When I was nine years old we moved to Kentucky and I felt the evangelical fervor of living in a small town in the middle of the Bible Belt for the first time. Perhaps my first or second week of school I was asked by some of my classmates if I was saved? At this point, I had been raised in the Presbyterian church and I had no idea what this term meant. I gave them blank stares and they explained that you had to be “saved” before you could be baptized. Ah, I was so relieved. I informed them that I had been baptized as a baby so I must have been saved before I was born. Now I was the one receiving blank stares. No, they told me. You have to be saved. Like in front of a church. And they were also pretty sure you couldn't be baptized as a baby. I was so confused. I went home to my mother and asked her what exactly was going on. My fairly liberal mother informed me that, yes, you can be baptized as a baby. Great news. So when was I saved? She said that I was saved at the same time everyone else was saved, when Jesus died for the sins of the world. I couldn't wait to tell all my new friends that I was in fact saved before I was born. Even the earliest of Christians, which were really still Jews, believed that there were all sorts of tricks and hoops you have to go through in order to receive the Word of Salvation. Their first rule was... you had to be Jewish to begin with! Completely kosher and then you can hear about the Good News. The sad news is that many Christians still feel this way. Not about being Jewish first, but the process of integration is as tricky as rushing a fraternity. The people on the periphery are not one of us, so we can ignore them. Unless of course they want to change and become one of us, and then we'll let them in. Our first reading today is from the Acts of the Apostles. Peter is defending his actions and has been taken to task for bringing the Word to Gentiles. The uncircumcised. These people, many of the apostles thought, were outside God's reach. Sure, some of them might be good people, but they are not following the law. They are not descended from Abraham. They are not part of God's covenant. They might be fine neighbors, but no one wanted them in their temple. Peter didn't really think to reach out to them either. Until he had this elaborate vision in which God told him that times had changed. Peter was called to give Word of the world's salvation through Christ to ALL that he had redeemed. The entire world, no matter their past circumstances or circumcisions. God had to send this message to Peter a few times – we're talking multiple Divine visions – before Peter got the idea. This is not an exclusive club and that changes EVERYTHING about the job of an Apostle. This idea changes everything for these apostles in this room as well. This scripture is perfect for what today's service celebrates – newcomers. We are valuing the new members of our congregation, as well as the newly confirmed members into the Episcopal Church, our church. We seek to bring those on the outside into our Home because we know that this is what Christ has called us to do. This radical welcome can only come from one place – Christ's love. We feel so full of Christ's saving love that we will love. We need to love when we are filled with Christ's love. “A love so necessary when there is no understanding possible, or empathy felt. Just the love that is commanded and offered because it has to be.” 1 No love out of sympathy or companionship or shared experience compares to the love that has to be. We received it and have no choice but to keep loving. To quote REO Speedwagon's epic power ballad “When I said that I love you, I meant that I love you forever. And I'm gonna keep on lovin' you. Cause it's the only thing I wanna do.” This song was in my head since I started this sermon, so I had to include it. This summer I worked as a chaplain on the Cardiac ICU and visited frequently with the family of a little girl. This gorgeous baby had never seen the outside of a hospital. She had a slew of medical problems, all stemming from the fact that she has Williams Syndrome. Like any good parents, they ravaged the internet for information about children with this disorder. The mom updated me frequently on her findings. She discovered that children with Williams are truly born without social fear. They are pathologically trusting and share love unabashedly. I was jealous of the child. The mother was terrified. After all, her daughter would happily walk off with anyone given the chance. This family learned that loving with complete trust is a risk. It makes you vulnerable. And I think that was why Peter's friends were so doubtful about the inclusion of the Gentiles in God's salvation and love. Opening your heart (and temple doors) to strangers looks differently to people born with natural distrust of others. We've all been burned, we've all had our heart broken enough that we don't want to do it again. Yet here we are in church, welcoming others in love, welcoming others in the name of Christ, welcoming others into the Body of the Church. Doing exactly what Jesus commanded in today's Gospel. Loving. Our first reading today is from the Acts of the Apostles. Peter is defending his actions and has been taken to task for bringing the Word to Gentiles. The uncircumcised. These people, many of the apostles thought, were outside God's reach. Sure, some of them might be good people, but they are not following the law. They are not descended from Abraham. They are not part of God's covenant. They might be fine neighbors, but no one wanted them in their temple. Peter didn't really think to reach out to them either. Until he had this elaborate vision in which God told him that times had changed. Peter was called to give Word of the world's salvation through Christ to ALL that he had redeemed. The entire world, no matter their past circumstances or circumcisions. God had to send this message to Peter a few times – we're talking multiple Divine visions – before Peter got the idea. This is not an exclusive club and that changes EVERYTHING about the job of an Apostle. This idea changes everything for these apostles in this room as well. This scripture is perfect for what today's service celebrates – newcomers. We are valuing the new members of our congregation, as well as the newly confirmed members into the Episcopal Church, our church. We seek to bring those on the outside into our Home because we know that this is what Christ has called us to do. This radical welcome can only come from one place – Christ's love. We feel so full of Christ's saving love that we will love. We need to love when we are filled with Christ's love. “A love so necessary when there is no understanding possible, or empathy felt. Just the love that is commanded and offered because it has to be.” 2 No love out of sympathy or companionship or shared experience compares to the love that has to be. “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” We received it and have no choice but to keep loving.