"Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.  And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him, saying, 'You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.'  But Peter began speaking and proceeded to explain to them in orderly sequence, saying, 'I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain object coming down like a great sheet lowered by four corners from the sky; and it came right down to me, and when I had fixed my gaze upon it and was observing it I saw the four-footed animals of the earth and the wild beasts and the crawling creatures and the birds of the air.'"

Peter is recounting his story of the vision to the church people in Jerusalem.  He is trying to justify himself and the fact that he ate with Gentiles. 

The rule in Jerusalem, before Christ came to justify all, was simple:  Jews do not associate with Gentiles.  There would be a watering down of the faith.

But Christ came to change that.  When Christ came, there was not worry about watered down faith, because Christ/ God/ Holy Spirit would always be present.

Have you ever had to justify something that you did?  Been on the defensive? 

Peter should have been telling this story in a different context to these same men.  He should have been able to say, 'Look what God told me about equality!'  Instead, he has to justify his actions.

Let's hope the church today is the first to accept, not the first to ask for justification.