Proclamation:
“All
of them were filled with The Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as
The Spirit enabled them … When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in
bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken.” Acts 2:4-6 (NIV)
Explanation:
These
words were written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy
Spirit of God. When the day of Pentecost
came, they were all in one place and on one accord. There was a sound like a blowing violent wind
and they saw what appeared to be tongues of fire which came upon each one of them. Each of the 120 men and women in the upper
room (Acts 1:13-15) was filled with The Holy Spirit and began to speak in
tongues (Acts 2:4) and each person in the crowd that gathered heard them in
their own language. (Acts 2:6) The crowd
included people from the surrounding areas who spoke different dialects and
languages. (Acts 2:8-11) Three thousand
people joined the church that day (Acts 2:41) and The Lord God adds to the
church daily as He sees fit. (Acts 2:47)
Application:
All
believers are filled with The Holy Spirit of God. (Romans 8:9) Today, however, there seems to have been a
misunderstanding of “speaking in tongues.”
Speaking in tongues means speaking in a foreign language or dialect,
usually an ancient one, without having learned or been taught the
language. It is done for the benefit of
someone who speaks and understands that language or dialect to help the church
grow. When one is given the gift of
speaking in tongues it is for the edification of the church and there should be
someone else there who has been given the gift to interpret tongues so that the
church is edified. (1 Corinthians 12:28-30 and 14:4-5) If one is speaking in tongues in order to
speak to God, that is not necessary for He speaks and understands all
languages. Prayer can be in any language
or utterance. If we are not speaking to
God, then our spoken words should be helpful to someone (Colossians 4:6) or
they should give God glory.
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