Known Languages

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                          Acts 2:4

Known Languages

by Robert T. Cooper

When The Gathering in the Mountains was a mission church, we agreed we would base it on the Scriptures. Wherever the Scriptures took us, we would go.

So I was a little nervous when it came to the study of I Corinthians. I was certain that at some point in the study I would come to a verse that would require the acceptance of what in Pentecostal and charismatic circles is today called “tongues.”

Now, don’t get me wrong. I have friends who engage in that practice. I even had a friend long ago who told me God wanted me to have that “gift.” The Lord takes them down their paths; He has taken me down my path.

But we were talking about what the official doctrine of a Southern Baptist Mission Church would be. And so I began preaching through the book. But each time I came to a mention of tongues, the interpretation of known languages was possible. There was no time in which the only possible interpretation was modern-style “tongues.”

So after awhile, I went back and studied again through Acts to see whether known languages was a valid interpretation of every mention of tongues in that book. Sure enough, it was.

In Acts 2:4, the translation “tongues” is footnoted to include the alternative “languages.” My advice is that we just use that alternative all the time. That way we can be clear about what is meant.

And even if I am wrong, on the Day of Pentecost we are certain those were all known languages, for those languages are specifically listed. Also the Scripture says that native speakers of those languages understood what was being said.

Point the last: the Holy Spirit brought this about. He was accomplishing His ministry by doing so.

There are modern stories of people who were enabled to witness in languages they had never studied. If you are familiar with any of those stories, or if it has happened to you, please share with us.

Curiosity Killed the Cat

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                          Acts 1:6

Curiosity Killed the Cat

by Robert T. Cooper

In 2009 I spent nearly the entire year preaching through the book of Revelation. The congregation wanted to do it again. After prayer, I decided that if I was going to preach through it again, I would do so in more depth. So I spent nearly all of 2010 – 2011 preaching through it a second time.

I first became aware of Revelation in the mid-1960’s when my mother listened to programs on the subject on the radio. When I was in college the big book was Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth. In seminary I spent some time examining the various -isms of interpretation of Revelation. In more recent days we have had the Left Behind series of books and related materials. And so on until just yesterday a Facebook friend said she was reading through the book of Revelation.

Folks are simply curious about what the future holds. We cry out, “Maranatha! Lord, come quickly!” In many ways we are anxious for the fullness of Christ’s reign to come.

The Twelve (or in this case, the Eleven) were like that. Their culture had driven into their minds the expectation that the Messiah would conquer the Romans and bring back into existence an independent Jewish state such as during the Maccabean period. Perhaps it was the realization that Jesus had no intention of doing so, at least not immediately, that drove Judas to betray Him. Yet after the Resurrection the Eleven were back to their earlier expectation of a literal earthly Kingdom with Jesus as monarch.

It is an issue. Whether it be the Millennial Kingdom or the Eternal State that comes next in history, we want to know, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom?”

When I was a child there was a cartoon called “Peeping Penguins.” I had forgotten the cartoon featured penguins, but I did remember all these years later the song sung by the mother, “Curiosity Killed the Cat.”

Perhaps having an interest in whether Christ will establish His Kingdom in the near future will not necessarily kill a disciple. Yet a person can become so fixated on the Doctrine of Last Things that one is not very well tuned into living for Jesus today or into the real-life ministry needs of those around us. I was once in a store in which an Adventist tried to engage me in conversation. All he wanted to talk about was Last Things. I had other things I wanted to discuss.

Indeed, as we will see, Jesus had something else He wanted to talk to the Eleven about before His Ascension. He wanted to talk about getting the lost into His spiritual Kingdom.

But God is like that. There will be plenty of time to think about whatever physical Kingdom will be established at the time of its establishment. Meanwhile, let us be faithful to the task of living for Jesus and ministering to people in this moment.

Questions: What proportion of your time do you spend contemplating Last Things? What would Jesus rather you be doing with at least some of your time? Will you start living according to His agenda for your life?