We are one (Acts 10;44-48)

After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, the disciples had experienced a lot of changes in their life. First of all, they lived together and shared what they had with one another. (Acts 2:43-47) Second, it was their attitude toward gentiles. I have already shared the first change of the disciples with you a month ago, and our focus for today is the second change of the disciples. Gentiles simply means the non-Jews. It does not necessarily carry value judgment. Like Pepsi, Coca-cola and Shasi, they are for the sake of clarification and distinction. Nevertheless, the name gentiles in daily use among the Jews carries meaning more than a matter of clarification. First, the creation of gentiles helps the Jews to construct and appreciate their identity of being chosen by God. Due to this, any possible acceptance of gentiles into God’s family would challenge the superiority of Jews. This is why the issue of whether gentiles are accepted by God is not a theological issue, but rather it is a political issue, that is, whether the superiority of the Jews is still maintained. The Jewish concern of the gentiles is an experience shared by most communities. For instance, even though there is shortage of doctors in public hospitals, the Hong Kong Medical Association does not support the government to recruit overseas doctors. Their expressed concern is the quality of overseas doctors, but the heart of the matter is to protect their benefits. In order to maintain our superiority, we construct different boundaries and even stimagtize others. Second, since gentiles is not God’s chosen people, there is nothing goodness within them. One obvious example is that the Jews are used to put the blame of their sin on the gentiles. (Deut 20:18) The existence of gentiles can pollute their purity so that exclusion of the gentiles is legitimate and this is what God approves. A very common experience of this is eating. Since gentiles may eat pork and their way of cooking is different from Jews, Jews are easily polluted if they are not separated from the gentiles. Pollution here has been turned to be a moral issue more than a ritual issue. Since the gentiles are portrayed as pollution, the Jews do not want to have close contact with them. Six years ago, I visited Belfast in Northern Ireland, and I was surprised that the walls separated between Catholics and Protestants were still remained. Each wall is about 10 meters high and more than a kilometer long. They never visit each other, and they never know how they live. On the contrary, the Protestants construct what the Catholic image is and it is always badly, and vice versa. They not only live in separation, but also mistrust. This story repeats in different forms of phobia nowadays. In the Jewish mind, the Gentiles is more than that they are non-Jews, but also they are not God’s chosen people and a pollution. This is why the early Jewish Christians had argued the role of gentiles. They do not come to a conclusion easily, for this is not a theoretical issue. The scripture for today mentions, ‘The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God.’ This experience challenges the circumcised Christians that the graciousness of God goes beyond their thought and even their faith. They cannot argue against the gentiles, for they have seen the work of the Holy Spirit. Then Peter said, ‘Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ Peter’s response has revealed that first, we do not have the monopoly of the Holy Spirit. We cannot control the work of the Holy Spirit, and we have to be honest to the work of the Holy Spirit. Second, we have to submit to the Holy Spirit even though this is something we may not fully understand. In this story, the work of the Holy Spirit is characterized by speaking in tongues and extolling God. Let me share with you a story. My attitude toward homosexuality does not come from my openness and liberal, but through an encounter of their life and an witness to how the Holy Spirit falls upon them. They are the people not only loved by God, but also with God’s graciousness and gifts. Since then, I change my attitude. We claim that our church is inclusive. It is inclusive not because we are more open and liberal than others, but because we are open to the Holy Spirit, that is, no monopoly of the Holy Spirit and submission to the Holy Spirit. Due to this, I would say that among the political and moral conservative, the Holy Spirit falls upon them as well.