Sunday Messages
Jesus Through Your Ancestor's Eyes
Guest Speaker:
Pastor Ray Levesque
Scriptures: Genesis 11:1-8 and Acts 2:1-21
The Tower of Babel
At first everyone spoke the same language, but after some of them moved from
the east and settled in Babylonia, they said: "Let's build a city with a tower
that reaches to the sky! We'll use hard bricks and tar instead of stone and
mortar. We'll become famous, and we won't be scattered all over the world."
But when the LORD came down to look at the city and the tower, he said:
"These people are working together because they all speak the same language.
This is just the beginning. Soon they will be able to do anything they want.
Come on! Let's go down and confuse them by making them speak different
languages -- then they won't be able to understand each other." So the people
had to stop building the city, because the LORD confused their language and
scattered them all over the earth. That's how the city of Babel got its name.
Some things I have learned about Babel
- God sure puts up with a lot of stuff. Remember, Babylon is just two
chapters from the Flood.
- At Creation, God gave us our first chance to walk with Him. At the Flood,
God gave us second chance. And at Babel, it was our third chance!
- God was trying to protect us from ourselves. Language was his gift to us.
The evil had swollen up so much that God had to separate us by place and
language.
- Technology, such as establishing a common language and communication (say
English and Internet) tends toward evil. It is not evil itself, but shortcuts
often lead to trouble. I remember an Ethiopian man who lamented at the great
poverty of the US. Hardly anyone talks to each other, but in his country,
that is the main way of life after work in evenings and weekends. But we have
more technology.
- Different cultures and languages create safety. That way, no one culture
can ever truthfully say that they have the only answer, even though the world
has been "Americanized" in many ways. Popularity doesn’t make you right - it
just makes you popular.
- It would be nice to build something so marvelous that the whole world
would come to you. But we are called to go into all the world. And they may
not be expecting us. So we will have to learn their language and ways so that
they will trust us enough to listen.
- God invented languages, and they are good. At Babel, I think at the same
time that He caused them speak differently, He also made them think
differently, because language determines your thought processes -- how you
look at the world. I think He also colored us differently and gave us
different features. (The Assiniboine Sioux call themselves "the star people"
since their legend says they came from the sky to be where they are today.)
Sounds like confirmation of today’s Scripture.
- To destroy languages is to destroy a very special creation of God. To
force Natives into Residential Schools was sacrilege, since they were not
allowed to speak their own language - and speak English only. "English Only"
sounds more like Babylon’s plan than Creator’s.
- One of the fastest ways to lose your spiritual way is to focus on
buildings. Buildings can be just as much an idol as any Hindu statue. When
everyone starts coming to your building instead of you going to see them
where they are, start worrying.
- The drive to make a name for themselves was so intense that the city
still exists today, Babylon, in Iraq.
Pentecost
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
On the day of Pentecost, all the Lord's followers were together in one
place. Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty
wind! It filled the house where they were meeting. Then they saw what
looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and
settled on each person there. The Holy Spirit took control of everyone,
and they began speaking whatever languages the Spirit let them speak.
Many religious Jews from every country in the world were living in
Jerusalem. And when they heard this noise, a crowd gathered. But they were
surprised, because they were hearing everything in their own languages.
They were excited and amazed, and said: "Don't all these who are speaking
come from Galilee? Then why do we hear them speaking our very own
languages? Some of us are from Parthia, Media, and Elam. Others are from
Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt,
parts of Libya near Cyrene, Rome, Crete, and Arabia. Some of us were born
Jews, and others of us have chosen to be Jews. Yet we all hear them using
our own languages to tell the wonderful things God has done." Everyone was
excited and confused. Some of them even kept asking each other, "What does
all this mean?" Others made fun of the Lord's followers and said, "They
are drunk."
Peter Speaks to the Crowd
Peter stood with the eleven apostles and spoke in a loud and clear voice to
the crowd: "Friends and everyone else living in Jerusalem, listen carefully
to what I have to say! You are wrong to think that these people are drunk.
After all, it is only nine o'clock in the morning." But this is what God had
the prophet Joel say, "When the last days come, I will give my Spirit to
everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see
visions, and your old men will have dreams. In those days I will give my
Spirit to my servants, both men and women, and they will prophesy. I will
work miracles in the sky above and wonders on the earth below. There will be
blood and fire and clouds of smoke The sun will turn dark, and the moon will
be as red as blood before the great and wonderful day of the Lord appears.
Then the Lord will save everyone who asks for his help."
Some things I learned about Pentecost
- Peter is preaching to the full crowd -- as the spokesperson -- after
having just denied Jesus about 53 days earlier.
- Language is a supernatural thing. As babies we get language without
even trying. As adults, it is a lot of work. At Pentecost, we see the
miracle of language again.
- Language was made for good, to praise God. Do you listen to the
language around you? What do you hear?
- Even Galileans can speak almost any language! Galileans were
considered "country bumpkins." It is God’s sense of humor to astound the
respectable with the unexpected. If they can do it -- so can we!
- Just because you are the dominant religion -- doesn’t mean you are
always going to "get it." When God moves, some will be excited, some
confused, and some will be mean-spirited. How do you react?
- Don’t get stuck on the languages. If you are available to God, there
will be dreams and visions too. Language is just the beginning of
spirituality.
- When you truly connect with God, you will speak the truth into
darkness -- you will prophesy. It doesn’t say in the church either --
you could be prophesying to your family, at work, at school, and on the
street. Okay, maybe church too...
- Some people use the name of Jesus as a magic trick -- if you just
say the name Jesus you will be saved. Or worse -- if you don’t say the
name Jesus you will go to hell. But I prefer to believe what Peter says
here: "The Lord will save everyone who asks for his help." All our
ancestors, all our relations, ALL who asked for help will be saved. He
loves us so much that He came in person -- in the flesh.
- God was in control at Babel. He was in control at the Crucifixion.
He was in control at the Resurrection. He was in control at Pentecost.
But his control doesn’t usually look like what we expect.
- The Upper Room is the intersection of a Holy God, and people who are
waiting for Him.
About the Spiritual Ways at Lummi
When the counselors came from WWU (Western Washington University) to talk
about counseling our Native students, I asked if they knew of any of the
spiritual resources that might be recommended for our students that had
transferred from NW Indian College to Western. They did not know any at
all. They seemed a little embarrassed not to know anything about them.
- Longhouse -- centuries old (drums, songs, dance, meals, regalia,
wintertime only) perhaps 40 in Washington and British Columbia (Canada)
- Indian Shakers -- since about 1880 founded by John Slocum --
communion meal, prayer and bellsongs (was originally part of the
longhouse) Perhaps 35 in Oregon, Washington, British Columbia
- Sweats -- common among many tribes and regions -- prayer and songs
- Pipe Carrier -- from the Lakota -- prayer and songs, sharing pipe
with tobacco
- Canoe Family -- common among coastal nations, carries songs, stories,
traditions, AA alternative.
There are those who follow Jesus in all these ways. Some call themselves
Christians. All honor and follow Creator.
Also on the rez and nearby are what you would expect...
- AA, NA, other recovery groups
- Christ the King Church
- Catholic Church
- 7th Day Adventist
- Lummi Tribe
employs about 450 people -- one of the largest employers in Whatcom County.
- 50 percent unemployment for the Lummi people.
- 68 percent of youth participate in high-risk behaviors.
- The NW Area Foundation is promising a 10 year, 10 Million dollar
grant to eradicate poverty. They are now in the planning stages.
- New Youth Center -- Safehouse -- 32 courses will be offered to
help get them back into culture, into stability.
If you are really on a mission, go to Annual Stommish Water Festival and
Powwow first. Experience the powwow, the bone games, the food, the canoe
races, the arts and crafts, the ceremony and the fun. June 17, 18, 19 --
on the Lummi Reservation. Before you come to "help us," try to get to
know us."
No one likes to be "evangelistic targets." No one really likes
being a target of any kind, even if it is well intentioned. Thanks for
listening.
