Acts Chapter 10 – People…

Cornelius was a devout and God fearing centurion who was a member of the Italian Regiment. He lived in Caesarea was about 100 km Nor-North west of Jerusalem on the coast Cornelius and his family not only believed in God but acted on their belief too – giving to those who were in need. A Roman, in the Roman army, living in a Roman named town, believing in God, not the roman gods. This for starters make Cornelius different but then an Angel comes to him and says that God remembers him and that he should send for Simon Peter. And so he does – he sends servants and yet another devout soldier.

Now Peter was at Joppa – Joppa is about 50km west of Jerusalem and is also on the coast. Peter like Cornelius was a man of prayer and as such he was doing so when a vision came to him. Up until this point the only people that had become believers were Jews, Samaritans and people who as part of their conversion took on the Jewish law of not eating unclean foods – and if male – being circumsized. At this time if Cornelius’s servants came to Peter and told him to go to unclean gentiles he likely would have said no – so God prepared him with a vision. And then the Holy Spirit just to drive the point home – told him the people were there and he was to go with them

Peter arrives at Joppa, he sees that they are gentiles and reminds them it is against Jewish law to be with them but that God has reveled to him he is not to call anyone clean or unclean. Cornelius then tells Peter the tale about the angel and Peter realises God’s love for all the peoples of the earth – which if he had had a good read of the Old Testament we would have known anyway. (The Lord had after all told Abraham that all the peoples of Earth wold be blessed through him.)

Peter then summerises the gospel for these people – perhaps to confirm to himself that they are believers, perhaps to make sure they know what it was they are to believe but the short answer is that the Holy Spirit came on these people and they visibly showed signs of it.

The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit has been poured out even on the Gentiles. – ummm… can you blame them for being astonished? They found out the truth of Jesus and took up the rules and laws of Jewish custom to be part of it – even to the point of getting bits cut … I think if I was in their position I’d be astonished too – to put it politely…

And so at the end of this chapter we have the rhetorical question “Can anyone keep these people from being baptised” they were baptised and no one had to do anything extra – just believe.

Well that is what happened with Cornielius and Peter – what can we learn from it and how can we apply that to our lives today?

The first thing I from this I think we need to look at is the prejudices of Peter. He was raised according to Jewsih law and customs. He was taught from birth that all those who were not Jews were unclean people – not to have anything to do with them. It’s the way he was brought up that these gentiles are unclean disgusting god-forsaken creatures.

Every now and again… weekly… daily people or peoples un-named hassle me a bit because I was not born in Christchurch. That’s fine I can live with it – it’s just joking around – not serious…but… a decade and a bit ago when I lived in Rangiora one of my friends was someone who was brought up in England. In Southland where I was brought up we eat a lovely yellow vegetable call a swede. Swedes are great raw or cooked. But in England swedes are pig food. If sold in supermarkets – you’d find them in the pet food aisle with the label – unfit for human consumption. She was brought up to see them as pet food – I was was brought up to see them as yummy food. So one day she was around and I was cutting some up to prepare for tea and the look on her face – total horror. And then when I took a raw bit and ate it – she was nearly vomiting with disgust – when I offered some to her – she ran away. It was afterwards that I found out about the whole pet food thing – I’m really not that insensitive.

When Peter was told to go to the Gentiles – through his years of conditioning he may well have wanted to vomit with disgust – but God had told him… “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” So he struggled through until it was made clear to him when he saw the believers at Ceasarea – and to really hammer the point home the Holy Spirit came upon them. The message got through. And a good thing too – I suppose if Peter had not gone the Lord may have sent another – I’m just glad we don’t have to go through the Jewish law and ceremonies to be a follower of Jesus.

So here is a question for us all – Saint Peter walked with Jesus for 3 years and had the Holy Spirit within him yet he had prejudices…what are our prejudices? I have not met anyone here that I got the impression was racist – but who are we uncomfortable around? There is a large list of possibilities other than races, homosexuals, prostitutes, polititions, people with physical or mental handicaps, or people who support super 12 teams other than the crusaders. Maybe being with non-Christians make you uncomfortable – and indeed I know some who don’t like to be around Christians – even when they are Christians themselves. I’d guess that we can all think of people that although they don’t make us want to vomit with disgust – we just don’t really want to be around them too much.

What does God have to say to us about his matter? “Do not call anyone impure that God has made clean” Or to put it another way. “Love your neighbour…” - that’s one of the two greatest commandments that one – “Love your Neighbour” And who is your neighbour – well Jesus answered that question be telling the story of the good Samaritan. All the great religious people did not show love on the poor mugged Jew – but the Samaritan did – and went the extra mile too. Jews and Samaritans hated each other like the blacks and the Klu Klux Klan. So who is your neighbour that you are commanded to love – everyone – even people you hate and make you want to vomit in disgust.

So what can we do about it – when we encounter people we don’t like, or people who do things we don’t like? …things that make us uncomfortable.

I think the first question we need to ask ourselves is: Why do they make us uncomfortable. Is it because what they are or do is outside our comfort zone – or is it because what they do is sinful. If it is that we are not used to it then the problem is ours – we have to learn to be tolerant. If the cause is that the actions are sinful then we need to know there is a limit to tolerance and the problem of our feelings as we shall see is still ours.

Outside our comfort zone. – this is our problem. If the person or their actions is something that is not sinful and just something we are not used to then it is up to us to “get over it”.

· The first thing to do really is be honest with your self. Look at the issue objectively and identify why am I feeling this way? Admit this lack of love to God – “repent” of it and ask for His help to get over it.

· After that there are two things help me to accept being with those I am uncomfortable with.

· We are not all perfect. Or to put it more accuratly – we are not perfect AT ALL. Due to the fall we begin our lives in a state separate from God. Our natural inclination is to that which is anti-God. We are sinners and all need Jesus. You may think some need Jesus more than you as you were brought up right put that’s just pride talking – you need Jesus just as much. When we realise and accept that we are not perfect it is easier to accept that other people are not perfect either. Just as they do things to annoy you – so are you doing things that annoy them. I do support the Crusaders but as much as it pains me to admit it – the Australians do have some good rugby players too. That’s just the way it is in rugby and in real life. I am a Christian and seek his will but sometimes I don’t get it right and other people do - and vice versa. Look at the positives positives and the negatives are easier to cope with.

· We are all different. Once when I was at a work colleugue and I were having a jokey sort of conversation about relationships between men and woman. I said that men have it difficult because we have to try and understand the vagueness of all that which is woman. She said Ha – not a chance woman have it worse trying to understand men. Then a workmate interrupted with “You think you have it difficult my relationships are nightmares – Gay men are so difficult to deal with”. It was then that I realised a lot of the difficulties in human communication and relationships – not just in the romantic side but in all things – it’s because we are different. Some are of course more different than others and Yes there are major differences between men and woman and how they think, feel and approach matters – but every person on this planet is different to every other person on this planet. If you get into a relationship/ friendship with someone – while it is necessary to have somethings in common you are never going to be a clone of each other. We are all different. It is those differences that cause conflicts, arguments, misunderstandings and uncomfortableness.

· Lets take movies for example – and just from a guy point of veiw. Not all guys like Science fiction movies, not all like action movies, not all like thillers, some enjoy chick flicks. One or two guys around the world didn’t even like Lord of the Rings. And good on ‘em too – if we were all the same can you imagine how boring it would be?

So what about people who you don’t like being around because what they are doing is a sin?

These people we need to break into two categories – are they Christian or are they not?

· If they are not Christians – that you know for a fact that they do not accept Jesus as their lord and Saviour – with all that encompasses. If they are not Christians and they are sinning – well…? What do you expect? The Bible calls those who have not yet accepted Jesus or have rejected him as those who are living in the kingdom of Darkness, of being children of the devil. To sin is their – and was our – natural response. After all without God’s boundaries – what is morality? Is it what the majority of the country says is moral? Is it what the polititions say is moral? History shows worldwide and in New Zealand that both are wrong.

So if they are not Christian and you are uncomfortable – then it is a valid uncomfortableness – but one you also need to get over. Non-Christians still come under the command to be loved. Of course the greatest way to love them is to lead them to Christ – but even if you do the best you can and they choose to reject Him – they still need our love. Paul said in 1cor5:12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the Church… god will judge those outside. It is not our place to hassle non-Christians due to their sin that is God’s job – ours is to bring them to Christ and love them anyway – if you can stop the sin along the way then that is a bonus – it is something to try for as well – but without Christ as their guide and the Holy Spirit it’s a tough task.

· If they are Christians and sinning – now that is a different matter. I’m not talking about a one off sin or transgression but one that is continual. The Corinthian church had problems with this. Paul told them to judge them and if they continue to expel them from the church. Does Paul’s command to judge them contradict what Jesus said to Judge not lest ye be judged? – I don’t think so. In Matthew 7 when Jesus says do not judge, because the same measure you judge others will be used to judge you – and to not point out the speck of dust in your brothers eye when you have a plank of wood in your own. Jesus is talking about hypocritically judging others. Judging a non-Christian for sinning when they are after all a non-christian and don’t know better, or for judging a fellow Christian for looking at woman at the beach when you are doing it yourself. That is hypocritical.

· The New Testament is full of Paul, Peter, James, Jude and John telling other Christians to stop sinning. They were not being hypocritical in it. They were honest in their own failings, they judged in humility and love and they did so for Christ and his Church – not for self-rightous glory seeking. Our attitude should be the same.

Over all with every person in no-matter what situation we must remember the golden rule – Treat other people they way you would want to be treated. Love is a verb – a doing word – not just an emotion. If you are uncomfirtable with them be nice to them just like you would want people to be nice to you.

It all really boils down to tolerance. Not tolerance as the liberal thinkers of our day see it – where we should accept all people no matter what they think, are, do, believe or say – as long as they are not hurting others. But a tolerance with bounderies. Yes accept and love all people but there are limits. Are they Christian or not? They need to be. Are they sinning or not? They need to stop.

Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil. Those who tolerate without boundaries are doing this. They call those who try to keep God’s moral decrees as being intolerant and wrong and they say that which is a sin is not as long as it does not hurt others. Isaiah says woe to these people they will be Judged by God.

But if somebody is doing wrong and it’s not hurting anyone else, is that a problem? C.S Lewis in his book Mere Christianity uses this example. We are all a fleet of ships on a voyage if we do not keep our ships in tip-top shape then our steering systems or engines will fail and we will crash into each other even if we don’t want to. You may not be hurting others with your sin – but you are hurting yourself and your relationship with god. Eventually you will crash and hurt others.

Tolerance with boundaries is not a wholesale acceptance of all things no matter what but one that is laced with grace and forgiveness. You can learn from others differences and become a better person yourself. As we get to know people of what ever kind then tolerating their differences becomes easier. In The Simpsons episode Dancin’ Homer. Homer is taking the family to live in Capital City – but Lisa doesn’t want to go. The city is too big and complex she says “and all the people in Springfield know us and have forgiven us.” And we know that the Simpsons have a lot to be forgiven for – but the point is the same – when you get to know someone their differences are easier to live with and to enjoy.

Just like Peter in Ceasarea – when someone becomes a Christian no matter what the differences or background may, be the Holy Spirit fills them and we are all cleansed by God . Like Peter asked – can we stop anyone coming to Jesus just because of our prejudices – the answer STILL is no – we cannot.

In communion services for the last 2000 odd years Christians of all races, backgrounds and diversity have been celebrating and remembering the one thing that is the same between us all. We all need Jesus. Rich, poor, old and young we all need Jesus His death upon the cross paid for our sin and opened the way for us to be in a relationship with God. No other way can do it.