Unhindered by Prejudice

It's a long song. We're not going to sing. There we go. A deep breath. They say will help us focus our attention. And so today I call you to focus your attention as we look at. The church that is unhindered by prejudice. As many of you know, I have a two boys at my oldest son, Isaiah and my youngest son Noah youngest. My youngest is 25 now and was adopted you probably could tell that by looking right away. He's African-American and one of my favorite stories of the two boys when they were younger is we went to the Black Hills in and while we're in the Black Hills were at a Chuck Wagon dinner. And where is waiting in line to be ushered into the Chuck Wagon dinner and and there's the family that runs the Chuck Wagon is all running around in costume all the kids and adults are all running around trying to give you a real in a western experience in this little boy in his little cowboy outfit comes up and he's engaging, you know people in line them up to that to my two boys and he starts talking to him and he says well what brings you guys here, you know. And no I'm being too literally says my parents. Adam and they and who's this and he points to Isaiah and Noah without missing a beat leans his head in tight to Isaiah and says, he's my brother can't you tell?

Well, the little boy went what how can you be brothers? Well, then I got to explain it all to him. Well, that was one of the fun experiences that I remember with after Noah moved into our house, but then there was the day that we were shopping at a mall and we had entered a store and no and I were both looking for Christmas gifts and Noah went One Direction and I went another we both knew where we were going to to get our Christmas gifts and and I found mine rather quickly and then went to find Noah and I found Noah. I found them going down the aisles and he was wanting to go down towards finding his stuff. But then I also noticed something else. And there was someone else with him. The large guy was walking behind him. And he was he was staying away is off. But this always keeping Noah interview. No went down another Island. This man went around and have no interview. And I realized that this man was store security. And he didn't trust my son in the store. I went up to him and said is there a problem with that gentleman? You said well, not yet. They said they won't be. My son wanted to go back to your office. You know, we live in a land where unfortunately Prejudice is still alive and well. We love to say that it doesn't happen anymore. We're more educated work smarter than that. We're brighter than that. But you know, we live in a land right now where I'll be honest. There are two letters in the English language that we have lost the definition for

and it is the letters we we See, it's no longer. We it's us and them that's how we describe things all the time. Now, there are times where that's very appropriate. There are us who are Packer fans and then there are them that ain't that's appropriate. But there are so many times that we use it to divide people in ways that there is no reason for division. Our text today from our new testament reading up begins with a very simple phrase a simple expression.

Peter says Truly, I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears and does what is right is acceptable to him. For the world for the word he sent to Israel to preach the good news through piece for Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all.

It sounds like something we would share today in an educated unhindered land where we say all are welcome all are equal. Usher Peter those were remarkable words. Those were astonishing words. Those were words. That should have rocket every listener to Peter's words. Because they were convinced otherwise to they had grown up in a world that said the Jews were the chosen children of God. We are Heirs of Eternity. We are the promised ones we are the chosen ones. We are the one to whom the Messiah will come we are the ones who he has rescued from bondage and slavery. We are the family of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and on and on and on they would go

Then one day it happened. Roman soldier the name of Cornelius as a vision and in his vision in Angel of the Lord comes to him and says

your prayers and your arms have ascended as a memorial before God and now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon a Tanner whose house is by the sea. When the Angels would spoken to him departed he called two of his servants and a devout soldier in from them. He sent them. And all their related things to Joppa. Here's Cornelius this Roman soldier minding his own business and an angel of the Lord appeared to him and says, you know, I've seen what you've been doing. It's in your arms your gifts to the poor your care for the people. We would later Lear learn that Cornelius is so well-respected by the Jews. He loves their God. Is a convert Judaism a Roman? A Roman who is the occupying nation of the Jews? He's the one keeping them in check keeping them in line keeping them without any land of their own and he is recognized by them as a follower of their God. And now an angel says to him send for a man named Peter Simon Peter.

He does he does with the angel of the Lord in choirs of him, and he sends a crew to find Simon Peter in Joppa. Now it's the story had stopped there with just the crew arriving in Joppa and going to the house of Simon Peter and saying come on a Century in his ass for you. You need to come with us. What you said what you kidding me? It's not going to happen Centurian. Forget it. Wrong people group S&M. It's not a we hear not going. In the book of Acts again right before our text this happens in chapter 10. The next day they went on there. Journey, and approaching the city Peter went up on the house top of the sixth hour to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat while they were preparing it. It's he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descended being let down by its Four Corners upon the Earth. Are all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. Anna voice came Did Peter rise kill and eat? You said by no means Lord. I have never eaten anything. That is common or unclean. And the boys came to him again a second time and said what God has made clean. Do not call Common. This happened three times. Nothing was taken up at once into heaven. Well Peter was inwardly perplexed at what this Vision might mean behold the man who were sent by Cornelius having made inquiry of Simon's house stood at the gate and cold out sweater Simon. The one called Peter was lodging there. And while Peter was pondering his vision the spirit said to him behold three men are looking for you rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, or I have sent them to you. Peter went down and found the man. I'm the one you were looking for. What's the reason for your coming? He said? They should Cornelius a century in an upright and God-fearing man who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation was directed by in Holy Angel to send for you to come to his house to hear what he has to say. He invited them to be his guests and the next day they Rose and went with them the brothers company Tim to Joppa. So he gets to Joppa. Did this land filled with foreigners and he shares the good news with them?

I've had opportunity many blessings in my life to the travel to foreign countries and do short-term mission trips. And I remember in every place. I have gone. We've always gone no matter how well you prepare for these things you go with this expectation. We're bringing Jesus to these people these people need Jesus. So we're going to go where we're at Mission team. We're going to go bring Jesus to this foreign country. And every time we get there we find out Jesus is already there. He's alive and well and living in that land and often times we find when we leave that they in fact brought Jesus to us.

We leave we find out that we are a Wii. a synonym are we? Are the most powerful worship experience is I can honestly say I've ever had in my life didn't come in and Easter Service with brand Fanfare and huge Orchestra. Although I have worship with large orchestras on Easter Sunday with blaring trumpets loud fanfare. Didn't come in a Christmas Eve candlelight service surrounded by hundreds of people singing Silent Night. Although I have been and worshipped with hundreds of people in a candlelight service sing Silent Night know it came in the third floor Chapel of a church in St. Petersburg, Russia. Most of the service I didn't understand what was being sad. Service was actually done in three languages. It was done in Somali. It was done in Russian and it was done in German. And then occasionally some with spoken in English. and some in Ethiopian then it came time to sing. And I remember singing Lift High the Cross. We didn't sing it in one language. Queen singing to free singing in five different languages simultaneously

And in that room filled with the praise of God in 5 languages, I realize what all or what Peter recognized when he wrote in our text today. Truly. I understand that God shows no partiality. But in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to you. So we is New Creation sit on the cusp of becoming a multi-ethnic congregation. We don't really know what that's going to look like. We just going down that road. And in some respects, it really bothers me that we have to say we're becoming a multi-ethnic congregation. Is really the church already is Malaya. They were members of the body of Christ. It's just say that we already are multi-ethnic because we have brothers and sisters in Christ in every corner of the globe. every social and economic persuasion men and women rich and poor

makes no difference

see the gospel cannot be hindered by the things of this world.

And while I imagine that still to this day, my son gets followed occasionally in stores when he shopping. Gospel is not hindered by such things.

One of the greatest stories I think ever told outside of scripture. Was a true story of Corrie Ten Boom. Free ten Boom had been a prisoner of the Nazis. And as a prisoner of the Nazis she Church. in her orders touches they were you watched her sister died in the concentration camps. And when she was released when Freedom came and she had the opportunity to speak one day she was speaking at a church and she saw in the back of the room. one of the guards from her concentration camp In fact, it was not only a guard from her concentration camp, but it was the guard who she felt was responsible for the death of her sister. You're the meanest cruelest people. She never met and he was sitting in the back of this room listening to her talk about Grace and God's forgiveness. And this gospel being for everyone for everyone. The end of the service he got up from the very back of the room and he walked forward very slowly. He came up to her and he took her hand and he said I don't know if you recognize who I am and she said oh, yes. I Know Who You Are You said I need to ask for your forgiveness. I am not the man I used to be. I am so very sorry. Will you forgive me?

Good there.

silent and then she said no. I cannot.

I cannot forgive you. but my Lord can and he will through me. Forgive you he can do what I'm unable to do. He can extend to you forgiveness.

See you in a world of prejudice we can do what we're even unable to do in our own strength and power because Christ is in us the church is unhindered. Buy anyting by any division that would come Among Us. And if not by our power. I guess. Power of Christ in us. This church is unhindered share the gospel with the world. Episode in my life a happy sewing yours. Amen. And I made a strong loving strange piece of our God which passes all of our human understanding keep our hearts and our minds fixed fast on Christ Jesus until life Everlasting. Amen.

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