Easter 2021: Christ is risen!
Acts 10:34a, 36-43; John 20:1-18, “Peter began to speak to those assembled in the house of Cornelius” Acts 10:34a
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, alleluia!
Our first lesson today is from St Luke the Evangelist’s second volume in the story of Christian salvation history. It is a divine narrative that quite literally changed the world. Here in Acts 10 our patron saint is giving a sermon to the first meeting of one of the first Christian churches, a group gathered in the house of Cornelius.
Cornelius was a centurion, a battle-proven Roman soldier, who had been placed in command of a unit of 100 men. As well as being a warrior, he was devout, a spiritual man who gave alms to the poor and we are told by Luke, “prayed constantly to God.”
While at prayer one day, he had a vision. An angel told him to send for a man called Simon Peter. The angel even gave directions: Peter is lodging at Joppa in a house by the seaside. Before Cornelius’ men arrived in Joppa, Peter himself was praying, and he too had a vision: a sheet came down from heaven, with all manner of animals that were not kosha, and a voice said: “Get up … kill and eat.” Being a good God-fearing Jew, St Peter was confused. What is God asking of him?
Just at that moment, Cornelius’ messengers arrive. After giving them hospitality and a bed after their long trip, the next day they all set off for the centurion’s home in Caesarea. On arrival, Peter delivers a sermon to the group of Gentiles who had gathered there to hear what he had to say. Then the most incredible thing happens: the Holy Spirit falls on the whole gathering. This is like the encounters with the Risen Christ, like the Day of Pentecost, God’s Spirit moves all those gathered in a deep and profound way. The Jewish Christians who came to accompany Peter are amazed and confused. These people are Gentiles. Yet the Holy Spirit has descended on the gathering in the same way as on us. The Risen Christ is here like in the Upper Room.
Peter gets it. This is what his vision was about: God’s kingdom is for all people. It was a tipping point in the history of the early church, which St Paul was soon to take to new heights.
Today’s gospel narrative was written by St John the Evangelist some 10 or 20 years later; but the message is much the same in many ways. This time it is a woman who is the one who upturns the applecart; through Christ’s resurrection appearance to Mary Magdalene, God is redefining what it is to be a leader in this new Christian movement. Cornelius the Gentile soldier, is a Church leader. Mary Magdalene is nothing less than Apostle to the apostles. Christ appears first to Mary. She is the one who first tells the good news of the resurrection to Simon Peter and the other disciples. “I have seen the Lord.”
Today at St Peter’s we continue to live and proclaim that inclusive Resurrection narrative, on the other side of the world, and 2000 years later. We proclaim that same inclusive message of the Gospels and of Acts. For years St Peter’s has been a welcoming church, where LGBTIQ+ people are not only welcome at the altar, but integral to our leadership and the life of our community. Women are strong and growing in strength in the lay and clerical leadership of our church. Social service, care for those in particular need, is another part of our proclamation of the inclusive Gospel that Christ gave his life for. We enact this through the Lazarus Center, the Social Enterprise, and in untold acts of kindness and compassion.
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, alleluia!