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"The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction
between them and us." (11:12)
This is a turning point in the life of the early church. Luke has already
told this story in the previous chapter. Why would he use precious scroll
space to repeat it, writing carefully by hand unless it was a crucial
story? If the followers of Jesus were not to remain a sub-sect of Judaism
something drastic needed to happen. Their vision needed widening beyond
their boundaries. They needed to understand that God was at work in much
bigger ways than they had previously recognised. Peter was given a vision,
relayed it to the other apostles and they all made a huge shift in their
thinking. God was not only at work in Gentiles, in those outside His covenant,
He was even pouring out His Spirit on them.
"The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction
between them and us."
What IS it that keeps us from widening our vision? For Peter and the other
apostles I guess it was a life-time's training. They were born into the
family of Hebrews, they were the Covenant people, the ones through whom
God made His purpose known to the world. Maybe there was even a little
fear of those outside - the Gentiles.
As I reflect on what has prevented my vision expanding it has often been
fear - I have been afraid, or at least apprehensive of what I don't know
well. And what has broken down that fear has been experience and understanding.
In 1991 I was appointed to work as Chaplain in a C of E school which drew
65% of its pupils from faith backgrounds other than Christianity. 40%
were Muslims, some were Sikh and Hindu, and the minority were Christian.
Was I apprehensive? Yes! Up to that point I had had little experience
of people from other faiths and cultures. What broke down my fear were
two things: 1) a determination to understand those different from me 2)
acting on that determination by getting educated. As I got to know them
I understood better; and as I understood, my fear lessened. And my respect
grew.
"The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction
between them and us."
Going further back, when I was 18 I had another secret fear. My boundaries
were narrow and I knew it. I had a privileged middle-class upbringing
and despite moving area four times I had little experience of those from a working-class
background. And having little experience meant I was afraid of those from
a different social and educational background. So I went to live in the
East End of London, intentionally to broaden my outlook. It did! After
15 months living and working in a pretty rough district my understanding
grew. I came to understand some of the struggles the local people faced
and grew to respect them.
"The Spirit told me to go … and not to make a distinction between
them and us."
Going further back still, when I was 11 I went to an all-boys school.
After a year there, I was OK with boys but a little uncertain of girls.
It wasn't as strong as a fear of girls because I had 3 sisters. But it
wasn't till I went on to a mixed co-ed school that I began to understand
girls. I say 'began' because it would be dangerous as a man to say that
I fully understand the other gender. That's not a presumption I would
make! But…
"The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction
between them and us."
Fear keeps people apart and prolongs the separation, the distinction.
Whether it is fear of those from another faith, a different culture, a
different social background, or even from the other gender to ourselves,
fear separates. St John wrote that 'perfect love casts out fear'.
And what was that new commandment Jesus gave? That 'you should love one
another as I have loved you' How DID he love? Without distinction, without
regard to class, gender, social status, and now, as Peter and co. were
realising, even without regard to faith background. Of course, what it
means to love is to get to know the other, so try and understand them
and to see where God is already at work in them. I know that my love is
not perfect and therefore my fear has not gone completely. But I am working
on it, and so is God's Spirit.
Before I finish there's one more divide that I want to address: The distinction
of age. Here is a divide that should not be evident in the church. The
media will tell us that the elderly are frightened of the young and the
young nervous of the elderly. Amongst Gods' people, having people across
the age range should be a cause for celebration and opportunity for co-operation.
And generally I think it is. As we have been discussing revisions to our
worship pattern I have never once sensed that attitude that you can get
in churches, which says "we welcome change as long as it doesn't
make any difference"!
Next Sunday we have the first in a new series of All-Age services in the
morning. That IS All-age. So unless you are 'no-age' then please be here!
In the evening, we have a Youth Service - designed for those of Secondary
School Age. If that's you, please join us. If that's not you, please pray
for the young people who will come.
'Perfect love casts out fear'. Love is about listening and learning, about
understanding the other not avoiding them. If you are a younger person
when did you last talk to an older person, ask them how they are, and
get to know them a little? If you are an older person, when did you do
the same with a younger person? Or pray for them?
"The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction
between them and us."
If Peter and the other apostles had not listened to what God was saying
or open to what He was doing, you and I would not be here this am. The
Spirit was poured out on Gentiles and as Peter said, 'Who was I to hinder
what God was doing?'
We need to welcome back into the cathedral congregation more children
and young people. We can ALL be part of that happening. In fact we need
to be part of it if it's to happen. 'Love one another as I have loved
you'. Love moves towards the other and asks 2 things: 1) What is God already
doing in this person's life? 2) What more might He want to do and can
I play a part in it?
There is 1 thing you can do, so let me leave you with this challenge…
when you clean your teeth this week (if you are lucky enough to have them,
if not, when you soak your dentures) offer up a prayer. It could be for
our children and young people, it could be for the All Age service next
Sunday am or for the Youth Service in the evening. So each evening, get
your teeth into praying for these things! Then, as Peter was, we may be
surprised at how and where the Spirit moves. Amen.
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