Let's continue to sit with that small Jesus Movement congregation that we have imagined as being composed of new followers situated in some urban center in the eastern Mediterranean; and imagine them as they listened to the story of the faithful Roman army captain in Matthew 8. What did they hear? Why was the story in the gospel in the first place?There were several reasons, to be sure. But it is likely an important one was that they would have heard an affirmation of themselves as valued, accepted followers of Jesus even though they were Gentiles. It is clear from the Book of the Acts that the whole idea that Gentiles could be part of a Jewish-inspired religious movement was controversial, and it took some time and conflict to work things out. It is entirely reasonable to think, then, that one reason the author/compiler of the gospel included this story was to reassure the gospel's Gentile audiences that they belonged, were valued. After all, Jesus himself commended the Roman soldier's profound trust in his authority.
Now, certainly, the story taught them about more than that. It was also about the very nature of faith itself. It was about the power and authority of Jesus. It was also about the political conflict between Jesus and the power-players of his day. But the meaning of the back end of the story (vss. 10-12) is stark and blunt: lots of Gentiles from places like Persia to the east and Rome to the west will have their place in the Kingdom while many Jews, who should be the first citizens of the Kingdom, will be thrown out on their ear. We belong! That is one thing, maybe the most exciting thing, the members of our little church would have heard. Jesus died and was risen for us. That was good news worth sharing with others. Race doesn't matter. Social status doesn't matter. Not to Jesus.
We are the heirs of the Jesus Movement, and one key element of our heritage is the understanding that Christianity is not tied to one race, ethnicity, culture, or class. It is universal in the sense that anybody so inclined can follow Jesus and be welcomed into the family of the faithful. We haven't always lived up to this ideal, which is an understatement; and far too often we have tried to make Christianity a Universal Religion, that is the totality of the way the Spirit works in our world. Having been given the freedom of the Kingdom, we've spent a lot of our time trying to take it over and make it exclusively ours.
Still, that is not all we have done with our inheritance. We have also fought against racism, ethnocentrism, and the other -isms that divided the human race. It is still our heritage to celebrate the differences and distinctives that make the human race the diverse, endlessly fascinating thing that it is. We belong means that They belong. I belong means that You belong even if You don't speak my language, look like Me, or come from where I come from. This is a precious inheritance. Amen.
