[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Draft for Epiphany 1A Sermon

[Joe Parrish]

Forwarded:
Dear Friends,
Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Who’s Unclean in Your World?” or “Who’s
n Your Sheet?” and deals with all the lessons, but especially the
cts lesson (Acts 10:34-38).  Here it is:
In today’s gospel, we heard the episode of Jesus’ baptism by his
ousin John.  This was the start of our Lord’s public ministry.  Then
n the Old Testament lesson from Isaiah (which parallels Jesus’ first
ermon- Luke 4:16-21), we heard what this ministry was: Jubilee.  You
ecall how in ancient Israel, every seventh day was a Sabbath- a day
f spiritual refreshment.  Every seventh year was also a Sabbath year,
hen the land was to rest.  Seven Sabbath years would be every fifty
ears. (They counted from “one”, not “zero” as we do.)  This Sabbath
f Sabbaths was the Jubilee year as described in Leviticus 25.
veryone had a fresh start- slaves were freed, land and belongings
everted back to the original owners, in other words- the basic
oncept of Jubilee was the great equalizer.  Isaiah reminds us that
he messiah would institute the Jubilee.  Finally, in the Bible
eading from the book of Acts, we heard a portion of the encounter
etween Peter and the Roman (Gentile) officer, Cornelius.  It’s this
tory that points out exactly what Jubilee meant when Peter tried to
ive it in his life in the first century and when we try to live it
oday.  The modern day saint and hero who best typifies Jubilee was
he Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose birthday is this coming
aturday.  Let’s look at the Acts story.
To understand the significance of Peter’s experience, you need to
ecall how Jews felt about Gentiles.  Do you remember the extremely
ruel childhood game of the so-and-so touch?  It begins by a popular
hild touching a tormented, picked-on child, let’s call her “Judy”- I
eel better using myself.  The popular child then runs to catch
nother child and touches him or her, as in tag.  However, here’s the
ifference- once you are tagged, you have the “Judy touch.”  That’s
ow Jews felt about Gentiles.  If even the shadow of a Gentile fell on
 Jew, he or she was unclean and had to wash to cleanse himself or
erself from the defilement of the “Gentile touch.”  It goes without
aying that Jews never ate with Gentiles or even considered inviting
entiles into their homes.  That’s the cultural background of the
tory.  You see how their 1st century culture brainwashed them?  We
ust be very careful that we don’t allow 21st century culture to
rainwash us today.  Well, the story from the book of Acts starts with
eter, who is visiting Simon, the tanner, asleep on the roof.  In his
ream- unless you want to call it a nightmare, Peter is famished.  All
f a sudden a huge sheet descends from heaven with many kinds of
nclean animals on it.  Peter hears a voice saying, “Arise, Peter,
ill and eat.”  Peter answers, “Lord, you know that I’ve never eaten
nything unclean in my life.”  The sheet goes back to heaven.  Peter
emains hungry.  You know what happens- down comes the sheet again
ith the same words: “Arise, Peter, kill and eat.”  Once again, Peter
nswers, “Lord, you know that I’ve never eaten anything unclean in my
ife.”  Back goes the sheet up to heaven.  Obviously, Peter is still
ery hungry, when- you know what happened- down comes the sheet again
ith the same words: “Arise, Peter, kill and eat.”  Again Peter
nswered, “Lord, you know that I’ve never eaten anything unclean in my
ife.”  This time, God responds: “Peter, don’t you ever call something
nclean that I’ve created.”  At once, Peter awakens to find two
ervants and one soldier of the Gentile, Cornelius, at his door.
ornelius was sending for Peter.  Peter invited the Gentile guests to
pend the night, then went with them to instruct and subsequently
aptize Cornelius.  That’s the substance of the Acts lesson when Peter
roclaimed everyone equal- amazing insight for a first century Jewish
an!
So, what’s the significance of this story in our own lives today as we
ry to live as faithful Christians?  We are citizens of a Kingdom in
hich everyone is equal; a Kingdom in which every day is a fresh
tart.  Let’s be more specific.  Who is your Cornelius?  What kind of
erson is it that you just don’t like?  Remember the sheet- everybody
ets a fresh start- no one is unclean whom God has created.  Here’s
nother possibility.  To whom are you a Cornelius?  Who treats you as
f you aren’t quite as good as they are?  Maybe it’s your color, maybe
t’s your sex, maybe it’s your age, maybe it’s your educational level
too high or too low), maybe it’s how much money you have or don’t
ave (too rich or too poor), maybe it’s how you speak (too proper or
ot proper enough), maybe it’s your weight (too fat or too thin),
tc.  Remember the sheet- in God’s eyes there aren’t any “too
nythings.”  The ground is always level at the foot of the cross.
elieve in your Creator, believe in yourself, and speak up.  Maybe you
on’t have any Cornelius’s and maybe you’ve never been a Cornelius to
nyone else, but you can’t live long in this society without seeing
omeone treated like a Cornelius.  That’s when your loyalty to Jesus
nd his mission comes in.  No matter the cost, speak up.  It’s not
ust Jesus who was called to institute Jubilee and justice, he does it
hrough his followers- us.
May God bless us as we attempt to consider no one “unclean” as we live
ut this 2011.
For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American
isdom statements are posted on our NEW PARISH WEB SITE. The address
s: http://www.stpaulsepisag.com .
Blessed preaching.
udy Boli
t. Paul's Episcopal Church
aginaw, Michigan
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