MAY112023

As the Bible says, there is nothing new under the sun! The need for Christians to listen to one another, to be open to other points of view is perennial. The so-called Council of Jerusalem (taking place only fifteen years after the death of Jesus) was the first, but by no means the last, time there was a need to be open to the promptings of the Spirit. The issue was how Jewish the Jesus movement was going to be. Listening to one another and discerning the presence of the Holy Spirit enabled two divergent opinions to find a new path. Grounding their decisions in their experience of living the Christian life led not to compromise but a genuine response to God’s will.  After they had fallen silent, James responded, “My brothers, listen to me. Symeon has described how God first concerned himself with acquiring from among the Gentiles a people for his name.” Now as then the way to overcome differences is with a heart open to the Spirit.