When Confusion Reigns

 WHEN CONFUSION REIGNS – SUNDAY JUNE 8, 2025

 


Acts 2:1-21: “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where (the disciples) were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

5 Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Fellow Jews and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

17 ‘In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
    and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
    and your old men shall dream dreams.
18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
    in those days I will pour out my Spirit,
        and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show portents in the heaven above
    and signs on the earth below,
        blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
20 The sun shall be turned to darkness
    and the moon to blood,
        before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

➖

When I was a child people used to read this story from Acts in different languages on Pentecost Sunday. You know, German, English, French, maybe Spanish. Whatever someone knew. I thought the story was a miracle about the Apostles all of a sudden being able to speak different language. And, that fit with the Church's mission emphasis of the 50s and 60s. I had been taught that it was the Church’s responsibility to take the Gospel to people who spoke different languages. Easy. Mission work is important . . . 

. . . but it’s not what this story is about.

Strangely enough, this story is about confusion. Yes, all those gathered heard the disciples telling of  “God’s deeds of power,” sure enough, but they weren’t converted – they were just “bewildered.”

Well okay, in all fairness the were eventually converted, but not because of this miracle. It takes a clear message from Peter – in “plain English” (if you will) – before they start to understand. The issue is not language. It is the clarity and timeliness of the message! 

So, all those languages, the tongues of fire, and the rush of that mighty wind serve only to get their attention. The experience was confusing, bewildering, strange and weird, but it didn’t convey the Gospel. Only Peter (the Church) could do that.

Now a question. Anything going on these days that’s causing confusion? Any weirdness? You feeling bewildered? Ya!

Let the Church speak with clarity, truth and power.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Prayers of the Church

Image
These are the Prayers of the Church from  Sundays and Seasons  that many ELCA congregations will be using this Sunday, February 9, 2025. (The First Lesson is the call of Isaiah and the Gospel a call to discipleship.) We  are  supposed to amend the prayers to our setting, right? I'm just a guest preacher this Sunday so sort of out of the loop, but is anybody else doing this - I hope? *   *   * "With the Spirit of Christ shining upon us, let us boldly pray for the church, the world, and all of creation. A brief silence. God of surprising abundance, you call your people to enter deeply into the world. Equip us to respond to your call, gather up what we have, and offer it to all.  We lift up especially today the ministries of Lutheran Global Refuge and Lutheran Community Service NW, defunded and told to cease their ministries by our Federal Government.  Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. God of creation, provide protection from the element...
Read more

Now We Start!

Image
 NOW WE START – SUNDAY APRIL 27, 2025 John 20:19-31 “When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”  20  After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.  21  Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”  22  When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  23  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” 24  But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.  25  So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and...
Read more

Fragrance

Image
  FRAGRANCE – SUNDAY APRIL 6, 2025 John 12:1-8: “Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.  2  There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him.  3  Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.  4  But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said,  5  “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?”  6  (He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.)  7  Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.  8  You always have the poor with you, but you do not al...
Read more