Lost in Translation |
Acts 2:1-21 |
I’ve told you before about how inept I was and am when it comes to the study of Mathematics. All through school, it was my least favorite subject and the bane of my existence. But that’s not to say that it was the only class in which I did poorly. I’m sorry to say that there was another subject that caused me nearly equal amounts of angst and anxiety. That subject was Spanish. There was just something about the inflexibility and rigidity, (not to mention the memorization) involved in both subjects that absolutely drove me crazy. Which in turn caused me to drive my teachers crazy as well. In much the same way that I used to suggest to my math teachers that 2 plus 2 should equal 5 once in a while to keep things interesting, when things got too difficult in Spanish, I would just take an English word, stick an El in front of it and an O on the end and figure that this should be easy enough for anyone to understand.Today I might say, “El Sermonoesmuybonita!!”But as it turned out, Senorita Laishley didn’t find my Spanish to be so bonita. In fact, the poor, beleaguered gal finally just resorted to calling me El Stupido. And I probably deserved it. The truth is, foreign languages confuse me. Like watching a DVD with the French language option selected, or tuning in to some crazy variety show on the Spanish speaking television network I watch these people, and I can understand a little bit of what is going on. Here and there I might even be able to pick out a few words that I recognize. But ultimately, there is always something lost in translation, and I don’t understand what is going on. This confusion of language, these barriers to understanding that are created by our choice of words is really just indicative of the confusion and misunderstanding that exists between human beings on so many different levels. This lack of human understanding is sadly, and particularly true in the realm of religious thought and practice. Millions of people all over the world seek to worship God, yet it seems that noone can agree on how that should be done. Thousands of religions, millions of denominations and sects and splinter groups all of whom are saying that they are in sole possession of the voice of God. All around the world there are millions of people, many of whom are arguing, name calling and firing missiles at one another, in the name of God, and in the pursuit of proving that they alone are right. But this, obviously is not God’s design for the creation. Unity, defined by a deep sense of caring and understanding is at the heart of God’s will and God’s design for the creation. And we can see it lived out here in this story of the birth of the Christian Church at Pentecost. Just look at the way that God’s church is described at her birth. “All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” 1:14 “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.” 2:1 “Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.” 2:5-6 As we discussed at our men’s breakfast this past Wednesday morning, so great was the spirit of unity, unselfishness and love amongst the members of God’s newborn church that in Acts 4:32-37 we are told “Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet; and distribution was made to each as any had need.” So great was the unity of the Christian Church that day that they shared everything….EVERYTHING. And no one was in need. It’s hard to imagine such a thing. So hard in fact, that the other people in the community that were watching the actions of these early followers of Jesus thought that they weren’t right in the head. You see, these people were so accustomed to fighting and bickering and selfishness that the only thing more confusing to them than the misunderstanding that permeated their world was the understanding that filled these young Christians. In fact, the Christians’ spirit of unity and caring and compassion was so confusing to the people around them that the only reasonable explanation that they could come up with for this strange behavior was to declare that they must be drunk. “But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” Vs. 13 Today people might say, “What are THEY smoking?” And that’s true,this way of thinking and living doesn’t make sense to the logical mind. But you see, these early Christians weren’t thinking logically. They were thinking theologically. Look at the word theology and you’ll understand what I mean. The prefix Theo means God, and Logy means to study. The problem with purely logical thinking is that it doesn’t leave room for God. But when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, they began to no longer think logically, but rather theologically. They were filled with God, and their thoughts, their words and their actions gave evidence. It was a new way of thinking, and acting. So new was this way of living that it required a new language. And I’m not just talking about the miraculous way in which the folks who gathered at Pentecost “each heard them speaking in his own language” I’m talking about what they said in terms of the way that they lived and acted from that day forward. At Pentecost, they began speaking a new language. But it was a language not so much of the mouth and tongue, as it was a language of the heart and soul. It was the language of the Holy Spirit who filled them so completely that they were overflowing with the compassion and understanding of God. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine a world filled with such trust and understanding that everyone single one of us could share everything in common? Can you imagine a world where everyone loves his or her neighbor as his or her self? Can you imagine a world so united that never again would names be called or blood be spilled because of one’s ethnic, political, or religious identity? Can you imagine a world that unified? God can. And God created it once upon a time on the day of Pentecost. And although the soundtrack of the history of the Christian Church since that day has been marked by the sound of things coming apart, it appears that there might just be some glimmer of hope on the horizon. For in contrast to the sound of things coming apart, there is a new sound beginning to emerge, it is the sound of peace and harmony, it is the sound of people declaring the love of Christ in a language that all can understand. I have told you before aboutthe Emergent church movement, this gathering of mostly younger Christian people who are seeking a new way to organize and live out their faith in the modern world. One of the most heartening things about this movement is their powerful desire to focus on and to build upon the things that unite us, rather than to fixate on and argue over all he little things that threaten to break us apart. This past January over 15,000 Baptists from all around the world gathered to celebrate a new covenant that will among other things “Promote peace and justice, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, care for the sick and marginalized, welcome the strangers among us, and promote religious liberty and respect for religious diversity.” There has even begun a dialogue across the boundaries of the worlds’ major religions seeking a way to Coexist with love and respect in a complicated world. God is calling us back, it seems to a world where we all speak the same language, the language taught by the Holy Spirit, the language spoken by God’s gathered people at Pentecost. God is calling us to speak the language of love. And when you speak with love, there is nothing lost in translation. |