God's love knows no borders
Acts 11: 1-18
Talk 1 – with map
As I talk about some of the events in the book of Acts and then read the 10th chapter of Acts from “The Message” version, you might like to follow on the map to see just where the events take place. You will see from the scale that the places are all fairly close together – in fact the area of the whole map is not much bigger than Pembrokeshire!
After Jesus was resurrected in Jerusalem, he appeared to his disciples in Galilee (2) and in parts of Judea (1). After 40 days, Jesus was with his disciples for a final time - on the Mount Of Olives just outside Jerusalem (4) – when he ascended into heaven.
Ten days later was the Feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came to fill the disciples who were gathered in Jerusalem.
Peter & John had many meetings with the Jewish legal authorities – and more and more people came to believe as Peter preached about Jesus. Stephen became the first Christian martyr – and following this there was persecution of the church in Jerusalem, led by Saul of Tarsus, causing believers to scatter throughout Judea and Samaria (3).
Philip met the Ethiopian eunuch, travelling home from Jerusalem. Philip taught him about Jesus and he was baptised, travelling on South and West, while Philip travelled North to Caesarea (7).
Saul, the persecutor, set off to Damascus (too far north to be on our map – but only by about 50 miles) to try to arrest Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem. On the way, he was blinded and met the risen Jesus, coming to faith in Christ and changing his name to Paul. He returned to Jerusalem a changed man and was eventually accepted by the believers. The Church continued to grow all over Judea, Samaria & Galilee.
As we heard in last week’s lectionary reading, Peter then went on a mission to visit all the churches and travelled to Lydda (5). From there he was called to Joppa (6) where he raises Tabitha/Dorcas from death
These, then are the events of Acts chapter 10:
read from The Message – the account of Cornelius sending for Peter, and Peter’s vision which leads Peter to go to Caesarea, where Cornelius and other gentiles receive the Holy Spirit and are baptised.
Peter concludes “God has just shown me that no race is better than any other”.
But at the start of Chapter 11 of Acts we read about an awkward discussion between the “circumcised believers” in Jerusalem – those with a Jewish faith background and Peter, who has started accepting gentiles – non-Jews – into the faith of Jesus Christ.
Reading Acts 11: 1-18: the church in Jerusalem catch up with God’s activities!
Talk 2:
What does all this mean for us?
We are still in Eastertide – but moving towards Ascension Day & then Pentecost. It is a time when we celebrate & remember the way in which faith in the risen Jesus Christ spread.
Jesus has died and is risen – he is seen by many, be ascends back into heaven and the Holy Spirit comes to empower Jesus’ followers with the knowledge that though Jesus is no longer with them in a bodily form, he is still with them in a new way, which does not bind Jesus to one place and time, but frees him to be with all his followers, always ‘to the end of time’.
It can be hard for us, living two and half thousand miles, and two thousand years, away to remember that following Jesus could have stayed a sect of Judaism. Christianity could have been a local religion – just spreading 50 or so miles away from where Jesus had been known. We’ve seen the map – we’ve heard some of the events. Those who met Jesus travelled around, on foot, telling their neighbours about the risen Jesus.
But an amazing thing happened. Peter sums it up “God has just shown me that no race is better than any other”.
The disciples learn that the love of God is for all:
not just the people of Judea, but of Samaria
not just Jews, but Gentiles
not just the places on this map – but the people and places of the whole world, and of all time.
The Holy Spirit, the power of the love of God and the witness to the risen Jesus, bursts through any barriers that people create to touch minds and hearts and lives everywhere.
That is why we, in Europe, got to hear the gospel as the centuries went by.
And it’s why we can’t remain silent or neutral when we hear the needs of our world.
We are at the end of Christian Aid week – when we learn more about the lives of others in the world and have a chance to express our care for them.
We have also heard announcements from the government of greater restrictions on the number of people being allowed to migrate to this country. Whatever our political stance on that – as Christians we need to stand by those who have come to this country over the years to work and live peacefully and fruitfully among us.
And May is also designated “Refugees month” by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the agency which protects and assists people forced to flee their homes.
There are currently an estimated 50 million refugees in the world: in places including Gaza, Sudan, Syria, Myanmar, Cost Rica, Ukraine, Afghanistan.
The story of the book of Acts is that God’s love extends to all these people – there are no limits or borders. Our love must be the same, as we follow Christ and seek life in all its fulness for all God’s children.
May the Holy Spirit continue to inspire us to take God’s love beyond all human barriers. In the name of Christ. Amen
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