Creekside Church Sermon of January 9, 2005 "Opening Your Mouth" Acts 10:34-43	Rev. David Bibbee
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One reason is that Acts isn't devotional literature. It is a historical narrative of the beginning of the church. The first half centers on the church in Jerusalem, and the second is devoted to Paul's missionary journeys which spread the gospel from Jerusalem, throughout Asia Minor, into Europe, and finally to Rome.

The tenth chapter of Acts is a pivot point. A profound shift begins here, as the audience to whom the gospel is targeted grows larger.

The Advent and Epiphany scriptures are full of dreams and visions, and Acts 10 is no exception. It begins with a man of considerable social standing named, Cornelius. He was a centurion with 1,000 soldiers under his command. But Cornelius wasn't a typical Roman centurion. He was a devout man. He and his family worshipped God. He always gave to the poor. Even though he was a Gentile, he prayed constantly to Israel's God.

Cornelius had a vision in which he was told to send three of his servants to Joppa, and bring back a man named, Peter. As he sent them on their way, Peter was on someone's roof praying, when he received a vision. A huge tablecloth came down before him, full of all kinds of creatures. A voice said, "Pick something, Peter. Pick, anything you want. Then kill it and eat it." Peter replied, "I can't do that." "Sure you can," God said. "Stick that pig over there and make yourself a pork chop sandwich." Peter exclaimed, "Lord, I can't any of this. I'm kosher! I've never even tasted anything common or unclean." Then a voice said, "Peter, if God says it's okay, then it's okay."

As Peter tried to figure out the vision, Cornelius's envoys showed up and asked Peter to go with them. He didn't know it at that moment, but he was on the cusp of a conversion.

Ideas are the most powerful force on earth. Governments and armies exist is to preserve and protect ideas. Before America was a nation, it was an idea in the minds of its founders. Before you were formed in the womb, you were an idea in the minds of your parents.

The idea of slavery was accepted in America until people like John Woolman and others voiced a greater idea-- "It is not right to buy and sell human beings." Segregation was accepted in America, until a young Baptist minister named King, armed only with the example Jesus had given him, boldly stood and said the idea was wrong and against God's will.

Ideas can be used for good or ill. A major aspect of conversion is exchanging out little ideas for bigger ones. Old ideas us keep us from seeing clearly. A woman was complaining to her visiting friend about what a lousy housekeeper her next-door neighbor was. "You should see how dirty her children are, and her house looks awful. Look at the clothes she just hung out on the line, and look at the black steaks on the sheets and towels. It's disgusting." Her friend looked out the window to see for herself how bad it was next-door. After studying the situation she said, "I think her clothes are clean, my dear. The streaks are on your window."

Through the witness of the disciples the church grew rapidly, but with growth comes growing pains. To this point, Christian converts were Jews, but God had a bigger audience in mind. Accompanying Cornelius' servants back to Caesarea, Peter had his windows washed. The streaks that kept him from seeing Gentiles as God's children were Windexed away. His little idea was replaced by God's big idea.

I love Peter's declaration of the obvious as he walked into Cornelius' house -- "You know and I know that since I'm a Jew I'm not allowed to associate with your kind, but God showed me that neither my race nor customs are better than yours." Then Cornelius said, "God spoke to me, too, and said I should fetch you here because you have something I need to hear." Neither man cooked up the idea. Putting them in a controversial relationship was God's idea of having fun.

When I visited the Taizé Community in France there was a memorable controversy. One afternoon Taizé was full of soldiers wearing camouflaged fatigues, berets, and combat boots-- not a typical sight at a place where seekers from the world over flock to worship, pray, and learn what it means to be instruments of God's peace in the world.

The soldiers were from Poland. One of their tour buses broke down near Taizé, so they were stuck until it could be repaired. A woman from Holland was extremely upset by their presence. She came from the church angry and crying because some of the soldiers had gone into the church and were sitting in the sanctuary. She believed that their mere presence made a mockery of Taizé's mission and that they should be asked to leave.

Apparently she didn't know that the cardinal rule of all monasteries and religious communities is hospitality. No one is turned away. Neither had she considered the possibility that Taizé's influence might rub off on these young Polish men. Through the day the soldiers kept to themselves, but an interesting thing happened as everyone gathered after evening worship for what we call, fellowship time. At first the soldiers were standoffish, but slowly they began to mingle. There were smiles, then out came the wallets to show pictures of their children and families, and the soldiers gave away cards with pictures of the Ebony Madonna, which is a famous Polish icon. The repaired bus arrived; people exchanged addresses and hugs and wished each other well.

God has fascinating ways of bringing people together. The soldiers weren't out on maneuvers. The Polish Army offers enlistees an opportunity for spiritual enrichment by touring famous religious shrines throughout Europe. They were on their way to the Shrine at Lourdes in France. Taizé wasn't even on the itinerary, but the bus just happened to break down outside Taize. Do you think this six-hour wait was in God's itinerary?

Now-let's do some facial calisthenics. Open your mouths. Open wide! Hold them open a moment… just a little longer. Okay-- close them. What are some of the things you open your mouth for? "Open your mouth and say, 'Ahhhhh.'" "Open up and swallow this delicious cough medicine." "Open wide and taste this gooood liver and creamed spinach." "Open your mouth so Dr. Yank can extract that tooth." "Open your mouths and let me hear you sing!" Maybe some of you heard, "Open your mouth one more time and you'll be sorry!"

Your mouth is essential tool in helping change lives, growing the church, and building God's kingdom. Cornelius said to Peter, "We're here to hear what you've been told to say." This is how our text begins-And Peter opened his mouth and said:

"It's God's own truth and nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites. It makes no difference who you are or where you're from-if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel-that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again-well, he's doing it everywhere, among everyone.

When we became Christians we promised we would work to rid ourselves of narrow-mindedness so we can see people as God sees them, and show by our actions and our words that God loves them. But there is a disconnect between what we KNOW and what we DO. Let me offer an example.

There were two new participants in our family Christmas gatherings this year. One was my granddaughter, Haley. The other was Haley's father. Without getting into details, let's say I had "issues" with his attendance. He isn't the person I would have chosen for my daughter, but… that's not my call. I can offer my thoughts where appropriate, and love her. Loving Lisa meant including her boyfriend.

I know I didn't get an A. What I want to share is what he shared with Twig. He didn't have Christmas with his own family. He wasn't welcome. After seeing how two sides of Lisa's family observe Christmas, and after being part of a Christmas Day gathering with some of you, he was amazed. He never knew families did such things. To him, family gatherings meant verbal and physical abuse. He didn't know that people could enjoy being together. He never experienced a church family, and didn't grasp why we relate to each other as we do.

I want you to remember this-- you may be the only glimpse someone will ever have of Jesus. The way you live could be the key to free others from the way they live. Your job is to show the world what redeemed people look like. The only way they will know, and the only way we will grow, is to open our mouths. Suppose Peter hadn't opened his mouth? Cornelius would not have been the first Gentile convert. He, his family, and his friends would be left holding a vision without knowing why.

I've got a challenge for you in this new year. It doesn't require being licensed. You don't need advanced training. You just have to be you, and know why the church matters to you. I'm challenging you to invite three people to church in 2005-just three people-- uno, dos, tres. I'm not asking you to recite a canned presentation, or memorize a bunch of scriptures, or became intrusive and abrasive and ask people whether they're saved.

If the person you ask declines, that's okay. You can count it toward your three. The outcome isn't your concern; that's the Holy Spirit's job. All you have to do is open your mouth and ask. I probably talk about my love of fishing with three people a week. Is it hard to invite a woman to come to a Red Hat Society meeting? Guys, yes, but another woman? How often have you shared with someone your enthusiasm about the Colt's season?

As the scope of the Tsunami tragedy continues to unfold and the death toll climbs, I continue to be struck by what happened just moments after the earthquake. In about ten minutes, seismologists all over the world knew what had happened. Word was received by scientists and government officials all over the developed world. The first report indicated the quake register 6.6. Within another ten minutes word was sent that it was much bigger and that killer waves would result. The marvels of technology linked a select group of knowledgeable people in Europe, Japan, and the United States, who knew that a disaster was unfolding. The trouble was, none of the hundreds of thousands of people in its path knew it was coming.

There was a great divide between those who knew and those who didn't. There is a divide between those who know God's love and the blessings that are ours in the body of Christ, and those who don't. How will they know unless they're invited? One hundred percent of those not invited to church don't come. You've heard the statistics-the pastor, sermons, Sunday school, church programs, door-to-door visitation, each, account for 6% and less of the reason why visitors come. But 80% of those who make first-time visits come because a friend invites them.

If you invite just three people in the coming year, I'll make you a guarantee. This time next year there will be faces here that aren't here today. There will be people beginning the adventure of faith. The portion of those who come may be small in comparison to the numbers that are asked, but there will be far more than you can expect to come if you lock the invitation behind cinched lips.

God shows no partiality. Who people are or where they're from doesn't matter. They need to know Jesus if for them, and the only way they'll know is if you open your mouth and invite. As it says in Psalm 107, "Let the redeemed of the Lord SAY SO."

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