The Story that is for All Nations

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 was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine” (Acts 2:5-13).

Jesus had promised that faithful disciples would receive power to be His witnesses… “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). When the promise was fulfilled at Pentecost, the first work of the Spirit was empowering the disciples to proclaim… “the mighty works of God” in languages they had never learned so that the many foreigners gathered in Jerusalem might hear in their own languages. Truly the gospel is the mightiest work of God and this story is to be proclaimed throughout the whole world so that everyone has a chance to respond… “This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). Today the Spirit reveals some important truth about the story that is for all nations.

God’s story is reported to all races. Jesus gave the disciples one primary mission… “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). He wants us to tell everyone His gospel story. Paul shared his passion for telling the gospel story with the exhortation… “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). Sharing God’s story is done in many corporate ways, through evangelists preaching to crowds, missionaries penetrating foreign cultures, and local churches touching lives in their communities. But the gospel story is shared most effectively as we share our personal testimony about how God’s story has changed our story.

God’s story is received by the reverent. The Holy Spirit compelled Luke to note that among the Jews dwelling in Jerusalem… “there were devout men from every nation under heaven.” These were pilgrims who travelled far to celebrate the feast of Pentecost, compelled by their devotion to God, His temple, and His people. The Lord met them there with the disciples’ joyful and miraculous proclamation of His mighty works and they heard God’s story clearly in their own language. The devout hearts of these pilgrims gave them ears to hear the message of God. We are reminded of Jesus’ exhortation to each of the seven churches of Revelation… “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7). We are encouraged by God’s promise to make His words known to those who have a heart fully devoted to Him… “If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you” (Proverbs 1:23). The key to hearing God speak is a fully devoted heart.

God’s story is rejected by the ridiculer. Not everyone heard the story. There were… “others mocking” that falsely accused the disciples of being drunk. God’s story did not find a home in their rebellious and ridiculing hearts. Jesus encountered the same reaction as He shared God’s story… “Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires” (John 8:43-44), and He prepared His disciples for this kind of reaction to God’s story, quoting the prophet Isaiah… “For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them’ (Matthew 13:15). Hearing God’s story requires the kind of devout heart that only God’s grace can ignite.

As we grow up into Christ, we become more earnest and effective in telling…

The Story that is for All Nations.