Magnetic Racket

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                          Acts 2:6

Magnetic Racket

by Robert T. Cooper

There is just something about the sound of a crowd of people all talking simultaneously that is magnetic. If it is on wheels passing by, heads turn. If it is around the corner, one can hardly help going to see what all the hub-bub is about.

That is what happened on Pentecost. The Holy Spirit fell on the 120 in the prayer meeting. They all starting speaking in at least 15 foreign languages. Many could not converse with their immediate neighbors. Perhaps it was like a party game in which everyone started going around looking for others speaking the same language, forming groups on that basis.

But it was also like Babel in reverse. So one can imagine the variety of subjects for conversation. Most of all they wanted to excitedly express to one another the wonder of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and to discuss what might be next.

But then the crowds who were attracted by the racket started showing up. Have you ever been in a foreign country and suddenly across the way you heard someone speaking your native language? You could pick it out of all the clamor. And you were attracted to it. You just had to meet that person and find out how they happened to be in the same location as yourself.

Not that all these Jews didn’t know what they were all doing in Jerusalem for this feast. But there was obviously something unusual going on. The crowd wanted to ask about it, and the 120 were eager to tell them about it.

Perhaps where you are there aren’t any foreign speakers who need to hear the Gospel in their native languages. But there are all kinds of barriers to people hearing the Gospel, and the Holy Spirit uses us to cross those barriers, cultural and otherwise, so that people have a chance to place their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. People need the opportunity to hear and to accept the Gospel.

Are you ready to be used by the Holy Spirit this way?

Talk about experiences you may have had sharing the Gospel across barriers. We are interested in your stories.

Mealtime Stories

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                          Acts 1:4

Mealtime Stories

by Robert T. Cooper

Have you noticed how many of your family stories center around mealtime or around food? One of the earliest family stories about me has to do with me getting seconds on potatoes at lunch at school. Then there is the story about my dad and the raisin pie.

It’s been like that throughout history. We know about the time the Earl of Sandwich was playing cards. We know what Marie Antoinette thought about people eating cake. And a whole lot of Bible stories center around mealtime or around food as well.

Here we are in the first paragraph of Acts (well, the original manuscripts didn’t have paragraphs, but we are at the very beginning anyway) and Luke is about to quote something Jesus said in the 40 days between the Resurrection and the Ascension. He wants to help people remember which appearance during that period it was, and so he says that it was on one of the occasions when Jesus was eating with the Apostles. Like that is going to narrow it down a little! Not!

My point is this: Jesus did so much teaching at mealtimes because people learn well in that atmosphere. Think about it.

1.      People tend to be relaxed when they are eating, and so are more teachable.

2.      Because people are busy eating, they will chew and listen while you are making your points, especially if what you say is interesting to them.

3.      Because people are used to conversing at mealtimes, they will ask questions and have discussions as part of your lesson plan at a meal.

4.      You can build a structure where the lesson is the length of the meal, with a life-application assignment to get up and go do immediately following the meal.

So whether you are a parent, a teacher, a mentor, a student, a church member, a disciple, a team leader, or just an ordinary person, pay attention when you are at meals. You may be in a lesson situation. Take advantage of the opportunities to teach and to learn.

Question: What are some of your family stories that center around mealtime or around food? How can you apply this idea of sometimes making a mealtime a learning situation?