“No Longer Strangers” 2015

Isaiah 25:1, 6-8 Ephesians 2:12-22

Isaiah 25:1, 6-8

O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you, I will praise your name; for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.

Ephesians 2:12-22

Remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

For the week or so that I stayed in Jerusalem,

a friend and I got up and out early every morning,

so we could watch the sunrise

over the site of where the original temple once stood.

It was one of the most holy and sacred places in Judaism,

where part of the Western wall is all that remains.

Along that wall there is a large area where men can come and pray,

and behind a barrier off to one side

a smaller section is set apart for women and children…

… which represents a clear distinction and separation,

that some are considered more worthy and welcome than others…

… as in the words of an ancient rabbinic prayer:

"Blessed are you O Lord

for not making me a Gentile, a woman, or a slave."

In the ancient world, social & class distinctions were important,

between races, nations, cultures, economic status, etc.,

with a strong sense of separation that fostered animosity.

The letter of Ephesians came from a time when the Christian Church

was shifting from primarily a group of Jewish believers,

toward increasingly, gentiles coming to faith

and becoming believers and followers of Jesus Christ.

This letter of Ephesians is addresses to non-Jewish Christians,

and deals with a division leading to tension

between Jewish Christians and gentile believers

trying to be the Church of Jesus Christ together,

though coming from very different backgrounds.

The earliest Christians were all of Jewish heritage,

and followed the rituals and traditions of Judaism.

They struggled to accommodate and adjust to the needs

of gentile believers who knew nothing about any of that.

The author doesn’t give these gentile believers

a list of instructions or a set of things they should do

that would help them get along with Jewish believers.

Instead, they are simply called to remember and consider

how things are different now that they are in Christ… vs. 12

“Remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”

The point is, the Christian Church began

within the history and culture of Israel’s experience with God,

and that Christianity continues the Old Testament story.

Remember that you were alienated from the God of Israel.

Remember that you were outside the covenant of God’s grace.

That was before, but Jesus changed all of that, vs. 13-14

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.

Do you remember that at the moment when Jesus died,

the dividing curtain in the Temple was torn from top to bottom?

It was a sign that Jesus came to destroy walls that separate us,

the barrier of sin separating us from God

and that alienates us from other children of God.

“For he is our peace”

Peace is often defined as the absence of war and hostility.

In Scripture,

“peace” has a deeper and more positive definition.

Peace describes the relational well-being and wholeness

of living together in harmony as God intends for humanity.

It is also important to recognize,

that it’s not something we achieve by our own efforts,

but comes as a gift accomplished for us by Christ.

This emphasis on peace continues, vs. 15

He (Jesus) has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace.

We need to recognize

that this is not abolishing the 10 Commandments and ethics,

but the law as religious rituals, rules and traditions

that became a barrier between Jews and gentiles.

Over time, external rules such as circumcision,

and rules such as governing food restrictions

became a focus of Judaism,

that served to keep them separated from gentiles…

… but not necessarily more faithful to God.

The focus is on what God has done for us.

It’s all about grace and how God is fulfilling His purpose …

… our One God who created and loves us all …

… and that no one is more loved or worthy than any other.

At the church in Ephesus,

they are no longer primarily Jews or primarily gentiles ---

but now, Jesus Christ is their primary truth,

for both Jews and gentiles rely on grace alone.

This was a whole new way of being human, of perceiving other people,

as a unified community brought together by grace and faith,

and it’s a glimpse at God’s promise still being fulfilled.

It’s God’s plan and purpose as described in Isaiah 25:1, 7-8

“I will praise your name; for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud (or separation) that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, … for the Lord has spoken.

Through Isaiah and other prophets, God revealed

some of his purpose about what the Kingdom of God will be like

that Jesus came to initiate and put into process

toward the fulfilment of all God’s promises…

… also described in Ephesians, vs. 19-21

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.

 

In the abstract and as a theological ideal, that’s easy enough.

But in truth and reality, walls of separation and divisions

are a lot easier and more comfortable

than trying to live with diversity in unity.

We can usually manage hospitality

and welcoming the stranger as an occasional gesture,

but as an on-going way of life,

that can be very difficult and demanding.

It can be exhausting to accommodate and compromise long term,

which causes us to question, why do we have to change,

and why can’t they try harder to fit in?

Trying to live with diversity in unity

has always been a stretch and challenge for the Church.

In the beginning of the book of Acts,

right after Pentecost, 3000 come to faith that day.

It was an amazing time of unity,

staying together and sharing resources

while the disciples continued to preach and teach.

But just a few chapters later, by Acts chapter 11,

the Church in Jerusalem was under severe persecution.

Many believers were forced to flee from Jerusalem,

and driven out, many of them ended up in Antioch,

and they identified themselves as “followers of the way.”

As we read in Acts 11:19~26

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution … traveled as far as … Antioch, and they spoke the word to no one except Jews. But among them were some … on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists (gentiles) also, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord. … and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.”

Initially they preached the Gospel only to the Jewish people,

but in time it spread and was received by gentiles.

That produced a mixed congregation in Antioch,

something new, not Jewish, not gentile, but both.

This wasn’t something that the church leaders had planned,

but it was entirely the work, blessings and purpose of God

reforming the followers of Jesus into the body of Christ…

… just as we read in Ephesians vs. 22

In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

The original Greek is quite specific here ---

the “you” is plural and does not refer to individual Christians.

The “you” refers to the whole community of faith,

all who are gathered together into “a dwelling place for God.”

Yes, of course we have an individual relationship with God,

but a living and growing Christian faith involves community,

and to be Christian, is to be a part of Christ’s body.

To say, “I am spiritual”, but not an active part of the Church

misses the point of Christianity ---

-- for Christian spirituality necessarily involves other people,

it means learning to work with them, and learning to love them.

In contrast to our world that says beware of strangers and aliens,

in response to Christ, we are to love and serve the stranger.

The primary aim of our Christian life

is not to feel safe, satisfied, secure or comfortable,

but to be faithful to God's own gracious hospitality

by extending that welcome &n acceptance out to others, …

… for that is to follow the ways and truth demonstrated by Jesus

who welcomed sinners and outcasts with hope & hospitality.

In Jesus Christ, by grace we become and are becoming new creatures.

Not defined by our race, culture, income or anything else

other than by grace and our shared unity in Christ …

… by grace, we all are the beloved children of God.

More than just our individual salvation,

God's gracious love and call brings us into God's family,

into a relationship of grace, peace, joy, promise and hope.

The grace of God through Jesus Christ

is the decisive element of salvation that makes us who we are…

… as is written in Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

* Even if our every opinion and understanding of the Bible

is entirely correct and in perfect agreement with God's truth,

we are still saved only by God's grace alone.

* And even if we have it all completely wrong and our

understanding of Scripture is totally flawed and erroneous,

we are still saved only by God's grace alone.

Recognizing that truth,

that God's grace calls us to Christian unity based upon grace,

it is God's will, desire and purpose

that we learn to live together with our differences,

to love & respect even those with whom we disagree.

Indeed it is through our unity despite diversity and differences,

that the Kingdom of God is most boldly and vividly revealed,

where all are considered worthy, welcome and invited,

because God's love governs our lives, not division…

… for to reject fellowship and walk away

from a sister or brother in faith over a division,

is to place that difference above the grace of God

that calls us to a Christian unity and harmony.

I believe that here at First Presbyterian Church

we are part of an extraordinary work of the Spirit,

that we are part of something that God is accomplishing…

… that God is creating something new and wonderful

at First Presbyterian Church and Iglesia del Pueblo

as we are learning to share a vision of ministry,

of serving to make more visible the Kingdom of God,

together toward making a difference in our community.

I want to grow spiritually, and let Jesus be first in my life.

I want to participate in whatever God is up to in this place,

and I want to be numbered with God's servant-people,

and to be in on all the cool stuff

that God is doing in and through this church.

Welcome & hospitality are not just an option for us as Christians,

but are the faithful path that Jesus has called us to walk;

not as a guilt driven commandment or legalism,

but as an obedient response to God's own grace…

… for our connections with others

are the pipes through which

God's grace and blessings

are to flow out and into the world.