Acts 11:1-18 Telling our stories of faith

            So last week, we heard in the Gospel of John that all the people were at the portico asking the same question. If you are the Messiah, just tell us! Stop keeping us in suspense. Jesus may or may not have gotten a little upset because they asked the same question over and over again. We discussed one of the things that could have caused this was doubt and we spoke of how doubt is not always a bad thing.

            This morning we are changing things up a little bit. This morning our reading from Acts has a link to last week’s Gospel and sermon. It is going to require us to do a little travelling. So, ready or not, here we go. We have gone through this portico discussion. Just tell us if you are the Messiah. Jesus then goes into Jerusalem for the Passover. He has the last supper and all that goes with that; he is ultimately handed over by Judas to the chief priests and scribes. He is then handed over to Pilate and Herod. Jesus is then beaten, crucified, and he is raised from the dead three days later.

            Pretty plain and simple right? Well, for the Reader’s Digest version it sounds plain. BUT there is a lot in there that is important to this Sunday morning. Throughout all these experiences, Jesus, like I said last week is not checking to see who is a Jew and who is a Gentile. In fact, Jesus’ entire ministry is going to the people on the outside or on the edges of society. Jesus reaches out to everyone he comes into contact with. He sits with a tax collector who is not well liked within the community. He touches lepers that to touch them means that you are unclean as well not to mention what you might catch; He speaks to a woman at the well and tells her all about herself. Jesus reaches out to all these people and begins the conversation.

            Whether his conversation begins with words or through a healing, Jesus enters into a relationship with all these people. He even enters a relationship with a woman who touches his clothes. In all those cases there is some kind of conversation that goes on. Many of what Jesus does goes against what the people…the chosen people…understand to be true and within the law. Jesus reaches out beyond these boundaries BUT he also reaches within the boundaries of Jew and Gentile. Look at his actions with Nicodemus. This is an elder of the church who comes to him; and again, there is conversation.

            Now we come to our reading today. This is the story of Peter going into the world just as Jesus commanded them in what we call the Great Commission, “Go into the world, baptizing and "Gospelizing" in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” Peter is going into the world to teach everyone who he comes in contact with about Jesus. He is telling them about his encounter with the son of the living God. How God has been a part of his life. He testifies how God called him to go to Joppa and to this particular man’s house and share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Peter does what God calls him to do and what happens? Peter comes back to Jerusalem and the people…the very people who were witnesses to Jesus and his work in the world start to criticize him. Do you see the irony in all this; That Jesus reaches out and teaches the disciples to reach out, when it comes time to do this they sit and wonder, “why did you do that?” I know that as I read this portion of acts this week, I was scratching my head wondering why they are criticizing Peter’s actions.

Instead of getting angry with these people who are complaining, Peter explains his actions. He does not give them a brief overview of the story, but he tells them “step by step” what happened. He tells them about his vision and God’s voice helping and guiding him to Joppa. He tells of the wonderful things that happened when he got there, the message that the people in the household heard from God, and that he was reminded of God’s words at Jesus’ baptism. He told this story because these words were important to share; not only because they were God’s words, but because they were God’s instructions to tell the story of Jesus, God’s Son. He told the story because Peter needed to tell the story. He needed to tell it to the very people who were physical witnesses to the Story of Jesus…God…in the world. He needed to tell the story to show that Jesus’ work is still being done.

He needed to show that God is working through so many people. Through Peter’s telling of this story, he is showing the “people” of Jerusalem that the Gentiles have a story to tell as well. That God uses us all to do God’s work and to be transformed into God’s people. Peter shows us how at this time when he arrives and speaks to the family, he is transformed, from his calling to go to Joppa; and they are transformed when they welcome him and hear this story of faith and witness.

Peter sums up his journey and his sharing of his faith story. He says it plain and simple, “Who was I that I could hinder God?” Peter acknowledges and accepts that he cannot explain the who, how, and why’s when it comes to God in this world. But what he can explain is that God is alive through God’s Son, Jesus Christ. He has seen God through his experiences in his world. He is able to share those experiences, realizing that God is not to be hidden or something kept secret. The Good News of Jesus Christ, the love of God is to be shared with everyone who has ears to hear; because sharing the Good News can transform others as well as ourselves.

Now this is where the piece of paper that is in your bulletin comes into play. Does everyone have one? At this time, I am going to ask you to write one word on this paper; no names, just one word. It is one word that describes your journey of faith. It can be anything from Happy, Sad, complicated, struggle, challenging, easy, blessed, smooth…pick any word you want. I am going to ask you to hand them toward the center aisle and if the ushers could gather those up and bring them down.

That is the where last week’s Gospel and this week’s reading of Acts comes together. The people of last week want Jesus to TELL them. This week Peter has to come back and TELLS of his experience and how God used them. And one of the most wonderful things happens when Peter is done. The people “were silenced” and then they praised God. They gave thanks to God for using Peter and for these people being transformed. But at the risk of reading into this text, they may also be giving thanks to God that God’s word and God’s works through Jesus Christ meant that more people believed in who Jesus is; that Jesus is the Son of God.

Last week, I told you that telling your faith story is difficult, at first. It is hard because it can make someone very vulnerable to criticism. But the beauty of this exercise is that with this one word, you have now told your faith story for the first time. You have already done it once and I want you to listen to some of these words.

My hope and prayer is that telling your story is something that you feel called to do and something you see as a blessing and may your story help others to see God at work through you: AMEN

Are We There Yet...annoying question or expression of doubt?

            I am about to ask you the most annoying question that you have ever heard. We have all said it or heard it in our life time. Some of us have said it in a whiney voice, an angry voice, a voice from a standpoint of needing information, and some of us have said or heard as just a way to get back at someone. So here it goes, “Are we there yet? It is that repeated question that is asked over and over…we see it in the movies and on television…and it is the sign that “this is going to be a long trip. It’s universal!

            Today’s Gospel reading sets us in a scene that is much like this question. Jesus has been travelling (for nine chapters) and many things have happened. He has been baptized, gathered his disciples, healed, and fed five thousand people. Now it is the festival and they are all at the temple. It was important to go to the temple during festival time. Jesus walks through the “portico of Solomon.” This was a BIG deal. The Portico was the place where the king would make judgements. Jesus walks right into this portico and in John’s Gospel; it is as if no one even notices. The people are consumed with their wanting to know one thing, “Are you the Messiah? C’mon, if you are, just tell us!

            Remember the book of John is sometimes referred to as the book of signs. Jesus is out there doing all this healing, preaching, teaching, and feeding the five thousand; and these people are with him, they see the things that he does but they still don’t get it. They are still asking him, are you the Messiah? Yeah, I saw you heal the leper, but are you the Messiah? I saw you feed 5000 with a few loaves of bread and some fish, but are you the Messiah? If you are just tell us! It is exactly like the “are we there yet?” It must have gotten pretty annoying to hear that same question over and over.

What is it that is making them constantly ask that same question, again and again? There own words suggest that they have been asking this question over and over, because they say, “why must you keep us in suspense?” I am sure there would be an exclamation point rather than a question mark at the end of that sentence. Was it curiosity? Did they truly not know who Jesus was after seeing all that he had done OR was it something else? What is one thing that could make them ask time and again who Jesus was; especially after seeing Jesus signs?

Maybe what drove them to this question was something called DOUBT. Think about it. They were living under Roman rule and they knew what God’s law was because it was written in the books we call the Old Testament. God’s commandments of what you cannot do. It is easy to get caught up in the world of what you cannot do. We see laws as being restrictive and punishing. But, there is a twist to all this law. The prophets write in this book called the Old Testament and they write of one who will come to set God’s people free; free from the bonds of captivity, free to see the world and God’s law, not as a restriction. But seeing God’s law as a freedom to live with one another and caring for one another.

Now this Jesus person comes into the world and is doing all these things. He is healing, teaching, preaching on how to live as God’s children. He is doing unthinkable things by sitting and sharing a meal (one of the most intimate acts of friendship) with people who society deems unlovable or not worthy to be God’s children.

The question that they ask is their way of expressing doubt in who Jesus is. They ask the question because they are afraid that if they become or remain followers of Jesus that they may be unclean or unworthy. Maybe they are afraid that if they believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, they will be deemed outcasts. Afraid that they are following the wrong God and will be subject to the TRUE God’s wrath and condemnation; because, they have been conditioned to see God as judgemental and quick to punish, quick to cast out. With a God like that, no wonder they are waiting for the proverbial “other shoe to drop.”

But that is not what Jesus has shown them. Jesus shows us that God is compassionate and full of mercy and grace. When encountered by lepers and the blind, Jesus does not turn away from them but heals them. Jesus does not let anything stop him from doing God’s work in the world. He doesn’t check the person’s credentials or nationality he does what God calls him to do and (to steal the NIKE commercial line) “Just does it.”

I think that we can relate to these people. I think we have all, at one time or another, have doubted God in one form or another. I know we have asked it in our questions. The question at the very beginning of the sermon can be seen as a question of doubt. Are we there yet can be interpreted as I am afraid of your driving and just want this to be over OR I don’t like travelling and I just want to get there and get the trip done. Many of us have asked the questions like, “God what should I do? Did I do the right thing? How am I going to make it through this (insert the situation here)?”

These are times when we doubt ourselves and we even doubt God. In times of great difficulty we ask why God is punishing us, what did we do to deserve this, and here is my favorite “God only gives us what we can handle.” As much as I have problems with that statement, I find myself thinking it sometimes. But what you have to know that these doubts DO NOT mean that you lack faith. If anything, my hope is that it means that you want your faith in God to grow stronger. Because, sometimes and I hope every time, when you ask those questions we all turn to our scripture to look for the answers to these moments of doubt. I am not saying to look up any passages that say “Do not doubt” so you can shame yourself into faith cause that does not work. What I am saying is to look for those words of Jesus’ promise. Look up those passages where Jesus says, “I am with you to the end of the age.” “I am the bread of life and whoever comes to be will never hunger.” He does not say that you are not allowed to go back into scripture to look it up just to make sure. That is what the Word of God is there for. We have been given the word of God through written word so that we can go back in those moments of doubt and strengthen our faith in a God who promises so many things; forgiveness, compassion, mercy, and grace.

God also gave the gift of the spoken word. We are really good at sitting down and doing liturgy. We know when to stand and when to sit and we have the words for each song right in our hymnals. But one thing we, as Lutherans, find very difficult is telling our story of faith. God gave us all a voice. That voice is good at saying what we want or don’t want. But how many times have we actually sat down with one another and told our faith stories; our story of God in our life? It is not easy, but I can guarantee that when you do it enough, it does get easier. And you might be surprised because someone might need to hear your story of faith, doubts and all in order to be able to begin to see and tell their story.

Friends in Christ, it is not unusual or unfaithful to have moments of doubt. Look to the the commandments that say, I am the Lord your God who created all things; and rejoice in the promise…the Good News… that “God, so loved the world that he gave his only son; not to condemn the world but to save the world.” In those moments of doubt look to the God who gave his only Son on the cross for our sake; whose body and blood…the New Covenant we celebrate this day in the bread and wine of God’s Holy Supper.

My prayer is that when we come to the table and receive the gift of forgiveness from God that all our doubts be turned into the strength and confidence of God’s never ending love: AMEN.