Tuesday of Trinity III - Devotion in semi-Exile

Lection for Tuesday after Trinity III 
Joshua 5:1-6:5      Acts 10:1-17

Peter, up on Simon’s roof to pray, is given a vision. This vision happens three times, and if you want to pay attention to numbers in the Bible, three is the number of the God, three-in-one Trinity. Peter receives the same vision (1 vision), three times. Peter is informed He is to kill and eat that which has been let down before him in this vision. Peter will not do so, for the animals are unclean, they are unholy. But the voice tells him, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.”

God is preparing Peter for the visit of Cornelius, a Gentile. This same Cornelius also had a vision which informed him he was go to Peter. Cornelius is a convert to Judaism, formerly a Gentile, one of the unclean. So both are being prepared for the meeting which will take place in tomorrow’s reading from Acts.

But there is also something else taking place here. God had given dietary laws to the Israelites to follow about which animals they were allowed to eat and which ones they were not allowed to eat. God had declared that some animals were clean and some unclean, that is, holy and unholy (profane). In obedience to God, and to remain holy, the Israelites were to refrain from eating unclean/unholy/profane animals.

Peter vision up on the Simon’s roof has God declaring to him in this miraculous vision that Christ has fulfilled the Old Testament Law and made holy that which is unholy, cleansing with His shed blood that which was unclean.

But this is no more than what Jesus had also addressed about what goes into the mouth in Matthew’s Gospel.

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”

Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”

He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”

 “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.” (Matt. 15:10-20)

It is not what goes into the mouth that makes one unclean or unholy – whether eating with unwashed hands or unclean things – for Christ has made them clean. However, what comes out of the heart that makes one unclean.

Did you hear that, what comes out of the hear makes one unclean. Out of the heart comes evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person,, these are what make a person unclean, there are what defames a man. Out of the heart is where sin comes.

This Word of Jesus flies in the face o what the world teaches, for the world teaches us to “trust your heart,” “follow your heat,” “your heart will never lead you astray.” But according to Jesus, that is all that your heart can do.

Yes, we can be made unclean, but not by what enters our mouths. We can hear falsehood and be led astray. Our eyes can lead us into sin. And if we are trying to satisfy the desires of our stomach, that might also lead us to sin.

Interestingly, we do have God give us something in Christ that can bring about cleansing. We can be made holy by what we eat. When we eat of the very body and blood of Christ, we receive forgiveness by receiving the crucified and resurrection body and blood of our Savior. In eating and drinking this holy food, Christ has promised to grant us those most sanctifying gifts.

Yes, Christ had made holy that which had been unclean – you , me, and all who trust in the world of Christ.

 Let us pray:    Almighty and eternal God, worthy to be held in reverence by all people everywhere, we give You humble and sincere thanks for the innumerable blessings You have bestowed on us without any merit or worthiness on our part. We praise You especially for preserving for us Your saving Word and the Holy Sacraments. Amen.