Acts 11:1-18                Psalm 148                               Revelation 21:1-6                    John 13:31-35

            The word of what Peter had done reaches Jerusalem even before he does.  But instead of rejoicing, as soon as Peter returns to Jerusalem, the people approach him and ask, “Why did you go to the uncircumcised men and eat with them?”  Sounds a bit like the questions asked of Jesus eating with tax collectors and prostitutes – doesn’t it?

            “Why, Peter, did you eat with those, whom our tradition knows to be unclean?”  The Book of Acts tells us that Peter then tells them about his vision, and how the events unfolded.  He explains that when he was talking with the Gentiles, the Holy Spirit descended upon them as it had upon the apostles.  Then he said, “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?” 

            That is when it happened – the scripture says the people were silenced.  Once they heard what Peter had to say, they were silenced!  Then, it says they praised God saying “God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”  Now, I don’t know about you, but I would love to experience this in my lifetime – the silencing of opposing views and the unified praise of God. 

            Imagine hearing that our bishop had, without consulting with anyone, taken steps to join with the Baptist, Catholics, Church of Christ or some other denomination and then told us that he had had a vision and understood this was God’s desire.   The next morning a member of that denomination came to his door and the bishop knew what he needed to do.  After meeting with the leader of this other denomination, the bishop comes to town and lays these events out for us – how would we respond?  Imagine a leader in either the democratic or republican parties doing the same.  What would it take for us to respond as the people of Jerusalem did?  Now imagine being in a room full of people who actually listened to the opposing point of view in order to understand, rather than prepare a rebuttal!  We live in a divided world, a political world where that simply doesn’t happen.  We rarely listen to what others have to say and try to understand the world as they see it. 

For the followers of Christ in the first century, their world was also divided.  Hearing what Peter said, being silenced by what he said, meant they had to open their minds to the possibility that their God was the God of the Gentiles as well.  Sure, they may have professed that there is but one God, but deep down they were bound to believe as we all sometimes do – that we are the ones who have it right and the others have it wrong. 

            Now I ask you, who would you rather be in this story – Peter, who had it right, or those who listened and were convinced by Peter that what he did what was right?  Don’t answer – it’s a trick question.  Peter, like the others believed the Gentiles were unclean – until God intervened.  Peter’s experience in Judea was like Paul’s experience.  Paul persecuted the Jews believing he was doing God’s will, until he met the risen Christ on the road to Damascus.  After meeting Jesus, Paul understood he had it wrong and spent the rest of his life spreading the Good News of Christ Jesus.  While in Judea, Peter had a vision and then experienced a series of events that revealed to him the breadth of God’s love – a love that was intended to be shared with all nations, all tribes, Jews and Gentiles. 

            Let’s go back, though, back to when Jesus was with the apostles.  It was his last night with them before his crucifixion and, today’s reading from John tells us, Jesus issues a “new commandment” to his apostles.  He says, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.  Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  If you love one another, he says, everyone will know that you are my disciple.  Love one another.  That’s it – love one another.

            Together with Peter’s vision, and with Jesus’ earlier reminder to love God and our neighbors as ourselves, it becomes clear – God’s love is greater than we can imagine.  Our God is the God of Jews and Gentile, and all that God created is good – even those sitting on opposite sides of the fence from our political and theological views. 

            Our instructions are really quite simple – we have been instructed to love each other. Jesus said “everyone will know you are my disciple . . .” if you love each other.  To love each other is to proclaim the Gospel – the good news of Jesus Christ.  In Judea, Peter learned that “each other” included the Gentiles – it included more than his circle of friends.  It included loving those who he and his friends had excluded.  So, our lesson for today, our challenge is no different from those gathered in Jerusalem in the first century hearing what Peter had to say.  It is to look around us and ask ourselves, who have we excluded?  Who is Christ calling us to accept into our circle?  Who is God calling us to love? 

Let us pray.

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near:  Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.