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Moore's
Chapel Home Pastors Reverend KyungMo Koo
Audio Sermons
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The Language of FaithActs 2: 1-13
The story is told of two businessmen, an American and a Frenchman, who met on a transatlantic voyage. As the American was seated for lunch with the Frenchman, the Frenchman raised his wine glass and said, “Bon Appetit.” To which the smiling American replied, “Johnson.” Since neither spoke the other’s language, no other words were exchanged during the meal. After same thing happened at dinner, an observant waiter later explained to the American that the Frenchman was saying, “Hope you enjoy your meal.” The next day the American sought out the Frenchman to correct his error. After finding him at lunch, at the first opportunity the American raised his glass and said, “Bon Appetit”—to which the Frenchman replied, “Johnson.” Understanding another language, let alone speaking another language is definitely not an easy job. A woman went to her pastor for marriage counseling, and told him flat out: “I would like to divorce my husband.” To this, the pastor said he had a few questions that would help identify the problems if she would just answer his questions as openly possible. When the lady agreed, he began by saying, “Do you have any grounds?” To which the lady respond, “Why yes we do, we have about ten acres just north of town.” The puzzled pastor asked her, “You don’t understand. What I want to know is do you and your husband have a grudge?” The lady answered, “Actually we don’t, but we do have a nice carport.” “No, ma’am,” said the pastor, “that’s not what I mean. One more question: Does your husband ever beat you up?” “Beat me up? Oh, no. I get up before he does just about every morning.” In complete exasperation the pastor said, “Lady, you’re not listening to me. Why are you having trouble with your husband?” “Well,” replied the lady, “the man just doesn’t know how to communicate.” These stories tell us how hard it is to communicate not only between foreigners but even between people who speak the same language. Today, we celebrate Pentecost Sunday, during which early Christians communicated, fully understood, and praised God with one voice, even as they talked to each other in different languages. The disciples had gathered in Jerusalem. Jesus had instructed them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the gift that the Father had promised. So the disciples waited. It was now 10 days after Jesus’ ascension and 50 days since the Resurrection of Jesus (Pentecost means ‘fifty’). It was the time of the feast of Passover. Passover was the custom of the Jews to celebrate two things at this time: the first fruits of the Harvest, and the giving of the Law by Moses on Mount Sinai. They called it the Harvest of Weeks. So the disciples found themselves surrounded by travelers from all over the world. The Jews had come back home to participate in this agricultural and religious Festival. Some had come from Europe, some from Asia, and some from Africa. Many different nationalities and languages could be seen in the market places. As disciples gathered together in one place, before all of those people, something began to happen. There was a very loud sound like a strong wind blowing. It was probably not movement of air, but a sound like that of wind. The wind is a good analogy for the Spirit. It is not seen, though its effects are, and it can be found everywhere in never-ending supply. Then they saw what looked like flames moving around everywhere. The little flames began to settle down above the heads of all the people there. With a mighty display of wind and fire, God gave the Holy Spirit to the believers. An even stranger thing happened. Everyone began to talk in different languages. Newly filled with the Holy Spirit, these believers received the ability to speak in other languages. They all could speak in languages previously unfamiliar, not their own language with which they were familiar. They spoke differently. Many people from different countries and who spoke different language experienced this and were surprised, “we thought they all came from Galilee. Since when can they talk our languages?” This is like suddenly... Ross can speak French, Bob can speak Chinese, and Trixie can speak Greek. No one had to speak in the same language, they were speaking unfamiliar words but yet they could even hear and understand each other. Because of this others simply saw and misunderstand them as drunk with new wine. Whenever I celebrate Pentecost, I think of the language of faith. Have you thought about the language that is used in Heaven? Do you know what language is now used in Heaven? Latin? Greek? Hebrew? French? Korean? Or English? I have no clue about that. Probably we will speak with the gift of Tongues. However, one thing that I know clearly is that there is no problem to communicate between American Christians and Hispanic Christians and Chinese Christians. Because we will use the very special heavenly common language (the language of faith) and because our Lord Jesus Christ we will fully communicate each other. When I think of the scene of meeting and communicating with Christians from different countries without any difficulty or interpreter, my mind is full of expectation and joy. Through the Pentecost event, God created a new language, but it was a language that was more than words. What was created there was not their own language or dialect, but a common language with which to understand each other. Since the event of the Tower of Babel, human language has been divided and separated and blocked in communication. At Pentecost, however, the newly created language was the language of faith. On that day, the church was born in the telling of the story of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the gifts of listening to and proclaiming the mighty act of God in Jesus Christ, a new community was created, an alternative community. In the Holy Spirit, the diversity of tongues does not end up in confusion but turns into the blessing of sharing the good news. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit drew the family of God together and broke down the walls of misunderstanding and confusion. It became instead a community whose memory of its Savior creates the miracle of being a people whose very differences contribute to their unity. We call this new creation and new community, church. Luke tells us that on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit started the new movement of the church by inspiring the 120 disciples to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ in the language of other people. From the beginning, the church was an understanding, receptive, inclusive, and loving community. Egerton Young was the first missionary to the American Indians. In Saskatchewan he went out and told them of the love of God. To the Indians it was like a new revelation. When the missionary had told his message, an old chief said: “When you spoke of the Great Spirit just now, did I hear you say, ‘Our Father’?” “Yes,” said Young. “That is very new and sweet to me,” said the chief. “We never thought of the Great Spirit as Father. We heard him in the thunder; we saw him in the lightning, the tempest and the snow, and we were afraid. So when you tell us that the Great Spirit is our Father, that is very beautiful to us.” The old man paused, and then he went on, as a glimpse of glory suddenly shone on him. “Missionary, did you say that the Great Spirit is your Father?” “Yes,” said the missionary. “And did you say that he is the Indians’ Father?” “I did,” said the missionary. “Then,” said the old chief, like a man on whom a dawn of joy had burst, “you and I are brothers!” In the world there is division between nation and nation, between race and race, and between language and language; in the nation there is division between class and class, between man and woman, and between party and party. There can never be one nation; there can never be one class, and there can never be one body or community. The only thing which can cross the barriers and wipe out the distinctions, is the gospel of Jesus Christ telling men of the universal fatherhood of God. It is only in Jesus Christ that the world can become one. Pentecost is the official birthday of the church. It was an Old Testament festival day, celebrating the first fruits of the harvest. But it took on new meaning for Christians as the day the church received the gift of the Holy Spirit, marking the birth of a new Christian community. Historically, it commemorated Moses receiving the Law on Mount Sinai. For Jews, Pentecost has become the day of receiving the Torah; for Christians, Pentecost is the day of receiving the new Torah, the Gospel. We have to remember that the first Christian church on Pentecost was a community of understanding and receptive to all, a gathering of people who are accepted and embraced, a group full of love and reconciliation even though they are all different; coming from different cultural or racial backgrounds, using different languages and religious traditions, and having different personalities and customs. I believe that is the unity of the Christian community and was the spirit of the church on Pentecost. |
Audio
Link: The Language of Faith