Bible Leads is a rendering of my sermon preparation: researching facts & cross-references, drawing up connections through personal experiences, art and music and discerning the essence of the text.
Text
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.’ All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’
- Concerning “Jews from every nation”: Genes Tell Intricate Tale of Jewish Diaspora.
- The Lord’s Prayer in Many Tongues (via Ginghamsburg)
- Fitting Two Languages into One Brain
- Pentecostalism of Aimee Semple McPherson (OnBeing podcast)
Reflection Questions
- What have been God’s deeds of power in your life? In what ways are you telling these stories?
- In what ways do today’s Christians suffer from “translation issues”?
- What would it mean for you to live as if the Holy Spirit is truly resting upon you?
- In what ways ought the church respond to scoffers who dismiss the validity of our faith?
Image
Pentecost Light, by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P.
Soundtrack
1. Best I Can, by Queensryche 2. Shining On Through, by Jimmy Lafave 3. Long as I Can See the Light, by Creedence Clearwater Revival 4. Tornado, by Jonsi 5. Wide Eyes, by Local Natives 6.Today’s Undertaking, by M. Ward 7. Maid with the Flaxen Hair, by Claude Debussy 8. Carrying a Torch, by Van Morrison 9. Jesus, etc., by Wilco 10. I’m On Fire, by Bruce Springsteen
YouTube Playlist || Spotify Playlist
Haiku
Still burning / Cool, but warm enough / for caring
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