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I love reading about the events of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2. I have written that we should note that ALL were filled with the Holy Spirit and ALL spread the word.

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2.1 – 4, ESV)

This time around I was thinking about the application of “other tongues,” and the importance of people hearing the word in their own language.

And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?… We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” (Acts 2.8 – 11, ESV)

And here’s the good news: this is going on today! Each of us speaks one or more “native” languages. My wife, the former nurse who teaches piano, speaks “nurse” and “piano.” When she talks with other piano teachers, they use the same language. As I’m drafting this, I’m sitting with the students who competed in the math competition last week. I speak mathematics. This week I spoke “Clemson” with my optometrist who grew up near Clemson and is a Clemson fan. I have a neighbor who is retired Air Force, and with him I can speak “military.” 

You and I are “insiders” in one or more places: our neighborhoods, our work, our expertise, our hobbies, etc. And the lessons from Acts 2 are:

• God desires “decentralized” presentations of the good news. Before Peter preached, all 120 believers were speaking.
• God empowers ordinary people. They were ALL filled with the Holy Spirit.
• God wants people to hear the word in a language they understand, and he does that through his people he has scattered among neighborhoods, workplaces, various interest groups. 

So don’t leave the mission to others! God demonstrated on Pentecost that he wants all of us to participate and empowers us to do so.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2.4, ESV)

To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. (1 Corinthians 9.20 – 22, ESV, emphasis mine)