Saturday, May 17, 2025  

Today's Scripture
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.” (NRSV)

Reflection

One summer I was interning in Fort Wayne, Indiana. My dad had come to visit for the weekend, and I invited him to come to church with me. He was hesitant, because he hadn’t packed “church clothes,” but he decided he would put on his nicest jeans and join me. I was church shopping at the time so we went to a church I had not been to before. When we arrived, it turned out I was the one overdressed for worship.

It may seem trivial, but so does the idea of eating dinner with a Gentile seem to us today. What are the arbitrary restrictions we put on faith? The early church struggled with the radical, boundary-breaking grace of God. But our human categories are meaningless to God. God’s grace is unearned and extended to all whom God calls. How do we as a church live into this type of hospitality? Are we prepared to welcome all whom God calls to join us?

Prayer
Gracious God, you are always expanding the boundaries of our love. Help me to let go of my narrow view of the world. Help me to recognize your work in places I don’t expect and to welcome all whom you call. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Written by Katie Patterson, Ministry Team Director

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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