Sermon based on Acts 2:1-21 Pentecost
Let’s
talk about the art of communication. I
might be a little focused on this topic, since it is what we devoted
significant time to at the St. Alban’s Leadership Team workshop last weekend. One
of our goals was to begin to develop a communications plan for the church. But it is also relevant to our readings today,
not to mention, life.
I
believe communication is vital to life and as vital as it is, it is also one of
the most complicated parts of living.
For
example, when I do premarital counselling there are two topics that require significant
time with the couples: Communication and
Conflict Management. I bet every one of
us here would agree that these are two of the most important things for a
healthy relationship.
I bet
we all can remember many times in our relationships where we have failed at
each, also.
Sometimes
we just cannot reach another person because we don’t know what language to
use. Because each of us has a different
life experience, we might interpret words differently or have emotional
responses to those words. Sometimes it
isn’t just the words, but the method the words are shared. Is it easier to contact you by phone, email
or text?
Sometimes
it isn’t the words at all, but the way the words are spoken. We all have had emails and some of us have
had texts that do not truly express the emotions or tone or emphasis of the
sender. Even a hand-written letter has a
better opportunity to express all those things but can still be misinterpreted
or misunderstood.
In
other words, our intent, our true message may not get the impact or response we
expected.
Throughout
history, storytelling, or oral tradition is a way to keep people informed. In the Bible, we see the stories in print,
but we miss out on so much because we are so far removed from the context—from the
time the stories were told and retold with animation, expression and
emotion. We also miss out because we are
reading interpretations of words from languages – dead and alive – that we
cannot fully understand.
Now, I
love words. If you’ve ever spent much
time with me you might have noticed I like to paint a picture so that you have
a good idea of what happened or to explain how my thoughts or experiences have
led me to this place at this time. My intent
is to inform, the impact may be boredom or impatience just as much as it might
be clear understanding of the message and a better way of knowing me.
The
reality is that we are all different and need different words, different
expression, in essence, different languages to help us truly communicate
with one another. My words might not be
as clear to you as I think they might be.
Same
goes for anyone’s words or use of language.
You
might have noticed that we didn’t have a second lesson this morning. I planned this intentionally. We are going to hear the second lesson as a
part of this sermon to help illustrate how different interpretations of the
same scripture might illicit different comprehension.
I’ve
asked Bethany, Joan and Dennis to read three interpretations of our lesson from
Acts. Each version is sanctioned by the
Episcopal Church for use in a service.
Bethany will go first, reading from the Common English Bible
Next,
Joan is going to read from the New Revised Standard Version which is what we
typically read on a Sunday morning.
Thank
you.
With a
show of hands, which one of these interpretations was clearest for you? The one Bethany read? Joan’s interpretation? What about Dennis’?
Let’s
dig a little deeper.
For most
of the years our family worshiped at our church in Minnesota, the worship team
asked people who knew languages other than English to read this lesson from
Acts in those languages, all at the same time, to help the congregation feel
the sound of many languages spoken at the same time.
It was
chaotic. It was hard to hear any one language
or to really understand the message that was being shared. The idea was that we were participating in
the movement of the Holy Spirit in this space.
And it worked to help us understand the diversity of voices.
I loved
hearing the languages. I loved learning
that Pentecost is referred to as the birthday of the church. Both of our kids were baptized on Pentecost
Sundays because I believe this was a day that expressed the breath of heaven,
the Holy Spirit’s fire, the spreading of God’s love, on earth.
What
it never did for me was help me hear the message.
In
this lesson from Acts, the point is not that the disciples of Jesus were able
speak in a variety of languages. The
point is that because they were speaking in a variety of languages,
others could hear the message of Jesus.
The barriers
of different cultures and language needed to be destroyed. The stories and ministry and miracles of
Jesus could only be understood when told in the culture and language that listeners
could hear.
To
teach about God’s love to the world, to tell the Good News about Jesus, to
spread the word across the world, those who knew all about these things had to
talk in the languages most familiar to those who needed and wanted to hear.
The
story of Jesus was for the world, and those who knew it had to find ways to
tell it to people who spoke different languages and experienced different
cultures.
Even
now, we need to tell the love of Christ to the world in the broad, diverse,
unique languages of the world.
For those
of us who speak English, even we need to have accessible language to hear the
message.
I’ve
been asked why there are so many interpretations of Scripture, and I believe
this is part of the reason why. The
other is that over time scholars and researchers’ study to better understand
the nuances of the recorded words. They
look at what was happening in history so that we can have a better idea about
the historical references. They look at
how communication styles, like sarcasm or humor, might have been used.
It’s
like reading Shakespeare verses going to a Shakespeare play. If you’ve ever done that, you know that
hearing and watching the play is far more enlightening and entertaining than
reading it, especially when reading it in Old English.
St.
Alban’s is a worship community filled with uniquely diverse people who each bring
ideas and experiences that help us know God, live like Jesus and feel the power
of the Holy Spirit. Even if we are
fluent in English, we still comprehend through the lenses of our own experiences
and history, so we will not all hear in the same ways.
Because
each of us is different, we will each interpret scripture in ways that fit with
who we are and who we’ve been and who we hope to become.
With
all that explanation, will you be so kind as to show me, now with a little more
context, which of the interpretations read today was most meaningful for
you? Your response will help me decide
which versions we will use for the next few months in our worship.
Bethany’s
Common English? Joan’s New Revised Standard? Dennis’ reading of The Message? Thank you.
Let us
pray.
Holy
One, you have given us a variety of ways to hear your word. Help us to discern what your messages mean to
us today so that we will grow in our faith and understanding of you in the
world. Use us to help others know you. Guide our language, our words, our tone, to
spread the Good News as the early disciples did. Holy Spirit, give us the words to say that will
help people hear the love of God and the grace of Jesus Christ. Because we want the world to know that God is
love, in every language. Amen.
[Note: The overwhelming choice was The Message]