 298s

And gave them a ability. 308s

That's the primary miracle, doesn't it? 312s

It was a secondary miracle. 314s

The sound is a secondary miracle. 315s

The appearance of tongues as a fire. 318s

Secondary miracle. 321s

This is the primary miracle. 322s

Okay, so we have our numbers now. 327s

Fifty days after Easter. 330s

The Holy Spirit comes. 333s

It's ten days after the ascension. 334s

The 11 have become 12. 336s

The 120 are gathered together. 339s

The third member of the Trinity is being poured out. 344s

There are three miracles. 348s

All of these numbers. 351s

But you simplify it down to this. 353s

This is one big event. 355s

Isn't it? 359s

It's one big event. 359s

Next verse. 365s

Verse five. 366s

Now, there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 367s

Why is that important? 377s

Every word of Scripture is precious. 379s

So why is that important? 382s

Because it was the prophetic word that all nations would comprise the church. 385s

That's why that's there. 394s

That's just a fulfillment here of prophecy. 396s

A foretaste of what is going to come. 399s

Verse six. 403s

And that this sound, the crowd gathered and was bewildered because each one heard them speaking. 406s

In the native language of each. 415s

Papers six answers and other questions for us. 420s

Could the Holy Spirit have come in a much quieter manner? 425s

Sure. 431s

So why is there all of this drama in associated with the coming of the Holy Spirit? 434s

Why is there the loud sound in the house? 441s

Why is there the appearance of the tongues as a fire resting on all of them? 444s

Specifically, why is there that loud sound? 450s

First gives us the answers. 454s

And at this sound, the crowd gathered. 457s

So what was the purpose? 463s

This is simply a divine attention getter. 465s

God wants a crowd and so God pulls a crowd together. 470s

Why? 478s

What is that loud sound? 479s

And they go right to the sound. 481s

Next verse, verse eight. 486s

Or verse seven. 489s

Amazing astonished they asked. 491s

Are not all these who are speaking, 494s

Galileans? 498s

Are not all these who are speaking, Galileans? 500s

Frankly, that's a shot. 504s

That's what it is. 508s

It is a insult. 510s

You see the city dwellers believe that the rural Galileans were just ignorant, uneducated 512s

commoners. 521s

And so that's why it says in verse seven, 524s

amazed and astonished. 527s

Amazed and astonished. 531s

They asked. 534s

Are not all those who are speaking, Galileans? 536s

Think back to John 1. 541s

Scripture says, fill it found the manual and said to him, 544s

we have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote. 546s

Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth. 551s

Nathaniel said to him, can anything good come out of Nazareth? 554s

Or John 7? 560s

Surely. 564s

You are not also from Galileo. 566s

Are you? 568s

Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galileo? 570s

That's why they were absolutely. 578s

Amazed and astonished. 583s

That the uneducated commoners were the ones speaking in all of these languages. 586s

What would have been their language, the language would have been aromack, 599s

would some of them have been familiar with Greek? 601s

Sure. 603s

Would some of them have been really proficient in Greek? 604s

Absolutely. 608s

You have got the apostles here that are profoundly proficient in Greek that recorded the 608s

Gospels here that recorded here is glorious word for us. 617s

Indeed, there was proficiency. 622s

But what amazed? 624s

They are amazed. 626s

Got this group of Galileans. 630s

And they are just speaking in all of these languages. 632s

Got the appearance then of the Holy Spirit, 636s

the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. 640s

And notice how the Holy Spirit comes. 642s

The presence of the Holy Spirit is communicated. 645s

You see it. 648s

You hear it. 651s

And it's spoken. 654s

See. 657s

Here. 659s

Speak. 662s

And what did they say in all those languages? 666s

God gives us the tongue. 677s

God gives us the tongue the speak. 680s

Doesn't it? 684s

Words can be profoundly beautiful, majestic. 686s

Words can embrace. 695s

Words can caress. 698s

Words can can build up. 701s

There are other words that is exact opposite. 706s

What's that opposite? 712s

Words can be used to destroy. 715s

Words can be used to tear down. 717s

Words can be used to demean. 720s

I think of James, the third chapter. 723s

There is scripture says this. 728s

Or look at ships, though there are so large that take strong winds to drive them. 732s

Yet they are guided by a very small rudder, 737s

wherever the will of the pilot directs. 741s

So also the tongue is a small member, yet at most of great exploits. 744s

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire. 750s

And the tongue is a fire. 755s

Verse 10. 759s

From the same mouth, cum blessing and cursing my brothers and sisters, 761s

this ought not to be. 766s

So the tongue can be used to speak beauty. 772s

And the tongue can be used in such obvious. 778s

And so often there needs to be the words that come forth. 787s

And the tongue can be silent. 793s

The tongue can hide behind the teeth in the darkness of cavity 798s

with the cursed lips forming this barrier of silence. 806s

But there are times when words need to be shared 814s

and they need to be said, there are times that bang for speed. 818s

Why we can be filled with such good news? 829s

And yet we can be so quiet about it silent because we're afraid of how the words might be received. 832s

In the chapter that bears the number two of acts. 851s

What did they say when they spoke? 859s

Look with me, please, at verse 11 of chapter 2. 868s

Second part. 873s

We hear them speaking about God's deeds of power. 876s

There were 15 different languages spoken by Gess who the Galileans, 889s

15 different languages and what they're speaking about as the people here in their native language. 899s

What they're hearing is the mighty deeds of the power of God. 906s

What are the mighty deeds of the power of God? 911s

Well, it would be the power of God expressed in creation and the preservation of creation. 916s

It would be the expression of the birth of a people through whom the Messiah would be born. 922s

It would be the birth and the life and the death and the resurrection and the ascension and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. 928s

Glorious, beautiful words, words of the gospel of Jesus Christ that their sins had been atoned for through his shed blood, 937s

that the rift that had come about because of the reality of sin was healed through the cross of Jesus Christ. 949s

The glorious words of the gospel of Jesus Christ, 958s

including the words of absolute for those times. 965s

When the words that tumble out are ugly, 976s

that the blood of Jesus Christ embraces all of our sins, 984s

including the words that we say, 991s

I wish I could have that back. 995s

And those words have been cast as far as the east is from the west. 1003s

Those words are now covered with the blood of Jesus Christ so that we have been made wide as Scripture says as the drifts. 1009s

Those words, covering by the grace of Jesus. 1019s

Pastor Thomas Long, 1030s

tells a story of a confirmation class he was teaching he had three girls in the confirmation class. 1033s

He was teaching about the seasons of the church here. 1039s

And as he was teaching he got the pentacost and he asked he said, 1043s

Do you know what the beginning of the season of pentacost was? 1047s

Well, all three of them they shook their head. 1053s

Two of them didn't look really too terribly interested in it. 1056s

But one pastor Long says was listening to every word that I was saying. 1058s

Pastor Long said, oh, my pentacost was a very, very special time in the church. 1066s

The whole church was gathered and the Holy Spirit came and it was just a deafening sound. 1072s

Like the rush of a mighty wind and he says as the church was gathered these tongues as a fire rested upon people. 1079s

Because it was an amazing, an amazing day in the life of the church. 1087s

And the one girl, a girl who was really tuned in, she raised her hand and said, 1094s

and I loved her response. 1101s

Oh, pastor, I'm so sorry. I'm a semester that Sunday. 1103s

You see, it was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit of old. 1111s

And it's the outpouring of the Holy Spirit today. 1117s

Do not expect that the Holy Spirit will empower you to speak in a foreign language that you have not studied. 1123s

In fact, I'm going to show you as we go into Acts as we get into it farther. 1133s

Why you should not expect that? Do not expect it. 1137s

But expect this. 1142s

That through word and sacrament, the Spirit is poured out and the church is filled with the Holy Spirit. 1145s

The church is empowered to do what? 1151s

To speak the deeds of God, to speak the deeds of God. 1157s

Church, speak, speak. 1169s

Do not leave this place today and be silent about Jesus Christ this week. 1180s

Because the world needs our words. 1188s

Ask yourself at the end of this week. 1194s

Did I speak more about the Super Bowl or my Savior? 1197s

Ask yourself that. 1203s

Because you see, the world needs our words. 1206s

It needs our words. 1215s

It needs the words of the gospel. 1217s

Empowered by the Spirit. 1225s

Church. 1230s

Speak. 1234s

Speak. 1238s