Sermon - Easter 5

Sermon – Easter 5
John 13:31-35
May 2, 2010
“ALL are welcome”

The book of Acts outlines the work of the Holy Spirit through the first disciples and the early church. In Acts 1:8, it says the disciples would be witnesses in Judea, Samaria, and to the “ends of the earth.” Acts chapters 1-8 has to do with Judea and Samaria, and Acts 9 tells of Saul’s call to the Gentiles, and Acts 10 and 11 tell the story of the first Gentile convert. The rest of the book tells the story of the spread of the Christian message across the Roman Empire.
So in today’s reading from Acts, we see a transition from the Jewish community to the Gentile community. The Holy Spirit is bringing the good news of salvation beyond the Jewish community, and to the Gentiles. We remember that the Jews did not think kindly about the Gentiles, they regarded them as heathens and outside of God’s graces. So we can imagine their reaction to learn of the activity of the Holy Spirit among the Gentiles. In Acts 11:15, it says “the Holy Spirit fell on them just as it did us.”

This story about the first Gentile convert is about Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian cohort, who had a vision by the Holy Spirit to meet Peter. But this is not just a story of the conversion of Gentiles, but a conversion in the way the disciples think, a challenge to their own prejudices against the Gentiles or others they have differences with. We can see this in the words of Peter in chapter 10: “You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God.”
The point of this story of the first Gentile convert in Acts 10 and 11 is well summarized in 11:17:“Who was I that I could hinder God?” The response of the other disciples affirms the conclusion: “Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”

This revelation leads us to ask a very important question for us followers of Jesus: Who are the Gentiles for us? From whom are we are withholding grace? Are we “hindering God” because of our own prejudice, grudges, disdain for a type of people?
This Wednesday a movie crew was filming at Trinity. I entered church through the gate as I always do, but a security guard standing at the gate stopped me: “Hold up, where are you going?” I explained to him that I’m the pastor of this church, and then he let me through. (Although they already had an actor playing the minister role for the production)
Being stopped at my own church left me with a question in my mind: Does the Church today ever have a security guard mentality? Let’s be honest, sometimes the church is like this…to be a Christian, to be a part of our church, you have to look like, dress like, think like, act like… (fill in the blank) Do we have any security guards in the church today? Trying to control who gets in?
During the Conference Assembly yesterday Bishop Nelson told a story about a congregation greeter who told a Latino visitor to their church that he should worship at the church down the road, since they have worship in Spanish.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus even welcomes at his table even the one who betrays him and gives us the fundamental commandment: to LOVE one another. This love will be the mark of the Christian, like the song goes: “They will know we are Christians by our love.”
Jesus makes it clear that this love is for ALL people, and emphasizes the universal scope of the Gospel through his words and actions. This is why outside our church you see the words “all are welcome.”
“All are welcome” it sounds good…but practically speaking, it challenges us. Because ALL people, I guess that includes… (fill in the blank) as well.

It was through the work of the Holy Spirit that the disciples began to see the work that God was up to breaking down barriers and defying their notions of grace, merit, condition, and who’s in and who’s out. The Holy Spirit then and now is alive and at work breaking down our barriers and doing a new thing in our midst. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide us at Trinity as we welcome ALL people in Jesus’ name. Amen