One Mind, One Accord, and One Language by Brother Curtis Hansen

         Good morning and Happy Day of Pentecost. This morning we are going to talk about the Day of Pentecost with scripture reading in Acts 2 along with Zephaniah and Genesis. The Holy Ghost has a direction not only for the individual but also the collective whole of the church. One of the misunderstandings regarding the Holy Ghost is resting all your faith in the speaking of tongues. Speaking in tongues is a sign of the Holy Ghost working, but, you can talk in tongues all day and still be horrible to others. If you're the type who run to the front to get a buzz from holiness at the alter, then step back out into the world and live like hell for the other 6 days, you are not truly spirit filled. You may not even be truly saved. The Holy Spirit brings things to remembrance and it leads and guides you unto all understanding. We are going to go to the book of Acts chapter 2. We will start reading at verse 1.

        And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

        2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

        3 And they appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

        4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

        5 And there was dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

        6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 

        The speaking of different tongues was a gift given by the Holy Ghost to witness and evangelize to all the other nations. In order to bear witness and testify about Jesus the disciples would have to know the language of others. This miracle is all the more significant because the disciples were known as men of no great means and certainly not of any education in those days.

        7 And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

        Here is a fact I just recently came across this past week. In the Jewish custom 120 people were to have assembled in order to establish a synagogue. How many believers were in the upper room on the day of Pentecost? That's right. 120.

        8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

        9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia.

        10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

        11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

        All these countries and areas listed in this scripture had Jews from those places in Jerusalem for Pentecost. Just think for a second all the areas from Greece and Egypt, Asia and Mesopotamia. It's pretty awe inspiring at the size and scope of this get together, and here were men from the upper room speaking the various foreign languages as if were their primary language. 

        12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

        This is not merely a mocking or allegations of drunkenness in the morning being expressed. Think of this moment in context of today. What irks and bothers people more than someone who is psyched and happy to work at 8 in the morning? There are many Christians today who aren't very Christ like until they've had a measure of caffeine. Those who are seeking the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, this morning I say that the Holy Ghost doesn't want to be roommates of a vessel. If your life is still cluttered with worldly junk and attitudes, you need to remove those things and clean your life up if you are truly seeking the Holy Ghost.

        13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

        Let's go down to verse 38 of this chapter. To give you a quick summary of the events after verse 13, Peter speaks to the assembly in verse 14 and lays out a message that touches on the prophecy of Joel, what the crowds had done to Jesus while he was here on earth, getting into David and it leads to the crowd having their hearts pricked, asking Peter, what shall they do?

        38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

        It is for you and I who have done the three basic steps of salvation to display the image of Jesus all the time in our homes, at work, in public. You cannot be a good and faithful servant if you put on the image 30 minutes every Sunday if you can get to church that is. If your flesh is content with 30 minutes of work on your salvation 30 minutes a week, you are not truly spirit filled. You are letting your emotions run you to chase after a temporary high.

        Here is another thing I came across in preparing this message. The word pentecost is translated to 50 days. It was 50 days from the resurrection of Jesus to the upper room when the Holy Ghost fell on the 120. Turn to the book of Zephaniah chapter 3. A minor prophet in the Old Testament who is next to Habakkuk and Zechariah. We will start reading at verse 8.

        8 Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

        In this marks the turning point where we begin to move from the dispensation of the law to the dispensation of grace. When Moses brought the 10 commandments down from Mount Sinai and saw the people worshipping the golden calf, 3000 people would die. If you look back to the book of Acts chapter 2 there were 3000 people who were saved and made new believers.

        9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.

        As you grow in Jesus and you're allowing the changing of your character to reflect him, that is the Holy Spirit at work. How you live, how you treat others not only in church but in public. You have to have faith to receive the edification of tongues. To some, it takes a great while and much prayer. It is all on God's time to begin with. 

        Now, the manifestation of stammering lips and tongues are things several denominations shy away from, if not go out of their way to explain away as not useful or beneficial to Christians today. There are volumes of words spoken and written how that tongues were for the early church and not necessary today. You removing the manifestation of the Holy Spirit is removing Jesus from his rightful position and replacing in his place something carnal. Zephaniah is speaking about the day of Pentecost. It is important to assemble like minded believers in one accord, for all to be on the same page. Now, please turn to the book of Genesis chapter 11. We will start reading at verse 1.

        And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech,

        2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

        3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.

        4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

        The name and the life of Jesus has been passed down generation to generation for a millennia. In this scripture, a people were devising a way and act to have their name passed down. This story has roots in the generations preceding it to Ham. Ham was the son of Noah that was cursed by his father in chapter 9 of Genesis and was cast out. 

        5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

        6 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

        The people were building and serving themselves a name. There is nothing holding them back nor their imagination to accomplish for themselves. They were all one mind, one accord and one language. They were also serving themselves above God.

        7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

        8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they let off to build the city.

        9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

        The name of Babel means confusion. This story is relevant today because of all the nations have all separate tongues. The reason why we speak in tongues starts here. The language is Jesus. The name is Jesus. You don't like the Holy Spirit or tongues, you don't like Jesus. The praise is Jesus. Modesty is a form of worship to him. It is the way you present yourself. It goes back to one mind, one accord, not your mind. The path traces from Tower of Babel -> Zephaniah -> Joel -> day of Pentecost. One mind, one accord, and one language all brought to us by the Holy Ghost.

        Without the spirit to lead and guide you in all truths, your flesh will lead you toward false personal truths that are off the path towards holiness completely. The Holy Ghost draws you to the body of Christ. The spirit of Christ draws your spirit to heaven. This means you will show up in one accord. Your primary focus should be presenting Jesus to others. Jesus established things in the old covenant to address fully in the new covenant. When you are baptized in Jesus name, you take on his name as a bride takes the name of the groom. Remember who you are married to in your life as you represent it in the world.