Our text for today is the Old Testament reading:
Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech.” So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.
One day, my daughter and I were driving together in the car. Now I forget exactly how it came up, but we began to have a conversation about speaking a second language. I pointed out that a number of the people in the congregation could actually speak two languages. I also informed her that her grandmother could speak another language. You could tell that the idea of being able to speak two languages was interesting to her. But then she asked me a very curious question: “Is it a secret?” At first I had no idea what she meant by it. As we continued our conversation, however, it became clear to me. You see, at school she has friends that speak Bengali. And it dawned on me that when these students speak together in Bengali, it is when they don’t want anyone else to understand what they are saying. It’s a secret.
As we know from our Old Testament reading for today, there was in fact a time when there was only one language. It’s hard for us to imagine, isn’t it? A time when all the people who lived on the face of the earth had one language and the same words. And if we do try to wrap our heads around it, our initial thoughts might consider the practical implications that this would have. I mean, just one obvious benefit would be the improved communications between peoples throughout the world. And then of course, our text shows us that this improved communications would also bring about additional benefits. It’s clear that sharing a common language fostered and allowed for much more concerted efforts among the inhabitants of the earth. We read, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.” That sounds pretty good doesn’t it? Peoples who together are able to accomplish anything they set their minds to? So what’s the problem?
You see, in having one language, those things we try so desperately to keep secret and hidden were exposed. There were no secrets. Those things, which we attempt to hide deep in our hearts and minds, manifested themselves in the ambitions and efforts of sinful man. The problem was not that they worked together, but it was what they worked towards. Their concerted efforts were not directed at the right place. Their intentions, pride, and self-reliance were no longer kept hidden and secret. There was no chance of fooling themselves, and certainly no hope of fooling God. We read, “And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built.”
Has much changed? Though at times we think we can keep secret our own sinful intentions, though we think we can hide deep in our hearts those pride-filled thoughts, though we think there is no harm in living self-reliant lives, isn’t it God who comes down to us and exposes our own towers of Babel?
And that He did when He sent His Son to earth as a man. He came down and exposed the futile efforts of sinful man. He went to those who had made a name for themselves, those who were considered righteous, and showed them that they ,too, fell short of the glory of God. He went to those who showed themselves to be worshipers and exposed their self-reliance, crushing any of their aspirations to earn salvation through their own works. He showed us that we daily face the temptation to build our own tower of Babel.
And in order that His message of repentance and forgiveness might be heard, He needed, first and foremost, to remove any delusions that we can somehow make a name for ourselves; that we can somehow scale our way to the heavens.
The result of this temptation is not just to be seen in the confession of people. We see it today in all areas of our lives. Whether it is scientific discoveries, medical advancements, or certain moral and ethical standards, we consistently fall into self-reliance. And our Lord reminded us in His own life and ministry that we are totally incapable of obtaining righteousness apart from Him. He reminded us that we are by nature captive to sin and death.
So in order that this self-reliance might be done away with, in order that man must once again turn to God and rely on Him alone, God needed to block their efforts. Had He allowed the people to finish the project, their reliance on self would only have increased. Had they finished the monument, it would only have been used to glorify themselves.
Today, we celebrate the day of Pentecost. That moment in history when our God sent His Holy Spirit to dwell among us. The day on which the Holy Spirit came down to enter the hearts and minds of people. And in order that we might correctly and rightly celebrate this wonderful day, we have to understand that this was not on account of anything we have done. It was not because of the name we have made for ourselves; not because of the towers we have built; not because of our attempts to reach the heavens. But it is a gift that is freely given. A gift that can only be received when we realize and acknowledge that we cannot obtain it for ourselves.
As we witness the baptisms of Kimberly, Katie and Kirsten, we are witnesses of what God has done for them, and what God has done for us. We do not consider how far they have come, we do not consider our own faithfulness. We simply give thanks for the gift that God freely gives all those who call on His name. We give thanks that we are buried with Christ, and raised to new and eternal life in Him. We witness and testify to the death Christ died on the cross for us. A death that has removed all of our sinful pride and self-reliance. A death that forgives us all those sins we try to keep secret and hidden.
And now we give thanks. For God, by sending His Holy Spirit and giving us faith, has freed us from the futile efforts of making a name for ourselves. He has freed us from our own confusion; and now, through the power of the Holy Spirit, opens our minds and our hearts to His Word, a Word of truth, a Word that proclaims life to those who believe.
Though the world has many languages, there is only one Spirit. No secrets; for we all have received the one Spirit who daily calls us to repentance, and gives us comfort and faith in the salvation that comes only through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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