& if you say you're okay
i'm gonna heal you anyway A sermon from the First Jerusalem Council : Well, thank heavens that’s settled. That we’re free to breeze past embarrassing issues like this; like circumcision … No, we modern people know better. We’re too enlightened for all that. We know something like circumcision can’t save. That really it doesn’t even make much of a difference. Do it, don’t do it. Who cares… We hear today’s lesson and nod approvingly, “they sure got that one right.” With a lesson like this, all that’s left is for the pastor not to prattle on too long so we can head home, confident in all our assumptions , and enjoy our Sunday brunch… And you can tell how cut and dried the issue is too, by how easily it’s put to rest: Peter gives a brief speech. Paul and Barnabas recount their experience of the uncircumcised gentile’s conversion. James quotes some scripture, and then that’s that. The circumcision matter is put to rest on...