Read Acts 2.
In Genesis ch. 11, there is a fascinating story in which all of the nations of the earth are united in language and purpose. In their Utopian harmony, they purpose to build a tower reaching the heavens. This humanist tower quite resembles a siege tower, storming the defenses of heaven and usurping the throne of the Lord. The Lord sees their plans and simply scatters them across the world, dividing their languages so they can no longer understand one another. While this story may be a bit more mythological explanation than historical account, what we see in Acts 2 is the reversal of this scattering. In Acts 2, a violent wind fills the house and divided tongues of fire rest upon those present. Instead of confusion, as in Genesis 11 at Babel, there is clarity. Jewish people from the far reaches of the Roman empire all hear the wonders of God proclaimed in their native tongues. The giving of the Spirit marks the origin of the church and it functions as a sort of purpose statement for the church in all places for all times. The Spirit descending brings everything together in unison under the Lordship of Jesus. People divided, now united.
Ecclesia, we live in Babel times, divided tongues, and divided lives. Our call as a church is to be uniters, to allow the Spirit to knit us together as people from different races, cultures, backgrounds under the name of Jesus. We pray that as this surprising, inspired movement of the Spirit was foundational to the first church that it will be integral to who we are.
Kommentare