Breaking New Ground
Listen.May 17th, 2009
Rev. Dr. Craig A. Wagner
Introduction
I love spring. Springtime with the warmer temperatures, the soft soaking rains, and the cool nights reminds me of hope and new life. It’s a great time of year. I remember years ago when we lived in more rural areas that each spring was the time to plant a garden. Gardening was a great joy for me. For many years, my gardening began in the coldness of winter when I would begin to order vegetable seed from companies that produced these marvelous catalogues. I would order the traditional seed, lettuce, tomato, radish, onion and so on. But then I would order more exotic seed like jalapeno peppers and so on. It was always fun to branch out and try something different.
After ordering seed, I would plan my garden using graph paper to make sure how much of each vegetable to plant and I would arrange the garden so that I could get the most out of each plant as well as making the garden look good. Next, I would begin the plants by planting the seed in small cups, or boxes placed in sunny spots in the house so as to give them a head start.
Springtime was for planting…of course my enthusiasm for gardening would rapidly decline when I had to start weeding, but that’s another story and another sermon!
On occasion I would expand a garden plot – and it was always exciting to break new ground and think of the possibilities that the new plot would bring forth. Spring is a great time of year.
Good news to the gentiles
Our passage this morning from the book of Acts is the account of the expansion of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the gentiles. Peter would be breaking new ground as he shared the message of Jesus with Cornelius and his family. Cornelius was a centurion of the Italian Cohort. He was a commanding officer of a hundred foot soldiers. There were ten centurions in a cohort and sixty in a legion; for those who enjoy military trivia. Cornelius was stationed in Caesarea.
Although he was a part of the Roman occupation forces, Cornelius was a God-fearing and devout man. He was probably a gentile who worshipped the Hebrew God but had not been converted or proselytized. He was devout and devoted himself to prayer and alms-giving. He helped others and gave financial assistance to those who were needy.
This man had a vision at three o’clock in the afternoon. An angel of God came to him and directed him to send some of his men to the city of Joppa to meet Simon Peter. The soldiers went and as they journeyed to Joppa, Peter has a dream that encouraged him to expand the mission of Christ. Although puzzled at first by his dream, he did note that what God created was good and that God created all people.
The soldiers took Peter back to Caesarea where Cornelius meets Peter, Peter shares the story of Jesus and the Holy Spirit falls upon all the people who were listening; even upon the uncircumcised gentiles; and they were baptized into Christ.
What an amazing story. God poured out on these gentiles the Holy Spirit. God shows no partiality. This is certainly breaking new ground because now the gospel is not captive to any particular ethnic group. It incorporates all who hear the word and believe in Jesus the Christ. Now the gospel will spread throughout the world in way in which no one could have predicted.
Normally, we associate the birthday of the Christian church with Pentecost when the Spirit was poured out on the people who had gathered in Jerusalem for the celebration. The people at that time were from the known world, but they were all Jews or proselytes (those converted to Judaism). Here we find a difference in that Cornelius was not a Jew nor a proselyte but rather a gentile and a Roman soldier. Last week we heard the story of the Ethiopian eunuch and today a Roman soldier, a gentile. These stories remind us that the message of Jesus is for all people; it is a story that encompasses all races and ethnicities and touches the hearts and lives of people everywhere. It is not bound by geographical boundaries or racial issues. Thank God that the message went to the gentiles or we would not have the good news of Jesus the Christ.
Breaking new ground
As we consider this story, I think we should give God thanks and praise for allowing the good news of the gospel to move across boundaries of race and nationality. The good news of Jesus cuts across all man-made boundaries and includes everyone who confesses Jesus as Lord. This is good news for us who are considered gentiles. And so we celebrate the response of Cornelius and his family and those around him on that great day. And as we celebrate we, too glorify God and are moved by the devotion and even the prayer life of this man.
We can learn from him: Are we as devout? Do we worship with all our heart, soul, mind and strength? Are we people who pray unceasingly and live in a connected way with God? Do we give financially to God’s work and help the poor? If someone wrote our life’s story what would they highlight? Would they highlight our faith and how we live as people loved by God? Or would our biography simply reflect selfish tendencies, worldly influences and material items? Perhaps we need to break new ground in our lives of faith?
Another thing we learn from the story about Cornelius is that he, his family and his friends were obviously open to the spirit’s indwelling. It is true that we speak about the Holy Spirit especially on Pentecost when the spirit came to the gathered crowd, and we speak about the spirit coming to the Ethiopian eunuch and today about the spirit touching Cornelius and those around him. The spirit moves and continues to bring faith into the life of people throughout the world; we celebrate the gift of the spirit in baptism. The question arises; do we continually acknowledge the gift of the spirit, the presence of the living God in our lives? Do we rejoice and pray continually in thankfulness for the Spirit? Do we allow the spirit to grow our faith in to help us live as Christ wants us to?
One of the interesting things about gardening is that the little seeds that I plant and care for; water and feed and weed and so on, eventually they grow and ultimately produce the fruit or the vegetable that they are governed to produce. Along the way I prune and harvest. If the plant does not produce or fails to grow, I tear it out of the garden and throw it away. When God breaks new ground in our life, he expects us to produce the fruit and bear the gifts that he has given us.
Are we living as Jesus wants? Are we producing the fruit he expects or are we so distracted that the only thing noticeable is ourself? When God breaks new ground in our lives, then we are to step out boldly for the sake of the gospel even into areas that move us beyond our comfort zone. Where is God leading you to make a difference in the life of the church? Pray unceasingly and allow God to move and guide, direct and encourage you in mission and ministry for the sake of Jesus.
New opportunities
This passage expands our horizons and lifts us from the mundane and everyday experience of life and even of faith. It moves us beyond and outside of our comfort zone as we think about the expansion of the gospel. Peter was not very excited about this mission; even his vision was puzzling to him, but in faith he went, seized the opportunity to share the gospel and look at the results. The church grew and expanded and included all sorts of people. Just as Philip took the opportunity with the Ethiopian, here Peter takes the opportunity and the spirit works.
The grace and love of Jesus poured into our lives encourage us and directs us and challenges us to reach beyond our border in creative ways for the sake of the gospel. We have experienced this: PADS ministry reaching beyond the walls, in the quilting group as they prepare warm quilts for use by people in extreme poverty and living without hope. We seize the opportunities to reach out with the gospel through benevolent giving of our Spirited Women and our Experience worship services and we are moving forward in a cutting edge ministry “Praise Rocks @CLC.”
Creative ideas for the sake of the gospel and reaching others often forces us out of our boxes and our comfort zones to take a leap of faith for the sake of Christ and the expansion of his love. Called to share the gospel with all people – what is your part? To what ministry and mission has the Spirit urged you? God’s spirit of love is ours and is for all through faith in Jesus. May we look at the opportunities before us and be ready to move forward.
Conclusion
Last week Lorna and I had an opportunity to tour the new contemporary wing at the Art Institute of Chicago. Contemporary art really moves me out of my comfort zone. The building was extremely beautiful and the surrounds ordered and clean. However, I have to tell you that some of the art made me wonder. One artist simply painted a canvass black and then printed the date of the painting in large letters and numbers. At least, I thought he would not run out of subject matter! Some of the pieces made me wonder why and how they were placed in this beautiful building. However, there are others who appreciate the various works. Out of the box, out of the comfort zone is not only good for ART but is good the gospel, isn’t it? Our text breaks new ground for Jesus’ sake – and now it is up to us to allow the spirit to work wonders in this congregation and in our lives. May we rise to the opportunities for mission that are before us. Amen.