Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost 8/5/12 Text: Ephesians 4:1-16 Title: One in Christ Paul’s letter to the Christians at Ephesus is a wonderful text that speaks to us today just as much as it did to the people then. Paul, although being thankful that they knew the forgiveness and salvation that comes from Jesus alone knew that that a particular sin, a sin that would threaten the very existence of the congregation if left unaddressed. Paul under the influence of the Holy Spirit starts his letter assuring the congregation that they are in Christ because before time God had chosen them to be his through the redemptive work of Christ. This did not happen because of their intelligence and will, but because the Holy Spirit had opened up their minds to the word of God, as it had been made known to them through the apostles. Paul tells them that he continues to pray that they remain steadfast in the Word of God, so that they will not just know of God’s grace, but live their lives in the sure hope of their inheritance with all the saints. This hope is sure because Jesus was raised from the dead and ascended to heaven where God the Father put him above all things and made him the head of the universal Christian Church, the only church in which one can be saved, for the universal Christian Church is his body through which he dispenses his love and grace. I know that statement probably makes some of you think that is awful narrow minded to say that the universal Christian Church is the only way to have forgiveness, peace, and ultimately to have eternal life with God, but God’s Word is clear on the subject whether you agree with it or not. Jesus alone saves. Paul goes on to tell them that not only were the Gentile Christians dead in their sin, the Jewish people were dead in their sin also. This had to have been a shock to the Jews of Paul’s day, just as it would come as a shock to the Jewish people today. Everyone regardless if you’re a Gentile or a Jew are dead in sin. The proof of that is our physical death and our natural desire to turn from God. But God in his mercy which is greater than any concept of mercy we might have loved us in spite of our sinfulness and natural rejection of him. He showed that love by bringing those outside of his covenant people along with those in the covenant and made them into one body, the body of Christ. He did this not because of anything they or we have done, but for the sake of Christ, the ultimate gift of God. Paul knowing that his readers then and today would naturally jump to the conclusion that good works are no longer to be done tells them and us, “For we are created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” As I read those words just then I realized that when you do not do good things for people, especially our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, you have rejected what God has prepared for you to do before time. That is never a good thing. Thank goodness for God’s unlimited grace. Paul goes on to tell his readers then and now that in his death, Jesus destroyed the walls that separated them, for you cannot be separated since we are the body of Christ and Christ’s body cannot be separated. Paul then closes this part of his letter by telling them and us that all disciples of Jesus are being built together into a temple; not a temple made by hands which will crumble, but a spiritual temple built by the Holy Spirit which will never crumble or be replaced, for it is the true dwelling place of God. Paul then goes on to explain to his readers that you can trust what he is saying, for it is not his words, but God’s words given to him, the apostles, and prophets though the work of the Holy Spirit, as he revealed to them the work of Jesus Christ which has made known the grace of God’s love that had been hidden since creation. It is because of this wonderful grace shown through Jesus to all people; Hebrew and Gentile that Paul tells them that he bows his knees before God the Father. For it is from God the Father, just as we need an earthy father to be born, that the universal Christian Church was born and made into one family rooted and grounded in God’s love. This love cannot be grasped by even if you were to combine the wisdom of all people, for it is all encompassing love going from the highest of heaven to the lowest of earth, and from corner to corner of creation. This love is shown in Jesus suffering and death on the cross where he hung between heaven and earth with arms outstretched encompassing all of human kind. Those who do not believe see in that bloody figure hanging on the cross weakness and death, while those who believe see power and life. This power of God, which is more than anything we can ever ask or think of, is the power that frees us from the clutches of hell. The glory of God has become our glory. What a gift, what a blessing we have received, so to him all glory is to be given him in the universal Christian Church for all time. That gets us to our text today the subject of Paul’s letter. Paul writes, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in the manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Paul is telling them and thus us that since all true Christians from every race and nationality Jew and Hebrew alike are united in Christ we are thus one in the body of Christ and are to live lives that show that unity in Christ. He then proceeds to tell his reader that they are to live lives that are humble, and gentle with patience; the Greek actually uses the word, “long-suffering” which better describes the life we are to lead, for you can be patient while waiting for a good thing. Long-suffering on the other hand is, as Paul means bearing a wrong doing toward you because the person doing the wrong is also in the body of Christ. Paul continues the oneness theme in verse 5, for “There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to the one hope.” (not many hopes) “One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” What wonderful words of comfort. We are called to be one in the sure hope of our faith and baptism because of God the Father. The wonderful thing is that God in his wisdom did not leave his chosen people to their own devices in achieving this oneness of God. For he knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows how we are quite easily led astray by those who say they have a better way than Christ. He knows how quickly we can turn away from his Word. He knows how we trust the things of this world instead of trusting God. He knows all those things and yet he still loves us because of Jesus. That is why he has given his Church, apostles; those first men who have written down for us the Good news of Jesus, prophets; who are those men and women who God has given the special gift of prophecy, evangelists; who are those specially gifted with sharing the Good News of God’s loves as it is shown in Jesus, shepherds; that is pastors who are put in congregations large and small to show God’s love and care to those who they shepherd, and finally, but not last, teachers who able to teach young and old about God and his will for them. Everything that is needed to build up and strengthen the local congregation for the work of God is given to the congregation. Of course sin enters its ugly head from time to time and people don’t behave as God wants us to. Thank goodness for the grace of God who will not turn his back but keep calling to his people, “Repent and turn back to me, so that you may be blessed.” Amen.