- Acts 2:1-21 - Pentecost
- Genesis 11:1-9 - the Tower of Babel
Intro Music: Special Thanks in order to: No Doubt, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Johnny Cash, and Chris Thomas King.
Introduction: Episode 14 - Pentecost C
Acts 2:1-21
Genesis 11:1-9
Pentecost!
- Actually the Greek name for an Israelite festival known as the Feast of Weeks which celebrated the giving of Law on Mount Sinai (including the 10 Commandments).
- Still celebrated today by Jews known as Shavuot - fifty days after the second night of Passover - celebrated by studying and reading the Torah throughout the night
- Why so many were gathered in the Temple
- The feast of Weeks, Shavuot—or Pentecost as it comes to be called in later generations (cf.Tobit 2)—is the third of the three great festivals of Judaism (Deut. 16). Shavuot was a joyful festival, in which the first fruits of the harvest would have been given to God. Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary - Feasting on the Word – Year C, Volume 3: Pentecost and Season After Pentecost 1 (Propers 3-16).
Primary scriptureActs 2:1-21 - The gift of the Spirit
- WORSHIP
- HELP YOUR LITURGISTS
- Read parts in different languages
- Images of red, fire, spirit, doves
- Dance
- Lord’s prayer in each native tongue or other language they know
- HELP YOUR LITURGISTS
- Reversal of Genesis 11? Tower of Babel
- “In a breathtaking reversal of the story of the tower of Babel, when proud humanity was divided by the plurality of languages (Gen. 11:1-9), Pentecost represents the inbreaking of God's purposes for all humanity, bringing humanity together in understanding, despite their differences.” Michael Jinkins - Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary - Feasting on the Word – Year C, Volume 3: Pentecost and Season After Pentecost 1 (Propers 3-16).
- Babel - independence from God - unfaithful self-confidence
- Pentecost - complete faith in God
- However - Babel explains the creation of many languages - Pentecost does not unify everyone under a single language, but creates unity in the midst of diversity
- “In a breathtaking reversal of the story of the tower of Babel, when proud humanity was divided by the plurality of languages (Gen. 11:1-9), Pentecost represents the inbreaking of God's purposes for all humanity, bringing humanity together in understanding, despite their differences.” Michael Jinkins - Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary - Feasting on the Word – Year C, Volume 3: Pentecost and Season After Pentecost 1 (Propers 3-16).
- Evangelism- the ability to carry the message of Jesus to all nations - does not say they can speak all those languages, but says people of other nations can understand their message.
- Message: Acts 2:11 (NRSV)God's deeds of power."
- Commission from Jesus - Acts 1:8 (NRSV)8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
- Message: Acts 2:11 (NRSV)God's deeds of power."
- Easy to dismiss revelation which challenges our world view- “They are drunk”
- Planes Trains and Automobiles clip
- How do we respond to diversity? With dismissal? With fear? With bewilderment awe and amazement?
- Planes Trains and Automobiles clip
- “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh” - Pentecost does not divide the church from everyone else it announces God’s blessing for the world - for all
- Only time this story appears in the Lectionary - Just because you know the story does not mean the people in the pew have every heard it. Even saying something like, “we’ve all heard this story before” is a bad idea, because it alienates those that have not heard it before.
- This happens right after Noah and the flood which was originally meant to “cleanse the Earth”
- Like wanting to have knowledge of Good and Evil, humankind relies on itself over and above God - The people want to “make a name for themselves,” when it is God that makes names for us - Abram to Abraham, etc...
- We are children of Pentecost and children of Babel. We long for the ideal of Pentecost, but we revisit the comfort and predictability of Babel.
- We come from very different walks of life. We are different ages, races, genders, and affectional orientations. We have achieved different educational levels. Different life experiences shape us. Sometimes, when we talk to each other, it is like we are talking in different languages. We live in Babel. We work in Babel. We breathe Babel. We are the children of Babel. Douglas Donley - Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary - Feasting on the Word – Year C, Volume 3: Pentecost and Season After Pentecost 1 (Propers 3-16).
- We are children of Pentecost and children of Babel. We long for the ideal of Pentecost, but we revisit the comfort and predictability of Babel.
- What are the Ungodly monuments that we build today?
- Our Babel component is our First-Worldness, our materialism, our economic and military domination. Our Babel component is everything that built up the Berlin wall, the Israel/Palestine wall, the U.S./Mexico wall, the disputes between Pakistan and India, the former rifts in Ireland and Northern Ireland, the plethora of denominations that seek unity only by throwing others out. Our Babel component is the fact that most Americans can only speak one language and we expect others to learn ours. Douglas Donely - Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary - Feasting on the Word – Year C, Volume 3: Pentecost and Season After Pentecost 1 (Propers 3-16).
- Our Babel component is our First-Worldness, our materialism, our economic and military domination. Our Babel component is everything that built up the Berlin wall, the Israel/Palestine wall, the U.S./Mexico wall, the disputes between Pakistan and India, the former rifts in Ireland and Northern Ireland, the plethora of denominations that seek unity only by throwing others out. Our Babel component is the fact that most Americans can only speak one language and we expect others to learn ours. Douglas Donely - Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary - Feasting on the Word – Year C, Volume 3: Pentecost and Season After Pentecost 1 (Propers 3-16).
Closing
TY: Opening music, Dick Dale and the Deltones, “Misirlou”
TY: Closing music,Paul and Storm, “Oh No”
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