Sermon for May 25

The reading 

Romans 3:28-30 and 5:1-11

3:28 For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.  Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also?

Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.

And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,  and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.

Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God.

For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.

But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

The message

In a few days we will mark the Ascension, Jesus departure from the world 40 days after his resurrection.  Jesus public ministry from Baptism to Ascension, start to finish stretched over about 3 years (30 -33).  From these events and work of Jesus followers after, our faith has come to us today. We can try to summarize our faith, the few thousand pages of scripture, 800 or so pages of the book of concord (the written confession of the beliefs of the Lutheran church), the countless words and ideas of those who have gone before us in faith and the experiences of God’s people of the Holy Spirit in all different ways. One attempt is about 20 words pulled from today’s reading.  For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law therefore we have peace from God. We could make it even shorter and just say “faith alone”

Of course very few people would be able to fill in the gaps, anyone new to Christianity, curious, unfamiliar with our faith, even people at church all the time, would struggle to understand that statement. I struggled with it in seminary, as I went through courses on those 800 or so pages of the book of concord, other students and I kept adding to it, including some sort of work, thinking the death and resurrection of Christ was a lot but we still a little part to do, that Jesus half, 60, 70, 80 or even 99 percent saved us, then you have to accept, decide, follow.  I wanted highlight faith alone with our bulletin cover this morning, taking off the page number, church name, the date and all the other stuff that is usually on the cover, leaving just faith alone.  On Tuesday, as we were putting together the bulletins, I was talking with Pr Sam and mentioned “hey look how clever this is, see its faith alone on the cover”.  He points out a few details that I missed, its not faith written by itself, its faith alone, it is also in latin (sole fide) and it’s in a decorative box.   We sure do add to it, little things but there is the constant pull away from Christ and the cross to other helpers for salvation.     

We continue to look at the Holy Spirit inspired, Holy Spirit driven and Holy Spirit guided work of Jesus first followers in the days, weeks and years after his death and resurrection, as we do this, we remember that Jesus first followers had the same struggle. Jesus only left his disciples a few bits of instruction, The invitation to come and see the tomb is empty, to know he is risen before doing anything else. Then there are the commands to go and tell the others, to baptize all nations in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and to fearlessly teach what Jesus taught through their words, actions, rituals and even organization.

Jesus followers are left to figure out the how part, get together answers to questions that those others would raise, to prayerfully understand what does all nations mean, to struggle against that radical inclusion which went against every thing they knew and the ways of the cities and world, to ask what does The name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit mean about the being of God, where is the best place to see the tomb is empty, who is authorized to go and tell the others.  These questions are all figured out by listening to and experiences of the Holy Spirit in the midst of them. 

Perhaps the biggest question was what exactly did the death and resurrection of Jesus do, for our salvation, our relationship with God, what about the previous ways, the covenant, the ancient promises and law that God makes with the people.

Romans Chapter 3 starts with a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.  Faith is not our work: (the Greek commentary is from working preaching) It starts with strong words, “therefore, having been justified/made righteous” (the same Greek work is translated in English as either justified or made righteous).

In the original Greek, the beginning is even more dramatic and powerful. In Greek grammar the word ‘therefore’ cannot start a sentence: the first word is, then, “dikaiothente” (having been made righteous). It sounds like a great victorious shout -- ‘having been justified’. The grammar of “dikaiothentes” indicates that Paul is describing a state of being, the condition of his hearers’ lives. The word is an aorist participle in the passive voice: this is something that has happened to the hearers.

The biggest place that this was causing tension was in the relationship with Judiasm. The question did you need to be circusimed in obedience to the covenant with Abraham, did you need to keep the social and dietary laws before being baptized. The church in Rome was founded and started by jewish converts, After a few years the Jews (Christian and not) are exiled by the Roman empire, and a group of gentiles continue the church.  After some time, Rome allows the jews to return which leads to a power and welcome struggle in the church. Paul sets faith above cultural and religious differences, and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.  This faith, to share a quote from Luther’s introduction to Romans:  Faith is a living, unshakeable confidence in God's grace; it is so certain, that someone would die a thousand times for it. This kind of trust in and knowledge of God's grace makes a person joyful, confident, and happy with regard to God and all creatures .This is what the Holy Spirit does by faith.

Chapter 5 helps us see what it means for someone to be justified by faith

Paul goes on to write a series of “so what”,  this series of Therefore, since we are justified by faith:  Therefore since we are justified by faith we have peace with God, we know this is true because of Jesus. This is not good weather news, it is all we need to endure all.  

We can share our own as well Therefore since we are justified by faith

Therefore since we are justified by faith, the church is open to all people, the gift of faith is given, the power of faith is stronger than   Therefore since we are justified by faith, we are to go out

Therefore since we are justified by faith, we can come and see the tomb is empty, we can go and tell the others, we can baptize all nations in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and we can boldly teach as Jesus taught (even when its socially, religiously, culturally offensive)

Therefore since we are justified by faith, we struggle against unfairness  Therefore since we are justified by faith, we celebrate together,

Sermon for May 19

Romans 1:1-17

 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,  which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 

the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 

To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. 

For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God's will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.

 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 

 For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "The one who is righteous will live by faith."

The message

During the past 2 weeks, we heard readings from the Book of Acts.  The full name of the book is the Acts of the Apostles and that pretty much tells us what it is.  It tells the story of the Holy Spirit guided, Holy Spirit listened to, Holy Spirit centered actions of Jesus first followers in the years after his death, resurrection and ascension. It is the Holy Spirit that prompts and gives Peter the words on the first Pentecost, the preaching that leads to

 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers,^[i] what should we do?” ³⁸ Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” ⁴⁰ And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” ⁴¹ So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. ⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Acts isn’t just all preaching, teaching and success. It is the story of how a group of imperfect people go into the world to show the others the tomb is empty, to tell the others Christ is Risen, to baptize all nations in the name of the father, son and holy spirit and to teach what Jesus taught through their lives, words and actions. The main characters include Peter, James and the apostles (excluding Judas who betrayed Jesus and then hung himself). These are the people who started following Jesus in the beginning, who were called from their work as fisherman and tax collectors and other jobs for something much more important. They see Jesus heal, teach, cure, calm the storms, multiply food and welcome all people.   There are also new believers in Acts, people like Barnabas who travels with Paul on missionary journeys and Lydia, who is baptized, instructed in the new faith and then runs the church in her home in Corinth.  Throughout Acts, one of the major tensions is “do you need to convert to Judiasm, keep the law, learn the rituals, observe the sabbath and dietary laws, before being Baptized and part of the church.  This is part of a larger struggle to understand what is the power of the Gospel,  who and how are we saved. What does Christ is Risen mean for us, for our neighbors, just how world changing is it. (turns out to be an amazing amount).     

Today, we jump ahead a number of years and we start Paul’s Letter to the Romans, a letter he writes to the church in Rome.  This is the only church Paul writes to that he did not plant, start, teach or even know the members of.  It is probably the last letter that Paul writes and it is his most refined theology, his summary of what the gospel of salvation through Christ means,an appeal for prayer and support and an exhortation for holy, Gospel living. Paul also dedicates several chapters to divisions in the church there.  Rome was a divided church, started by Jewish believers, who were exiled. The church is continued by Gentiles and then when the Jews are allowed back into Rome, there is conflict between the 2 groups.  (same today, we started it, well we grew and cared for it in the hard years, yeah but we were here first and forced out, not our fault, well what about us). 

It is a standard ancient letter, with introduction, points, arguments, supporting evidence and addressing possible counter arguments. We hear some of Paul’s conclusions in these opening verses, statements he will explain and defend throughout the rest of the letter. In terms of the question that filled acts, who and how is some saved, by the law, by good works, by Jesus  Paul answers.  For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written in the book of the prophet Habbakuk, "The one who is righteous will live by faith."

This might sound familiar to some of you who remember your conformation, small catechism, Lutheran classes of all kinds. This is faith alone, sola fide, These 2 verses, Romans 1:16-17 are what starts the Reformation, where Luther finds the answers to his struggles with knowing forgiveness  and  dissatisfaction with the church.   In 1515-1516, Luther was lecturing on Paul’s letter to the Romans. He was also personally struggling with the question “how can I know I am forgiven, I am saved, I am not going to hell”.  The sacrament of Confession and Penance weren’t cutting it for him (and many others). You can’t just say “well this sucks” without an explanation and an alternative. He finds the explanation and alternative in those verses.  In Luther’s preface to the Book of Romans, he explains what faith is and how it saves.   

  Faith is not that human illusion and dream that some people think it is. When they hear and talk a lot about faith and yet see that no moral improvement and no good works result from it, they fall into error and say, "Faith is not enough. You must do works if you want to be virtuous and get to heaven." The result is that, when they hear the Gospel, they stumble and make for themselves with their own powers a concept in their hearts which says, "I believe." This concept they hold to be true faith. But since it is a human fabrication and thought and not an experience of the heart, it accomplishes nothing, and there follows no improvement.

Faith is a work of God in us, which changes us and brings us to birth anew from God (cf. John 1). It kills the old Adam, makes us completely different people in heart, mind, senses, and all our powers, and brings the Holy Spirit with it. What a living, creative, active powerful thing is faith! It is impossible that faith ever stop doing good. Faith doesn't ask whether good works are to be done, but, before it is asked, it has done them. It is always active. Whoever doesn't do such works is without faith; he gropes and searches about him for faith and good works but doesn't know what faith or good works are. Even so, he chatters on with a great many words about faith and good works.

Faith is a living, unshakeable confidence in God's grace; it is so certain, that someone would die a thousand times for it. This kind of trust in and knowledge of God's grace makes a person joyful, confident, and happy with regard to God and all creatures. This is what the Holy Spirit does by faith. Through faith, a person will do good to everyone without coercion, willingly and happily; he will serve everyone, suffer everything for the love and praise of God, who has shown him such grace. It is as impossible to separate works from faith as burning and shining from fire. Therefore be on guard against your own false ideas and against the chatterers who think they are clever enough to make judgements about faith and good works but who are in reality the biggest fools. Ask God to work faith in you; otherwise you will remain eternally without faith, no matter what you try to do or fabricate.

Sermon for May 12th

Acts 13:1-3; 14:8-18

13:1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the ruler, and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

14:8 In Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet and had never walked, for he had been crippled from birth. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. And Paul, looking at him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 said in a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet." And the man sprang up and began to walk. 11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" 12Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates; he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice. 14 When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, 15 "Friends, why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to follow their own ways;17 yet he has not left himself without a witness in doing good—giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling you with food and your hearts with joy." 18 Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.

The message

This is our second and last week with the Book of Acts.  This Biblical book tells the story of the very early church, the faith actions of Jesus first followers.  The main characters include the disciples like Peter and James as well as new converts like Paul, Barnabas and Lydia. It is the story of people trying to follow the words of the risen Christ, the invitation to come and see the tomb is empty and the instructions to go and tell the others, to baptize all nations in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and to teach what Jesus taught in words and actions.

Last week, we saw how the early church settled the first big church fight, one that pitted St Peter against St Paul. The question was “do you need to become Jewish before you can become a Christian”.  This was decided after a series of events. First there is Peter’s vision from God of unclean animals and the instruction to break the law, “to kill and eat”.   This does not settle it.  Peter wakes from this vision “extremely confused”.  Days later, Peter witnesses another Pentecost as the Holy Spirit descends on a group of non-Jewish people in Macedonia.  If the Holy Spirt could welcome them , how could the church not welcome them too.

Everything in Acts points away from people and towards God, active through the Holy Spirit. That is the main point in the book of acts. The Holy Spirit is the force behind and in the church. God is always present with these first followers, for guidance, strength, reassurance and correction.  The heros of our faith, the people who walked with Jesus, who have churches named after them, who raised the dead, restored the blind and heal the sick, do nothing by their own strengths or gifts alone.  Today, as Paul is sent on his first missionary journey, he is set apart by the decision of the Holy Spirit. There is no debate over who speaks the best, who is most well suited for that community, who has friends or connections in Lystra, who has free time or a busy schedule, who is needed there in Antioch, who went last time,  there is fasting to focus on God and there is community prayer.

The followers of Jesus will need this help.  They will be pushed to their limits, enter places that are difficult, be rejected, misunderstood, shipwrecked, imprisoned, laughed at and killed. They also. face their own internal, spiritual struggles. Peter’s vison pushes him to change lifelong sacred beliefs and practices. When faced with the unclean food, Peter talks back to God three times, insisting “I have never eaten anything unclean”. Paul starts off as a persecutor of the church, a Pharisee committed to ending this dangerous cult before it grows.  He hated these people and they hated him.  

The book of Acts tells us about events that happened almost 2000 years ago in far off areas of the world but it is not history. This is not an explanation of how the early church started out.  It is an example of what people can do when the listen for God and trust God. The members of our church and community, the people who pray here, who work everyday to further the gospel in their lives, we do nothing by our own strengths or gifts alone. either. 

The book of acts is a guide for how we are supposed to be church so that is exactly what we are going to do. I invite everyone to listen for the Holy Spirit. We are going to wait for someone or someones to step forward, to talk about the work God has called them to, and pray over him or her.  No one was preselected and I didn’t make phone calls this week asking “if no one comes up, would you mind doing it”  This is not a show, if no one comes, that’s fine  As Paul and Barnabas were sent out, so will each of us be.

After a few minutes, one of our members did come up, talked about her call to teach so I invited whoever wants to come up and pray with her (5 or 6 people did) just as many had a look of “is he serious”  I never thought of / did anything like this in a sermon before,    

Sermon for May 5

The reading

Acts 10:1-17, 34-35
1 In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Cohort, as it was called. 2 He was a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God. 3 One afternoon at about three o'clock he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius." 4 He stared at him in terror and said, "What is it, Lord?" He answered, "Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is called Peter; 6 he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside." 7 When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his slaves and a devout soldier from the ranks of those who served him, 8 and after telling them everything, he sent them to Joppa. 9 About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat; and while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four corners. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 Then he heard a voice saying, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat." 14 But Peter said, "By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean." 15The voice said to him again, a second time,

"What God has made clean, you must not call profane." 16 This happened three times, and the thing was suddenly taken up to heaven. 17 Now while Peter was greatly puzzled about what to make of the vision that he had seen, suddenly the men sent by Cornelius appeared. They were asking for Simon's house and were standing by the gate.

34 Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him

The message

We have completed our time with the Gospel of Matthew (and we are coming up to the end of the narrative lectionary, the  4 year cycle of readings we stated in 2015).  Matthew ends with  God’s instructions: Come and see the tomb is empty, go and tell the others Christ is Risen, baptize all nations in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teach what Jesus did as Jesus did, through word and deed, with trust in Gods power .

Today, we start The book of Acts. Written by the same author as the Gospel of Luke, The book of Acts tells how the first followers of Jesus tried to follow those commands of God that end Matthew.  Early on Christians were called people of “the way”,  they would meet in secret, face persecution and travel great distances to reach all nations.  Acts is a drama, complete with moments of great tension. Acts it also an action story with long journeys, shipwrecks, last second rescues, miracles, signs of power that witness to God’s truth
and improbable events. 

The main characters in the book of Acts include Peter and James who have been with Jesus from the start of his public ministry, people who walked around the sea of Galiee with him, who witnessed Jesus teach, heal, cure, confront, be betrayed, go on trial, die and rise again. They are not perfect. These are the disciples who got scared, fell asleep, hid in fear and even denied ever knowing Jesus.  Mistakes are learned from, Those things are forgiven and they are restored.  For instance Peter, denies knowing Jesus 3 times in the courtyard of the High Priest as the trial begins. In John 21, we hear this moment of restoration between Jesus and Peter.   When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep”. Peter’s weakness in the face of danger and public denial of Jesus will
not be held against him, it will not be an obstacle.

The disciples are entrusted with being the church, the witness to Jesus in the world.  They will not do this work alone.  There are also new people, men and women like Lydia, Phoebe and Barnabas who hear the good news, that Christ is Risen and respond with joy and action In Acts 9, we hear one of the most significant events in the life of the church, a new person who joins in the Church’s work.  Saul is an intense persecutor of the church, a Pharisee and well respected scholar. He is traveling to Damascus, empowered to round up (and likely kill) any followers of Jesus that he finds.  On the road, he is struck blind by God’s light and knocked off his horse. At Damascus, he is Baptized and taught about Jesus. This work is done by a very reluctant Ananias, a follower of Jesus who knows of Saul and doesn’t particularly want to welcome him into the church. Annais rationally knows the church would be better off if this guy is left blind. Can we really trust, forgive, accept, deal with this guy.. God insists, Saul’s life as persecutor will not be held against him.

God’s insistence on how the church will be built and shaped is a big part of today’s reading as well.  I think of Peter’s vision as the end of the first really big church fight.  Throughout history there have been some big ones, homosexuality, the ordination of women, who can  take communion, what exactly happens at Baptism, the use of icons, the divinity and humanity of Jesus, the literalness of scripture or the authority of the church. Many of those are still ongoing, dividing Christians and creating lots of separations in the church.

Before all those, before scripture was written and cannoized, before male only leaders was a thing, there was the first big church fight. The argument was a simple question “do you need to become Jewish, before you can be a Christian”.  Do converts need to follow all, some of, the law and get circumcised On one side was Peter and James, who insisted new followers did need to keep the law. Jesus was Jewish, they all were Jewish, even the last supper was observing a Jewish holiday, Jesus focuses on the right interpretation of the law and the prophets, the spirit of the law, brining people to relationship with God. but insists he did not come to replace the law.  Jesus does heal, welcome outsiders but he never specially teaches to leave the Jewish faith. On the other side were people like Paul and Barnabas, who immediately start to serve as missionaries to the gentiles, going to all nations, including many people who have no idea what Judiasm is.  Teaching  this, putting up all these requirements, were osbatalces to the Gospel, barriers to seeing Christ is Risen, telling the others, Baptizing and teaching. Jesus never specially tells anyone to convert to Judaism as a pre-resquite to following him .

Like the restoration of Peter and baptism and teaching of Paul, God intervenes to settle this one as well.  Peter is in the midst of prayer when he sees an unexpected (and unwanted) vision, one that will forever change the path of the church. He sees a sheet filled with all sorts of unclean animals (ones that the Jewish law prohibits people from eating or even having contact with). A voice tells him to kill and eat.  Peter never doubts for a moment that this vision is from God  but he still insists on keeping the law (maybe it just 3 times to get through to him).  I imagine by the third time, God is “Yo, its my law and im telling you something new, I get its really strange and uncomfortable but shut up and listen”.  Overall this vision does not even seem to get through to Peter, he leaves “greatly puzzled” Immediately after the vision, a group representing a Gentile comes to Peter to seek teaching and help for their boss.  From here, Peter will witness another Pentecost, the Holy Spirit will descend on  this group of non-jewish people, just like it did on Peter and the first followers of the way.  This vision, witness, prayer and listening to each other will led to the church being open to all people, you did not need to become Jewish before becoming Christian.

There are some lessons we can take from this story.  It is a reminder that this is God’s church and that God is still speaking.  We are reminded to be certain about salvation but not be so certain of our ways of sharing it.   The grace forgiveness and welcome of God is wider than Peter thought and wider than we often think. We are also reminded of the need to listen and to understand other perspectives  Even after agreeing, there are still disputes and struggles over what of the law, covenant and traditions.  Even today Christians of all groups and people of all faiths wonder about others.