Africans at Pentecost: a devotion on Africa’s legacy

From an Africa Study Bible touch point:

On the Day of Pentecost, the followers of Jesus spoke in some of the languages of Africa, Asia, and Europe through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. Peter, Matthew, John, Jude, and James all wrote New Testament books in Greek. They knew that language. But the Holy Spirit miraculously enabled the disciples to speak languages they did not know—the mother tongues of the hearers. Some of the people from Egypt and Libya were people of African origin who “were converts to Judaism” (Acts 2:10)—native Egyptians and Cyrenians (Berbers). 

Today, many of us speak several languages, but when we hear a song or story in our mother tongue, it goes deep into our hearts. On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit spoke in the mother tongues of Africans, Asians, and Europeans. On that day the message of salvation in Jesus Christ went deep into the listeners’ hearts.

As a result, three thousand people were added to the group of one hundred twenty believers! These people stayed in Jerusalem for a time, where they “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). We must never forget that Africans have been part of the church since the day it began. Our God is not a foreign God—the Holy Spirit speaks your mother tongue! 

Today:

Using your mother tongue, thank God for sending his son Jesus and the Holy Spirit to speak your language. Express yourself freely to the God of all nations.