Language of Love 爱的语言
Dexu Xia
All . . . were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:4
Today's Scripture Acts 2:1-12
Today's Insights An unusual thread—language—connects Acts 2 to the story of the tower of Babel. “The whole world had one language and a common speech,” says Genesis 11:1. The citizens of Babel said, “Let us build ourselves a city, . . . so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth” (v. 4). God “confuse[d] their language” (v. 7) and “scattered them from there over all the earth” (v. 8). At Pentecost (Acts 2), people from many different nations and languages miraculously heard the good news of Jesus in their own tongue. By giving people understanding instead of confusion, God reversed what He’d done at Babel. In Acts 1:8, Christ had said, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Pentecost launched that worldwide mission of believers telling others of God’s love
Today's Devotional Mon Dieu. Lieber Gott. Drahý Bože. Aγαπητέ Θεέ. Dear God. I heard French, German, Slovak, Greek, and English prayers echo through the central Athens church as, in unison, we prayed in our native languages for people in our home countries to hear of God’s love. The beauty of the gathering was magnified when we realized our gathering was happening on Pentecost. In the Old Testament, Pentecost was a harvest festival celebrated fifty days after the Passover festival (Leviticus 23:15-21). On the first Pentecost following Jesus’ death and resurrection, believers gathered in Jerusalem. Suddenly a sound like “violent wind” came, and “what seemed to be tongues of fire” appeared as they were filled with the Spirit and “began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:2-4). Visitors from other nations heard “the wonders of God” in their own language (v. 11). Then, after Peter “addressed the crowd” (v. 14), many believed the message that Jesus was crucified and raised to life to offer forgiveness (vv. 22-41). The multilingual prayers of the ministry leaders assembled in Athens reminded me that Peter’s message heard at Pentecost continues to be shared around the world, and people are still responding in faith.
Let’s pray for the Spirit to empower us like the early believers in Jesus at Pentecost to tell of God’s love. And let’s pray for the message to be heard in every language spoken around the world.
Reflect & Pray
When did you first hear of God’s love for you? How can you pray for others to hear?
Holy Spirit, please empower me to share God’s love。Lisa Samra
所有……都被圣灵充满，并按着圣灵的能力，开始说起别国的方言来。使徒行传 2:4
今日经文： 使徒行传 2章1-12节
今日心得： 一条不寻常的线索，语言，将使徒行传第2章与巴别塔的故事联系在一起。创世记11:1说：“那时，天下人的口音、言语都是一样。”巴别的居民说：“我们要建造一座城，……为要传扬我们的名，免得我们分散在全地上。”（第4节）上帝“变乱他们的言语”（第7节），并“使他们从那里分散在全地上。”（第8节）
在五旬节（使徒行传第2节），来自不同国家、使用不同语言的人们奇迹般地听到了用自己的乡音讲述的耶稣的福音。上帝让人们明白，而不是让他们困惑，从而扭转了祂在巴别塔所行的。在使徒行传1:8中，基督曾说：“你们要在耶路撒冷、犹太全地和撒玛利亚，直到地极，作我的见证。” 五旬节开启了信徒向他人宣扬上帝之爱的普世使命。
今日灵修：亲爱的上帝。愿上帝赐福于我们。我听到法语、德语、斯洛伐克语、希腊语和英语的祷告在雅典中心教堂回荡，我们齐声用母语祷告，愿我们祖国的人们也能听到上帝的爱。当我们意识到我们的聚会是在五旬节举行时，聚会的美好显得更加浓烈。在旧约，五旬节是一个丰收的节日，在逾越节（利未记23:15-21）后50天庆祝。
在耶稣死而复活后的第一个五旬节，信徒们聚集在耶路撒冷。突然，一阵仿佛大风的声音响起，又有“舌头仿佛火焰”显现，他们被圣灵充满，“按着圣灵所赐的口才，说起别国的话来”（使徒行传 2:2-4）。来自他国的访客听见信徒用自己的乡音讲“神的奇妙作为”（11节）。之后，彼得向众人讲道（14节），许多人信了他讲的耶稣被钉十字架和复活是为众人赦罪（22-41节）。
聚集在雅典的宣教领袖们用多种语言祷告，让我想起彼得在五旬节所传讲的信息，如今仍在世界各地传播，人们仍在凭着信心回应。 让我们祈求圣灵加给我们力量，就像五旬节早期信耶稣的人一样，去传扬神的爱。也让我们祷告，愿这信息以全世界所有语言被人听到。
反思与祷告 你第一次听到神对你的爱是什么时候？你该如何祷告才能让别人听到？ 圣灵，请赐予我力量，让我能够分享上帝的爱。作者 丽莎·萨姆拉