Easter 5, 2007
Zambia Project Report
Title: No distinctions
Speakers: Gary and Frieda
Worship Leader: Lauresta
Music Leader: Roger
Texts: Acts 11:1-18; Psalm 148; Revelation 21:1-6;
John 13:31-35
Acts
11:1 Now the apostles and the
believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word
of God. 11:2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers
criticized him, 11:3 saying, "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat
with them?" 11:4 Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step,
saying, 11:5 "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. 11:6 As I looked at it closely
I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. 11:7
I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat.' 11:8 But I
replied, 'By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my
mouth.' 11:9 But a second time the voice answered from heaven, 'What God has
made clean, you must not call profane.' 11:10 This happened three times; then
everything was pulled up again to heaven. 11:11 At that very moment three men,
sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. 11:12 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. 11:13 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; 11:14 he will give
you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.' 11:15 And
as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at
the beginning. 11:16 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.'
11:17 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?" 11:18 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."
Psalm
148:1 Praise the LORD! Praise
the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights! 148:2 Praise him, all his
angels; praise him, all his host! 148:3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him,
all you shining stars! 148:4 Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters
above the heavens! 148:5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded
and they were created. 148:6 He established them forever and ever; he fixed
their bounds, which cannot be passed. 148:7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you
sea monsters and all deeps, 148:8 fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind
fulfilling his command! 148:9 Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all
cedars! 148:10 Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!
148:11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!
148:12 Young men and women alike, old and young together! 148:13 Let them
praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above
earth and heaven. 148:14 He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all
his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the LORD!
Revelation
21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and
a new earth; for the first heaven and
the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 21:2 And I saw the
holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a
bride adorned for her husband. 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne
saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as
their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; 21:4 he
will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and
crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away."
21:5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all
things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are
trustworthy and true." 21:6 Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the
Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give
water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.
John
13:31 When he had gone out,
Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been
glorified in him. 13:32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify
him in himself and will glorify him at once. 13:33 Little children, I am with
you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so
now I say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' 13:34 I
give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should
love one another. 13:35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another."
Contemporary
quote:
Every act of love is an act of peace, no matter how
small. -- Mother Teresa
Homilette:
Why is service such an important part of Mennonite
theology?
Why do so many of you take an active volunteer role
in keeping this institution alive—in tending the physical structure as a
trustee, in serving on the committees and task list, in caring for our kids’
Christian Ed, in sticking around after the service and offering support and care
to each other?
Why do we support Mennonite Central Committee and
its relief and service projects around the world with such an outpouring of
effort, care, money, time? I was really
proud—even though I am a humble Mennonite!--when I saw the volunteer list from
this church for the MCC relief sale next Saturday…
Why do so many of you volunteer in Boise’s schools,
homeless
shelters, in rake up Boise,
in
the Crop Walk, in Habitat for Humanity,
the
Boise Peace Coalition, environmental organizations,
animal
care groups,
helping
with and coaching kids’ sports teams and scouts;
all the other things that you contribute
of
which I
or
others in the congregation may not even be aware?
Why?
Why do you do them? Do you stop to wonder?
(Responses)
There is tremendous joy and satisfaction in
serving—but again, I wonder why…
The texts that Lauresta read
offer
us a good theological foundation for this why,
and
why we Mennonites so value service.
We believe that we are not just here to live good
and safe and happy lives—although that is not a small or incidental thing.
That is a vision of shalom,
a
vision of the abundant life and peace
that
is God’s hope and dream for all of us.
But beyond this,
we
believe that we have responsibility
to
bring this kind of life about for others;
our lives are not simply our own to enjoy,
for us to grab abundance and peace for ourselves
at
the expense of others….
We are to serve as God’s hands,
serving God’s dearly
loved world,
the Kosmos that John 3:16 reminds us Christ came to save.
In the Acts story of Peter
and
the sheet filled with unclean animals
which
he is told to use as food in violation of his Jewish Law
he is brought to a new understanding, “step by
step”
as
he in turn explains to his accusers
who are so indignant about his fraternizing with
the unclean enemy.
The central point of his explanation is
remarkable: The Spirit told me to go with
them and not to make a distinction between them and us.
Not to make a distinction between them and us.
God’s love does not make distinctions;
God’s
love is to be made available to all…
As Jesus puts it in his last heart-to-heart with
his disciples:
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should
love one another. 13:35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another."
Notice, Jesus doesn’t say, “By your great doctrines
and correct theology everyone will know that you are my disciples.”
He’s very clear:
it’s by our love, by the way we treat each other
and
the way we serve the world God so loves.
When we treat each other—all others, even those we
automatically shrink from--with love, with respect, with service,
we
are living out of our calling,
why
we have been put on this earth.
Cesar Chavez in his struggle for workers’ rights
put it in contemporary words:
What
do we want the Church to do? We don't ask for more cathedrals. We don't ask for
bigger churches of fine gifts. We ask for its presence with us, beside us, as
Christ among us. We ask the Church to sacrifice with the people for social
change, for justice, and for love of brother. We don't ask for words. We ask
for deeds. We don't ask for paternalism. We ask for servanthood.
--Cesar Chavez
This is why we serve.