The Sunday of Confession (CL)

Acts 11:1-18

Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. ² So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, ³ “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” ⁴ But Peter began and explained it to them in order: ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. ⁶ Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. ⁷ And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ ⁸ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ ⁹ But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ ¹⁰ This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. ¹¹ And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. ¹² And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; ¹⁴ he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ ¹⁵ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” ¹⁸ When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Nothing ever changes under the sun. The people grumbled against Moses. There were different prophets in Israel, some proclaiming truth and others placating to the desires of the people. Jesus faced the parties of Pharisees, Saducees, and Herodians. The early church had its parties as well, the circumcision party and the so-called Pauline party.

God told his disciples to make disciples of all nations. Jesus never said to have them circumcised. Jesus did say to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has come upon the Gentiles, and therefore they should be baptized and made disciples. It may seem strange, but there are many people that think certain people can't become Christians.

Many are called but few are chosen. Jesus has chosen you, and called you to be his own. He has died for your sins. He calls you just as you are, and who you are. But he sends his Holy Spirit to make you a better person. He makes you into someone who will speak the truth, who will do what is right, who has a right spirit. God has chosen to help change us all into a holy nation.