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Many Cultures – One Church
Gen 11:1-9
Now the whole earth had one language and one speech.
2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there.
3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar.
4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.
6 And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.
7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”
8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.
9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.
NKJV
Acts 2:1-12
2:1 Coming of the Holy Spirit When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other (languages), as the Spirit gave them (the ability).
5 The Crowd’s Response And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.
7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?
8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?
9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretans and Arabs — we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What meaneth this?”
NKJV
Allow us to preach for just a few moments this morning from this subject:
“Many Cultures – One Church”
I. Biblical history tells us that the post-flood world was one language and one culture.
The lineage of everyone alive at that time went back to one of three brothers…the sons of Noah.
Language and culture was the cord that held them so tightly together.
Their unity…their togetherness – stood steadfastly on their language and culture.
It was their strength!
It was the foundation of that impossible task of building a tower to heaven.
So important was their language and culture, that when God took notice of their plan to reach heaven without Him…
…the one thing He did to disrupt those plans was diversify their language and multiply their culture!
Suddenly, communication was virtually impossible.
One language group went north…another went south.
Another went east…and another went west.
One went northeast…and one went southwest.
One went northwest…and another went southeast.
New countries and cultures were born.
They eventually became Europe; Asia; Africa; Saudi Arabia…
Thus, the world became… multi-cultural.
II. From that day at the construction site of the Tower of Babel, until now – never again would the world be of one language and one culture…
…At least not in the natural sense.
But 2,260 years later…
In the city of Jerusalem, Israel on the day of Pentecost…
That same God who had diversified the language…and multiplied the culture of the post-flood world…
Brought languages and cultures back together when He began to incredibly fill men and women with His Spirit at the birth of the church!
Because of the annual “Feast of Pentecost” – there was a multi-cultural gathering at Jerusalem that day.
Families from different nations were there to celebrate the giving of the commandments to Moses on Mt. Sinai.
Their purpose was the same, but their languages (and thus their cultures) were different.
And while many had come to Jerusalem for a tradition…
The Bible tells us of 120 who had come for a promise.
“And suddenly, there came a sound from heaven like a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting…
“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them the ability.”
When word got out that something was going on…
A crowd gathered around to see this phenomenon…
Because people of one culture, were speaking the language of another…
And what God had dispersed and confounded at the Tower of Babel…
He now brought together at the birth of the Church!
Cultures were born at Babel…
Cultures are brought together in the church!
MANY CULTURES – ONE CHURCH!
The church is the blood-purchased property of Jesus Christ and it’s for everybody…
He said, “Whosever will…!”
It’s not prejudice…
It’s not racially divided…
It doesn’t exclude anybody…
It’s for the Asian…the African…and the American.
It’s for Panamanian…the Puerto Rican…and the Haitian.
It’s for the Mexican…the Filipina…and the Aussie.
It’s for the Indian…the Korean…and the Russian.
It’s for the Japanese…the Taiwanese…and the Vietnamese.
It’s for the Spanish…the English…and the Swedish.
It’s for the Saudi…the Iraqi…and the Pakistani.
Many Cultures…One God…One Church!
It’s for those in wealth and those in want.
It’s for the rich and the poor,
The cultured and the course.
It’s for the educated and the unlearned.
Jesus Christ said, “Whosoever will, let him come!”
The Church exists for every man and every woman…
…every boy and every girl.
It’s for every murderer.
…every robber.
It’s for every prostitute.
…every drug addict.
…every alcoholic.
…every liar.
It’s for every sinner and every saint.
It’s for whoever wants a better – indeed a much better life on this earth – and to spend eternity with God.
The church is refuge for those that are running.
The church is healing for those that are hurting.
The church is balm for the broken.
The church is salvation for the sinner.
The church is deliverance for those that are bound.
The church is a friend to the friendless.
The church is a family to the loner.
It is a spiritual hospital for the sin-sick souls of this world.
It’s not a dead, dry, institution…it’s a living, breathing, organism that bears the Name of its owner…and it has the power to change their lives forever!
It’s a rock of refuge for a storm tossed life!
It’s a haven of rest for a weary soul!
It’s a home for prodigal sons and daughters!
Jesus said…
“WHOSEVER WILL, LET HIM COME!”
He said, “IF ANY MAN THIRST…”
NO MATTER THEIR BACKGROUND…
NO MATTER THEIR CULTURE…
NO MATTER THEIR RACE…
NO MATTER THEIR LANGUAGE…
WHEN WE ARE BAPTIZED INTO JESUS CHRIST…
(…That is, we are baptized in water in the Name of Jesus Christ…)
WE ARE ALL COME TOGETHER UNDER THE BANNER OF “THE CHURCH”!
Closing:
PETER SAID, “IT’S FOR YOU…IT’S FOR YOUR CHILDREN…IT’S FOR YOUR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN…IT’S FOR THOSE THAT ARE FAR OFF…AS MANY AS THE LORD OUR GOD SHALL CALL!”
IF ANY MAN THIRSTS…
IF ANY MAN HUNGERS…
IF ANY MAN DESIRES TO BE SAVED…LET HIM COME!
