Why does Pentecost matter? (3)

Pentecost matters, because it demonstrates the multi-cultural character and mission of the Church of God.

On Pentecost the Holy Spirit empowered the first disciples to speak of the wonders of the Gospel, and particularly of the resurrected Messiah, in many languages. These languages they did not learn in the way we do. It was a miracle that they could (Act 2: 5 – 13) and this wonder was given to the Church that there never will be any doubt in anyone’s mind that the Church that is an instrument in God’s hand, in its purest form is multicultural. This implies that it is linguistically, culturally and racially inclusive.

We are to make a difference in God’s work by amongst other things being a community that draws all people together that share the grace experience of the salvation of God in Jesus Christ. This shared experience of redemption constitutes a community where no other qualification than being saved by grace, can ever be so important that it divides God’s people.

Love that comes about as a gift of the Spirit amongst those who share the grace experience, is described in 1 Cor 13: 4 – 8: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

All people from all cultures are drawn together by God’s love in Christ. Paul writes in Galatians 3:28: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”

There are, by the mercy of God, exceptions, but the Church has in general not done particularly well in living out its multicultural mission in the world.

When we as a congregation worded our first “mission statement” we did say that we wish to set an example in our city and our country of how Christians of a variety of cultural backgrounds can be one church or congregation that demonstrates God’s reconciliation in no uncertain terms in our world and society.

On any Sunday you may find people from 3 or 4 races, speaking up to 8 different languages at home feeling at home at Centurion West Presbyterian Church. Friendships abound, love flourishes and working together seems to rather get easier than harder as time goes by. We need to hold onto this as a precious gift and in prayer maintain our calling to be living examples of the definition of love found in 1 Cor 13. This love is after all, according to Paul, the greatest of all the gifts of the Spirit given to the Church.

Looking at the general church experience around us we do see that to be divided according to language, race, and ethnicity seem to have become the norm to many. But we need to prayerfully protect our multicultural testimony of the unity of the Church of Christ, as demonstrated at Pentecost. It remains God’s standard, even in a racialist society that often breeds the most unkind of nationalisms.

Pentecost matters as it challenges all of us to continuously examine our own attitudes, to reject and repent of any prejudice that prowls within us, and to continue to open our hearts to all people, even when they do not share our language and culture.
Pentecost demonstrates that multiculturalism in the Church is something that the Spirit of God will help us to make work, if we are available to him.