Introduction

• I want to begin with a story of change for the better.
• Now, if you’d known me just ten years ago, you’d have been looking at a guy who hated tomatoes.
  • That’s right – I didn’t like the things.
  • Would order burgers to come without them, the whole nine yards.
• But then, something happened.
  • I was working at a church with a lot of home gardeners.
  • Then, one of those home gardeners planted a huge amount of tomatoes.
    • Soon, I was receiving near-daily allotments of these tomatoes.
  • Which I hated but took home, figuring Natalie might eat them.
    • She didn’t.
  • Then, the day came where I needed lunch.
    • Lo and behold, there wasn't much in the fridge but some iceberg lettuce and some bacon.
      • Looking up above the refrigerator, I spotted some bread.
        • I realized I had all the makings of a BLT.
      • The BLT
        • Was so good, I kept eating them for lunch until I ran out of bacon and lettuce.
          • I’d heard about mater sandwiches, but I’d never ventured there.
            • I ate one – it was a revelation.
              • Ate so many that summer, I ended up getting a canker sore.
            • That’s an example of change for the better, right?
              • But it’s a change.
            • HOW do we feel about change?

Change

• As we all know, the one overriding trait of change is its inevitability.
  • Change comes to us sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but it’s always there if we’re looking for it.
• The problem for many of us is that our capacity to handle change as we grow older diminishes a bit.
  • Cognitive inertia sets in and it becomes harder and harder to learn.
    • Not impossible, just much, much more difficult.
      • Trying to learn to play the piano was really hard.

Turn to Scripture

• Today’s lesson is all about change, a major one that we shouldn’t overlook.
• In Judaism, from which Christianity was birthed, there were lots of laws and cultural taboos about being with Gentiles.
  • Gentiles were considered to be HIGHLY unclean.
  • Interacting with one would require ritual cleansings under the wrong circumstances.
    • This wasn’t just a dislike or a disregard, this was a detestation of the Gentile.
      • And for good reason, right?
        • The Gentiles were also the oppressors at the time in the form of the Romans.
      • And lo and behold, at the beginning of the chapter, one of those Gentile oppressors has a vision.
        • He’s to send for Peter.
      • Who is Corneilus?
        • Well, Cornelius is a Centurion.
          • Middle manager, really, like a sergeant.
            • In charge of somewhere between 200 and 300 men.
          • He’s also a God-fearer.
            • This was a category known to the Jews, it was someone who’d become enamored of God and sought to follow His ways, even though technically an outsider.
              • We know Cornelius is a good man as the text tells us that he was providing for widows and orphans and prayed multiple times, daily.
            • So, a vision comes to this Gentile man saying, essentially, go and fetch Peter from a particular place.

Peter

• Well, the man he’s sent to get is a man named, Peter.
• We know Peter, he’s the most fully fleshed out Apostle in the Gospels.
  • We know his heart; his abilities and we know his weaknesses and foibles.
    • Namely, rejecting Jesus three times as he was awaiting trial.
  • Peter, too, has a vision, although his is HIGHLY DISRUPTIVE.
  • All his life, Peter as a faithful Jew, has sought to distance himself from Gentiles.
    • Now, through this vision, Peter is shown powerfully, that GOD IS CHANGING THE RULES.
      • With Peter’s vision, God makes it abundantly clear that Gentiles are part of the plan when it comes to God’s Kingdom.
        • Why is that?
          • Genesis 22:18 – “Through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed Me."
        • But even though this expansion of God’s blessings was fated to come, Peter finds himself on the other side of the equation.
          • In his vision, Peter is told to eat unclean animals to which he replies, “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
          • The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
            • God changes things on Peter.
              • Now look, this is a very good change for US.
                • Unless you were born Jewish, Jesus is your way into God’s family.
              • But it’s a change, and it’s a change we recognize that Peter is actually going to struggle with.
                • Despite doing the right thing here, there are times where he drifts, only to be called back to this awareness by Paul himself.
              • Peter manages the change but not without some difficulty.
                • So, it got me to thinking about change.
                  • I’m getting older, I definitely don’t like it.
                    • I remember once when Yahoo changed their home screen, I had a mini-meltdown promising never to use their site again.
                      • That didn’t work out so well, but it was an earnest reaction to change.

When Change Arrives

• One of the things that we all know will happen is that changes come.
• But how do we handle them in a Godly fashion?
• The first step is PRAYER.
• When change arrives, especially life-changes, the first step is as you might expect it, to seek out the Lord in prayer.
  • Psalm 102:25-27: "Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment.  You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end.”
  • Hebrews 13:8: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
    • This is the most important thing to keep in mind.
      • Although the immediate circumstances of our life can and will change in an ongoing fashion, the one who loves and keeps us DOES NOT.
        • That means His LOVE IS CONSTANT.
        • His GRACE IS CONSTANT.
          • You are always loved, always forgiven of your transgressions through Jesus Christ.
        • When change arrives, if you first focus on your relationship with God through prayer, things will be better.
        • Pastor Gayle
          • Worked with her at RHCC.
          • She was diagnosed with cancer in her late 30s.
          • She was terrified, began waking up in fear at 3am every night.
          • Began reading the Bible, mainly to go to sleep.
            • Changed her for the better.
              • She managed the change and took on more change for herself, becoming a Pastor.

Trust

• The prayer is designed to get you to the next step in successfully navigating change.
• The prayer is meant to bring you to a place of trust.
  • You must trust that no matter what the change is, that God is with you in it and is working alongside to get you through it.
• No matter what kind of change is forced upon you, if you realize a number of things, it can work to your advantage.
  • First, consider this verse of Scripture.
    • Jeremiah 29:11 offers reassurance: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
  • It could be that the change is moving you towards a better place.
    • I’ll never forget working at the Pewter Rose.
      • I was originally working at the Lamplighter but it closed.
      • My job at the PR was tough.
        • Saturday night into Sunday morning brunch.
          • I was miserable.
            • But I was in a good place, faith wise and I was just trusting the Lord.
              • The change stunk but I was dealing with it well.
            • Lo and behold, that’s when I got an offer to teach which led to me becoming a preacher.
          • I just trusted that things would work out and, thanks be to God, they did.
            • Notice how more of your stories go like that over time!!!
              • That even the worst things sometimes turn out to be the beginning of something more wonderful than you could ever imagine.
                • Not all change is like that but perhaps more than you’re willing to concede.

Other People

• When change comes, this is a great opportunity to employ your network of friends and associates.
  • Not in a bad or annoying way, but, as they say, a friend in need is a friend, indeed.
• Sometimes, when change comes, we’re going to find that we NEED other people.
  • I remember once asking one of our women that was going to doctors all the time how she was managing.
    • She told me she was laughing through it all.
      • Her friend was taking her to the appointments, and they were having fun during and after then.
        • Galatians 6:2: "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ."
      • Patti’s Story
        • Diagnosed with MS, this was a former ER nurse who found her purpose in life challenged.
          • She came to me, crying over what was going on.
          • Over time, she began to see new avenues to touch and help people in nursing even with MS.
            • She’s now engaged in healing work with people of faith with MS.