Languages.

Acts 2:4

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

God performed a great miracle in the early church. The Bible says of the apostles on the Day of Pentecost that, “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2:4, NIV) God empowered the apostles to speak other languages in order to advance the gospel.

This isn’t a miracle we need in today’s world. The Church speaks every language in the world. We speak more languages than the United Nations. But there is a deeper truth from this passage.

From the very beginning of the Church, God expected us to share the gospel in many languages and through many channels. You probably don’t realize it but you know many different languages. Even if you don’t have different dictionaries or grammars for them, you still speak these languages on a regular basis. For instance, if you are a mom of a preschooler, you can talk with other moms of preschoolers like no one else can. If you’re a baseball fan, you can talk to other baseball fans in ways other people can’t. If you’re an engineer, you understand other engineers.

The gospel is for everyone. We need to use every communication channel at our disposal to share it with those who need to hear it. The languages you speak aren’t just the ones codified in dictionaries. Every interest you have can be a vehicle for the gospel. Every commonality you share with a friend can be an opportunity for you to tell them about Jesus.

You have interests and experiences that you’ve probably never considered using for sharing the gospel. On the day of Pentecost, God distributed the gospel among every language in attendance. He wants to use every language the Church has at its disposal today too.

What languages do you speak that God could use to share the gospel?