July 19, 2015

SECOND LESSON: Ephesians 2:11–22
11Remember 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— 12remember 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. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

For today’s sermon, let’s look at today’s Epistle Reading, Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians 2:11–22. These words are based on the foundation of the Gospel as written in Ephesians 2:8-9, “8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”

11Remember 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—

Circumcision was a sign that a person was a Jew. The trouble is that such a sign does not guarantee that a person believes in God or is saved. Nowadays, people get a tattoo when they join a gang. Tattoos are also popular among servicemen. But does a tattoo of the globe and anchor make you a marine? Not really. Likewise, the sign that you are a Christian is the faith in your heart. But for the Jews, circumcision was also like a birth certificate. It said you were a descendent of Abraham, in his blood-line.

12remember 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.

St. Paul wrote this letter to people who lived in Ephesus who were not born to Jewish parents, they were Gentiles. As such they were not included in the covenant promise to Abraham. They were separated because of birth; they had no blood relation to Israel. They were not automatically connected to Israel and the promise of the Messiah Christ. They were in the world without God. Being without God they had no hope of salvation.

13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

And now St. Paul proclaims the Gospel. Being near God is being where God is, which is heaven, which is salvation. They were brought near to God through the blood of Christ. It was not through the blood-relationship of being a descendent of Abraham. It was through the blood of Christ shed on the cross. The Gospel of Jesus Christ means that through his death and resurrection, through his blood, all people of every race and every nation can be brought close to God, close to salvation.

14For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

What is “peace”? In Okinawa there is the “Peace Prayer Park,” which is a memorial to the Second World War in the Pacific. When you take the tour of the museum, first there is the history of the war, the Battle of Okinawa, and then post-war Okinawa when Okinawa is rebuilt. The horror of war is presented so that people will not want to fight another war again. After the destruction of war, there is the hope of rebuilding in cooperation with former enemies. St. Paul is not talking about actual warfare, but is talking about the mistrust and hatred between people. That mistrust is like a wall. It divides the people of God from the people without God. Jesus Christ broke down the wall and made salvation available for all people. When the wall is down, there is a flow between the two sides and the people are united, made one, made friends through his flesh that died on the cross.

15by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,

The new way of making peace, is not through treaties and laws and sanctions, but by creating one new man where there used to be two people. If there are two people, they can fight each other, but one person cannot fight himself. Two nations can fight each other, but unless it is a civil war, one nation does not wage war with itself. The Jews and the Gentiles are now all members of the Kingdom of God. Therefore there is peace.

16and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

I think it is an interesting expression, “to kill hostility.” Hostility is usually the cause of killing something else. But look how hostility is killed. It is killed when Jesus is killed on the cross. Jesus took upon himself the sins of the world, both Jew and Gentile. In his one body he brought them together to forgive that sin and that hostility. “Reconciliation” means that there is no more fighting. The cause of the fighting is resolved. Therefore there is peace between the races and peace with God.

17And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

Jesus preached the gospel which is for all people, Jews and Gentiles, and for us and our enemies, too. For more information on the preaching of Jesus, please read the Sermon on the Mount.

18For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Access to the one Spirit equals salvation and peace and the rights as citizens. It gives us the right to pray to God. It opens the door for us to come to God the Father.

19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Former Gentiles like you and me are now citizens of the Kingdom of God. This Kingdom is like a family. Being members of the household of God equals being sons and daughters of God our Father. This is celebrated in baptism when God gives His Name to us, in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

A household needs a house. The cornerstone is Christ Jesus. That means that all the measurements are surveyed from that point. And so, the meaning of the Gospel is found in the meaning of the Cross of Jesus. The foundation of the church is the Bible. The apostles and prophets, especially the New Testament prophets and preachers and teachers, proclaimed the Gospel, the love of God, the hope of salvation, and the peace of God.

21in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

A temple is a place to worship. Our whole lives are lived in this holy temple, and so our whole lives are worship to the Lord. Praying and singing and eating breakfast and going to work and school and playing games and arguing politics and washing the dishes and watching TV are all activities taking place within this holy temple.

22　In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts. This is the peace of the Christian life.

Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church

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