The Gentiles Rejoice at the Messages From Jerusalem

This meditation is based on a passage for September 11, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).

Text: Acts 15:22-35

Reflection and Question: The council in Jerusalem settles on its message to the Gentile Christians and sends two respected leaders to back up Paul and Barnabas. They have boiled the rules to be obeyed by Christians to two essentials: “abstain from what is sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication.” The church in Antioch rejoiced at this. We have long forgotten these ancient food restrictions but how we understand “fornication” is a point of tension in my church, perhaps yours too. What is an essential of your faith?

Prayer: Blessed Spirit, inspire us as You inspired the ancients, so that we may rejoice in what is essential to faith in Christ. We know that You will impose no burden beyond this and that grasping these essentials will take a lifetime. Help us. Amen.