Daily Readings - Sun May 25 2025

¹And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.²When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.²²Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:²³And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:²⁴Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:²⁵It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,²⁶Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.²⁷We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.²⁸For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;²⁹That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

Revelation

Chapter 21

¹⁰And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,¹¹Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;¹²And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:¹³On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.¹⁴And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.²²And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.²³And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

John

Chapter 14

²³Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.²⁴He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.²⁵These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.²⁶But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.²⁷Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.²⁸Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.²⁹And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

Sermon

The first reading from Acts 15 describes a pivotal moment in the early Church when the Apostles and elders gathered in Jerusalem to resolve a controversy. Certain Jewish Christians were insisting that Gentile converts must be circumcised to be saved, but Paul and Barnabas opposed this, arguing that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone. After much debate, the Council decided that Gentile converts did not need to be circumcised, but they should abstain from certain practices that could offend Jewish believers. This decision, guided by the Holy Spirit, reflects the Church's commitment to unity and its recognition that God's grace is available to all people. The second reading from Revelation 21 offers a vision of the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city that descends from God. This city is filled with the glory of God and is described as a place of perfect harmony and beauty, where God dwells among his people. The absence of a temple in this vision signifies that God himself is the temple, and his presence is the light that illuminates the city. This passage reminds us that our ultimate hope is not in this world but in the eternal kingdom where God will dwell with us forever. In the Gospel reading from John 14, Jesus speaks about the importance of loving him and keeping his word. He promises that the Father will send the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, to teach and guide his disciples. Jesus also gives his followers a gift of peace, a peace that the world cannot give. This peace is rooted in the knowledge that Jesus is returning to the Father, and one day his disciples will join him in eternal glory. Jesus' words emphasize the need to trust in God's plan and to live in love and obedience to his teachings. These readings are connected by the theme of unity and the presence of God. The decision in Acts 15 reflects the early Church's effort to maintain unity among believers from different backgrounds, guided by the Holy Spirit. Revelation 21 offers a glimpse of the ultimate unity and harmony that God promises in the heavenly city. John 14 emphasizes the importance of love and obedience as the foundation for unity and peace. Together, these readings remind us that our faith is rooted in God's love and that we are called to live in harmony with one another as we await the fulfillment of God's promises. In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to embrace diversity and work toward unity, just as the early Church did. They remind us to trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit and to live in accordance with God's will. Just as Jesus gave his disciples a gift of peace, we too can experience that peace when we keep his word and live in love. Let us strive to be instruments of unity and harmony in our communities, reflecting the love and light of God to a world in need of his presence.