Title:- The Christ of Chaos
Acts 2: 5,6 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.
Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote, “Every workman has a use for every object he makes. Much more has God; the thunder speaks of His terror, the lion is like His strength, the honey like His sweetness. They tell of Him, they give Him glory.”
Be assured that this sound we spoke of yesterday, concerning a rushing and mighty wind, not only filled the whole house with its noise, but the whole disciple as well! They were all filled with this SOUND and so when they opened their mouth they automatically breathed out this same gale of God, which now gushed from their mouths in a multitude of other languages, ‘blowing the hearers away!’ This ‘other sound’, was for the Glory of God, telling of His wonderful works and leaving many, oh so many, in utter confusion!
Now listen, these hearers weren’t confused in a “scratch your old head” kind of way. Nope. This word, confusion, is translated elsewhere as ‘UPROAR!’ It’s more akin to a riot! Listen to the same word again in Acts 21:31- ‘And as they went about to kill him, tidings came to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.’ Uproar! See what I mean?
So really, the text is saying that when the gale of God blew, the sound of it gushing from the opened-mouthed, tongues speaking disciples, stirred up such a great storm, that “the multitude came together, and were in a riotous uproar!” Man! It was 'going down' there! The gale of God pouring out of the mouth of the proclaiming disciples, had stirred the whole area into a glorious tumult, driving the devout into delirious distraction and confounding and confusing, challenging and chasing, the ‘chatterazzi’ of the religious classes. It’s always the way! Hallelujah!
Pungent preaching, piercing praise, prophetic proclamation, will always result in but two things; RIOT or REVIVAL and in the beginning you know, it is often hard to tell which is which. God’s order is never to be seen set in rows of graveyard granite you know? No sir! God’s order, is imprinted on the pounding paws of the roaring lion of deep disruption. It seems to me that our God of order may cause chaos amongst the ‘careful orders’ of religious sinners. Look! When Jesus strides through man made religion, He overturns tables, He whips backs, He kicks butts, and then lovingly lays hold of the leper! It’s all VERY EXCESSIVE isn’t it friends? It’s all very passionate! For, when Jesus weeps, He sobs, loud and long and openly over the lost. Jesus is a wild man, you see, carving up the hypocrite and then spitting in men’s eyes that they might see. Jesus confuses, Jesus confronts, Jesus confirms, convicts and converts! He reigns and runs, screaming His love, in both RIOT and REVIVAL.
MY WARNING FOR YOU ALL TODAY IS THIS! Please be aware that when you invite Jesus to your party, He never behaves Himself. (Thank God!)
Listen: - “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions and also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:…” Joel 2:28-30
Pray: - Oh Christ of chaos, today, come and overturn my neat set, soul-blocking, Holy Spirit quenching world. Amen and amen!
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