Pentecost: More than just an outpouring!
Pentecost is a wonderful opportunity for us to pause, recognise and celebrate the outpouring of the Spirit and the birth of the Church! But as we do this, we should also note that every major advance of the gospel and growth of God’s mission has taken place across a boundary/barrier of diversity. This is true whether we engage with God’s mission through the OT or NT (especially Acts).
Acts 2:5 (NRSV) tells us there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven… and later in the same passage, the crowd declares, we hear them (the disciples) declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!’ In other words, at the birth of the church God doesn’t obliterate difference, instead the followers of Jesus develop the ability to communicate across difference and the Holy Spirit empowers them to speak or to at least be heard in different languages…
He even throws in a few extra tongues for good measure!
Diversity and Collaboration are inherent in the nature of God. In Genesis 1, God makes this profound theological statement: ““Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.….“
—Genesis 1:26, 27, 28, NRSV
Right from the very beginning of the creation we discover that God is not ‘me’, but ‘we’, God is community and collaborates. Some call this the circle dance of God or perichoresis. In addition, the God who is ‘we’ did not send a committee or a solo act, but a male and female team to collaborate and it was good… Until, of course, it wasn’t good, and it all went wrong (but that’s another story)!
God’s plan for diversity, inclusion, belonging and equity was evident from, ‘in the beginning’.
In Genesis we discover that God loves variety and Acts 17:26 (NRSV) tells us, From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live…
God’s plan for His people and his church has always involved what today we call diversity, inclusion, belonging and equity
As we’ve seen, this plan was also evident at the birth of the Church… so perhaps, predictably, it should not surprise us that this plan is also evident at the end…
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’
-Revelation 7:9
In this apocalyptic, literally ‘curtains drawn back’ moment, the writer sees and hears the distinctives of nations, tribes, peoples, and languages with his own senses.
There is diversity as every nation, tribe, people and language are represented before the throne and people of different cultures, ethnicities, and more who share a common identity as human beings, as saints and worshippers of God, are neither assimilated nor homogenised.
There is inclusion in the fact that every nation, tribe, people and language are valued enough to be included in this scene before the throne of God.
There is belonging as everyone is depicted as equally important members of the company of saints as ALL are ‘wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands’.
There is equity, impartiality and fairness marked by a lack of status, priority or superiority.
And just in case you’re wondering, Rev 7:9 (incidentally, one of my favourite bible verses) isn’t just God’s end game, it’s also God’s now game! Jesus taught his disciples to pray ‘on earth as it is in heaven’.
We have an opportunity to become part of the answer to the very prayers Jesus has commanded us to pray…
‘On earth as it is in heaven’ is a prophetic commitment to work with God’s original and final intent. It sends a message to the whole of creation and we at Next Leadership are signed up to God’s prophetic commitment.
Over the next few weeks, we will be show casing Pentecost good news from friends and partners.
Be blessed!
*Art by Helen Yousaf - www.helen-yousaf-art.com/
