Intro –
In asking the children some questions about scripture and looking for the answers. With any question, the answer often in church is what? “Jesus.” So what’s the answer everybody? Yes, the answer is Jesus. In our scripture today, we see very clearly that Christ is central. Christ is doing the work to build together the church of Ephesus, and at work bringing us together too as God’s temple. Paul is reminding us of the past and bringing it all together into something beautiful and new.
So let’s listen to hear God’s word for you, for me and for all of us today.
Ephesians 2: 11-22
11 So then, remember that at one time you gentiles by birth,[e] called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision”—a circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— 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. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us, 15 abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, 16 and might reconcile both to God in one body[f] through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.[g] 17 So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, 18 for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone;[h] 21 in him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are built together spiritually[i] into a dwelling place for God.
This is the Word of the Lord, thanks be to God.
As you heard in the passage, there is so much division and so many hostilities in Ephesus. How true it is for us today – we don’t have to look far to see the walls/divisions or us/them mentality. Rather than focusing upon that Christ’s work in unifying us bringing us together, and then how we see this is lived in us today.
Very briefly, for Ephesus there was a lot of hostility and separation. But as they became followers of Jesus they gathered and ate meals together. Sure the city of Ephesus was shocked to see these followers of Jesus unified. There were literal walls which had them living separately and worshiping separately. Now there’s this new thing. They’re abiding together and eating together. Astronomical. God is at work with us together today. God is breaking down walls and bringing us together to be this beautiful temple where God’s spirit dwells among us.
I keep saying the word temple. I don’t want to leave it in the past. I want to bring it into today’s time. The temple was a place set apart – a sacred space. A place that the people went to go and worship God. A holy space. And now through Christ we are becoming that holy dwelling space, a living temple in which God’s spirit comes and dwells. God dwells within each of us as individuals and community.
Grayson, a member of our church – a middle schooler, made this temple for me. I asked him to make a temple for me and make the cornerstone of Christ a different color and so we have this beautiful section of orange, reminding us how Christ holds us together, and on which all the rest of the temple is built. I love that this visual is so helpful. We talked about the walls that divide us. Well, the temple has walls but Christ is breaking down the walls that divide us, Christ takes that which is destroyed and creates, or remakes, it into something beautiful. God dwells in this temple. The people separated by these walls now become these walls. We’re not doing it alone, we’re connected and God our Creator now creates through us a temple where the Holy Spirit comes and dwells within this temple, or within us. God took the disorder and chaos and made something beautiful.
Christ brought us together…
Listen to what Christ is doing as described in the scripture:
-Christ has bound us together
-Through Christ’s sacrifice, we are brought near to God and to one another.
-Christ’s presence has brought us peace
(Let’s pause here. Christ brings us peace. Anyone else struggle in feeling peace?
Did you know that some pastors actually get nervous? They do. I DO. As I was preparing this sermon, I leaned into this truth. “Christ be my peace.” Remembering Jesus speaking this to the people “Peace I leave with you.” So I called out to Jesus – “come be my peace.” As I was walking into church this morning from the parking lot by the playground, I connected it to my breath, “Christ you are my peace. Christ give me peace. Christ, you are my peace.” I felt it.
Then I opened the doors to the church – yikes, and I turned back to prayer, “Christ be my peace. Christ, give me peace”
I can’t get there on my own. Christ gives me peace. Christ gives this peace to all of us.
Back to the passage:
-Through His life and death Christ has broken down the walls of separation
-Christ challenged and destroyed those things that define people as enemies
-Christ has given everyone an equal place in his kingdom of life, truth, and justice.
-Christ’s message has been declared and made known to people near and far
-With Christ himself at its very heart (point to temple)
-In Him we are joined together as one
Then that’s the beautiful peace.
Paul reminds us who we are.
We are:
-not strangers but friends
-Defined not by the narratives of division, but fellow citizens with all of God’s people
-Belonging to the household of God
-Our identity is built on the heritage of those who have gone before us
-Rising to become a holy temple
-Built and formed to become a dwelling place
-In which God lives by His spirit
In these moments we hear Jesus continue to tell us “you belong to me. I love you. “
Listen again this passage from the Message on front bulletin
“Christ brought us together…You belong here… God is building a home. He’s using us all—fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.”
Amazing!! So beautiful!!! That this is a home. A place where God dwells and where we belong.
Where are those places that we see God bringing us together, where we belong?
Where do you feel deeply that you belong? How do you see God working through this amazing connectedness?
Belize (show picture) – where we can see how God is connecting us to each other, and with our Belizean Koinonia ministry team. Here in the picture the team is literally linking arms together with our partners in Belize. It’s another way to see this metaphor – we’re the temple, we’re being linked together/connected.
I asked a few members of the youth mission team to share how they saw God at work in the trip. Todd, my husband, answered, “I saw God at work connecting us. We felt like a family – doing the projects, enjoying meals together, encouraging each other in the faith. Living life together.”
Timothy, my son, shared “I was there two years ago and I’m back seeing that God is building and strengthening them in their work and ministry and that we could be there with them in ministry too.” Timothy didn’t know my sermon theme and he was seeing God’s spirit moving and building them up in their ministry. Amazing!!
I believe that God uses us in our giftedness as Naomi shared.
Naomi said, “I saw God in our team in Belize when we played basketball with the Koinonia youth. Specifically when it would begin to pour rain, we would keep playing and laughing, being truly present with the youth. And God was also very present when we interacted with the younger kids. There was an abundance of patience when around them, specifically when tutoring was going on. The whole team had lots of love and grace for the young kids who might not have been shown that love or grace before.”
This is living out being God’s temple/ God’s people – being connected to Christ – Christ’s love flowing back and forth around those Christ glorified. And especially with Naomi’s sharing we see specific ways of God using our specific talents/gifts/ skill set. Each person’s giftedness – we might not be as skilled or able to move around to play basketball – but this was Naomi’s way to enjoy it and do it well. This is how I see God calling us into different areas using our different passions and joys in our lives to further the work of God’s kingdom in this world in beautiful ways.
We see it taking shape day after day — what does it look like in the ordinary, every day life of each of us?
I have this fun acronym for you. Do you remember this? (show WWJD slide)
WWJD? This was a big deal a few years ago: There were bracelets, hats, t-shirts with the acronym.
Ok – we are to be asking this question and to live like Jesus in our day to day. Yes, we are to do this and Christ is the cornerstone, we are to be like Him. recognize living with Jesus in day to day… but a better statement may be this, which John Mark Comer shares in his book “Practicing the Way: Be With Jesus, Becoming like Him, Do as He Did” (a book I highly recommend).
WWJDIHWM? What do you think that means? John Mark Comer – What would Jesus do if he were me? Brings it to another level “This is a better question because the odds are that you’re not a first-century, celibate Jewish rabbi… How would Jesus live if he had your gender, place, personality profile, age, life stage, job, resources and address? How would he show up to the world? How would he handle _____?” John Mark Comer. If this makes you nervous, remember this truth – Jesus did His work through relying on and trusting in the Holy spirit dwelling and working through Him. Rather than us trying to be Jesus, let’s lean in and rely on the Spirit to work and move through us. This will work through your creative passions, your joys, who you are.
For me, I love to encourage and love to listen. I’ll give you – briefly – an example from my life. I saw a text where I saw someone really hurting and I wanted to just stop what I was doing and give them a call. I did this and it was a Holy Spirit moment to encourage a fellow follower of Jesus. And that’s how I’m wired. How are you wired? As you do your day-to-day life, keep turning your gaze to God – and ask, ok God, how am I sharing your love with others? Because you know you are grounded in God’s love for you. You belong.
You may be questioning “Who am I?” I want to share this poem with you – Listen to the heart of another beloved of God, another stone in the temple, connected/united:
Larry Warner’s poem – more connection with older generation, (in 70’s) but anyone can be asking these questions:
Twilight’s Last Gleaming (old and getting older)
Larry Warner
As the sun slowly descends on my life
the number of my days
fewer than ever before
I wonder
what is important
to what do I give my time,
my energy (both limited and fleeting)?
Are these last years, months, days
about undoing the harm I have done
correcting the mistakes I have made
playing cards, taking up golf
sitting around
recounting the glories of my past?
Might there be a new adventure
challenge
invitation?
Is God beckoning me—
extending a call
not heard by younger ears
nor embraced by nimble limbs
sleek, strong bodies
beyond the capabilities of those
whose energy knows no limit?
Is God once again summoning me
now old and gray
mind dulled by time
body weakened
to get out of the boat
to cast my net on the other side
to believe yet again
in God’s multiplying power
in the enough-ness of God
to dare to offer
my crumbling and moldy loaves of bread
my decaying fish
to believe what I offer is enough
that God is enough
that I am enough
even now—
especially now!
Reflection: What might God be inviting you to consider, to be open to in terms of being Salt & Light in your community in this season of life?
(take a moment to write down)
As God’s spirit dwells within you, your unique gifts, talents, passions, skills help to define God’s beautiful temple of PEOPLE. Christ is the one who we lean upon to show us the way, to love us, and empower us. Friends, let’s believe first and foremost – WE BELONG, you are loved by God, we are here united TOGETHER. Then from this groundedness in Christ, our hearts take courage, and as the spirit dwells within us we share this powerful love that breaks down barriers in the world. And brings us into this new space of belonging together. Let’s believe this good word that God loves us and brings us together.
Amen
