6th Grade in Hartford/Easter Sunday 2021

My ‘talk’ for Easter Sunday given at the Lynnville (IL) UMC on April 11, 2004 and on Here for Easter of 2021!

        I have to say that for the most part I have generally never had to worry much about favoritism… at least not when it was in my favor! I guess one could say that I did fall ‘victim’ to it on any occasion that I had the misfortune to work with the owner’s or manager’s kids… it was always me who seemed to wind up on the short end of things whenever any choices involving the two of us came up. I never really worried too much about it… if the truth be known, I figured if my son ever worked for me I would probably feel inclined to favor him a bit over any outsiders as well! In fact, the only time I ever felt like maybe I was being singled out for some good things was the first half of my year of sixth grade.

        In the years that I was growing up there, the little town of Hartford was small enough to only have two classes in each of the grades going through the local school system. In fact, except for an occasional change or addition, we stayed with the same group of people that we had been in first grade with. In other words, I had grown up with all of these kids, and knew each of them well. And yes, at that age friendships could move around from time to time, but generally I usually got along with everybody most of the time. In the sixth grade, they shuffled us up a bit (I always figured that that was to get us ready for the changes that junior high would bring the next year), but each classroom was still side-by-side, and we still did a lot of activities together, so old friendships remained while new ones grew.

That was also the year that my family had bought our farm outside of Edwardsville, and as plans were finalized, everyone came to know that we would be leaving town and I would be leaving the school over the Christmas vacation. Suddenly, everyone was my friend! Even those whom I had seldom had anything to do with other than scuffling on the playground, or trying to avoid on the walks to and from school, were suddenly sad to see me leave and couldn’t do enough for me. Even the teacher, who was fresh from getting his degree, seemed to pick me more often than some because of my upcoming departure… all in all, I felt kinda’ spoiled … and I don’t have to tell you it was kinda’ nice! Along with the general sense of ‘being special’ that I remember from that whole time, there are two things that stand out as being really neat.

The first was when we broke into groups of four or five to paint Christmas posters to hang around the room… for the first time that I could remember, the kids in my group ‘really liked’ my suggestion and went to work painting it… nine rocket-engines all hitched to Santa’s sleigh, each with their name printed on the side… you know… Prancer and Dancer and so-on! Oh yeah, the lead engine had a very bright red headlight on it, too!

The other thing I remember from that time was being picked to play the lead in the little play our two classes put together and performed in an empty classroom. I remember that I was a pageboy in an English castle… and even though I had no lines (they were all read from a book), all of the action centered around me! Not only that, the director was one of the really pretty girls of our two classes… which meant that she had to talk to me, at least for giving me directions! The thing I remember most, though, was the fact that, as a pageboy, my costume included a pair of black tights! Looking back, I honestly can’t say if they were tights or pantyhose, but at that age I wouldn’t have known the difference anyway… I just knew that nobody thought I was brave enough to wear them for the show, but I did… over a pair of swimming trunks!

In today’s verses Peter starts off by stating, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism…” Peter is in the home of Cornelius, a Roman Army officer. Up to this point it seems as if Peter was of the opinion that the Israelites were still God’s chosen people, and resisted attempts to include the Gentiles in receiving the Good News of Christ. But in the verses leading up to today’s, we find quite a story of how he and Cornelius, who was a devout believer of the Messiah and was doing much good in his area, had both had a vision… Cornelius’ told him to seek out Peter and where to find him, while Peter’s was to no longer let himself be bound by Jewish customs and laws, but to reach out to all peoples. So it was that when the messengers from Cornelius reached Peter with an invitation to come to his house and teach, he accepted and went. These words are the start of his first meeting with them… let me read them once again, this time from the New Living Translation…

Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God doesn’t show partiality. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. I’m sure you have heard about the Good News for the people of Israel — that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what happened all through Judea, beginning in Galilee after John the Baptist began preaching. And no doubt you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the Devil, for God was with him.

“And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Israel and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by crucifying him, but God raised him to life three days later. Then God allowed him to appear, not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen beforehand to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is ordained of God to be the judge of all — the living and the dead. He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”

Furthermore, the following verses read…

Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who had heard the message. The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles, too. And there could be no doubt about it, for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Then Peter asked, “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.

This, then, is what one might consider the ‘official’ acceptance by what was to become the ‘church’ of those who were not a part of the Jewish community. And Peter was to take some flack for it on his return home… but he knew what God had been telling him in his vision and held his ground! And that is at least a part of why you and I are here worshiping today… the Jews were no longer favored by God… we are all equal in His sight!

Today is Easter Sunday. It is the day that we Christians celebrate the rising of Our Lord from the dead. And I can say ‘we Christians’ partly because of what Peter started here… the acceptance of all of us non-Jews into Christ’s family. And yet… was it really Peter’s doing?

Jesus had taught all along that all peoples were equal! Male… female… child… Jew… Roman… Greek… tax collectors… prostitutes… sinners of all kind… even the devout followers of all of the old laws… ALL had an equal opportunity to believe in, accept and follow Christ.

Today, that’s probably one of the hardest things we have to learn and accept as Christians… that our churches are open to everyone! We are to be open and loving to all that come through those doors! But sometimes it’s hard. If the alcoholic from down the street stumbled in on a Sunday morning, would we welcome him? If the unwed mother came looking for a church family, would she find one here? If the homosexual asked to transfer his membership to our church, would we accept it? These are hard questions!

Is drinking a sin? We’re told that drunkenness is. The unwed mother obviously committed a sin of immorality to be in her situation today. And the Bible is very clear on the sinfulness of homosexuality… there can be no question of that! So… do we accept them into our church?

Of course we do! Because the Bible is also very clear that we are to be loving and accepting of all people! After all, Jesus came and died for sinners!!! That was the whole purpose of His sacrifice! Who are we not to accept sinners into the very institution that was created for them? In fact, if we were to get overly strict about not allowing sinners into this building… who among us would be able to attend each Sunday? For it is very true that we are all sinners from time to time!

So yes, Jesus died on the cross for ALL people!!! The tomb was not left empty just for Jesus’ followers… the cross was not painted with His blood just for the righteous… He died and is now alive for all mankind!

Let me be very clear on this, however… the church was established for and is open to all sinners… but not to sin!!! We come here each week as a sinner, but we pray for forgiveness and we work hard to not sin again! By the same token, all that come into Christ’s church are to be welcomed with open and loving arms… but if they want to accept Christ as their Savior they must give up their sins!!! In other words, we are to love the sinner, not the sin!

Jesus suffered the agony of the whip and the nails through His body for the sake of all people. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for all sins. Because He now lives and resides at the right hand of God the Father, all people and all sinners are welcome in this, His church. But as a true believer and follower of Christ we are to confess our sins and sin no more!

I don’t know about you, but to me that pretty much says it all!