April 22nd Reflection by Bill Lynch

Acts 11:1-18

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.”

Reflection
Peter, hanging out with the uncircumcised! How could this be? Yet, Jesus did this at times also. In this case the apostles were gaining some recognition since Jesus' resurrection. This just may be enough to cause an issue with new Christian Jewish people.

But this vision and what occurred afterwards were convincing truth to the acts of God accepting the uncircumcised into the kingdom. There was the same outpouring of the Holy Spirit on these Gentiles as there was earlier with the Jews. The Holy Spirit of God was guiding Peter and the apostles to open their minds to accept the Gentiles as people saved by God through Jesus Christ.

In Jewish Christian eyes the acceptance of the Gentiles was an amazing act of grace from God. But, from my eyes as a Gentile, it always has been an amazing act of grace from God, no matter who you are. Aren't we all silenced and kneel in awe of God's loving grace?

Prayer
Father, I give you thanks that you sent Jesus into this world to save me. I give you thanks that you sent the Holy Spirit to claim me. I believe. Grow my faith and lead me in the way you wish for me to go... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen