All the Power We Need

Familiarity can lead us to miss the true significance of this event, as can a preoccupation with details such as the nature of speaking in tongues. This outpouring, the inauguration of the new age of the Spirit, is the fulfillment of both Old Testament prophecy (as Peter will make clear) and Jesus’ promise. Pentecost is a particularly appropriate time as it was originally a harvest festival. Harvest is a common picture for the ingathering at the end, and as we enter the end times, the harvest begins. Pentecost had also become associated in Judaism with covenant renewal. The new covenant has already come into effect, but here it is demonstrated more publicly.

At Babel men arrogantly reached for God. Here as they humbly wait for God, the effects of Babel are reversed. The nations, scattered and divided by language, are gathered and hear the glories of God in words they can clearly understand. There could be no clearer indication of the fact that the good news knows no bounds: “The major point of all this is that the Spirit overcomes all barriers, even of languages, to witness to the various parts of the known world, even to ‘the ends of the earth’” (Ben Witherington). Like the early Christians, we may not fully grasp this, but the Spirit is never limited by our lack of understanding or lack of vision. He is, as we are constantly seeing, the Spirit of mission, and we are invited to join him in that mission.

None of this guarantees that people will instantly respond favorably to the call of God. Now, as then, some seeing the demonstration of God’s power and hearing the praise of his grace are amazed and perplexed. They will hear the explanation and respond. Others dismiss the phenomenon. It is ever thus. The “god of this age” is always active.

Let today’s reading suggest ways of praying for those you know who are engaged in some form of cross-cultural mission.