"Two Worlds, One in Christ" - Acts 10:34-48

This week’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles tells the story of Peter being led by the Holy Spirit to the home of Cornelius, a Gentile and Roman centurion.  For Peter and other Jews of the time, associating with Gentiles, much less visiting their homes, was prohibited.  Furthermore, the Romans and their military were the power that was currently dominating the Jewish people.  The idea that he could visit Cornelius in his home, that they could eat together, and that Cornelius and his family could become members of the Body of Christ- all this was entirely new to Peter; it went against all that he had known.

Yet that is exactly what the Holy Spirit caused to happen.  The Spirit brought together these men from different cultures, different nations, and different stations in life and showed them that they could be one in Christ.  Such a radical change can be disruptive- Peter and Cornelius’ worlds would never be the same.  Yet the disruptive action of the Holy Spirit also brings renewal, new life, and a clarified sense of purpose to the Church.  The movement of the Spirit that brought baptism to Cornelius and his family made possible the rapid growth of Christianity in those early centuries and it made the Church into a single body with members from all nations, tongues, and races.

We are emerging from one of the greatest periods of disruption in recent memory.  Though the future is always uncertain, I think it's safe to say that whatever it holds, it won’t look exactly like the world we left behind in March of 2020.  Things have changed.  Yet it is precisely in these moments of great change that the Holy Spirit uses to create new life and new possibilities.  If we want to share in the growth and vitality offered by the Holy Spirit in this new time- I suggest we do as Peter did.  We can open ourselves to the guidance of the Spirit.  We can be humble enough to let go of some of our old practices and our old ideas.  We can joyfully welcome new people into the Body of Christ here at The Congregational Church, make room for them, celebrate them, and break bread with them.  May the Holy Spirit guide us into a new period of vitality, growth, and faithful service in the months to come.

Pastor Andrew Greenhaw