Who is “In” and Who is “Out”?

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, January 29, 2025

The week of the third Sunday after the Epiphany

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key phrases for reflection from today’s epistle reading:

11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because

he stood self-condemned; 12for until certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But after they came, he drew back and kept himself separate for fear of the circumcision faction. 13And the other Jews joined him in this hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14But when I saw that they were not acting consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, `If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?'

You will find the full text of today’s epistle reading at the end of this reflection.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 944)

AM Psalm 119:49-72; PM Psalm 49, [53]

Isa. 49:1-12; Gal. 2:11-21; Mark 6:13-29

Today we celebrate the Feast of Lil’UOkalani. (See below.)

David's Reflections

What determines who is "in" and "out" of a particular church? Our

epistle for today has to do with those boundary issues. For the earliest Christians, Jewish by persuasion, these questions created conflict and uncertainty. Jews committed to the strict pursuit of kosher diet and ritual law found themselves early on confronted with a dilemma, the addition of nonJews (Gentiles) to the communities of faith.

The earliest Christians met in homes around tables for worship that included a meal involving the observance of Holy Communion (See 1 Corinthians 11 for a discussion of the proper observance of Holy Eucharist in a household meal setting dating from the middle 50's). How could a strictly pious Jew eat and drink with nonJews without rendering himself/herself ritually impure and unfit for relationships with other strictly pious Jews among their family and friends?

Paul belonged to that branch of Jewish Christians who believed that such concerns were no longer crucial for Jewish Christians; the only boundary distinction that mattered was faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:1-6). In our epistle reading for today he confronted Peter for initially sharing the common meal with nonJews and later withdrawing under the influence of the traditionalist Jewish wing of the Jesus movement. Paul saw that the unity of the church would be shattered if Jewish and nonJewish Christians could not share the common table. Some Gentiles might even feel compelled to become Jewish to preserve relationships with Jewish Christians like Peter.

For Paul, having a relationship with Christ involved God’s grace, without any human effort other than the response of faith. Even faith gets stirred by encountering the Christian message (Romans 10:17). He felt keenly that imposing circumcision and ritual law on nonJewish believers would be a form of salvation by works. It’s either grace of law for him. See the next paragraph, Galatians 3:1-6, for his powerful insights around that.

This epistle raises issues of cultural habit and cultural values. Just how much of my value system regarding the church rests on what I've been taught and what I've learned from the cultural values I absorbed early on? It became very clear to me as a college student that the southern racial views of Jim Crow that I inhaled from the cultural atmosphere of my youth in Louisiana were blatantly at odds with the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. The use of proof texts by segregationists even wrapped those practices in a blanket of apparent biblical sanction. Paul’s adversaries in Galatia had proof texts at their disposal (See Genesis 17 for the story of Abraham’s being circumcised and all the males of his household in obedience to God and as a sign of the covenant.)

For Paul and those who shared his viewpoint, Jesus had abolished the purity codes that created such divisions. For Paul, the ritual observances binding on Jews were not binding on those who entered the faith communities from outside Judaism. The mission of the church to the world and the unity of the believing community trumped those ritual and purity concerns.  Much of our travail after 2003 as Episcopalians arose from similar purity concerns.  In the controversy over ordaining an openly gay and partnered bishop, some believed a priest or bishop who welcomes and ordains without reference to sexual orientation renders themselves impure and threatens the purity of the Christian community. Jesus rejected that entire way of categorizing people. So did Paul.

Every church faces the challenge of not allowing our inherited values to control our boundaries. What will determine who is "in" and who is "out," who finds ready acceptance and who gets pushed to the margins and finds it tough to get in? How permeable will our boundaries be?  How will we do making room for the poor? For singles? For the morally bankrupt? For criminals? For lesbians, gays and transgendered people? For those with nontraditional ideas about God and the church? Just how seriously will we take Jesus' words, "Come to me all who labor and are burdened down, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11)

As a priest, trying to widen the boundaries of the parishes I serve, words from Lutheran theologian Gordon Lathrop have haunted me and shaped my ministry. "The task of the assembly is a task of polarity: make the center strong, the symbols large, the words of Christ clear, and make that center accessible, the circle large, the periphery permeable." * Several years ago I shared my gratitude with Gordon in person; he responded with delight.

* Gordon W, Lathrop, Holy Things: A Liturgical Theology. (Minneapolis: Fortress: 1998), p. 132.

Collect of the Day, Third Sunday after the Epiphany

Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 216)

Today we celebrate the Feast of Lil’UOkalani of Hawaii, queen and hymnographer (died 11 Nov 1917 CE).

Collect of  the Feast of Lil’UOkalani

Almighty God, who called your daughter Lili'uokalani to an earthly throne that she might advance your heavenly kingdom, and endowed her with gift of song and love for her people: Grant that we may imitate her perseverance in adversity, her commitment to peace, and her capacity for forgiveness. All this we ask in the name of your Son Jesus Christ, who lives, and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Grace

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100)

For Young Persons

God our Father, you see your children growing up in an unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways give more life than the ways of the world, and that following you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance for a new start. Give them strength to hold their faith in you, and to keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 829)

A Prayer for Light

O Lord God Almighty, as you have taught us to call the evening, the morning, and the noonday one day; and have made the sun to know its going down: Dispel the darkness of our hearts, that by your brightness we may know you to be the true God and eternal light, living and reigning for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 110)

A Collect for Mission

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen. (BCP, 101)

Daily Office Epistle, Galatians 2:11-21

11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood self-condemned; 12for until certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But after they came, he drew back and kept himself separate for fear of the circumcision faction. 13And the other Jews joined him in this hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14But when I saw that they were not acting consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, `If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?' 15We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. 17But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin?

Certainly not! 18But if I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor. 19For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; 20and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by

faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing

Daily Prayer Offices in The Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer

Noonday Prayer, p. 103, Book of Common Prayer

Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p. 109, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer