May 10, 2015
Easter 6
John 15:9-17
Acts 10:44-48
(prayer)
I don’t know if anyone noticed, but (apparently) last Tuesday, there were some new MLAs elected to serve Albertans as their government and loyal opposition.
Changes happen, I suppose.
Not everyone likes change. I think that - as part of the nature of our species - we are generally reluctant to change.
Not everyone likes change. I think that - as part of the nature of our species - we are generally reluctant to change.
Changes are hard. We know the truth of this all throughout our lives. Psychologists will tell us that the most stressful times of life are the times of change:
· The death of a loved one;
· The ending of a significant relationship: divorce;
· Advancing a relationship (getting married, moving in together);
· Moving;
· Major Illness;
· Major Illness;
· Change in job (job loss);
· Having children;
· Children moving out.
The truth is - whether change is forced upon us, or (reluctantly) accepted - it is not easy. An unfamiliar path before us creates uncertainty as much as it might excite us about possibilities.
And so, I appreciate that the fact that we, as Albertans have just experienced only the fourth change in government in 110 years, change brings with it - the question that can be both stressful and hopeful: what will this be like?
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Last Sunday, we read a section from the book of Acts, chapter 8, where the early church leader, Phillip met a traveler from Africa on the wilderness road between Jerusalem and Gaza.
I spoke about how this represented a change in the degree of welcome within the community of the followers of Jesus.
To recap:
- Jesus’ first followers were all people of the Hebrew tradition from either Galilee or Judea. Now, Jesus had expanded his ministry to include sharing of his gifts (of healing in particular) to anyone in need - including those beyond his faith tradition - but there is no indication that there the religious aspects of Jesus’ mission expanded beyond his own people from his part of the world.
- Then, in the early months and years of the post-Easter Christian movement, Hebrew believers from the Diaspora were welcomed in: greek-speaking Jews who lived beyond the traditional land of Israel. In fact, Phillip (from last week’s reading) was, himself, one of these so-called Hellenistic believers.
- The movement opened a third door when it welcomed those who not even born into the Hebrew tradition - proselytes or converts became part of the movement. One of Phillip’s colleagues, a leader named Nicolaus was such a convert.
- Last week, the Ethiopian traveler was not just any convert to Judaism. He was also a eunuch (apparently a job requirement for his role within his Queen’s court). A eunuch is a man with no testicles (either as a result of an accident or some willful act). There had been eunuchs among the people of Israel from the earliest days of the religion, but such men were
not able to fully participate in the life of faith (cf Dt23:1). And yet, when Phillip shared the story of Jesus and the new movement in his name, the Ethiopian was not denied baptism.
not able to fully participate in the life of faith (cf Dt23:1). And yet, when Phillip shared the story of Jesus and the new movement in his name, the Ethiopian was not denied baptism.
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Jesus had commanded his disciples that the were to love others (show compassion and commitment to others) in the way he had loved them.
Their lives were to be founded on a deep, selfless, compassion.
Their lives were to be founded on a deep, selfless, compassion.
Jesus said: God has loved me, I have loved you, now go out and do the same.
Like the circle of welcome within the church, divine love starts with God at the centre and expands out.
Where might it stop?
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Well, Jesus’ rock of a disciple, Simon son of John, (aka Peter) saw the boundary as those who believed in the Hebrew God.
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The story goes that Peter was on his way to Joppa (on the Mediterranean coast - now part of greater Tel-Aviv) when he was on a rooftop praying. The text tells us that Peter went into a ‘trance’: a deep meditative state. The text also tells us that Peter was hungry: but probably not so much that he was hallucinating from a lack of nourishment. His trance was more likely
brought on by the deep prayer.
brought on by the deep prayer.
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In his dream-like state, Peter saw a collection of animals being brought down from the heavens. He describes it as big tablecloth descending. And this is goodnews for Peter because he is very hungry. But... ironically, the animals in the sheet are all ones that are forbidden as food. The book of Levitcus, chapter 11, has a brief list of some of the foods that are considered ‘unclean’. There is not a description of ‘why’ - just of ‘what’.
’cause God says so!
It is the Apostle Peter’s own version of the ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’:
water, water everywhere nor any drop to drink.
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“Peter, get up. Kill. Eat.”
“By no means! I have never eaten anything profane or unclean.”
“What God has made clean, you must not call unclean.”
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“Peter, get up. Kill. Eat.”
“By no means! I have never eaten anything profane or unclean.”
“What God has made clean, you must not call unclean.”
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“Peter, get up. Kill. Eat.”
“By no means! I have never eaten anything profane or unclean.”
“What God has made clean, you must not call unclean.”
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Peter came out of his trance to see a stranger coming down the road. It turned out to be an emissary from a roman centurion from Caesarea - who, although he was not Jewish (by birth nor conversion), had some semblance of faith in the Hebrew God. Cornelius felt compelled to seek out Peter and sent his servants to get him.
And Peter accepted: feeling similarly compelled - even though Peter knew that the Torah discouraged associations between Jews and non-Jews (aka Gentiles). Now, I couldn’t find a direct Old Testament quote about that, but there are several references to driving the Gentiles out of the land and showing them no mercy.
Why did Peter go against this long held tradition and practice?
His prayer-dream: what God has called clean, don’t call profane.
His prayer-dream: what God has called clean, don’t call profane.
The doors of welcoming had been opening pretty freely within the early Christian movement, but this was a ‘biggy’ - faith in a Jewish teacher and healer, who preached an ethic of compassion from the Hebrew God, was now ready to welcome those from outside Jesus’ own faith tradition.
Peter said it best (Acts 10:34-35): I truly understand that God shows now partiality. Everyone (of any nation) who [respects] God and does what is right is acceptable to God. Peter then went on to tell Cornelius more about Jesus.
While he was speaking, something happened that shocked Peter and his Christian companions: they witnessed an outpouring of the spirit among this group of gentiles that they had only seen among their own group.
This included charismatic fits like loudly praising God in words that were both familiar and unknown.
This included charismatic fits like loudly praising God in words that were both familiar and unknown.
And then a question very similar to one we heard last week between the eunuch and Phillip: Can anyone withhold the baptismal waters for these people?
Of course, there was no reason. The old assumptions about profane and clean were thrown out the window.
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Think of the church of Jesus as being like an unfinished work of art.
Maybe think of a Jackson Pollock spatter painting. When is it finished? When is it complete? Is there no more room for change? I guess it stops when the artist decides it stops.
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Maybe think of a Jackson Pollock spatter painting. When is it finished? When is it complete? Is there no more room for change? I guess it stops when the artist decides it stops.
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On his final evening with his disciples before he was arrested, the gospel of John records that Jesus told them he has been a conduit of God’s love and compassion for them, so that they can live that way too. Jesus proclaims that - in this way - the divine joy can be in them. They will come to be even more filled with Joy. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
The tapestry that is the Jesus’ Movement is in the process of becoming complete - with each new person, the fullness of God becomes more clear in our midst.
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The opening of the Christian movement to include Gentiles created some difficulties and exposed some conflicts within the early church.
Most of our New Testament is made up of letters exchanged with early Christian communities that were learning to live with the diversity of the family of Christ.
Saul of Tarsus was once a persecutor of the early Christians: concerned that they were perverting the faith. But - like Peter - his eyes were open to a new vision. At least seven of the NT books are letters written by Paul - who took on the new mission of sharing the good news of Jesus to Gentile communities. With Paul’s guidance, many of the difficulties of inclusion were highlighted and addressed.
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Change does involve difficulty.
It can be very stressful.
We may even try to avoid it and keep things safe.
But - all throughout the history of our faith, change brought about by welcome has evolved the work of art that is the widening love of God.
And that is a good thing, right?
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Let us pray:
Gracious God, be with us when arms of welcome are wide and when we are closed to new possibilities. Nurture us on this path of faith. Amen.
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