The Original Free Radical

Acts 11:1-18

         Some one once told me the biggest all out change in the Church was the introduction of gentiles into the early church. Make no mistake, this was a very, very big deal.  Jesus was Jewish and he came to save the Jews, he even said as much.  To open up the message to non-Jews was radical. Many arguments were fomented by Paul and in fact the first "council" of the church in Jerusalem had everything to do with this very topic. Did these gentiles have to convert to Judaism first before they could be considered Christians? A very interesting thought. Of course Jesus died a Jew so the possibility of non-Jews seeking redemption and following The Way really did constitute a new religion. Kudo's to Paul. Praise the Holy Spirit actually.

           Jesus' actions in life spoke a different message than exclusivity. He was the not into cliques and railed against (religious) authority seemingly at every turn. His was and still is a free and radical message. 

          What I find amusing in this passage is not all the stuff of visions and dreams. It is the practical stuff of the first few lines of passage. When the Apostles and believers say to Peter ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?’ they are already trying to restrict the message that they have already claimed to cling to. These Apostles and believers are saying we are the church, why are you going to these unclean people and eating with them?  I suppose Peter finally got the message that Jesus tried to so radically install. Love. Inclusiveness. Forgiveness.  

          So the biggest change that the church embarked upon is not based solely on the words of Jesus.  Rather, it is the message he lived. How many people today use words like weapons and Scripture as means to condemn and not cure?  How many, even in "the Church" today still try to limit God's message of love and inclusiveness, of forgiveness and hope? If it's not demeaning others it is as if to say 'we are the one true church'. Oh wait, some churches actually say that very thing.  Some challenges are life long.

          It seems whether it is in the churches or synagogues or mosques or temples, there is a tendency to focus inward. If there is a litmus test for any religion, it is one that indicates does love pour outward or inward? In fact I recall that song that we used to sing so loudly and boldly on our retreats of youth, "The will know we are Christians by our love". How do you measure up?

Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?’ Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, ‘I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” But I replied, “By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.” But a second time the voice answered from heaven, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, “Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.” And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 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?’ When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, ‘Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.’