JOHN 12:30 – 13:31 …so, after receiving the piece of bread, he (Judas) immediately went out. And it was night. 31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.

I begin with the last verse of Chapter 12…so, after receiving the piece of bread,   Judas immediately went out. And it was night.  Yes, night had fallen as the sun disappeared in the West. But… when they saw the back of Judas retreating down the stair, almost as if a switch was thrown, the mood quivered and flattened into silence. The company of disciples, mood dimming listened with the ears of their souls. And it was night.  It was night.

It was night, when Jesus squared his shoulders, cocking his head slightly to the right, appearing to hear.  This they knew.  He did it often, especially when one of them hunting him in the dim light of dawn, came upon him praying with a faraway stare, head turned listening.

Rising, he turned and as if returning from a distance and said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.” They had followed him too far to mistake his words. “Glory,” was not the lockstep of Legions, Triumph in a chariot, the conquered trialing dejectedly along in the dust.   That was the Messiah of most Jews understanding. “David, now that was a King, I tell you. He would have driven the Romans straight through Caesarea into the sea.”

Are we different, beloved?  We have less excuse this side of the resurrection. We no less than they, want the God of our understanding or rather our ego’s understanding.   The gospel of prosperity, manifest destiny or Christendom, all fall short of the Glory of God revealed on that hill on that Friday.  Now, that was God-shaped glory.  We, who believe, are better for it.  God’s glory always first suffers first, them and only then resurrection.  Egos always hope for easier. Egos look for gain.  What egos never understand is that death always precedes resurrection.

I believe that Jesus was deeply moved by his love for these men. The expression, “Little children” is found nowhere else in the New Testament. I see it as a term of endearment, used privately.  “Boys”, he said, “this is the end of the road for our happy band.  Where I am going you cannot come.”  They were used to Jesus’ odd remarks, but this sounded terminal.”

I give you a new mandate (origin of Maundy) tonight.  “You know how much I love each of you.”  He paused, gathered himself and continued, “I need you to love each just the same. Through all our adventures, people have marveled at our relationships.  That is how they will know you are my disciples, when you love each other with a graceful, even reckless disregard for self for the sake of others.”

All too often, the line, “Behold those Christians, how they love one another,” is quoted ironically, given our propensity for emotional violence over any number of vain contentions.

That being said, turn to the Acts reading for today.  How does the Love mandate look in practice? This story is told three times in Acts.  Clearly it is an important story.

 Peter is wandering around and things began to happen.  Raised Dorcas from death to life. Last week’s lesson ends with Peter settling down for a long visit with a man who was known as Simon, the Tanner.  Leather works smell nasty.  I suppose the sea would be a good place to live given breezes.

The first crisis of those who followed the Way was the “kosher” wars.  How dare you go to dinner at a Gentile house?  You might as well as gone to The Rendezvous for pork ribs! What do you mean the Gentiles have accepted the Word! You can’t be serious!

For example, let us suppose that sentient humanoid folk show up on Earth.  H.G. Wells notwithstanding, we found them friendly, less warlike than we.  This would throw all sorts of wrenches into the cogs of creeds and screeds.  For the sake of conversation, let us call them, “the others.” 

The central issue for us is this, Did Jesus die for the sins of others, or just for us?  Actually the first question is, “Do others need salvation or not?”  Do they sin?  Was the Incarnation, passion and resurrection of Jesus felicitous for earth or for all planets?  

This is the very crisis that the Jews found on their doorstep.   It never occurred to them that Gentiles would be interested, let alone accept the word.  They didn’t want Gentiles meddling with a salvific system of the Jews, by the Jews and for the Jews.  Not only did they think Gentiles would hit hell wide open, they were glad and eager to buy tickets for the occasion. It would be nice if they were at least remorseful about it, but that’s a sin for another day.We do know that people are hungry to experience God directly, personally and in a way that reorders our very lives, beginning with the deepest longings of our hearts.

Peter’s Vision – Edward Knippers

Peter had a vision (dream while awake).

• Sheet (filled with unclean animals. In many cases we would agree with Peter. But also in the sheet was Memphis’ all-time favorite PORK, lobster, clams, crabs, catfish, shrimp,)  The unclean animals are favorites of mine, like porkers, shrimp & Lobster, so much is good stuff; at least in my clan.
• However, Peter did not see this as good news. I’ve never eaten any unclean thing in my life. Followed by a Righteous shiver and a mortally offended yuck.
• To which God replied, “Nothing I have made is a yuck!”

This Happens a second and a third time.

About that time, God said to Peter, BYW, there are some Gentiles about to ring the bell downstairs.  I know it’s not kosher but you go with them. You hear? And Peter did just that.

He and the messengers went to Cornelius the Centurion.

What   do we   learn   from   Peter?

• Pay attention to what is going on around.
• Pay attention to what is going on in us.
• Often the two spheres over-lap in interesting, even compelling ways.

Carl Jung called this overlap, Synchronicity:  Inner and outward life impact the other in a meaningful but acausal way.”

• Often contradicts what we thought.
• Broadens our horizons.
• Calls us to transcend our limited perspectives.
• Does an end run on our deeply held biases.

What would have happened if Peter refused to pay attention to the trance? He could have blamed it on being hungry at lunch time.

The Good News of God in Christ must be for any and all or it is not Good News for any.  Entrance into that company is a matter of grace.  They’ll let anyone in.  I don’t know about you but I’m real glad that is the case, given my background. At Saint John’s we have low standards, not no standards!