Children's Message 5/31/20

"On the Job Training"

May 31, 2020

Acts 2:1-21

2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

We are celebrating today Pentecost, so we are talking about other languages. I have dictionaries in other languages so I could lead today's message in another language. Let's begin. "Jesus liebt Dich. Er ist der einsige Weg!" "J'esu vous aime. Il est le seul moyen!" "Jesucristo te ama. Es el unico camino!" Did you understand my message? It was, "Jesus loves you. He is the only way!" Even if you recognized a word or two, it would be difficult to understand a long message without knowing the language well. I will continue in English so you can understand.

Learning a different language takes study and practice. The disciples didn't have time for study or practice. They had a job to do. People from many different lands were in Jerusalem for a special festival. The time was perfect to begin spreading the good news about Jesus. Read the passage above from Acts chapter 2.

When God sent the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, He miraculously provided everything the disciples needed for their job. God even provided an audience that was ready to hear the Good News about Jesus. God enabled them to do what they could never have done on their own. He gave them power, courage, and the language skills to reach the many different people in Jerusalem that day.

God's Good News of forgiveness in Jesus is for everyone. Even today, God wants to save all people. People of different cultures, ages, and levels of income. People who do good things and people who do bad things. All of them, all of us, are sinners in need of God's mercy and forgiveness. Among these different people are individuals whose hearts God has prepared to receive the Gospel. We are the ones He will use to tell them the Good News that Jesus has taken away their sins.

God will equip us as He did the disciples. He will give us power, courage, and skills to talk to others about Jesus. They may speak the same language as us. However, even if they are different in some ways, God will use the Holy Spirit to help us share God's love and grace with them. He will help us say and do things we could never have done on our own. We will care for others, telling them the message, "Jesus loves you. He is the only Way!"