All disciples of Jesus are invited to partake in the common practice of reconciliation and the cultivation of renewal. As God has done for us, we too are invited to show others the way of Jesus and become fully human through the power of God’s Spirit and loving kindness. We see this happen in the early church through Peter’s interactions with the Gentile Cornelius:
The next day Peter started out with them… Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.” While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?” Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.” Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached… While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.” — Acts 10
When God first created humanity, He did so with the intention that they would create, cultivate, and connect with one another and the creation that He had placed them in—but because of sin, humanity has destroyed creation, disconnected from intimacy with God, and sought to dominate one another. And the byproduct of this disobedience would have led to death for us. But it’s through Jesus that we find ourselves with a second chance!
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” — 2 Corinthians 5:17
Why is this significant for Peter and Cornelius?
It’s because Peter had still been anchored in the “old” ways of doing things—the law he was familiar with had forbidden him from associating with Gentiles, but here, God was doing a new thing. He was inviting Gentiles to be grafted into the Story that God was writing throughout creation! It was Peter’s “old” views that prevented him from seeing what “new” thing God was doing in their midst—namely, inviting all those who were interested in the Christ-life to become part of the Church!
So how do we practice the common practice of reconciliation and cultivating renewal?
We must do what Peter did and look at the world with God’s eyes,
with redemptive hope,
with prophetic imagination,
with possibilities of joy and love.
It is to look at what we formerly regarded as worthless through the eyes of God and imagine something new.
God sees a world where we can re-create and bring about beauty and wholeness.
God sees a world where we can reconcile people to each other and people to God.
God sees a world where we can re-cultivate and steward the earth.
So how do we practice this?
We practice this by making, creating, and participating in art, work, relationships that will help decrease death and pain or increase beauty, life, joy.
We practice this by connecting people to God and each other and participating in making art, work, space, and relationships that will help decrease division and death and/or increase unity, harmony, and peace.
And we practice this by taking responsibility over creation, stewarding the relationships and resources in ways that would please and reflect God. It is to protect human lives and planet, provide care and nurture, and cause things to grow and have life.
Jesus gives two commandments related to reconciliation and renewal to his disciples: first, he tells them to “choose the narrow path”:
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” — Matthew 7:13-14
So how do we practice this day-to-day?
- What are the “more difficult” choices when it comes to relationships? Who is more difficult to love, forgive, share with, give kindness to in your spheres? Make a commitment to tangibly love them in the coming days.
- Think of someone you’ve had a conflict with in the past or that you’re distant with. What would be the “narrow” path to them? Reaching out with a text message, phone call, delivery?
Jesus also tells his disciples to “be a servant”:
“… Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” — Matthew 20:26-28
- Who in your life can you serve cheerfully and without complaint? Coworkers, family members, brothers and sisters at church? How can you add moments of beauty and joy to their lives?
- How can you serve and steward creation the next time you’re out? Think of where you go to on a daily basis and think about how you can participate in the act of renewal: picking up trash, recycling, conserving water, and so forth.
For more discussion and behind the scenes of this sermon in the Common Series, listen to our new podcast: The Common Podcast. We upload new episodes every Wednesday! Stay tuned as we continue to learn the Common practices that keep us united as Christ-followers.