Tomorrow is the Lord’s Day. Pentecost, an OT feast that was resurrected and transformed by Christ’s death and resurrection. The celebration of harvest began the harvest of the nations, bringing people from the ancient world to the Savior, uniting them with one voice in the worship of the Triune God. The Church is to be truly Pentecostal, though that name has come to be associated with a particular church tradition and a particular view of the charismatic gifts that our congregation (and the historical Church) does not affirm. Nevertheless, there is a real sense in which we are, and ought to be, pentecostal in our identity, worship, and witness to all the nations.
When Christ sent the Spirit to indwell and empower his Church on earth, the curse of Babel began to be reversed. Confusion became confession. Separation became reconciliation. Rebellion became repentance and reverence. That is what we celebrate on Pentecost: the coming of the Spirit, the blessing of the Spirit, and the in-gathering of the nations.
As we meet together for worship tomorrow, we come as people from very different places, backgrounds, and experiences. Yet that diversity is transcended by a greater unity we have found in Christ, a unity of faith, forgiveness, and filial love to the God who has redeemed and reconciled us by the blood of his Son. We have been taught the language of Zion that we may share together in prayer and praise. We have been adopted into God’s family, being formerly orphans and strangers. We have been given a place to sit on Mt. Zion when we once tried to build a tower and climb into heaven by our own efforts. Babel was a place of judgment, but Pentecost has brought salvation to those who had been scattered far and wide.
Now that we are able to understand one another’s speech and relate to one another, what are we to talk about? Like the apostles, God has loosed our tongues that we might proclaim the wonderful works of God! We are to be stewards of the gift of language by speaking of heavenly things, praising God for his goodness and calling one another to faith and obedience to the true King, God’s own Son.
May the Lord bless us with joy as we enter into his courts tomorrow. Come with thanksgiving and praise. The Lord is gathering the strangers from all nations into glory. He has poured out his Spirit upon us all. Let us come together and shout his praise! --JME
