Wherever you go shopping these days it seems that every shop wants you to join their membership scheme. Whether it’s McDonalds, Myer, Woolworths – and you could name many more businesses – they all want you to sign up and earn points and rewards. Or it could be a loyalty program like Flybuys. I tend these days to buy my petrol from 7/11 because every 7th purchase they give you a free gift which might be something like an iced coffee. And a lot of them, probably most of them, are free. Several Bistros that I have lunch at sometimes have free memberships and you earn points or discounts when you sign in and use your card to make purchases. I often wonder why they do that. Why offer you a free membership and then give you discounts and rewards. What they are trying to do is capture your business and create a community or family of buyers and reward you for your loyalty and commitment.
John today talks about the Christian faith being a community that forms a family. He says: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. It’s so amazing and comforting to know that our relationship with God is one of father and child. That Jesus Christ is our brother. Our relationship is not one of God being our master and we’re his slave. In fact it’s the exact opposite. Jesus came as a servant to serve us. And that’s exactly what Jesus said: I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.
Some of you may recall when church was referred to as Divine Service. What we need to understand is that this is God serving us – not us serving God. It’s such a beautiful thing to see God in this light. As a loving Father. For those of you who are parents you know that you would do anything for your child. You would go without food if that meant your child had something to eat. You would place yourself in danger if it meant your child could be safe. I think of that mother in the Bondi attacks a few weeks ago. She passed her baby over to a stranger knowing that she was about to be attacked and saved her baby rather than trying to save both of them. This is what Jesus has done for us – he laid down his life so that we could be spared from eternal death. Which is what Jesus said: No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends.
God’s family is a special family as it shows to us that God wants every person to be part of his family. There is no one that God would exclude – only we exclude ourselves. And so it becomes important that we are not the reason for someone for someone being excluded or feeling that they are excluded. In our first reading today, we see that challenge with Peter and his companions. They have been invited to the house of a person named Cornelius. Cornelius is a Gentile – a Roman Centurion – from the same Roman community that sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion. And now Jesus is sending Peter there to invite him into his family. And while they are there they see something unbelievable happen. They see the Holy Spirit of God given to Cornelius and his household. And not just given – but “poured” out onto them. Peter and his companions were astonished that the Holy Spirit was given “even to Gentiles” and they are now praising THEIR God. But wasn’t he born, King of the Jews? Didn’t he tell the Canaanite woman that he sent to the lost sheep of Israel? And now Peter wants them to be baptised. But what do they know about Jesus – what do they believe? Shouldn’t we examine them first? Shouldn’t they do classes with the Pastor for a few weeks first? Peter’s companions are probably asking among themselves – are we letting just anyone in?
Who else will we let in next? Maybe we should let that person arresting Christians, burning down their churches and approving the killing of Christians – what’s his name? Saul? Which is exactly what happens next. Saul is converted by Jesus himself – the very one he was persecuting is now concerned about him. Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me.
So we can see not just the extent of God’s love and invitation but the desperation of God to not let one person miss out even those who despised him. Ananias was confused and afraid when God told him to go to Saul and Baptise him! But Lord I have heard terrible things about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority to arrest all who call on your name. But God said to Ananias, “Go!
Jesus’ entire mission was to invite the outsider and excluded. Examples include the woman caught in adultery whom the leaders wanted cast out by stoning her to death. Jesus casts them out and invites her back with dignity. Or Zacchaeus who was an outcast but Jesus went an at dinner at his place. The lepers who were cast out of the community whom Jesus went to receive back. The woman of ill repute whom Jesus let wash his feet. The Samaritan woman at the well. The parable of the Good Samaritan.
The relationship between us and Jesus is not like a club filled with membership. Jesus and us are bound by love. Our love is to be the same as the love he has for us: Love one another as I have loved you. The love Jesus showed us was a sacrificial love and so should ours be towards each other. Jesus’ love for us cost him. And through that love Jesus is telling us of the privilege and responsibilities we have. We have the joy of knowing this friendship that will be with us in both good times and bad. As Jesus said – his joy will be in us and make us complete.
We will come to know that Jesus will not leave us and we will continue to know God and Jesus’ love forever. We have a savior who lived and died for us and will stay with us – I am with you always. Jesus does not treat us as a master talking to servants, but as a friend. Servants follow rules, their lives are dictated by the one who holds authority over them. Jesus’ relationship with us is based on love. We are assured we already have God’s love. It is not something we must earn like reward points. We are his friends and he invites us to live like friends with God and one another.
