Sermon - Empowered by Their Acts: Doing Our Best Always

Empowered by Their Acts: Doing Our Best Always
Acts 24: 1-27
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
July 28, 2019

After Paul and Barnabas went their separate ways, Paul and Silas spread the good news on two more missionary journeys (Acts 15:39). The Holy Spirit interrupted Paul’s plans for his second journey to go with Silas and plant churches in Greece; they went to Troas, Philippi, Thessalonica, Beroea, and Athens (Acts 16-17). It was not an easy trip. They were arrested and thrown into prison at Philippi and yet God’s faithfulness prevailed. God not only freed these two apostles, but also used the opportunity to spread the gospel to the jailer and his family (Acts 16:19-24).

Paul’s third journey took him to Corinth, Antioch, Galatia and Phrygia, Ephesus, and Macedonia. He returned to the Greek cities from his second journey and visited the church plants in Asia Minor from his first journey. Paul then went back to Jerusalem to worship (Acts 18-21).

Paul’s adventures in faith show that doing God’s work has a way of stirring things up. Fellow disciples warned Paul of trouble that was brewing as a result of his ministry to the Gentiles. “[Jews from Asia Minor] had come to Jerusalem questioning Paul’s commitment to their common Jewish heritage; for them the tradition of the past (circumcision) defined the church’s faithfulness to God in the present” (Acts 21:21; 24:19). As a result of the Jerusalem Council’s decision that circumcision was not essential for new Gentile believers, this group was misinformed; they believed that Paul was telling Jewish believers to disregard their own customs. (Of course this was untrue).

When this group laid eyes on Paul, conflict broke out; Paul was arrested with the group’s intention to kill him (Acts 21:30). Paul did his best to defend himself as an ambassador of Jesus Christ (Acts 22: 1-21). Nevertheless, charges were brought against him and Paul was sent to Caesarea, the capitol of Judea, for a trial with the Governor (Acts 23:23).

And so we enter the story with a courtroom hearing in Acts 24: 1-23.

Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney, a certain Tertullus, and they reported their case against Paul to the governor. When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying:

‘Your Excellency, because of you we have long enjoyed peace, and reforms have been made for this people because of your foresight. We welcome this in every way and everywhere with utmost gratitude. But, to detain you no further, I beg you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. We have, in fact, found this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple, and so we seized him. By examining him yourself you will be able to learn from him concerning everything of which we accuse him.’

The Jews also joined in the charge by asserting that all this was true.

When the governor motioned to him to speak, Paul replied:

‘I cheerfully make my defence, knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation. As you can find out, it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem. They did not find me disputing with anyone in the temple or stirring up a crowd either in the synagogues or throughout the city. Neither can they prove to you the charge that they now bring against me. But this I admit to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our ancestors, believing everything laid down according to the law or written in the prophets. I have a hope in God—a hope that they themselves also accept—that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. Therefore I do my best always to have a clear conscience towards God and all people. Now after some years I came to bring alms to my nation and to offer sacrifices. While I was doing this, they found me in the temple, completing the rite of purification, without any crowd or disturbance. But there were some Jews from Asia—they ought to be here before you to make an accusation, if they have anything against me. Or let these men here tell what crime they had found when I stood before the council, unless it was this one sentence that I called out while standing before them, “It is about the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.” ’

But Felix, who was rather well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing with the comment, ‘When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.’ Then he ordered the centurion to keep him in custody, but to let him have some liberty and not to prevent any of his friends from taking care of his needs.

The prosecuting attorney laid out four allegations against Paul: (1) he was a pest; (2) he was an agitator; (3) he was a ringleader of a sect; and (4) he attempted to profane the temple (Acts 24: 5-6).

And Paul boldly defended himself. He was no pest, but a sojourner of faith coming to worship (Acts 24:11; 20:16). There was no proof that he had caused any agitation (Acts 24:12). He was no ringleader, but he confessed his faith in the Way, a movement in the hope of God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 24:14-15).

This hope was in the same God of their ancestors, but God was revealing a new way of his saving mercy (Acts 24:21). Paul contested he had done nothing profane, rather he did his best always to have a clear conscience towards God and all people (Acts 24:16).

Paul continued to do his best to have a clear conscience after the governor heard his defense and left him in prison for two years. The governor and his wife Drusilla would stop by the jail to see Paul. Paul would talk with them about life and faith. And yet the governor never changed his mind about Paul (Acts 24:24-27).

Can you possibly imagine the stamina it took for Paul to do that? It took discipline. It took spiritual and mental preparation. It took a willingness to fully trust God’s ability in the face of adversity. Paul was no stranger to discipline and preparation. Those two virtues were prerequisites to be a Pharisee in the Jewish tradition.

God worked through Paul’s strengths and weaknesses, his past mistakes and his present successes to give glory to God. God redirected Paul’s zeal and passion to give all he had for God’s purposes. Paul gave his all to God because Jesus Christ had given his all to God as the pioneer and perfecter of faith to endure the cross and disregard its shame so that we might not grow weary or lose heart (Hebrews 12:2-3).

Being an ambassador for Christ took much spiritual and mental preparation. Paul’s intimate relationship with God was foundational in that preparation and empowered Paul to do his best always with a clear conscience.

When times get tough and you are faced with adversity what do you do? Some of us raise our fists and are ready to face a challenge. But some of us throw our hands up and say, “This is too hard.”

But when we walk away from challenges in our life and faith, then we are also walking away from an opportunity that God may be placing in our path…. An opportunity for us to learn from – to learn who God is and to learn who we are and who we are becoming.

God’s opportunities reveal that God’s grace is sufficient in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). God’s opportunities demonstrate that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).

If Paul had walked away when the challenges got heavier and heavier, we would not have the majority of the New Testament letters. We would not have the hope that is set before us in Jesus Christ and in our shared human stories to guide our way. We would not have the conviction of faith that Paul gained every time God made a way when there seemed like no way.

When adversity comes your way then by all means throw your hands up - but throw them up as you reach for God’s presence and guidance. By all means throw your hands up and pray. Pray with a growing trust that God is already there. Pray with the assurance that God will supply what is needed for you to overcome that challenge. And pray for God to reveal what is worthy of praise in that moment or season of adversity (Philippians 4: 4-8).

When adversity comes your way remember that strife is part of our human story. Every ancestor of faith in Scripture faced hardship, conflict, and testing. Our identity of belonging to God does not protect us from adversity. Instead knowing that we belong to God gives us affirmation that God is with us in whatever crisis or problem we may face. Knowing that we belong to God is knowing that we are not alone in the human struggle.

God is not only with us in the person of Jesus Christ and in the power of Holy Spirit But God will always fight for his children – and we need only to be still until the Lord tells us when to take the next right step (Exodus 14: 14-15). Sometimes we just have to step out in faith when God’s Spirit’s gives us that nudge to go in God’s bold assurance. Just know that our God always goes ahead of you and is your rear guard (Isaiah 52:12).

When adversity comes your way hold fast not just to your personal convictions of faith but also to our shared conviction that in Christ all things hold together (Colossians 1:17). There is no part of your life that God cannot and will not use for God’s glory.

Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has taken our greatest mistakes and our God-given potential to bring about God’s plan of redeeming all of creation and humanity to himself (2 Corinthians 5: 17-19). And God has entrusted the message of reconciliation to us so that we may share the love of Christ with others in our own unique ways (2 Corinthians 5: 19-20).

When we come together as the body of Christ to be about the Lord’s business – whether we are on the playground, working in the cubicle, or running errands – the gospel will not only inspire others but it will bring challenges too.

When you and I are doing our unique part of sharing God’s love we inspire others to not grow weary in doing what is right.

But sharing God’s love can also stir things up and challenge the ways of the world. In those moments we are to keep doing what we have learned and received and heard through Scripture and through the Church; and the God of peace will be with us (Philippians 4:9).

When adversity comes your way may we be empowered by the Apostle Paul’s acts of doing our best always to have a clear conscience towards God and others.

Doing our best always means to practice the marks of a disciple with daily practice and intentionality as Paul tells us:

As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3: 12-17).

May it be so for you and for me.

IN the name of God our Creator, Redeemer, ad Sustainer. Amen.

Sermon - Empowered by Their Acts: Trusting God in Conflict

Empowered by Their Acts: Trusting God in Conflict
Acts 15: 1-41
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
July 21, 2019

As Peter and Cornelius were humbled by the impartial love of God and the power of Holy Spirit (Acts 10-11), Saul of Tarsus was humbled by his own “coming to Jesus” moment (Acts 9). This Pharisee knew the Torah inside and out. Saul was the greatest persecutor of the early Christians.

And yet Saul was also chosen and transformed by God to use his passion to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the known world in the Mediterranean. As a sign of his conversion Saul received the new Christian name of Paul.

The first apostles to meet Paul were afraid of him (Acts 9:26). But Barnabas stood beside Paul as a fellow brother and spoke on his behalf (Acts 9:27). At that time the first century church was growing like wildfire through Judea, Galilee, and Samaria (Acts 9:31). God’s mission would keep moving to make Jesus known throughout the known Mediterranean world.

Therefore, Holy Spirit sent Paul and Barnabas to spread the good news from the ancient city of Damascus, Syria to Antioch (which is now modern-day Turkey) and throughout Asia Minor (Acts 13).

As Paul’s first missionary journey came to a close with Barnabas, they received news that a conflict was needing to be resolved in the church back in Jerusalem. This was the first conflict recorded in Acts. And this is where we enter the story of Acts 15: 1-41.

Then certain individuals came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.’ And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to discuss this question with the apostles and the elders. So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the believers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and said, ‘It is necessary for them to be circumcised and ordered to keep the law of Moses.’

The apostles and the elders met together to consider this matter. After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, ‘My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become believers. And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us; and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us. Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.’

The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, ‘My brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first looked favourably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name. This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written,
“After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen;
from its ruins I will rebuild it,
and I will set it up,
so that all other peoples may seek the Lord—
even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called.
Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things known from long ago.”
Therefore I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God, but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood. For in every city, for generations past, Moses has had those who proclaim him, for he has been read aloud every sabbath in the synagogues.’

Then the apostles and the elders, with the consent of the whole church, decided to choose men from among their members and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers, with the following letter: ‘The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the believers of Gentile origin in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that certain persons who have gone out from us, though with no instructions from us, have said things to disturb you and have unsettled your minds, we have decided unanimously to choose representatives and send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.’

So they were sent off and went down to Antioch. When they gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. When its members read it, they rejoiced at the exhortation. Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. After they had been there for some time, they were sent off in peace by the believers to those who had sent them. But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, and there, with many others, they taught and proclaimed the word of the Lord.

After some days Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Come, let us return and visit the believers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.’ Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul decided not to take with them one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work. The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and set out, the believers commending him to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

As God’s Spirit widened the circle of faith to welcome Gentiles, women and men like Peter, Paul, and Barnabas had witnessed first-hand that God’s love was revealed to new believers without stipulations.

And yet some Jewish Christians wrestled with this. Their understanding of coming into the fold of faith was initiated by circumcision (covenant sign of belonging to God), which began with God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17: 9-14).

While this debate may seem irrelevant today, we know the church does not exist in a conflict free bubble. Many debates and conflict have become stumbling blocks throughout the history of Christianity to present day. Conflict is a part of human life. So how do we handle conflict in the church and in our daily lives as people of faith?

The Gospel of Matthew is my starting point when levels of conflict rise up. Matthew’s words are practical when we spend time in prayer about any issue. Matthew says:

If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax-collector…Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them (Matthew 18: 15-17, 20).

There is more to Matthew’s words than meets the eye. According to the Greek, “to point out the fault” is not to blame. Instead it is to name the problem and ask the individual to explain what has happened from their point of view. And “to listen” is not just to hear a response, but to hear God’s voice from within. The godly goal in times of conflict is for our faith to seek understanding and to be reconciled to God and to one another. Faith tells us that God is trustworthy in times of conflict.

John Paul Lederach is a Mennonite; his faith tradition is committed to working for peace. He has worked in conciliation and for over thirty years. In his book, Reconcile: Conflict Transforming for Ordinary Christians, Lederach sees the church in Acts 15 as a model for working through conflict. He says, “To disagree does not necessarily have to translate into relational distance and separation. It can mean increased understanding, relationship, and growth.”

He notes six key steps for handling conflict from our text today: [1]

1. Recognize and define the problem. The Jerusalem Council recognized there was division and they named the conflict regarding the identity of new Gentile believers. If the council had delayed naming the conflict it would have created more confusion and dissention. The leaders’ willingness to be real and transparent about the matter was central to the process of moving forward.

2. Create the appropriate forum for processing the matter. As God’s love in Jesus Christ was breaking down barriers between Jews and Gentiles, the Jerusalem Council knew the issue needed to be addressed. “They created a forum for discernment with broad participation. Discernment emerges from understanding the nature of the conflict and what level of response is needed to deal with it adequately. Process matters more than outcome.”

3. Let diverse viewpoints be represented. “The Jerusalem Council was intentional to be inclusive so that all viewpoints would be shared. There was no one-sided conversation. Everyone affected by the decision had a place at the table.” Every voice is a child of God and deserves to be heard with respect.

4. Speak well and listen carefully. “The whole assembly engaged in intervals of talking, listening, and keeping silent. The people of Jerusalem, the leaders, Peter, Paul and Barnabas each shared what they saw God doing and what was at stake.” Listening and keeping silent entail some hard, internal work. True listening requires empathy and respect of another’s viewpoint. Keeping silence gives us pause to consider what beliefs or deep values within us have been touched. Silence also allows for us to hear the voice of God through another.

5. Use the gifts in the community. As the meeting progressed, “this diverse group of people united their gifts in order to find common understanding. Certain people rose and spoke. Some brought evidence of what they had seen and heard from their ministry. Some spoke of the past. Some spoke of how God had worked among them. Some interpreted biblical text. Some formulated ideas of how things will be brought together. Some moved the meeting toward a specific outcome. Some wrote the outcome down. Some carried the message to those not present. In times of working through conflict, we need to unite our gifts to initiate, support, help create, and sustain understandings that are reached.”

6. Decide and then implement decisions. The Jerusalem Council reached a conclusion that made a way for the Christian movement to expand into the Church Universal. That conclusive decision was a result of making a compromise. Lederach says, “In essence they decided, ‘We recognize new things that God has envisioned for the church, things we did not expect from our tradition. We are [reforming] our beliefs to match this new understanding of God moving among us. However, we recognize important things from our past that we must not let go, and we share them explicitly with our brothers and sisters.’”

What a powerful example for you and me. Our text reminds me that when disagreement happens within the body of Christ we have hope as we trust God in any level of conflict. Disagreement and conflict are a normal part of human life. And the way we engage it matters.

Taking passive-aggressive postures and pointing fingers of blame are not the ways of the kingdom of God; these are ways of the world. But meeting one another where we are and making room to listen to our differing viewpoints are ways of God's kingdom because God’s kingdom values relationships. That is a core Christian virtue.

If God created you and if God created me and if God created the one whom you or I disagree with then we are still connected in God’s love even when we might disagree about the other stuff.

Trusting God in conflict is about our commitment to connect and grow. We trust God in conflict as we connect with God and one another through prayerful listening as our faith seeks understanding. We trust God in conflict as we are willing to grow in our faithfulness to follow God’s desire for reconciliation and unity.

Not every conflict will resolve with a unanimous decision to reach common ground, to reconcile, and to move forward. The conflict that arose between Paul and Barnabas became so sharp that they went their separate ways (Acts 15:39). Maybe Paul was just a hot-head, blew up, and walked away from Barnabas. We do not know the particulars.

But we do know that despite the sharp disagreement between them, God continued to be at work through Paul and Barnabas respectively; the story of God’s mission did not end there. Whatever human conflicts exist within us, among us, or out in the wider world, human conflict is not powerful enough to thwart God’s purposes in the world – you and I are not that powerful.

My prayer for us is this: when disagreement interrupts our daily rhythm, may we remember who we are and whose we are. You and I are children of God and we each belong to God. Belonging to God carries far more value than belonging to a position.

Instead of trying to be right, may we try to be open. Be open to see the image of God in the one you disagree with. Be open to listen to the story of what has shaped her or his viewpoints, and may they be open to listen to yours. Be open to listen for the Spirit of God speaking through that sister or brother.

May we be empowered by the apostles’ actions of trusting God in conflict.

When you think of conflict – do not think red (for anger), but look at the cross. The vertical line of the cross symbolizes that God has already reconciled us back to God through Jesus Christ. The horizontal line symbolizes the work we are called to do in Jesus’ name to be reconciled to one another.

As we do that work, may the world know that we are disciples of Jesus Christ by our love…not by our divisions.

In the name of God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen.

Sources Referenced:

[1] John Paul Lederach, “Reconcile: Conflict Transforming for Ordinary Christians” (Harrisonburg: Herald Press, 2014).

Sermon: Empowered by Their Acts: Humility

Empowered by Their Acts: Humility
Acts 11: 1-18
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
July 14, 2019

The Spirit of God was on the move and the apostles were encouraging the first century church to keep in step with God’s Spirit.

You see, God’s mission focused on drawing the circle of faith wider and wider to break down barriers between Jews and Gentiles. Last week Rev. Janet Alford shared the apostles’ first experience of this as Holy Spirit led Phillip to guide the Ethiopian eunuch into Christ’s love. This was a radical thing in the first century.

Our text today circles around the apostle Peter and the Roman centurion Cornelius; a God-fearing man and also Gentile. God’s Spirit brought these two together in an amazing way to further God’s mission in the world and to accomplish God’s purposes of reconnecting us to God and one another (Acts 10).

When the apostles and the believers in Jerusalem caught wind of this, they criticized Peter for being with a Gentile.

Listen to Peter retell the story to move the hearts of his ministry colleagues in Jerusalem, Acts 11: 1-18:

Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?’

Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, ‘I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air.

I also heard a voice saying to me, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” But I replied, “By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.”

But a second time the voice answered from heaven, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.”

This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven.

At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s (Cornelius') house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, “Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.”

And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?’ When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, ‘Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.’

The most pressing barriers between Jews and Gentiles were worship and dietary differences. Many Gentiles (but not all) worshipped other gods. Jews were to worship God alone. Jewish tradition had long held that circumcision was the covenant sign showing that one belonged to God. Jews were also restricted to eat foods that were kosher; a sign of faithfulness to have a clean heart and mind before God. Therefore, these differences often kept these two peoples at a distance.

And yet, the Spirit of God moved in the lives of Cornelius and Peter. They each received a profound message from God through a vision that reshaped the ways they saw one another.

God told Cornelius in a vision that he, his household, and his men needed to hear a message from Peter that would completely change their lives (Acts 10:5, 30-32; 11: 13-14).

God made a point to tell Peter in a vision three times, “What God has made clean, do not call profane” (Acts 10:14-16; 11:9-10). Whenever something is repeated in Scripture the Spirit is shining a neon light “THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!” God’s point was this – God shows no partiality therefore we are not to single out anyone for their differences (Acts 10:28).

My friends, God’s love changes things. Scripture is God’s story that shapes our hearts and minds to better understand how we are to interact and relate to one another because of who God is.

God’s love changed Peter. While Peter was trying to be faithful to the Jewish tradition of only welcoming those who thought and acted like him into the circle of faith, God did a new thing. God opened the eyes of Peter’s heart to see God’s reality; in Jesus Christ we all have been reconciled to God and one another. Therefore, unity is both a gift and a responsibility for every disciple to pursue. It was a humbling moment for Peter as he said, “Who am I to hinder God?” (Acts 11:17).

God’s love changed Cornelius. While Cornelius was learning to be faithful to God, he felt the affirmation of Christian belonging, connection, and community through Peter. As a result of the presence of the Holy Spirit and Peter’s participation in what God was already doing, Cornelius and his household were empowered by God’s saving grace. It was a humbling moment for Cornelius and his household as they received the same power of the Holy Spirit as the apostles received at Pentecost (Acts 2).

God’s love changed the rest of the apostles and the believers who received Peter’s testimony. By hearing God’s story of amazing grace these men and women went from an attitude of criticism to a posture of praising God. Their fear of change to widen the circle of faith took a 180 degree turn as they were awed by God’s power to do far more than they could have hoped, asked for, or imagined. Their skepticism of Gentiles was changed by God’s radical hospitality and love as they saw the image of God in one another. Their fear of sharing the same circle of faith was transformed as the Holy Spirit renewed their minds by the will of God. What a humbling moment for the apostles and believers who received Peter’s story.

God brought Peter and Cornelius together to share the Spirit’s gift of holy connection.
God brought Cornelius and Peter together to show that God’s love created each of us as God’s beloved sons and daughters.
God brought Peter and Cornelius together to proclaim that the love of Jesus Christ is cleansing our hearts by faith by the power of Holy Spirit.
God brought Cornelius and Peter together to demonstrate that God sees us without labels or distinction.
God brought Peter and Cornelius together to illustrate that the Kingdom of God is about uniting us for God’s purposes to build the kingdom of God.
God brought Cornelius and Peter together to reveal what the body of Christ looks like when we let God’s love lead us.

This past week a few of our youth and I were at Montreat Youth Conference. This year’s theme is “Let Love Lead.” We learned ways to let the love of Jesus Christ lead us to join God in changing the world.

In order to understand God’s love, our keynote presenters took us to the beginning of God’s Word in the second creation story (Genesis 2: 7-9, 18-23). This is a story of God’s love as God created humanity; male and female. God lived in the Garden, played in the dirt, created humanity, breathed life into us, and made community for us to know our value because we are created by God. You are loved because you have been created. This story belongs to each and every one of us. Our keynoter reminded us that because of this biblical truth, “Whoever you are there is a place for you here.”

God’s grace connects all of us as children of God. Therefore God said, “Do not call profane what God has made clean” (Acts 11: ). The Rev Dr. Jerry Cannon, put it like this at Montreat Youth Conference:

“I am made of dirt. You are made of dirt. So I cannot talk about your dirt!”
Now look your neighbor in the eyes and say these words!

It is a humbling thing to know we have no earthly reason to look down on one another. As disciples of Jesus Christ we are called to live differently than the world lives. We are to live as Jesus lived and compassionately come alongside all God’s children and especially those whom society has cast aside.

God’s grace opens our spiritual eyes to see the image of God in one another. Do not miss the opportunity to see the beauty of God’s grace in another’s differences. We each have something to learn from one another’s respective worldviews, theological and political positions, family backgrounds, personal experiences, cultures, and contexts. God’s grace humbles us as we let love lead us to see the other as our sister, our brother.

God’s grace challenges us with the truth that God is in control and we are mere stewards of God’s grace. God’s divine purposes will change the world and we are invited to join God in making the Lord’s vision of reconciliation and unity a realization.
God’s grace humbles us to have the same “Aha! Moment” that Peter had, saying, “Who am I to hinder God?”

I want for you to imagine an individual or a group that you have had difficulty including in your circle of relationships or in the circle of faith. Name the barriers that seem to create distance between you. Pray for God to give you the courage to draw closer and look for the image of God in this individual or group. Hospitality, genuine sharing of stories, and empathy are key virtues to breaking down barriers that divide us. I want for each of us to say together, “Who am I to hinder God?”

The Apostle Paul tells us the more we let Jesus’ love lead our daily lives then the more our faith is shaped by grace and gratitude to glorify God Paul says in Romans 12: 9-18 -

Let love be genuine; hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

May you and I be empowered by the apostles acts of humility to join God in bringing all of God’s children home.

In the name of God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer Amen.