1The apostles and the followers in Judea heard that Gentiles had accepted God's message. 2So when Peter came to Jerusalem, some of the Jewish followers started arguing with him. They wanted Gentile followers to be circumcised, and 3they said, "You stayed in the homes of Gentiles, and you even ate with them!"
4Then Peter told them exactly what had happened:
5I was in the town of Joppa and was praying when I fell sound asleep and had a vision. I saw heaven open, and something like a huge sheet held by its four corners came down to me. 6When I looked in it, I saw animals, wild beasts, snakes, and birds. 7I heard a voice saying to me, "Peter, get up! Kill these and eat them."
8But I said, "Lord, I can't do that! I've never taken a bite of anything that is unclean and not fit to eat." [a] 9The voice from heaven spoke to me again, "When God says that something can be used for food, don't say it isn't fit to eat." 10This happened three times before it was all taken back into heaven.
11Suddenly three men from Caesarea stood in front of the house where I was staying. 12The Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not to worry. Then six of the Lord's followers went with me to the home of a man 13who told us that an angel had appeared to him. The angel had ordered him to send to Joppa for someone named Simon Peter. 14Then Peter would tell him how he and everyone in his house could be saved.
15After I started speaking, the Holy Spirit was given to them, just as the Spirit had been given to us at the beginning. 16I remembered that the Lord had said, "John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." 17God gave those Gentiles the same gift that he gave us when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. So how could I have gone against God?
18When they heard Peter say this, they stopped arguing and started praising God. They said, "God has now let Gentiles turn to him, and he has given life to them!"
Interesting...becoming a believer wasn't good enough. They had to become Jews first. I realize we settled this issue in the first century but, I could understand if the prerequisite was being "Norwegian".
That's more than "tongue in cheek". We constantly look for ways to distinguish what God says makes no difference...
We must speak in tongues...we must NOT speak in tongues
We must use wine for communion...we must NOT use wine for communion
We must immerse for baptism...we must NOT immerse for baptism
We must recite our creeds...we must NOT recite our creeds
We must be sacramental...we must NOT be sacramental
These have become such dividing points that, for the most part, we will not worship with believers who view it differently than we do. Yet, Peter said God gave those Gentiles the same gift that he gave us when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. So how could I have gone against God?
So...we look like a bunch of kids who have lost all interest in the gift and are bickering over the wrapping paper. I wonder how the gift giver feels. Perhaps, if we took another good look at the gift our hearts would once again be filled with enough gratitude to help us overlook the wrapping.
Live boldly out there today...
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