Talking the world’s language…

Do you ever feel as a Christian that the world is just not listening to you. That those around you don’t seem to understand what you are saying. That you’re talking a different language.

As a follower of Jesus, this shouldn’t really surprise us. The truth is we do speak a different language to the world.

The truth about God’s ways, His character, God’s Word, His creation, His love, Sin, God’s Salvation plan in Jesus are all proclaimed boldly and with faith but the world stares blankly back not seemingly understanding or receiving the message of the gospel.

The bible teaches us that the world indeed speaks a different language. It speaks a false language of the devil. The devil has blinded the minds of those in the world to the truth of the gospel. They need revelation.

“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” 2Cor.4.3-6

When two parties speak a different language, a translator is needed to help bring understanding and clarity of what is being said.

We have such a perfect translator to help us deliver our message. The Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth, and who unveils the mind of those who are in darkness to the light of Jesus Christ and His message. The Holy Spirit who reveals Jesus and convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and judgement.

We see this demonstrated in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. God wanted the good news of Jesus to be heard by the foreigners in Jerusalem who were visiting. How was this done? The Holy Spirit gave Jesus’ followers the ability to communicate in different languages, to speak in a different tongue which these foreigners understood. What a miracle,

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” Acts.2.4-12

I pray this week the Holy Spirit will help us as we share the gospel and open the minds of those who need to hear the gospel, that their understanding will be opened and they will hear the truth and the truth will set them free. The light will dawn and revelation come. That they will hear and understand the language of heaven.