Sometimes, even as a pastor, I catch myself in the lingering suspicion that the actual presence of God is not really here; that God is “somewhere else,”far removed from the daily life of humans, blithely watching the show from above.  At least God isn’t present like my wife is present: I don’t get into arguments with him, I don’t feel his warm body at night in a cold bed, I don’t enjoy taking romantic walks or do the drudgery of balancing the checking account with him.  Where God “is” and where I am are distinctly different.  God’s in “heaven” where it is beautiful and I’m here on earth where there is pain, loneliness, suffering, disappointment and grief.

    But then again, I make distinctions all the time.  I’m better than some and not as good as others.  I vote for the “right” political candidates.  I’m smart enough (naturally) to be in a higher percentile.  I am fortunate enough to possess “good taste” when it comes to music, art, cuisine, fashion and manners.  And above all, my personal conception of God (which is what I worship) is refined, articulate, and correct.  But then again, Martin Luther it was who said the very definition of sin was to draw a line and put oneself and God on one side and others on the other.  In other words, to make a distinction between myself and anybody else when it comes to sinfulness and needing grace.

    The Apocalypse of Saint John, better known as the Book of Revelation, tells us that God is all about canceling out distinctions; that even God’s home is—not far off on some cosmic place—but among us ordinary mortals.  And the Gospel of John states that God’s “home” is to be found wherever two or more are treating each other in love, love without distinction.  Jesus is the very embodiment of no distinction between God and humanity.  When it comes to us, God makes no distinctions.  Jesus made no distinctions other than between good and evil and we cannot afford to either.  As he once said, “If you feel as though you’re different in God’s eyes, go ahead and pick up a stone.”  We’d best let them lie.

 

Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God.

So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him,

saying, ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?’

Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying,

‘I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me.

As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air.

I also heard a voice saying to me, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.”

But I replied, “By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.”

But a second time the voice answered from heaven, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.”

This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven.

At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were.

The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.

He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, “Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter;

he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.”

And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning.

And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?’

When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, ‘Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.’

 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;

he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’

And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’

Then he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

 

When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.

If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.

Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.”

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.’