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Before we read the Scripture this morning, I invite you to take a moment to look around. Stand up, if you like. Take a moment to look into the faces of those who are gathered here with you this morning. Look to your left and to your right. Look behind you and across to the other side of the sanctuary.
What would bring such a collection of people to this place this morning?
We are not brought together by common demographics. We have an assortment of skin colors. We have different ethnicities, different native languages, different ages, different educational levels, and different income levels. Some of us own a home; some of us rent; some of us aren't entirely sure where we are going to be next week or next month.
We are not brought together by neighborhood ties. We come from a wide variety of different zip codes.
We are not brought together by a common political or social agenda. A range of viewpoints are represented among us.
We are not brought together by a common interest, talent, or hobby. Some of us make model airplanes. Some of us watch college sports with avid interest. Some of us volunteer to serve in local service organizations. Some of us play golf. Some of us paint. Some of us do photography. Some of us sing well, and some of us just sing. Some of us have a talent for crafts. Some of us have a talent for numbers. Some of us surf the web. For some of us, the only webs we know are the ones we sweep out of corners in little-used rooms.
We are not brought together by shared righteousness or common wholeness. Every single one of us is a sinner, but our greatest temptations challenge us in different ways. Every single one of us bears the wounds of life in this world, but our wounds are our own. Some of us carry our wounds on our sleeves, actively inviting others to help bear the burden. Some of us keep our wounds deeply buried, content to know that there are others nearby who will walk beside us without asking too many questions.
What would bring such a collection of people to this place this morning?
We are brought together in this place this morning by the power of the Holy Spirit, who draws us to Christ.
Look around again at the faces of those who are gathered here with you this morning. You are seeing brothers and sisters in Christ. Each one of us who belongs to Christ belongs also to one another. We are one in Christ.
Perhaps there are some here who are not sure that they belong to Christ. You, too, have been brought to this place this morning by the power of the Holy Spirit. You are welcome. You are always welcome. We wait patiently for the day the Holy Spirit will claim you for Christ and you will respond with faith in your heart and belief on your lips, and you will be one in Christ with all believers. That's up to the Holy Spirit. Our goal is to make you welcome.
What would bring such a collection of people to this place this morning? The Holy Spirit, who draws people to Christ. Each one of us who belongs to Christ belongs also to one another. We are one in Christ.
In the Scripture reading this morning, Peter describes an encounter he has had with a man named Cornelius. Under normal circumstances, Peter and Cornelius would never have been brought together. This encounter was brought about by the Holy Spirit, who draws people to Christ.
Cornelius was a Roman centurion of the Italian Regiment, stationed at Caesarea. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing. What that means is that Cornelius knew the God of the Jews, and believed in the God of the Jews, and even went to some effort to live in accordance with the ethical mandates of the God of the Jews. But he was not a Jew.
Wherever there were Jews in the ancient world, there were also probably some God-fearers; that is, people who knew the God of the Jews, believed in the God of the Jews, went to some effort to live in accordance with the ethical mandates of the God of the Jews, but were not Jews. It was possible for a Gentile to convert to Judaism, but it was a difficult process. Though the Jews had no particular objections to others converting, neither did they seek to promote it. More often, if a Gentile came to know and believe in the God of the Jews, he remained a Gentile and became what was known as a God-fearer. Fear is used here in the sense of respect and reverence.
Because God-fearers were Gentiles, not Jews, they did not have access to the inner parts of the temple in Jerusalem. They did not take part in the ritual sacrifices of Judaism. They may have lived according to Jewish ethics, but they did not participate in all the Jewish ritual. Gentiles, God-fearing or not, were considered ritually unclean according to Jewish standards.
Peter was a Jew. All his life, Peter had participated in the ritual sacrifices of Judaism. All his life, he had participated in Jewish ritual. He avoided eating any food that was impure or unclean. And he avoided contact with people who were impure or unclean. As a general rule, Jews did not enter the homes of Gentiles; Jews did not sit down for meals with Gentiles; Jews avoided as much as possible even associating with Gentiles.
At the time of this event, Peter lived in Joppa. He avoided contact with Gentiles in Joppa. He certainly had no reason to associate with a Gentile in Caesarea.
Under normal circumstances, Peter and Cornelius would never have been brought together. But they were brought together, by the power of the Holy Spirit, who sent Peter to Caesarea to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to Cornelius and his household.
Chapter 10 of Acts describes how this encounter came about. In chapter 11, Peter explains this remarkable and unexpected experience, in his own words, to the Jewish believers back in Jerusalem.
Read Acts 11:1-18.
All of the twelve apostles were Jews. All of the 120 followers of Jesus who were present in the upper room at Pentecost were Jews. It is likely that all of the 3000 people who heard Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost and came to faith in Jesus, though they came from all parts of the Empire, were Jews. Jesus was the long-expected Jewish Messiah. The Gospel of Jesus Christ was, first and foremost, for the Jews.
The earliest Christians were all Jews. And they shared the Gospel with other Jews. Even though Jesus had told them more than once that there task was to carry the good news to the whole world, still they focused on the Jews-the people of God, the people who already knew God, the people who were already claimed by God and bore his name. Centuries of tradition kept Jews from even sharing a meal with Gentiles. Only the power of the Holy Spirit could possibly have led Jewish Christians to reach out to Gentiles, eat with them, share with them the good news, and eventually receive them as brothers and sisters in Christ. Only the power of the Holy Spirit could finally make clear that the long-expected Jewish Messiah had come for the entire world.
Paul became the foremost evangelist to the Gentiles. But it was Peter's encounter with Cornelius that first opened the door for Gentiles to be welcomed into the community of Christ's people.
What does all this mean for us, here, today? Chances are good that everyone here is of Gentile origins. Two thousand years have gone by, and it is no longer a surprise that the Holy Spirit draws people of all different ethnicities to Christ. So what does this mean for us?
First, I suggest that it would be well for us Gentiles to remember Peter and Paul and all the others who carried the Gospel message to far corners of the world in those early years of the church. We owe them a nod of gratitude. Those of us who trace Christian connections back generations and generations would do well to remember these early evangelists and be humbled. Without the willingness of Peter to be led by the Holy Spirit to cross boundaries that he had been trained all his life not to cross, you and I might still not know Christ and the life that he offers.
Second, I suggest that it would be well for us adults to look again at our children. One of the things Peter learned was that the people of God was no longer determined by parentage. One who was born Jewish had no special in to the Body of Christ. One who was born Gentile was not shut out of the Body of Christ.
Whether we are parents or not, we all bear responsibility for the children of this congregation. We all bear responsibility to love them, to guide them, to protect them, to teach them. More than anything, we bear responsibility to nurture them in the faith. They may have been born to Christian families, but they were not born Christian. The Holy Spirit is at work drawing them to Christ. The Holy Spirit invites us-the Holy Spirit commands us-to partner with him in that task.
Right now I know there is one child of this congregation that needs special prayer. His mother has given me permission to share this with you. D is out there somewhere, running from the state and running from God. But God loves him, and God gave him to all of us so that we would love him too. Pray, people. Pray.
Third, I suggest that it would be well for us long-time Christians to be intentional about noticing and removing the invisible boundaries that keep us from reaching out to those who do not yet know Christ and the invisible boundaries that keep those who do not yet know Christ from even wanting to encounter us.
Who are the people that we would never want to associate with? Who are the people that we would not invite into our homes? Who are the people that talk differently from us and dress differently from us and wear jewelry in places that seem odd to us? Who are the people who behave in ways of which we don't approve? Who are the people who just plain make us nervous to be around because their ways are so unfamiliar to us?
The good news of Jesus Christ is for these people. Jesus is their Messiah. Jesus lived, and died, and was raised to new life, for them. The Holy Spirit is at work drawing these people to Christ. The Holy Spirit invites us-the Holy Spirit commands us-to partner with him in this task.
Are there other invisible boundaries that keep us from reaching out to those who do not yet know Christ? Fear of rejection or embarrassment? Desire not to offend? Wondering if we will say the right thing or accidentally say exactly the wrong thing?
The Holy Spirit goes before us. It's up to him to make the opportunities. All we can do is make ourselves available. It's up to the Holy Spirit to prepare the way. If he has not softened a heart, we will not see fruit, but we can still water the seeds that he has planted.
What are the invisible boundaries that keep those who do not yet know Christ, or who have run from him, from even wanting to encounter us?
Are there ways that, without even knowing it, we make people feel like they don't fit in? Do we look past the newcomer to greet an old friend? Do we have insider knowledge that leaves the newcomer confused about where to go and what to do?
There are lots of people out there who are accustomed to hearing from the world that they are not wanted and they are not worthy. There are a lot of people who expect to get that same message from us. How can we go out of our way to surprise them with honest welcome, sincere hospitality, and a real willingness to accept them whoever they are and wherever they are in their relationship with God?
Fourth, did you notice that Peter went to Caesarea to meet Cornelius? The Holy Spirit was at work in both their hearts, but it was Peter who was commanded to go out of his way to meet Cornelius on Cornelius's home territory. That's still true. The Holy Spirit has to be at work in all of our hearts for anything wonderful to happen. Still, the Holy Spirit is likely to ask those who belong to Christ already to take the initiative to go out of their way to meet people where they are so that life-changing encounters can happen.
Fifth, Peter found out that when he crossed established boundaries, some in the church criticized him. That will happen to us too. Like Peter, we have to know that if people are coming to faith in Jesus Christ and lives are being changed, then the Holy Spirit is at work, and that is a good thing.
If people are coming to faith in Jesus Christ and lives are being changed, then the Holy Spirit is at work, and that is a good thing.
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