Pentecost Listeners

Have you realised that a lot of speaking is going on at this specific time? I don’t know about the protocol, manners or consideration of listener and speaker, but it seems to me that all of what is happening, have these non-disciples of Jesus speaking all at once.

Is this not the picture painted for us in the Scriptures? Outside of the place where the disciples of Jesus are gathered, a crowd is gathering.  The sound, the talk that is coming from the upper room, where the believers in Jesus are, has drawn these non–disciples to them. As they come closer, they each can understand exactly what is being said. They understand, for the people inside are speaking their language. Yes, outside the place where the disciples are receiving the promised gift from the Father, a bewildered crowd has gathered. Some are curious, some make fun of it and still others are fixed and transformed in mind and heart.

Let’s Look – This crowd is not made up of disciples of Jesus, who are in Jerusalem on the command of Jesus. They are not from Galilee, but from different countries, far and near. They have not seen the Risen Jesus.

Let’s Listen – This crowd is speaking all at the same time and speaking in different languages at that. Indeed, many different tongues can be heard speaking and asking the same question, what does this mean?

Let’s Learn – This crowd is gathering, and only come together, in this particular spot to form listeners, because of the Work of the Holy Spirit. We all must agree that they are together, because the Holy Spirit has come to ordinary people, Galileans, and has done the most unbelievable thing through them. They are a bewildered, perplexed and amazed gathering of people, confounded by the miracle which includes them and involves them so fully.

What then are we learning from the crowd at Pentecost? For one thing, every person who witnessed the evidence of the coming of the Holy Spirit, did not receive the outpouring in the same way. Too many people are led to feel that because they do not speak in tongues, the Holy Spirit has not filled them, and they do not have Him within them. As a direct and unfortunate consequence, many feel left out and excluded even, because others, who do speak in tongues, make them feel ‘less’ than, and not a part of.

Our hope comes when we have our memories activated, as we by faith remember these Jews, this crowd of people from all over, who had come to celebrate the feast, and they too shared in the miracle of Pentecost in a most transforming way. They were not excluded! They were included, in their hearing of those who were speaking.  Is not the miracle of Pentecost, people speaking, enabled by the Holy Spirit and others hearing of the wonders of God, also enabled by the Holy Spirit? Nothing of Pentecostal enabling is natural; it’s all supernatural. Nothing of Pentecostal empowering is of flesh; it’s all Spirit. Nothing of Pentecostal acts is human; it’s all divine. This is all the unaided work of the Holy Spirit, who has so brought people together to listen, that they are taken by what they are hearing.

Non-disciples share this miracle at Pentecost, for they are included. There is guaranteed hope for you in Pentecost.

May the Holy Spirit ever help us to know and live the solid fact that Pentecost is still about speaking and hearing, all personal and individual experiences. Amen!