As the early church continued to grow, more and more people outside of the Jewish community began to follow Jesus. This created questions regarding the relevance of the law for the Jesus community.
In Acts 11, the leaders of the church are wrestling with some of these questions when Peter shares a vision that he received from God. The vision revealed that though the law was a good thing, it was not the ultimate thing. The law was given to God's people so that they could understand and reflect God's heart. It was not just a list of rules to follow. It was a gift that revealed the will of God for their lives and their community. As they navigate this new era of the family of God, the leaders of the church need to make the difficult decision to follow the heart of God as displayed in the person of Jesus, even if it means breaking their old laws and customs.
