Sounds of Change
Our reading from Acts today begins with the sound of a violent wind. This wind brings people to see what was happening. That is not my experience. Growing up in the midwest I learned that if I heard the sound of rushing wind to run to a shelter not toward the sound. That sound, combined with turbulent clouds, a pressure change, an eerie green light, indicated a major storm, probably a tornado. But I suppose there are not many of those in the middle east. So the people in Jerusalem must check out the cause of this wind. When they get to the source they are confused by what they hear. People talking in their own languages. Luke is quite sparse on the details here. The story starts in the house where the disciples were staying, then they were outside. Were they all speaking at the same time? That is, in the language that the Spirit had given them? It sounds like a cacophonous time. How did anyone understand what was going on?
We lack some of the details about this event because Luke was unconcerned about them. He wanted to make sure the readers of his history of the church understood what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. To be a disciple is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. That same Spirit will bring you to do new things and open up new opportunities to share the good news of Jesus. Luke also is reminding us that there will be a variety of reactions. Some will hear the message. Some will misunderstand the message. Others will ridicule the messenger.
While some have suggested that this account is a reversal of the tower of Babel, it is something far different. That story, probably written as a slight against the Babylonians, assuring the Israelites held in captivity, that God will destroy Babylon and save them. The meaning of this text is that God has opened salvation to all people: Parthians, Medes, Elamites et al. That is good news to us who are not included in Luke’s list.
Today (May 24) we celebrate Ludwig Nommensen (1834-1918), a missionary to the Batak people of Indonesia (1864-1918). The Batak Christians trace their history back to him. He was filled with the Holy Spirit and driven to travel to another country to proclaim the good news of Jesus. Learning their language he translated the New Testament and Luther’s Small Catechism for them. We are surrounded by many examples of the Holy Spirit moving people to proclaim the good news of Jesus. Just look around you. How did you learn about Jesus? Who told you? I would guess the answer would be many people: parents, Sunday School teachers, Pastors, church camp counselors.
They were not perfect people. They made mistakes. It was the Holy Spirit that used those many witnesses to bring you to where you are today – a child of God. Now, even though many of them have put down their weapons of the Spirit and taken up their crown of glory, the proclamation of Jesus still goes on. It is now our task until we receive our crown.