Between Us and Them

Opening

Acts 11:1-18 MSG - God Has Broken Through - The news - Bible Gateway

God Has Broken Through

11 1-3 The news traveled fast and in no time the leaders and friends back in Jerusalem heard about it—heard that the non-Jewish “outsiders” were now “in.” When Peter got back to Jerusalem, some of his old associates, concerned about circumcision, called him on the carpet: “What do you think you’re doing rubbing shoulders with that crowd, eating what is prohibited and ruining our good name?”

4-6 So Peter, starting from the beginning, laid it out for them step-by-step: “Recently I was in the town of Joppa praying. I fell into a trance and saw a vision: Something like a huge blanket, lowered by ropes at its four corners, came down out of heaven and settled on the ground in front of me. Milling around on the blanket were farm animals, wild animals, reptiles, birds—you name it, it was there. Fascinated, I took it all in.

7-10 “Then I heard a voice: ‘Go to it, Peter—kill and eat.’ I said, ‘Oh, no, Master. I’ve never so much as tasted food that wasn’t kosher.’ The voice spoke again: ‘If God says it’s okay, it’s okay.’ This happened three times, and then the blanket was pulled back up into the sky.

11-14 “Just then three men showed up at the house where I was staying, sent from Caesarea to get me. The Spirit told me to go with them, no questions asked. So I went with them, I and six friends, to the man who had sent for me. He told us how he had seen an angel right in his own house, real as his next-door neighbor, saying, ‘Send to Joppa and get Simon, the one they call Peter. He’ll tell you something that will save your life—in fact, you and everyone you care for.’

15-17 “So I started in, talking. Before I’d spoken half a dozen sentences, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as he did on us the first time. I remembered Jesus’ words: ‘John baptized with water; you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So I ask you: If God gave the same exact gift to them as to us when we believed in the Master Jesus Christ, how could I object to God?”

18 Hearing it all laid out like that, they quieted down. And then, as it sank in, they started praising God. “It’s really happened! God has broken through to the other nations, opened them up to Life!”

The Message (MSG)

Introduction

BELOVEDS, AS I TUNED IN WITH BATED BREATH FOR THE SECOND SEASON OF THE

OUTSTANDING PEDRO PASCAL, BELLA RAMSEY ACTION PACKED THRILLER FROM HBO,

SEASON #2 OF THE SERIES CALLED THE LAST OF US.....I MUST ADMIT I WAS REMINDED OF

HOW MUCH OF OUR AMERICAN ENTERTAINMENT SCREEN SCENE WHETHER T.V.’S OR

MOVIES OR STREAMING IS FILLED WITH US VERSUS THEM STORIES........RECENTLY, AND EVEN

RIGHT NOW AT THE MOVIES, A BIG SPLASH HAS BEEN MADE BY RYAN COOGLER AND ACTOR

MICHAEL B. JORDAN IN THE MOVIE, SINNERS....ANOTHER US VERSUS THEM WITH A VAMPIRE

TWIST......WHAT IS THE HARRY POTTER SAGA IF IT TOO, ISN’T AN US VERSES THE MANY

‘THEMS,’ IF YOU WILL, SMITEREN, VOLTEMORT, DRACO & LUCIUS MALFOY AND SO MANY

OTHERS.....ACTUALLY THERE ARE SO MANY THAT I WISTFULLY HEARKENED BACK TO THAT

GOLDEN ERA IN AMERICAN TELEVISION TO BUDDY SAGAS LIKE, FELIX AND OSCAR IN THE

“ODD COUPLE”.....OR THE BEAUTIFUL BANTER BETWEEN DEAR FRIENDS, AFTER THE THEME

SONG WITH THE VERY WORDS, “THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND”....SOMEBODY HERE

REMEMBERS WITH A SMILE THE LONG RUNNING SHOW, “THE GOLDEN GIRLS” THAT MADE

BETTY WHITE SUCH A SUPER FAMOUS SENIOR.....OR GILLIGAN’S ISLAND WHERE THE WHOLE

TEAM NEEDED TO COOPERATE TO SOLVE DILEMMA’S EACH ONE FROM THEIR OWN

PERSPECTIVE.......EACH ONE USING THEIR GIFTS TO BUILD UP THE WHOLE GROUP.....

OUR POLITICS IS FILLED, INFECTED AND WROUGHT THROUGH WITH US AND THEM

DILEMMAS TODAY......IT IS AS THOUGH HUMANITY UNDERSTANDS, FEELS AND SENSES, AT

LEAST IN PART THE TRUTH OF THE PRESBYTERIAN WRITER, ANNE LAMOTT’S CONTENTION:

IT IS ALL HOPELESS. EVEN FOR A CRABBY OPTIMIST LIKE ME, THINGS COULDN’T BE

WORSE. EVERYWHERE YOU TURN, OUR LIVES AND MARRIAGES AND MORALE AND

GOVERNMENT ARE FALLING TO PIECES. SO MANY FRIENDS HAVE BROKEN CHILDREN.

THE PLANET DOES NOT SEEM LONG FOR THIS WORLD. REPENT! OH, WAIT, NEVER

MIND. I MEANT: DEAR GOD.......HELP!!!!!!!

TURNING TO PETER IN THE RESURRECTION

AND SO, AT TIMES WHEN WE AS BELIEVERS ARE SEEKING GOD’S HELP, GOD’S INTERVENTION GOD’S SURE HAND TO SMOOTH OUT THE WAY, AND SOOTHE OUR HEARTS, MINDS AND BODIES WE CAN LOOK TO ST. PETER.....ST. PETER, THE ONE WHO DENIED CHRIST 3 TIMES AND YET WAS BLESSED IN THE RESURRECTION TO RECEIVE FROM JESUS A 3 FOLD FORGIVENESS.....ST. PETER, THE ONE DISCIPLE WHO WALKED ON WATER FOR AS LONG AS HE COULD KEEP HIS EYES ON JESUS INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON HIS OWN HESITATION, FEAR AND THE WEATHER OUT THERE ON THE SEA OF GALILEE...OR ST. PETER, THE CHIEF HEALER IN CHARGE JUST TWO SHORT CHAPTERS AGO WHO IN CHAPTER 9 OF THE BOOK OF ACTS WHO WENT TO THE TOWN OF LYDDA TO FIND A MAN NAMED AENEAS WHO HAD BEEN PARALYZED AND BEDRIDDEN 8 YEARS, BELOVEDS....8 YEARS...AND IT IS PETER WHO, IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, RAISED HIM UP AND HEALED HIM FROM HIS PARALYSIS.....PETER, WHOSE BRASH AND BOLD TONE ALWAYS SEEMED TO GET HIM INTO TROUBLE IS ONE OF THE EASIEST DISCIPLES TO LOVE.......AND RETURN TO IN OUR WALK OF FAITH OVER AND OVER AGAIN.......

AND ON THIS 5th SUNDAY OF EASTER AS WE TURN TO SEE PETER AGAIN....WE SEE PETER PREPARING US FOR LIVING THE ABUNDANT LIFE CHRIST HAS FOR US TO LIVE.....

THIS IS THE MYSTICAL PETER....THE PETER WITH A GIFT OF VISION, INTERPRETATION AND A DREAM OF THE ABUNDANT LIFE THAT BLOWS THE “US AND THEM” CONCEPTIONS OF THINGS OUT OF THE WATER, BELOVEDS........

VERSES 1-3 OF OUR TEXT THIS MORNING SHOW US HOW SHOCKED AND SURPRISED HIS FRIENDS, THOSE CLOSEST TO HIM WERE:

WHEN PETER GOT BACK TO JERUSALEM, SOME OF HIS OLD ASSOCIATES, CONCERNED ABOUT CIRCUMCISION, CALLED HIM ON THE CARPET: “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING RUBBING SHOULDERS WITH THAT CROWD, EATING WHAT IS PROHIBITED AND RUINING OUR GOOD NAME?”

BELOVEDS, AND TO PETER’S CREDIT HERE, HE DIDN’T GET MAD.....HE DIDN’T RESPOND

WITH MEANNESS AND MALICE, AMEN? HE TELLS THE STORY OF FALLING INTO A TRANCE TO

SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAN THE WORLD SAW THEM RIGHT THEN......THE TRANCE THEN,

IS ALSO A DREAM, A VISION OF HOPE, A HOPE FOR A PREFERRED FUTURE RATHER THAN THE

PATH THEY MIGHT HAVE FOLLOWED STAYING RIGIDLY CONFORMED TO OLD WAYS....

IT WAS A REMINDER OF A BEAUTIFUL STORY THAT WAS TOLD ABOUT A LITTLE BOY AND HIS

MOTHER:

THERE WAS ONCE A LITTLE BOY WHO SAID TO HIS MOTHER, “MOMMY, I WANT TO SEE

GOD.” THE MOTHER ANSWERED, “NO ONE CAN SEE GOD.” SO HE DECIDED TO ASK HIS

SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER. SHE ALSO SAID, “NO ONE CAN SEE GOD.” SO HE WENT TO

HIS PASTOR, AND THE PASTOR SAID, “GOD IS A SPIRIT....AND NO ONE CAN SEE GOD.” ONE

GLORIOUS SUMMER DAY, THE YOUNG BOY WENT FISHING WITH HIS GRANDFATHER.

“GRANDPA,” HE SAID, “CAN YOU SEE GOD?” THE ELDERLY MAN’S EYES SHONE WITH A

GLORIOUS LIGHT, AND A BEAUTIFUL SMILE CAME ACROSS HIS MOUTH. “YES, I CAN SEE

GOD.” THE LITTLE BOY LOOKED AT HIM WITH AWE AND WONDER. “WHERE IS GOD,

GRANDPA?” THE BOY SHOUTED. THE GRANDFATHER GENTLY TOOK HIS GRANDSON IN HIS

ARMS AND LOOKED CLOSELY AT HIS INNOCENT FACE. “I AM LOOKING AT GOD NOW....I SEE

GOD IN THE BLUE WATER OF THIS POND, I SEE GOD IN THE TREE BLOSSOMS, AND MOST

IMPORTANT, MY PRECIOUS CHILD, I SEE GOD IN YOU.”

OH BELOVEDS, ANOTHER REASON ST. PETER IS SO LOVABLE HERE IS HE COULD RE-FRAME A

DISCUSSION THAT COULD HAVE BECOME HEATED.....IN THE SAME WAY THE GRANDPA RE-

FRAMED THE ANSWER TO HIS GRANDSON’S IMPORTANT AND CURIOUS QUESTION ABOUT

GOD

OUR JOURNEY WITH JESUS ALWAYS CONTAINS NEW REVELATIONS

ISN’T IT WONDERFUL THAT THE JOURNEY PETER HAD WITH HIS FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES

IS ONE THAT INCLUDES NEW REVELATIONS? THIS IS THE KIND OF JOURNEY, MAYFLOWER

BELOVEDS, THAT WE EXPERIENCE IN COMMUNITIES LIKE CHURCH.......IT’S LIKE THE SONG

SAYS ABOUT GOD’S FAITHFULNESS:

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS, MORNING BY MORNING NEW MERCIES I SEE - ALL I HAVE

NEEDED THY HAND HAS PROVIDED - GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS GOD UNTO ME.....

AT THE HEART OF PETER’S VISION IS THE WORD OF GOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD, THIS

TIME ABOUT FOOD, BUT WE ACCEPT IT’S APPLICATION FOR MANY THINGS:

VS. 9 OF ACTS 11“IF GOD SAYS IT’S OKAY, IT’S OKAY”

THE JUBILEE NEW TESTAMENT TRANSLATION RENDERS THE SAME VERSE:

“WHAT GOD HAS CLEANSED, DO NOT CALL COMMON”

AND THE COMMON ENGLISH BIBLE’S TRANSLATION RENDERS THE VERY SAME VERSE THIS

WAY:

“NEVER CONSIDER UNCLEAN WHAT GOD HAS MADE PURE”

ALL THIS IS NEW REVELATION HERE FOR PETER’S ASSOCIATES WHOSE FOOD STRICTURES

ARE THOSE OF THE JEWISH FAITH.....MY CONTENTION HERE IS THAT THIS VISION IS AT THE

HEART OF THE JESUS MOVEMENTS REJECTION OF AN US AND THEM PERSPECTIVE THAT

LEAVES THE GENTILES OUT.........

THIS CONTENTION IS AT THE HEART OF THE NOTION THAT’S IT’S NOT WHAT GOES INTO THE

MOUTH THAT THREATENS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, THAT’S IT’S RATHER WHAT

COMES OUT THAT WE MUST BE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT, BELOVEDS......

THIS IS PETER SAYING TO THOSE WHO WANT TO BE CLOSE TO HIM, DREAM BIGGER....OUR

GOD IS READY, WILLING AN ABLE TO EXPAND THIS JESUS MOVEMENT.....THIS IS THE HOLY

SPIRIT PUSHING US OUT BEYOND OUR CONVENTIONS, OUR PRECONCEPTIONS AND YES,

EVEN OUR LIMITS........

GOD’S ALWAYS IN CHARGE OF OUR SALVATION

THE VISION OF PETER ENDS IN VERSE 10 WITH THE BLANKET BEING “PULLED BACK UP INTO THE SKY” ......AND THE AFFIRMATION OF THE VISION THEN CAME TO LIFE, BELOVEDS.....

VERSE 11 TELLS US: JUST THEN 3 MEN SHOWED UP AT THE HOUSE WHERE I WAS

STAYING, SENT FROM CAESAREA TO GET ME. THE SPIRIT TOLD ME TO GO WITH THEM,

NO QUESTIONS ASKED. SO I WENT WITH THEM, I AND 6 FRIENDS, TO THE MAN WHO

HAD SENT FOR ME.

AND ON PETER WENT TO ASSURE THEM OF WHAT WE, BELOVEDS, ARE ASSURED OF RIGHT

NOW......WE REPRESENT A COLLECTION OF GOD’S PEOPLE WHO WERE ONCE, “THEM” AND

NOT “US.” BUT GOD DIDN’T MEAN FOR IT TO STAY THAT WAY......

THE BEAUTY OF OUR RESURRECTION LESSON FOR US THIS DAY, THE GOOD NEWS OF THE

RESURRECTION LESSON OF PETER’S MYSTICAL VISION AND MISSION TO HIS HOMETOWN, OF

CAESAREA......IS THAT GOD’S LOVE IS FOR ALL PEOPLE, THE FAITH WE PRACTICE NOW AS

THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IS MEANT FOR ALL WHO WOULD ACCEPT IT.......

GOD MOVES IN YOUR LIVES ALL THE DAY LONG TO KEEP SHOWING YOU HOW MUCH GOD’S

LOVE SURROUNDS YOU, AND IS ACCESSIBLE TO YOU..........

THE EPISCOPAL BISHOP, WHO PRESIDED OVER THE WEDDING OF PRINCE HARRY AND

MEGAN MARKLE AT WINDSOR CASTLE, THE REVEREND BISHOP MICHAEL CURRY PUT IT THIS

WAY IN HIS WONDERFUL BOOK, LOVE IS THE WAY:

AS DR. KING OFTEN SAID, THE HUMAN BEING IS OF INFINITE WORTH AND DIGNITY NOT BY VOTE OF PARLIAMENT OR CONGRESS, NOT BY EDICT OF PRINCE, POTENTATE, PRIME MINISTER OR PRESIDENT, BUT BY THE DIVINE DECREE OF GOD. WHAT HAS THIS TO DO WITH LOVE? EVERYTHING. THE BIBLE SAYS, “GOD IS LOVE.” THE GOD WHO IS LOVE CREATED EVERY HUMAN CHILD IN GOD’S IMAGE, OF INFINITE WORTH AND DIGNITY. AND IT IS OUR LOVE THAT RECOGNIZES AND AFFIRMS THIS VALUE OF THE HUMAN PERSON IN ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS THAT LEAD TO COMPASSIONATE LIVING. LOVE IS MEANT TO SATURATE ALL LEVELS OF HUMAN LIVING AND EXISTENCE, BECAUSE GOD WHO GAVE US LIFE IS LOVE. AND AS THE SAYING GOES, “EVERYBODY IS GOD’S SOMEBODY.”

AND ALL THIS IS GOD’S DOING, BELOVEDS, BEYOND US AND THEM.......PAUL WOULD COME

ALONG LATER AND WRITE IT BEST IN GALATIANS 3: 28-29

Galatians 3:28–29 NRSV

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.