April 24 Welcoming God’s Word * Acts 11.1-18, Psalm 148   Pastor Jacqueline Hines

The book of Acts tells story after story of what was going on in the church in Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified, died, and buried. Every year we tell our stories at Charge Conference. Lately, lots of folks around our community are talking about the renovations being done by the congregation on Bethel Church Road. There is always a story being shared here or there.

Verse 1 of Acts tells us that the apostles and believers heard the story of how the Gentiles had accepted God’s word. (slide # 1 Now the Apostles…) As always, there are those who accept God’s word and there are those who live according to other words.

We know persons who are Jewish, atheist, or agnostic who live by rules that are different from the rules by which we live. We know persons who are Muslim, Baha’i, and Buddhist who believe in a God that is different from our God. (slide # 2 Buddha)

In the early church in Jerusalem, the book of Acts tells us that the Gentiles, who had not claimed our God before, were now claiming our God. As always, life is full of changes some more surprising and challenging than others. Now, the church was being put in a position to welcome the Gentiles whose background and experiences were different, not in an interesting way, but in ways that took them completely out of their comfort zones. (slide # 3 step out...note)

The weirdest thing about the Gentiles was that they were not circumcised. Circumcision is talked about in the scriptures in a variety of ways. To be circumcised was primarily – and still is for our Jewish brothers and sisters - a spiritual ritual that indicates giving God our heart, making a covenant with God like the promises we make at the altar for baptism, communion, confirmation, and weddings. (slide # 4 Create in me a clean heart) Circumcision was also performed for health reasons; priests in the Old Testament were directed to complete infant circumcision 8 days after a boy was born.

I read years ago about a doctor who circumcised a child within three days after birth, but the baby would not stop bleeding. The doctor learned that a newborn’s clotting mechanism functioned best at 8 days old. That could explain why the Old Testament rule is for circumcision on the 8^th day.

So much of our protection and provision come to us through prayer, obedience, intuition, spending time in God’s word, in God’s presence and among God’s people. That is how we learn what to do. We learn to welcome God’s word, to listen, to receive it and believe it.  

Verse 2 in this story of what happened in the early church after Jesus rose from the dead says, (slide # 5 So when Peter went up….) 2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, 3saying, ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?’” Peter had broken the rules. Jewish persons were not supposed to get so cozy with the Gentiles. Somewhere along the way in human history, Gentiles began keeping the rule not to get too close to Jewish persons either.

Every community has rules, and if you are going to change the rules, you better know what you are doing. If you refuse to abide by the rules, you need to be aware of what might happen. Every community has rules. Every church has rules. Every family has rules. Every individual has rules. (slide # 6 family rules/clock)

Some families take off their shoes and leave them in the doorway as a rule. Others never eat without bowing their heads and whispering a prayer of thanksgiving – even in restaurants. Schools often have rules about wearing hats. Churches have rules about how loud the music should be. (slide # 7 Book of Discipline)

Peter knew the rules. Gentiles were not welcome unless they had been circumcised. That was the rule. But, God gave Peter a vision that convinced him that those whose hearts were turned toward God should be welcomed into the church, even if they happened to be uncircumcised Gentiles.

There are many rules in life and in the bible. Jewish dietary laws were rules given to protect the health of God’s people, but without education and reflection what we eat and what we do not eat can easily become an argument and a reason to eat at separate tables. (slide # 8 I am a child of God)

I emailed a Rabbi once, asking him about those delicious Hebrew National hotdogs. I said, “These hotdogs taste real good but when I read the label there are things in them that I have learned that I should not eat on a regular basis. I believe kosher is about eating healthy. Rabbi, what do you say?”

The rabbi told me frankly that the Jewish laws needed to be updated according to the environment and the age. Rules need regular reflection to take into consideration what is going on in the community and in the environment.

Doctors tell us that when we do not drink enough water, we are at risk for getting gall stones caused by the concentration of uric acid that hardens tries to pass through with excruciating pain. The doctor’s rule is to drink enough water. Fortunately, our laws also include water regulations that inspect the quality of water, limiting the levels of lead and harmful bacteria.

Peter saw a vision of unclean animals on the forbidden-to-eat list - pig and shrimp and probably possum. The forbidden animals were predators and scavengers that when introduced into the body, could bring harm. Don’t you hate those lists that the doctor gives you with all your favorite foods that you cannot eat anymore!

I have eaten non-kosher food all my life, and I want to trust that the way we raise and regulate them in the U.S. lessens the risk. That is all I know.

Peter saw the forbidden animals in his vision and he said, “I also heard a voice saying to me, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat. (slide # 9 kill and eat) But I replied, “By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.” I can imagine Peter may have also thought, “You know you want it. You know you are so hungry. Eat it!!”

Peter seemed not the least bit tempted. Deliverance from temptation is a great blessing, but the vision was obviously not about food, it was about seeing what God sees in us. It was about reflecting on the rules we keep and seeing what steps we need to take today in order to stay spiritually alive and healthy as the family of God.

Rules that are kept without reflection may make us rigid and unreasonable.

In the last several weeks we have been discussing our rules for Sunday School. The first thing that comes to mind is that we want to use the words “Christian Education” because it seems a more modern word. The second thing we have discussed is possibly having Christian Education classes for children during the same time as we have a worship service. We are praying and listening, knowing that we need a change since this is a season when there are fewer children and fewer teachers than the past.

Change is natural. The only constant is change. Rules of how we conduct church and Christian Education for our youngsters require our thoughtful reflection year after year. We do not want to become   rigid and unreasonable.

The part of Peter’s story that I appreciate most is verse 15 where Peter says,

15And as I began to speak, (Remember, Peter was trying to help them understand why he was breaking the rules by hanging out with the uncircumcised Gentiles) he says, (slide # 10 and as I began to speak…) “the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. (perhaps Peter is referring to the beginning of the faith journey and the beginning of the Jerusalem church)

Peter continues, 16And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 17If 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?’” (slide # 11 baptism of the Holy Spirit)

¹⁸When 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.’ 

What a story. Would that we would all know the repentance that leads to life. Would that we would all have the gift of the Holy Spirit fall on us until we are baptized, soaked, surrounded and inundated with God’s word and will. (slide # 12 soaking in sunshine)

If we really want more of God’s will in our life, if we really want more power to do good and be good, then let us welcome God’s word and God’s people whose heart is toward God. (slide # 13 caution God at work) Amen.