All Peoples Reconciled in Christ Ephesians 2:11-22 November 23, 2014 Aaron Reyes, Lead Pastor

Transcription

1 All Peoples Reconciled in Christ Ephesians 2:11-22 November 23, 2014 Aaron Reyes, Lead Pastor For our first sermon series as a church, we are journeying through the Letter to the Ephesians. Ephesians is such an important book for the church because it is a letter written to the church about the church. This letter was written by the apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus to explain the nature of the church and what the church is supposed to do. Last week, we turned to chapter 2 of Ephesians. In this chapter the apostle Paul outlines two fundamental problems facing humanity. In last week s sermon, we looked at the vertical problem facing humanity, namely, that humans and God are at odds. Due to our sin, every human is separated from God and stands under His just judgment. The result is that, separated from Christ, humans are spiritually dead. This is the vertical problem. Today, we turn to the second problem facing humanity. This second issue deals with the horizontal problem, the horizontal problem between people. Because of sin there exists tension and hostility between individuals and between people groups. We know this to be true because people groups are good at disliking and hating other people groups. All individuals and all people groups are good at ethno-centrism. In other words, we easily exalt ourselves over others. This is a massive problem! Just within the past week the world has been confronted again with this horizontal problem. For example, we saw this problem on display in Jerusalem as two Palestinian men slaughtered four Jewish rabbis in a synagogue. This atrocity was sadly celebrated by the Palestinian people, and their celebration in turn caused Israelis to call for the deaths of all Arabs. The same problems are present in Africa as neighboring tribes have been constantly at war with each other for hundreds of years. Now lest we think we, Americans, are too sophisticated for this hostility, we just need to look to a city outside of St. Louis. In Ferguson, MO, we are confronted with the problem that ethnic tension still exists in our country. And if we are honest with ourselves, every one of us, whether we are aware of it, probably has some form of prejudice toward another people group, even here in Austin. The world is plagued with a deep and severe horizontal problem. One of the glories of the gospel, however, is that Christ targets this gaping horizontal problem. As Christ unites all things to Himself, He is set on uniting all peoples. So what I want us to take from the sermon is this: Christ is the only Force that can unite all peoples. Chris is the only One who can unite all peoples, who can unite us all. Our passage looks at how Christ unites Jews and Gentiles, the two groups that had the largest gulf between them for thousands of years. By addressing the horizontal problem between Jews and Gentiles, the text uncovers how Christ unites all peoples. So we will uncover our thesis by revisiting the three sections of the passage. I. From Estrangement to Inclusion into God s People vv

2 In the first section we see the Gentiles journey from estrangement to inclusion into God s people. 11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. In these verses, Paul states that there is a grave horizontal problem and that it centers on the relationship between Gentiles and Jews, on Gentiles and the covenant people of God. Listen to how Paul describes it. In verses 11 and 12 he identifies two major differences that have existed between the Jewish people and the Gentiles for thousands of years. These two differences existed from the time of Genesis 17 all the way to the New Testament. The first difference is that the Gentiles were uncircumsized (v. 11). In calling the Gentiles this, the apostle is referring to a significant physical feature. For Jews, circumcision was the physical sign of their covenant with God Almighty, the God of the universe. This physical sign was given by God as a gift to Abraham back in Genesis 17. Circumcision pointed to the exclusive relationship that Israel had with the LORD. So for thousands of years the people of God were identified by male circumcision. Thus, to not be circumcised meant that one was not in a relationship with God. More specifically, it meant that one was estranged from God. The Old Testament believers actually called these people who were estranged from God, Gentiles. This is what Gentiles means; Gentiles are those people who are uncircumcised and estranged from God. Jews thus saw themselves as insiders and Gentiles as outsiders. This is why circumcision was one of the major differences between Jews and Gentiles. The second major difference was that the Gentiles were unprivileged remember that you were at that time separated from Christ. The Gentiles were unprivileged because the Messiah, the Christ, was not going to come from them. The Christ was to come from the Jewish people. The King who would restore the universe was going to come from the Jewish people. The Messiah thus belonged to the Jews. The Gentiles were also alienated from living as part of the nation of Israel alienated from the commonwealth of Israel. The Gentiles were not given the opportunity to live under God s earthly kingdom. This is what Israel embodied. The kingdom of Israel signified God s kingdom on earth; at least that is what it was supposed to be. The Gentiles were also excluded from this incredible blessing. But there s even more; the Gentiles were strangers to the covenants of promise. The Gentiles were unaware to God s covenants. They were oblivious to the fact that the living God made contact with humans and established a relationship between them. The Gentiles were completely ignorant of this fact. They did not know that God had rules and laws for human flourishing. They were unaware of the glorious Mosaic covenant. In sum, the Gentiles did not have the very words of the living God, but the Jews did. Do you see the disadvantage? Do you see how the Gentiles lacked this privilege? Paul continues with the disadvantages having no hope. Because the Gentiles were outside the

3 sphere of God s covenants, they did not share the hope of Israel in the promised messianic salvation. How could they have this hope if they had never heard of it? They, indeed, had no hope of universal restoration. Paul concludes by culminating in what these disadvantages point to without God in the world. The Gentiles, ultimately, were without God. They certainly had their pantheon of deities, but these deities were nothing but man-made creations. The Gentiles did not know that the one, true God existed. They were ignorant of Him and were God-forsaken. This is why Paul says in verse 13, you were far off. This was their plight and it was a dark reality. To sum up what Paul means: the Gentiles had none of the privileges that God graciously gave to the Jews. The Jews were near to God because they had the revelation of God, while the Gentiles were far away. So as you can tell, the Gentiles for thousands of years were estranged from God. But praise be to God that a dramatic changed happened. If not for this change we all would still be in the dark. What was the change? 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. The tectonic change that occurred was Christ Jesus. Jesus changed the course of history for Gentiles. Christ did this by bringing Gentiles, who were far away, who were distant from the true God, and He brought them near. Paul is not just making a spatial comment; Paul is not simply referring to space. The apostle is making a comment about incorporation, about inclusion. When the OT described Israel as near to God, it meant that the Jews were God s people. A verse from Psalm 148 expresses this idea: 14 He has raised up a horn for His people, praise for all His saints, for the people of Israel who are near to Him. Praise the LORD! They were near to God because they were His covenant people. So when Paul mentions that the Gentiles have been brought near, the apostle exclaims that these Gentiles, who once were utterly ignorant of God, have become part of God s people. In Christ, the Gentiles have been included into God s people. Do you see how marvelous this is? Now the way Christ brought Gentiles near to God was by His blood. What does this mean? In the OT, Israel became God s people when God sanctified them. God made Israel holy through a sacrifice, and it was this sacrifice that turned Israel from unclean sinners into God s holy people. In the same, Gentiles became God s people when God sanctified them in Christ. But instead of using an animal sacrifice, Christ gave Himself as the ultimate sacrifice. His blood fully and completely made Gentiles holy. This how Gentiles came near to God and it is glorious. So what we have seen in this first section is the Gentiles journey from estrangement to inclusion into God s people. II. Unity Secured by the Reconciling Work of Christ vv

4 In the second section, we find that unity was secured by the reconciling work of Christ. Jesus has made both Jews and Gentiles one 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances. Christ did the insurmountable task of making the two groups one. He did this by breaking down the dividing wall of hostility. The apostle exclaims that there was a wall between Jews and Gentiles. What do walls do? Why are walls built? They exist to separate parties. Well there was a wall that separated Jews and Gentiles. Let me explain. The privileges that God gave the Jewish people, unfortunately, became instruments of division. Because the Jews had God s Law, in their pride, they used the Law to look down on the Gentiles. The Jews considered Gentiles as untouchable sinners. So by the time of the first century, Jewish teachers extended the Law to the point where Jews did not interact with Gentiles. A parable of Jesus from Luke 18 captures this well: 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' In this parable Jesus condemns the religious leaders of His day who used their privileged status as a means of boasting and self-righteousness. Sadly, this was the posture of many a Jewish people. There was deep seated pride among the Jews. This pride led them to dislike and even hate the Gentiles. In return, the Gentiles did not respond with love. No, in their own pride, the Gentiles disliked and hated the Jews. And thus a cycle of hatred was born; a cycle of prejudice and racism. The separation between Jews and Gentiles was so great that at the temple in Jerusalem, there existed a sign that prevented Gentiles from entering inside the inner courts of the Temple. The sign warned Gentiles not to proceed further lest they be caught and stoned to death. Separations like this between Jews and Gentiles even existed all throughout the Roman Empire. Now the apostle identifies what was the greatest barrier between Jews and Gentiles in verse 15 the law of commandments expressed in ordinances. The biggest reason for the separation, the biggest reason why Jews and Gentiles could never associate together was because the OT law prevented it from happening. For the Jews, the only way they would interact with a Gentile is if that Gentile became a devout, Law observer. The Gentile essentially had to become a Jew. In other words, prior to Christ, it was virtually impossible for Jews and Gentiles ever to associate. Do you see how this was a big problem? Do you see the scope of the rift between Jews and Gentiles? Yet despite the chasm, Christ broke down all these hostile walls. The way Jesus destroyed the dividing wall of hostility was by abolishing the law of commandments (v. 15a). In other words, Jesus changed the requirements for entrance into God s people. Whereas in the Old Covenant, in order to join God s people one had to embrace the OT law in its entirety. But now Christ has changed the requirements for entrance. One does not need to embrace and live solely

5 by the OT law. Rather, the only requirement is faithful obedience in Christ. One just needs to embrace Jesus by faith for entrance. It is in this way that Jesus abolished the law. Now here me out, the OT law is still good and useful for the church, but it is not the basis for inclusion into God s people. So you see, Christ, indeed, has broken down the dividing wall because He has completely changed how one enters God s community. Gentiles do not have to adopt the customs and outward signs associated with the OT Law in order to become true Israelites and worship in the true temple. Identification with Christ means that Gentiles are part of the true Israel, the true people of God. In this way, Jews and Gentiles are now equal. What is the effect of this? What is the result of the dividing wall being destroyed? Jesus broke down the dividing wall in order to make Jews and Gentiles into a new humanity (v. 15b). Jesus plan all along was to create a new people of God where there no longer existed boundaries between Jews and Gentiles. God did not want His people to be divided along these lines. God did not want Jewish believers over here and Gentiles believers of there. No, God s eternal purpose was to have the two become one. Christ s aim was to turn the hostility into mutual acceptance. Because of Christ, acceptance replaces hostility. Here is Paul s logic: If Jews and Gentiles are reconciled to God because they are in One Man, they are in Christ, then they are also reconciled to each other; they also have peace with one another. Jews and Gentiles can finally have peace between them in Christ. Because both groups are now brought near to God by faith, nationalistic identities no longer have value. There is no need to distinguish between Jews and Gentiles. And this is how a new man is created. With the distinctions between Jews and Gentiles abolished, a new identity surfaces. Do you see how Jesus creates one new man? Now that a new man is borne, now that a new identity is created, Jews and Gentiles can accept each other; there can finally be peace between them. This is how Jesus became our peace! This is how Jesus brought peace to us. Do you see why the apostle says in verse 14, He Himself is our peace? The apostle concludes this section by emphasizing the unity between Jews and Gentiles in Christ. Because of Christ, both Jews and Gentiles are now reconciled to God 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. It is not that Jews were reconciled to God at one time and then Gentiles at another. No, when Jesus died on the cross, both Jews and Gentiles were fully and completely reconciled to God at the same moment. Moreover, both Jews and Gentiles heard the gospel message of peace during Jesus life and through Jesus apostles 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. Both groups received the news of Christ s peace. And lastly, both groups also have the same access to the Father by the Spirit 18 For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. Paul s point in mentioning these three ideas is to show the unity that has been achieved because of Christ. So if Jews and Gentiles were reconciled to God at the same time, how much more should we embrace each other? If Jews and Gentiles heard the same gospel message of peace, how much more should we embrace each other? If Jews and Gentiles have the same access to the Father, how much more should we embrace each other? This is Paul s point here. Therefore, all hostility and enmity between Jews and Gentiles have been removed. All that remains is a new man and unity between the two. Unity, indeed,

6 was secured by the reconciling work of Christ. III. The Result of Inclusion and Unity is a New Temple vv In the last section, we see that the result of inclusion and unity is a new temple., 21 in Whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. Gentiles, who have embraced Christ by faith, are no longer estranged to God. Because of Christ they have a new identity. Paul unpacks this new identity using a variety of images. Paul uses political imagery and familial imagery. The Gentiles are now fellow citizens in God s kingdom 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints. Whereas before they were alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, they now belong to the heavenly commonwealth ruled by God. The Gentiles are also now members of God s family and members of the household of God. Before they were completely estranged from God, now they belong to His family; they are now His children. The idea Paul conveys is that Gentile are no longer unprivileged and disadvantaged. The last image referred to is that of the temple. The apostle stays with this image for the remainder of the chapter and so will we. Do you remember how at the beginning of the service we read a passage from Isaiah 56? We read that passage because it is a very significant OT text. In it the prophet Isaiah foresees a time when Gentiles will serve in the temple. This is incredible because Isaiah had this vision over 700 years before Jesus came into the world. Listen again to the words. 3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will surely separate me from His people"; and let not the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree." 4 For thus says the LORD: "To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, who choose the things that please Me and hold fast My covenant, 5 I will give in My house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. 6 "And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast My covenant 7 these I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples." 8 The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, "I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered." Do you see how scandalous this passage was for the Jewish readers at the time? I mention this passage because Paul is certainly alluding to it. The apostle sees the fulfillment of the prophecy in Christ. In Christ the Gentiles serve in God s temple, not because they gain access to the temple in Jerusalem, but because they themselves become God s new temple. A new temple is

7 built because Christ is the cornerstone; He is the foundation of God s new temple 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone. Furthermore, believers have become the new temple of God because God s Spirit resides in believers 22 In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. God s presence is within the church, it s within believers because of the Spirit. The new temple of God, therefore, is God s people. Believers, both of Jews and Gentiles, are now God s new temple. This is incredible! If you are in Christ, you are the temple of God! Let that sink in; we make up God s new temple. What makes this idea even more scandalous is, if you remember, Gentiles for hundreds of years were barred from the temple in Jerusalem. Gentiles could have been killed if they entered the inner courts. But now in Christ Jesus, Gentiles actually become part of the new temple. They are not simply granted access into God s presence, but they permanently become part of God s temple. Both Jewish and Gentile believers have become God s living temple. And this is a glorious reality! God s presence is now always with believers. It is in this way that the church becomes the new temple of God. But there is also more to the idea. Paul also explains that God s new temple is also growing 21 in Whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. God s temple is still growing. God s new temple expands as the gospel goes forth into the world bringing more Jews and Gentiles in. As more Jews and Gentiles come to faith, God s temple on earth grows. And it will continue expanding until God s presence will fully pervade the entire earth at the end of the age. All this is because of Christ and what He has done. Because Christ has included Gentiles into God s people, and because He has united believing Gentiles and Jews, the consequence is a new temple of God. Indeed, the result of inclusion and unity is a new temple. IV. Implications What I have tried to relate to you in this sermon is that Christ is the only Force that can unite all peoples. He alone is the One who can unite us. This was accomplished because Gentiles were taken from estrangement to inclusion into God s people, because unity was secured by Christ s reconciling work, and because this inclusion and unity resulted in a temple. Now I am confident that God has already been speaking to us all. But I do want to offer two implications from this passage; two implications that this passage forces us to realize. First, every socio-cultural barrier can be overcome in Christ. I started the sermon by highlighting the depth of the horizontal problem facing humanity. Humanity is diseased with a heart of ethno-centrism. Like the Jewish people of the first century, every people group has created dividing walls against other people. These walls may be economic walls, they may be literal walls, or they may simply be highways, as it has been for much of east Austin s history.

8 But our Savior is so great that He has diminished the power of these walls because He can change the human heart. What do I mean? When people of different cultural backgrounds come to faith, God confronts these peoples to show them that they are no greater than other groups. God does this by first highlighting that face that every person from every people group is a sinner. Every people group whether Latinos, African-Americans, Caucasians, and Asians; rich and poor, suburban and urban we all stand condemned before God. We have no greater intrinsic worth or value over another group. We cannot claim anything for ourselves. We all are sinners; every one of us. Therefore, we cannot claim superiority over another group. God also confronts peoples by how He saves them. No one is saved because of their ethnicity, wealth, and education. Therefore, we cannot claim any superiority over another group. The only way we can come to God is by grace. God s favor and love is not earned. So we cannot boast and declare that we are better than other groups. Grace makes that impossible. Grace smashes any human boasting, any ethnic boasting. We are all debtors to God s grace every single people group. This is what God s grace does; it smashes any human boasting. Moreover, God destroys ethnic and cultural boasting because in Christ we are one body. In Christ s body, there is no hierarchy of believers. Latino believers are not exalted over Caucasian believers. African American believers are superior to Asian believers. No, we are all one! We belong to one body! God confronts any walls that we may have built up to show that no group is better than another. But here s the reality: the only way ethnic and cultural barriers can be overcome is in Christ. This cannot be forgotten; it is only in Christ that these barriers are overcome. Despite the world s best efforts, without Christ, unity is impossible. No amount of money can create peace; no amount of diplomacy can create true, lasting reconciliation. The reason being that apart from Christ, we have no foundation for unity and peace. Our hearts will not be changed. We will still find ways to exalt ourselves over another group. We will use money, success, whatever to still find superiority. It is only when Christ transforms people and makes them believers that unity can be achieved. In Christ we gain the humility necessary for unity and peace. In Christ we are able to accept and embrace the other. In Christ we are able to forgive each other because we have received forgiveness. It is only in Christ that every socio-cultural barrier can be overcome. Let me put it another way: If God has torn down the barriers between Jews and Gentiles, the single greatest barrier between people groups, how much more can God overcome socio-cultural barriers today? Second, the church must be a picture of horizontal reconciliation. When the apostle wrote our passage, he was implicitly teaching that the church is a portrait of horizontal unity. Because of what Christ has done, the church is the example to the world of peace. The church is a picture to the world of horizontal reconciliation. Sadly, however, the church does not portray this picture well. Over fifty years ago the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had this to say about the church: It is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is eleven o'clock on Sunday morning. One of my favorite rappers also remarks about this faulty image the church presents to America: Most segregated time of day is Sunday service. Now what you think that say about the God you worship? These two quotes are accurate, yet sad realities. We have just

9 seen in the passage that God has united all believers in Christ. Yet, the church in America does not strive to embody this glorious reality about God s people. It is precisely because of this sad state of affairs that Church of the Violet Crown will strive with our whole being to embody this image of horizontal unity. We will embody this image by first going after all peoples of Austin. We will not limit our outreach and evangelism to one particular group of people. No, we are going after all! There is not a people group safe in Austin; we are going after all. We will also embody this profound image of the church by cultivating unity in diversity. We will see people of different ethnic and economic backgrounds as equal. We will not see ourselves as better than anyone else. We will accept and embrace others, especially believers. In the coming weeks I will unpack in more detail what this unity looks like for Church of the Violet Crown, especially when we get to Ephesians chapter 4. But for now I will say this: unity will not be easy. We all still carry within us the sinful flesh, which means that there may be prejudices in our heart that needs to be subdued by the gospel. But we will undergo the painstaking process to cultivate unity in diversity. In fact, our desire for this horizontal unity is so strong that it is even in our DNA. One strand of our DNA states that we strive to cultivate unity in diversity. We labor to build unity within diversity. We do this difficult, yet glorious work because Christ has already united all believers. All believers are reconciled to each other. This is because Christ is the only Force that can unite all peoples.