ACTS 11:1-18 | EXPANDING THE CIRCLE

EXPANDING THE CIRCLE

ACTS 11:1-18

APRIL 24, 2016

IMAGINE YOU DREAMED A DREAM AND THE NEXT MORNING IT CAME TRUE.

WE’VE ALL HAD DREAMS LIKE THAT WHERE WE WISHED THEY WOULD COME TRUE; AND OTHER DREAMS WHERE WE THANK GOD, OR OUR LUCKY STARS, THAT THEY DIDN’T – THAT THEY WERE JUST A DREAM.

NOW IMAGINE YOU HAD A DREAM AND AT THE EXACT SAME TIME SOMEONE ELSE WAS HAVING A SIMILAR DREAM AND DECIDED TO ACT UPON IT.

STILL IMAGINING FOR A MOMENT, WHAT IF YOUR DREAM AND THEIR DREAM INTERSECTED WITH EACH OTHER IN REAL LIFE, AND IT WAS ALL THE WORK OF THE LORD?

PETER’S DREAM IS JUST SUCH A DREAM.

HE GOES TO SLEEP AND IMMEDIATELY BEGINS TO DREAM OF A GREAT FISHING NET LOWERED DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN AND IN IT IS EVERY SORT OF CREATURE – FOUR-FOOTED ANIMALS, BEAST OF PREY, REPTILES, BIRDS OF THE AIR, ETC.

THEN COMES THE VOICE OF THE LORD TELLING PETER TO “GET UP; KILL AND EAT.”

BUT EVEN IN HIS DREAM STATE PETER PROTESTS THAT HE HAS ALWAYS KEPT KOSHER, THAT NOTHING THE TORAH HAS DECLARED TO BE UNCLEAN HAS EVER PASSED HIS LIPS, AND THAT HE WON’T DO IT.

PETER DREAMS THE SAME DREAM A SECOND TIME, AND THIS TIME GOD TELLS PETER THAT “WHAT GOD HAS MADE CLEAN, HE MUST NOT CALL PROFANE.”

PETER DREAMS THE DREAM A THIRD TIME, AND THEN THE NET IS PULLED BACK UP INTO HEAVEN AND PRESUMABLY PETER AWAKENS FROM HIS DREAM, WONDERING WHAT IN THE WORLD THAT WAS ALL ABOUT?!

WAS GOD PROCLAIMING AN END TO JEWISH DIETARY LAWS?  WAS GOD REMOVING THE RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT PEOPLE COULD AND COULDN’T EAT?

WAS GOD GIVING SOME SORT OF DIVINE OKAY-DOKEY TO OUR BEING CARNIVORES?  OMNIVORES?  AT THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN?

WHILE STILL TRYING TO SORT THROUGH IT ALL – THERE IS A KNOCK AT PETER’S DOOR, AND STANDING THERE ARE THREE MEN SENT TO HIM FROM CAESAREA, BY A MAN WHO WAS HAVING THAT SIMILAR DREAM WE SPOKE OF A MOMENT AGO THAT HE DECIDED TO ACT UPON, AS WE WILL SEE IN A MINUTE.

NOTICE WHAT PETER’S THOUGHT PROCESSES ARE HERE – “THE SPRIT TOLD ME TO GO WITH THEM AND NOT TO MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THEM AND US.”

THAT DISTINCTION, BY THE WAY, WAS THE FACT THAT PETER AND HIS SIX “BROTHERS” ARE JEWISH – WHO ARE NOW BELIEVERS IN CHRIST – AND THE THREE MEN STANDING AT HIS DOOR ARE NOT; THEY ARE GENTILES, NON-BELIEVERS.

PETER AND HIS ENTOURAGE TRAVEL TO CAESAREA, ENTER THE HOUSE OF HIS DREAMING COUNTERPART, AND ARE IMMEDIATELY LET IN ON THE DREAM THIS MAN WAS HAVING WHILE PETER WAS DREAMING OF THE GIANT NET.

THE MAN HAD DREAMED OF AN ANGEL SPEAKING WITH HIM IN THE NIGHT; THE ANGEL HAD TOLD THE MAN TO SEND FOR PETER WHO WAS IN THE CITY OF JOPPA, AND THAT PETER WOULD HAVE A MESSAGE FOR HIM AND FOR HIS ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD THAT WOULD SAVE THEM.

PETER BEGINS TO SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH THIS MAN AND HIS FAMILY, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IMMEDIATELY FALLS UPON ALL OF THEM, AND ALL OF THEM ARE BAPTIZED.

IT WAS THEN – PETER, LATER TELLING THIS STORY TO THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL ABOUT HIS WORK AMONG THE GENTILES, – THAT HE KNEW THAT IN THE EYES OF GOD THE GENTILES WERE NO DIFFERENT THAN THE JEWS.

AND WHEN THE MEMBERS OF THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL HEARD IT, FIRST THERE WAS SILENCE; THEN, GREAT REJOICING AND PRAISES TO GOD;

“GOD HAS GIVEN EVEN TO THE GENTILES THE REPENTANCE THAT LEADS TO LIFE.”

PETER’S DREAM HAD NOT BEEN ABOUT KEEPING KOSHER; NOT ABOUT WHAT HE AND THE OTHER JEWS COULD OR COULD NOT EAT;

BUT ABOUT GOD DECLARING ALL PEOPLE – KOSHER – ALL OF THEM CLEAN – AND THUS NOT TO BE PROFANED BY OTHERS.

THE GREAT FISHING NET IN THE SKY, LOWERED FROM HEAVEN, WAS DROPPED DOWN, SCOOPING UP ALL OF GOD’S PEOPLE, BEFORE RETURNING THEM ALL INTO HEAVEN.

EXPANDING THE CIRCLE.

NOW IMAGINE, AS PETER, AND THE JEWS, AND THIS GENTILE FAMILY FOUND OUT THE NEXT DAY, THAT IT WASN’T ALL A DREAM, BUT GOD’S PLAN FOR THE WORLD, CARRIED OUT IN REAL LIFE.

GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE, THAT THE WIDER SOMEONE’S CIRCLE – BE IT IN EDUCATION, TRAVEL, EXPERIENCE, EXPOSURE TO A VARIETY OF THINGS IN LIFE, ETC. THE MORE OPEN MINDED THEY ARE;

AND THE MORE RECEPTIVE THEY ARE TO OTHER IDEAS; OTHER PEOPLE; OTHER CULTURES.

THE LARGER OUR CIRCLE THE BROADER OUR MINDS; THE SMALLER OUR CIRCLE, THE LESS LIKELY WE ARE TO BE ACCEPTING OF OTHER IDEAS, PEOPLE, VIEWPOINTS, BELIEFS, ETC.

THIS ISN’T ALWAYS TRUE, OF COURSE; TO SAY NOTHING OF THE FACT THAT SOME OF THOSE WHOSE LIFE EXPERIENCES HAVE BEEN LIMITED ARE ANYTHING BUT CLOSED-MINDED; BUT AGAIN, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THIS HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE; AND I KNOW WHEN IT HAS BEEN TRUE ABOUT ME.

TRAVELING ABROAD OFTEN EXPANDS PEOPLE’S HORIZONS;

READING, LEARNING NEW THINGS, AND CONTINUING TO LEARN THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES OPENS US UP TO ALL SORTS OF NEW WAYS OF THINKING;

MEETING NEW PEOPLE, DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE, PEOPLE UNLIKE OURSELVES, NOT ONLY EXPANDS OUR CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES, BUT DEEPENS OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS.

REALLY GETTING TO KNOW SOMEONE IS THE FIRST STEP IN BEGINNING TO LOVE AND RESPECT THEM.

WHEN SOMETHING WE’VE ONLY THOUGHT ABOUT IN THEORY BECOMES SOMETHING WE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE PERSONALLY, IT CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD ON HOW AND WHAT WE THINK ABOUT IT.

I BELIEVE THAT THE OPPOSITE IS EQUALLY TRUE: BY NARROWING OUR FOCUS, BY LIMITING OUR EXPOSURE TO OTHERS, BY CLOSING OUR MINDS AND RESTRICTING OUR THOUGHTS, BY REJECTING NEW EXPERIENCES, OUR LIVES COLLAPSE IN ON THEMSELVES;

AND IN OUR OWN LITTLE WORLD WE BEGIN TO CLAIM THAT WE HAVE A CORNER ON THE MARKET OF TRUTH, EXPERIENCE, BELIEF, AND OPINION.

HAD PETER NOT BEEN VISITED BY THE THREE GENTILES; HAD HE NOT GONE TO THE HOME OF THE GENTILE ASKING FOR HIM, HE MAY NEVER HAVE UNDERSTOOD WHAT HIS GOD-INSPIRED DREAM REALLY MEANT;

HE MAY NEVER HAVE FELT COMPELLED TO CARRY OUT CHRIST’S GREAT COMMISSION, EVEN THOUGH CHRIST HAD COMMANDED HE AND THE REST OF THE DISCIPLES TO CARRY THE GOSPEL TO ALL THE WORLD.

DO YOU KNOW, DO YOU REMEMBER, THE WORDS OF CHRIST’S GREAT COMMISSION?

“ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME…

GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, TEACHING THEM ALL I HAVE COMMANDED YOU; AND LO, I WILL BE WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE CLOSE OF THE AGE.”

MOST OF US KNOW AND REMEMBER THOSE WORDS.  WE KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN – THEY ARE PRETTY SELF-EXPLANATORY.

BUT DID YOU KNOW THERE IS SOMETHING OF A COMPANION VERSE TO THE GREAT COMMISSION?  THAT IS, THE SAME IDEA STATED SOMEWHAT DIFFERENTLY, BUT ALSO FROM THE MOUTH OF CHRIST.

THE WORDS ARE FOUND IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, JUST AS OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING IS, ONLY THESE WORDS COME FROM THE RISEN CHRIST IN CHAPTER ONE.

THEY ARE IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION FROM SOME OF JESUS’ DISCIPLES:

“LORD, IS THIS THE TIME WHEN YOU WILL RESTORE THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL?”

JESUS (THE RISEN CHRIST) REPLIES: “IT IS NOT FOR YOU TO KNOW THE TIMES OR PERIODS THAT THE FATHER HAS SET BY HIS OWN AUTHORITY.

BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU;

AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM, IN ALL OF JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.”

IT IS THE GREAT COMMISSION IN DIFFERENT WORDS, AND IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE GEOGRAPHY OR CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT JESUS JUST SAID, IT IS THIS:

BEGIN IN THE CITY OF JERUSALEM, WHICH WAS UNDERSTOOD IN THOSE DAYS TO BE SOMETHING OF THE CENTER OF THE WORLD – AT LEAST FOR THE JEWS;

TODAY, IN SOME WAYS, WHAT WITH THE HOLIEST OF HOLY PLACES IN JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, AND ISLAM ALL BEING LOCATED THERE, IT IS STILL CONSIDERED TO BE SOMETHING OF THE CENTER OF THE WORLD.

START IN JERUSALEM, JESUS SAYS, THEN MOVE OUT INTO ALL OF JUDEA – THE NEXT LARGER GEOGRAPHICAL CIRCLE;

THINK OF MOVING FROM A SINGLE CITY TO AN ENTIRE STATE;

THEN INTO SAMARIA – WHICH FOR US WOULD BE SOMETHING AKIN TO MOVING INTO THE NEXT ADJACENT STATE – SAY GOING FROM FLORIDA INTO GEORGIA.

THE ONLY THING IS, IN THE CASE OF JUDEA, ITS NEIGHBORING STATE, SAMARIA, WAS A PLACE AND A PEOPLE DESPISED BY THE JEWS.

WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TIME THIS MORNING TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF JUDEA AND SAMARIA AND THEIR MUTUAL ANIMOSITY, AND WHY;

OR TO TALK ABOUT JESUS’ FREQUENT FORAYS INTO SAMARIA, LIKE THE TIME HE MET THE SAMARITAN WOMEN AT THE WELL, OR USED A SAMARITAN AS AN EXAMPLE OF A GOOD NEIGHBOR;

BUT IN TELLING HIS DISCIPLES TO TAKE THE GOSPEL INTO SAMARIA, JESUS IS TELLING THEM TO TAKE THE WORD OF GOD TO THEIR ENEMIES AS WELL.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, JESUS FINISHES OFF THIS SECOND GIVING OF THE GREAT COMMISSION BY TELLING HIS DISCIPLES TO GO INTO ALL THE WORLD, WHICH THEY DID, AT LEAST INTO ALL THE KNOWN WORLD OF THEIR TIME.

OTHER DISCIPLES, OVER SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS, UP TO AND INCLUDING TODAY, HAVE CONTINUED TO TAKE THE GOSPEL INTO ALL THE WORLD.

AS SOME OF YOU KNOW AND HAVE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE, I LIKEN JESUS’ WORDS HERE TO SOMETHING AKIN TO DROPPING A PEBBLE IN A CALM LAKE.

DROP THE PEBBLE – AND IMMEDIATELY CONCENTRIC CIRCLES BEGIN TO RADIATE FROM THE CENTER; AND IF WE COULD SEE CAREFULLY ENOUGH, WE WOULD SEE THAT THE CIRCLES, THE WAVES CREATED, WOULD EXPAND UNTIL THEY REACH THE OPPOSITE SHORES.

IN FACT, A POET BY THE NAME OF JAMES FOLEY HAS CAPTURED THIS VERY IDEA IN A POEM BY THE SAME NAME: DROP A PEBBLE IN THE WATER.

IN FOLEY’S POEM HIS FOCUS IS ON THE GOOD OR EVIL INFLUENCES OF OUR WORDS AND OUR LIVES.

HOW WHAT WE SAY AND DO – RADIATES OUTWARDLY FROM OUR LIVES – INTERSECTING WITH THE LIVES OF OTHERS IN A GOOD OR BAD WAY.

IN A MOMENT I WILL FINISH WITH HIS WORDS, BUT LET’S REMEMBER THE POINT OF PETER’S DREAM OF THE GIANT NET; THE INTENT OF JESUS’ WORDS IN THE GREAT COMMISSION – BOTH VERSIONS –

AND THE WORK OF THOSE FIRST AND SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS OF DISCIPLES, INCLUDING US – ALL OF THEM WERE MEANT:

TO EXPAND THE CIRCLE.

DROP A PEBBLE IN THE WATER

BY JAMES FOLEY

DROP A PEBBLE IN THE WATER:
JUST A SPLASH, AND IT IS GONE;
BUT THERE’S HALF-A-HUNDRED RIPPLES
CIRCLING ON AND ON AND ON,
SPREADING, SPREADING FROM THE CENTER,
FLOWING ON OUT TO THE SEA.
AND THERE IS NO WAY OF TELLING
WHERE THE END IS GOING TO BE.

DROP A PEBBLE IN THE WATER:
IN A MINUTE YOU FORGET,
BUT THERE’S LITTLE WAVES A-FLOWING,
AND THERE’S RIPPLES CIRCLING YET,
AND THOSE LITTLE WAVES A-FLOWING
TO A GREAT BIG WAVE HAVE GROWN;
YOU’VE DISTURBED A MIGHTY RIVER
JUST BY DROPPING IN A STONE.

DROP AN UNKIND WORD, OR CARELESS:
IN A MINUTE IT IS GONE;
BUT THERE’S HALF-A-HUNDRED RIPPLES
CIRCLING ON AND ON AND ON.
THEY KEEP SPREADING, SPREADING, SPREADING
FROM THE CENTER AS THEY GO,
AND THERE IS NO WAY TO STOP THEM,
ONCE YOU’VE STARTED THEM TO FLOW.              

DROP AN UNKIND WORD, OR CARELESS:
IN A MINUTE YOU FORGET;
BUT THERE’S LITTLE WAVES A-FLOWING,
AND THERE’S RIPPLES CIRCLING YET,
AND PERHAPS IN SOME SAD HEART
A MIGHTY WAVE OF TEARS YOU’VE STIRRED,
AND DISTURBED A LIFE WAS HAPPY
ERE YOU DROPPED THAT UNKIND WORD.

DROP A WORD OF CHEER AND KINDNESS:
JUST A FLASH AND IT IS GONE;
BUT THERE’S HALF-A-HUNDRED RIPPLES
CIRCLING ON AND ON AND ON,
BEARING HOPE AND JOY AND COMFORT
ON EACH SPLASHING, DASHING WAVE
TILL YOU WOULDN’T BELIEVE THE VOLUME
OF THE ONE KIND WORD YOU GAVE.

DROP A WORD OF CHEER AND KINDNESS:
IN A MINUTE YOU FORGET;
BUT THERE’S GLADNESS STILL A-SWELLING,
AND THERE’S JOY CIRCLING YET,
AND YOU’VE ROLLED A WAVE OF COMFORT
WHOSE SWEET MUSIC CAN BE HEARD
OVER MILES AND MILES OF WATER
JUST BY DROPPING ONE KIND WORD.