And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Acts 2:8
According to an organization that is known as the New Tribes Mission, the world has some 6500 people groups. Of these, New Tribes believes 2500 are still unreached with the Gospel. Although this sounds like a huge number, it must be remembered that many of these people groups are isolated and very small, some as few as one or two villages. Others are in parts of the world where the Gospel is not allowed to be even mentioned, although some of those places actually have a vigorous and thriving underground Christianity. Although shunned and ignored all around us today, the Gospel is nevertheless available to most of the world’s billions. The Bible remains by far the world’s most printed and distributed book, and is available in hundreds of different languages. We are rapidly approaching the global situation that occurred locally in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
People in Jerusalem were amazed at what happened that day. These were people from many different parts of the known world. Usually when they came to Jerusalem they had to brush up on their Aramaic, or else work with translators. But not this day! They were hearing the Gospel being preached in their home language in a place where nobody was supposed to know their home language. And it was even in their home dialect. This was the work of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous display of His power. This incredible display was proof that the Holy Spirit had indeed come to indwell the Christians. It was also proof that the Holy Spirit was working to see that everybody could hear the Gospel message. He is still working to that end today, although He works through the believers and their obedience to the great commission. You and I have heard the gospel in our own language, a language much different from the one in which the Lord Jesus delivered it to His disciples. For this to happen, there had to be translators and students of the Word doing their great work, missionaries and preachers carrying the message from one land to another and passing it on to other missionaries and preachers. All of this work of the Holy Spirit involves far more that a few words can convey, and is just as marvellous, exciting, and amazing as the presentation of languages on the day of Pentecost. All to provide you and me with the gospel in our own language!
When we consider the events of Pentecost, we acknowledge they were miraculous. It is no less miraculous that we have the Gospel in our own tongue today. We ought to be very thankful for that. -Jim MacIntosh