June 4, 2006
Sermon preached by Rev. Donald Ng at the First Chinese Baptist Church in San Francisco.
There was an older man, Bud, and his wife, Millie, who lived out in a rural area and didn’t make it into town very often.
One day his wife obtained a copy of a ladies’ magazine that touted the benefits of taking a milk bath. She decided that this was just what she needed to make her feel beautiful and sent her husband to a neighboring dairy farm to purchase the milk.
When he arrived, Bud told the dairy farmer that he wanted to purchase enough milk for his wife to take a milk bath.
The dairy farmer asked, “Do you want the milk pasteurized?”
“No,” replied Bud, “just up to her neck will do just fine.”
Clear communication is everything!
In most of Europe today, countries belong to the European Union. Bound together to achieve economic clout, the EU now has 25 different nations speaking 20 different languages. Since the EU is not a single country but a federation of nations, it seeks to speak with one voice without surrendering any of the uniqueness of the individual nations. And to avoid offending any one of them, the EU operates in all 20 of the official languages of those countries.
Now we think that in the United States, we have problems with the national anthem being sung in Spanish! Just imagine the confusion that exists in the EU. The EU Parliament needs to have 57 trilingual interpreters on hand. It means that each member nation has the right to require any EU document to be translated into its native tongue. Besides the cost of translation services, the greater problem that exists is getting all of the translations done in a timely fashion when agreements and laws are passed to be followed by all participating nations and their respective companies and organizations.
Those delays are not only because of the volume of materials to be translated, but also because of the lack of skilled translators. And because communication must go in both directions for all 20 languages, that means there are 380 possible two-language combinations. There just are not enough translators to accommodate all of those combinations all of the time.
When you consider all these language groups and the communication hurtles they represent, it is remarkable that the EU has accomplished what it has.
Pentecost
Likewise, when you consider all of the language groups and communication hurtles that were present in Jerusalem on that day of Pentecost 2,000 years ago, it is remarkable that enough about Jesus got through to the crowd that 3,000 people accepted Christ on the spot.
The Scriptural lesson for this morning in Acts 2 describes an episode on the day of the Jewish festival of Pentecost. It was the second great celebration of the Jewish year, occurring on the fiftieth day after the Passover feast. The remaining eleven disciples had witnessed the ascension of the resurrected Christ into heaven and had cast lots to see who was to replace Judas as the twelfth disciple. The lot fell on Matthias and he was added to the eleven apostles.
Gathered together, now, in a house in Jerusalem, the apostles are overcome by a great, wind-like sound from heaven and anointed with tongues that appeared as fire on each of them. They are filled immediately by the power of the Holy Spirit and enabled to speak in the languages of every nation.
The reading of the Acts sounds like it could be the roll call at the opening session of the EU Parliament: “Pathians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs…” And there were no trilingual translators present…none except the Holy Spirit.
The crowds wondered about how it was possible to hear, each of us, in our own native language. Were they already consumed with too much wine?
Translation
The first miracle on that Pentecost day was instant translation. Everyone heard what the disciples were telling them instantly with the help of the Holy Spirit but translation alone, however, was not sufficient. The text tells us, “All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’” Thus the miracle of translating the words from the Galilean tongue into the different languages spoken by the hearers enabled the crowd to comprehend the words of the disciples, but not to discern what these words meant.
The European Union has discovered the same problem. That’s why they search for language specialists who can not only translate the words, but also can interpret their meaning. A translator can go from a word in one language to a word in another language but the translation can end up being unintelligible if not just silly. A literal translation does not always express the intended meaning in the destination language.
We see this situation all the time at FCBC. When I write my monthly newsletter article, our church administrator, Wendy is always checking in with me on what I am trying to say in English so that she can properly translate it into meaningful Chinese. A literal word by word translation just wouldn’t work. When I am preaching at the Cantonese worship in English, my translator is never just translating word by word. The translator is putting my points in the context of the Chinese language and what the congregation is familiar with so that my points can be understood. A word by word literal translation wouldn’t make sense. Anyone who has taken a foreign language in school would know that.
Obviously, the best language communication specialists are those who are experts at translating and interpreting at the same time. Often, the process and movement from the translation to interpretation is seamless and barely noticeable.
Interpretation
On that first Christian Pentecost, Peter was the interpreter who answered the crowd’s question about the meaning of the translation. He addressed the people and told them about Jesus and about salvation.
In other words, the communication miracle of Pentecost happened because the Holy Spirit translated and Peter interpreted.
Has it ever occurred to you that both translation and interpretation are still necessary to the spread of Christianity? Translation is the work of putting the faith into plain language for people to understand. We do this at our weekly Bible study groups. “What does the text say? Who is speaking here? Who’s the audience that this message is being said to? What’s the political, economical, and social context in which this text was originally in place? These questions explain what the Christian story is, what we believe, how to read the Bible, what is expected in the way of behavior and so forth. And often, the Holy Spirit is involved in that work.
But there is still the need for interpreters? Peter, who not long ago denied even knowing Jesus personally, arises to interpret what all of this means. First of all, Peter said these people are not drunk; it’s too early for this.
Peter then launches into an interpretation that begins with a lengthy quotation from the prophet Joel (1:28-32) that prophesies that God’s Spirit is to set loose upon the earth in the “last days.” From there, Peter moves on to explain the mighty works of Jesus of Nazareth, his descent from the line of David, and his standing with God in heaven as Lord and Christ.
Peter’s interpretation was so powerful that 3,000 of those who heard him were baptized and added to the rolls of believers. There are always people who say, “Look, I understand what Christianity teaches, but so what? Why should I buy into this?
Interpreters are people who are convinced about the great value of Christ in ones’ life and can therefore answer the question, “What does the text mean?” from personal experience.
We know that Peter was never known as an eloquent speaker and certainly not very brave when the going got tough. But when Peter rose from the crowd on that first Christian Pentecost, he said, “men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say.” “Listen to what I say” is how Peter is about to share the meaning of Christ in his life with the great crowd because he was convinced about Jesus. He wasn’t just repeating what Jesus taught him in a word by word literal translation. The Holy Spirit has already done that. Peter was interpreting the great value of Christ in his own life. And in so doing, 3,000 people believed as well and were baptized.
Personal Interpreters
The spread of Christianity still needs interpreters today. This doesn’t mean that you have to be especially eloquent or have a convincing speech ready. It doesn’t mean that you have a degree from seminary or that you become a professional evangelist. What it does mean is that you are willing, when asked, to speak about your own experience of Christ. You are a “personal interpreter” for Jesus Christ himself.
One of the most powerful interpretation methods is simply stating your own experience and telling why your relationship with Christ has made a difference in your life. For example, you can say, “When I came to know Christ,
“I can no longer be comfortable with my prejudices.”
“I see the suffering after the Indonesian earthquake and I want to help.”
“I have a real sense of peace that stays with me when everything is going wrong.”
“I am less judgmental and more able to forgive.”
“I know a joy and contentment in my life I never knew before.”
“The guilt I lived with has been taken away.”
“It has put a song in my heart.”
“I can see that there’s a moral and ethical question in our way of life such as advocating for Clean Campaign Money reform.”
“I cannot sin in peace anymore.”
“Christ has given my life a purpose.”
None of this interpreting of the meaning of Christ in your life guarantees the conversion of those who hear it, but your testimonies about what your commitment to Christ means to you personally has a greater impact on others than the best-written Sunday school lesson or the most articulate sermon that I can ever preach!
No one can ever deny your personal experience with Christ. Through your personal interpretation of the meaning of Christ in your life, you can encourage others to give Christ a try and see for themselves.
Word Merchant
You might find this hard to believe. But when I was a little kid, I was very afraid to speak. I didn’t like to answer questions in school. I never volunteered answers unless I was directly asked by my teachers. To stand here today and say that I am a preacher would be an unbelievable idea 45 years ago.
One of the key ways I earn my living is that week-in and week-out, I have the task of turning God’s truth into words. Between 9:30-11:00 on Sundays, I cast my words out toward you. They bounce between the walls and underneath your seats, ricocheting off the ceiling, are quickly absorbed, die and lay silence. I am never sure whether the words ever make a difference. They’re only words.
Augustine referred to himself as a “word merchant.” After preaching for the past eight years, I wonder why do you continue to listen and do you really hear? Who killed last Sunday’s sermon—me, you or the Holy Spirit? When I am providing words, are you interested in buying any?
There was a seminarian who was midway through his seminary. One summer, he was on a weekend vacation in a little town in New England. He decided on Sunday to go hear a visiting preacher in the little town’s chapel. The seminarian said he heard the worst sermon he could ever imagine. He sat there in the pew thinking, “He’s going against every rule they’re teaching us about preaching. What a waste of time!”
That’s what the seminarian thought until the very end of the sermon when he happened to see the person beside him with tears in her eyes, whispering, “He said exactly what I need to hear.”
It was then that this seminarian knew something very important had happened in that service. The woman had come in need. Somehow the words of that poorly crafted sermon had been translated into a message that spoke to her heart.
The seminarian had come in judgment and he heard nothing but the faults. It took a long time before he realized that the Holy Spirit translates the message even through the poorly crafted sermon given by the preacher. The preacher was able to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to translate the Good News of Jesus Christ so that the needy listener can be comforted.
This New England Sunday experience taught this seminarian to be a better “neighbor” wherever he went. Who said all of this? Mister Rogers himself.
Like Peter, the Holy Spirit induces, produces words, specifically, gospel news that is good. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit produces “personal interpreters,” those who are genuinely surprised by their courage in standing up and saying a good word for God. By the grace of God, we not only have something to say, but the means to say it, which Christians have always regarded as miraculous gifts.
You are personal interpreters of the Good News. As personal interpreters of the faith you can make a difference in spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ in the world.
Let us pray.
On Pentecost Day long ago, your great Spirit came upon the saints in Jerusalem. May your Spirit come upon us and this community of faith here this day. We welcome the flame and light of your Spirit here in this place so that we may become personal interpreters of Jesus Christ. Renew us with energized faith and affirm us as your people here to worship and celebrate with strength, courage and hope in Christ. Amen.