May 18, 2025 – The Fifth Sunday of Easter
The Rev. Cal Calhoun
In the Name of God, the God of Love: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our reading from the Acts of the Apostles is most especially that part of the New Testament that is usually referenced as to why Christians don’t need to follow the Law on eating Kosher. The Christ believing Jews, which was all the church until they started to add Gentiles, as we hear about today, the Christ believing Jews were criticizing Peter for eating with Gentiles, which was frowned upon, as they, the Gentiles, wouldn’t be eating Kosher. Peter’s vision is given as the reason that Christians can be freed from eating Kosher.
But I think something much more important is going on here. It is the inclusion of people in the community of faith, who the day before, would not have been considered worthy of that inclusion. And Peter seems to make it clear, it wasn’t his decision, but God’s decision. It is God’s message to the Centurion and God’s message to Peter that allows this to happen. And then it is the action of God, Peter describes it like this: “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as it did upon us at the beginning. If God gave them the same gift he gave us, who was I that I could hinder God?”
I think we as humans, tend to stay to ourselves. We tend to be more comfortable with familiar people. This human trait has led to many of the isms and phobias we now see labeled and alive and well around us. There is racism, and sexism, and tribalism, and xenophobia (that is the fear of strangers or those different from me), homophobia, islamophobia, anti-Semitism, just to name a few.
But that is not the way of Jesus. Not the way of the church, at least the early church. Certainly these isms and phobias have found their way into the church at times. In the early church, as Paul tells it in Galatians, “there is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” And this was one of the main reasons, this new church, this network of house churches, practically took over the Roman Empire, because they weren’t interested in setting people apart or creating an “in” crowd, but rather in bringing people together, people whose only thing in common was a desire to follow Jesus rather than follow Caesar, or Mythra, or Addis, or any other God common at the time.
Jesus’ words and actions reinforce this idea. He was constantly criticized for eating with tax collectors and sinners, touching people with leprosy or unclean spirits, healing on the Sabbath, and all of these actions engaged those on the outside looking in, and allowed them to seen, to be counted, to be heard, to belong, and to be loved. Jesus makes it clear through his words and actions what it means to follow Jesus.
In our gospel reading this morning, we hear some of Jesus’ last words to the disciples. They have lived with him, and traveled about with him, they have listened to him, and most importantly they have seen him in action. And he reinforces what he is about with these last words to them. Jesus says, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Now, in saying this, is Jesus saying the disciples need to love the other disciples? Well, yes, but not only the other disciples, but everyone with whom they come in contact. Jesus made this clear in his actions with those on the outside. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus makes it clear that everyone is our neighbor. And today in our reading from Acts, Peter says, “the Spirit told me to go with them, and to make no distinction between them and us.”
How often do we talk about, or maybe just think about, them and us? Whoever “they” may be for us. Black or white, or ones who fit neither of those. Gay or straight, or ones who fit neither of those. Male or female, or ones who fit neither of those. Citizen or immigrant, or those who fit neither of those. We are called to make no distinction between them and us. We are called to make no distinction between them and us.
Everyone is a beloved child of God. Everyone is made in the image of God. We may not relate to everyone, or understand everyone’s experience. Whoever it is we are compelled to call them, they belong to God. And we are called to make no distinction between them and us.
In a few minutes, we will baptize Tristan Nega into the Body of Christ. We will renew our own Baptismal Covenant and we will make some pretty brazen promises. To preserve in resisting evil, and whenever we fall into sin, to repent and return to the Lord. To seek and serve Christ in all persons, all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves. To strive for justice and peace among all people, and to respect the dignity of every human being. And if that weren’t more than enough, you will promise to do all in you power to support Tristan in his life in Christ. That means more than remembering Tristan’s name, and welcoming him here on future Sundays, so that he knows this community is his home, which, of course, you should do, but that is a far cry from all in your power. Maybe you’ve heard this before: All means All.
Make no distinction between them and us. Amen.
Year C – The Fifth Sunday of Easter – May 18, 2025 – The Rev. Cal Calhoun
