Together as ONE

(S1) — Some intersections are more difficult than others

Crossroads—T—Roundabout—Fork—Merge

Times in life and in the church, when we find ourselves at a difficult intersection—lack of peace

(S2)

Yet, when two roads converge into ONE—one direction and one destination, there is one peace. This same kind of peace equates to Jesus’ desire for the church to be together as ONE

I pray that they will all be ONE, just as you and I are ONE—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. John 17:21

The Apostle Paul’s message to the believers in Ephesus—Jesus removes the barrier of separation between Gentiles, who were far away from him, and Jews who were near, bringing the good news of peace—a oneness with God and unity among believers.

Ephesians 2:14 “For Christ himself has brought peace to us, uniting us into ONE with himself, when in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.”

SERIES— What does it look like to be a church that comes together as ONE in a culture that is anything but? Do we actually need unity in the body of Christ? When we are ONE, does it change how we see ourselves, others, the world around us?

Nation, governments, churches, and people are divided more than ever today. Believers need to be even more together as ONE—United as ONE—Living as ONE. When the church unites around its oneness in Jesus, there is nothing that it can't do for God's kingdom.

PRAYER

(S3) — Evil Knievel... the chasm between one side and the other was too wide.

The same could be said of a people called Gentiles who the apostle is writing to. There was a deep divide between who they were; the lives they lived, and knowing God...

(S4) Ephesus—52 AD—Prison—3rd X (3yrs)—Baptizing—’Preaching and teaching with great effectiveness” (Acts 19:1-20).

Ephesians 1:1 “ I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.”

Paul is not writing to confront heresy or a particular problem... but to a believers who need some assurance and encouragement in difficult times—How they were to function as ONE following the resurrected Jesus in a world that was anything but.

The people of Ephesus, similar to other cities around them, worshipped many God’s

ARTEMIS (Ἄρτεμις, Artemis). Greek Goddess. Known as the virgin archer-huntress and a deity associated with nature, animals, and fertility. She was one of the twelve Olympians, and the twin sister of Apollo.

Pluralism in our culture today has found its way into some churches, creating a weakened theology of what it means to be ONE with the God of the Bible—diminishing the importance of Jesus’ own claim of his oneness with his father in heaven and his desire of the same for us. We have become a god-filled and a godless society at the same time.

The chasm between God and humanity can only be filled by Jesus, and the church being one helps to bridge that gap.

(S5) — Who exactly is Paul writing to?

“Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. Ephesians 2:11

Two groups—Gentiles…Jewish believers or converts…because of their familial origin…Gentiles were kept outside (temple), from even knowing God.

The first of two ways that people can be excluded from the family of God by physical law or demands of man-made religion—in this case circumcision...

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29

Religious leaders kept people under the yoke of their laws —a form of oppression.

The second way they were excluded was by the way they lived—like the rest of the world—Sin

Read Ephesians 2:1-3

We can only be ONE with God when are our hearts are changed, not by the physical (law), but through God’s mercy, forgiveness and grace...

“When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature.” Colossians 2:11

How can be one with God as as a church, if we don’t it ourselves? Without Jesus, the gap to know God in this way is too wide to cross...

(S6)— Mission/vision

To be a place where...the churched and unchurched feel welcome, and those who have been away from church feel at home

(Hold slide here for a moment)

Paul’s good news to the gentiles is for all people still today

(S7)

You are never to far from God to be saved! Never to lost, never to sinful. No matter what you have done, the chasm will never be to wide become to be ONE with God...

(S8)

Notice the past tense…

“But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. 14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into ONE PEOPLE when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility (sin) that separated us.” Ephesians 2:13-14

This tells us that oneness is possible for the church even in a world that is not. That walls of hostility (sin and law) are removed, by Jesus’ own body on the cross, his blood shed for you and me.

The first of three ways, Jesus makes us together as one

(S9)

I. Together as ONE, all are broughtNEAR to Christ

United (En)—Our union IN Christ

“location of an object in immediate proximity to another” Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (1877 ἐν)

Our oneness , or lack of it, is reflected in our relationships...whether or not we draw others to Jesus.

Marker—like a buoy in the channel marking where the ships can go—stay on course—stay close

There are a lot of things that are keeping people from the church—more importantly from knowing Jesus. Some are internal and in our ability to change, and some are external outside the church and beyond our control —culture shift, family dynamics, work, lifestyle etc..

Secularization Is on the Rise Nearly two-fifths of the nation’s adult population (38%) now qualifies as post-Christian. In spite of their “Christian” self-descriptions, more than one-third of America’s adults are essentially secular in belief and practice. Why America has experienced a surge in unchurched people—a continuing rise in this population. Barna

The church needs to first be ONE in its nearness to Christ—Found in Its message of truth in God’s word and grace in God’s love. Together as one, all are brought near to Christ…

(S10)

“15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.”

This is when what God intended from the begining, is restored. Reunited—Right relationaship—Something we cannot do on our own. Jesus did what we could not.

“and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.” Colossians 1:20

(S11)

II. Together as ONE, all are RECONCILED in Christ

Through reconciliation, relationships are restored, the roads merge becoming one, as Jesus creates us anew, sets us in a new direction, on a new course, with a new purpose, giving us a new peace—made ONE with God and with each other.

I was visiting with a friend, a minister in a huge midwestern church. Entering his home, we walked through the garage. His son’s go-cart was there and I commented on it. This triggered him to share the story of his reconciliation with his father.His mother and father, after thirty years of marriage, had divorced. The father had been unfaithful to his mother, trampled on her feelings, and spurned her forgiveness and love, returning over and over to his “kept women” even after renewing his commitment and pledging fidelity.This caused my friend great pain and anguish. Though he loved his father, he became bitter, even hateful toward him. Unable to accept him and the suffering inflicted upon his mother, my friend and his father became estranged. The father, embarrassed by his own actions, eaten up with shame and guilt, was unable to face his son.

About four years after this, the father came to a convention in the city where his son was a minister, and a series of circumstances made it “right” for him to visit his son. They walked through the garage as we were doing that day, my friend leading the way, his father walking behind. The tension was extreme, and my friend was in the house before he realized that his father was not with him. Looking back, he saw his father staring at the go-cart, tears flowing down his face. The memory of his son’s childhood, of days when the bond of love was so solid, and the thought of his now-grown son making go-carts for his own son, as he had done for him, overwhelmed him. Barriers were dropped, masks were taken off, emotions including repentance were expressed, love and forgiveness began to flow as honest sharing brought father and son together again.

The Cross is like that for would-be Christians. It is the sign that brings us back to our senses, back to the place of love where reconciliation takes place. We look at the Cross and are reminded of what we have lost—the relationship with Christ we have spurned. Feelings of repentance well up. We open ourselves to God, and, gracious Father that He is, He restores us to fellowship with Him. The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 31: Galatians / Ephesians / Philippians / Colossians / Philemon (The New Humanity)

Only through what Jesus did on the cross could these two groups become one new people—One man, one cross, one sacrifice, one savior—Brings us together as one...

(S12)

17 “He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.”

(S13)

III. Together as ONE, Jesus is ACCESSIBLE through the Holy Spirit

The church at Pentecost was made one through the Holy Spirit, as it was meant to be, so that all would come to be one.

Truth—the world will never be one without Jesus—the church, you and me, in our oneness are to be a reflection of Jesus as one with his father.

Romans 8:26 “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.”

Jesus through the Holy Spirit, gives us a way to be one the Father so those who are not here, out there, know what it means to be made one—Near to Christ reconciled to God and filled with the breath of new life in the H.S.

Challenge

(S14) — How do we live as ONE in a cultural that is anything but?

1. Never forget who you WERE without Jesus!

2. Look to who you can be with Jesus!

Jesus is still creating something new in reconciling people to God. You can never to far from his reach

God’s vision was always reconciling people with himself through Jesus. Sin and separateness do not have the final say…look to who the church can be as ONE in a world that is anything but

3. Let Jesus be your One!

(S15) — Together as one in our...NEARNESS to Christ—RECONCILED to God—ACCESSIBLE to Jesus

Intersections of life will sometimes be difficult to maneuver, but the Lord promises the way will be made straight when we are One.

Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight a highway for our God.

The chasm between God and this world is wide, but is became cross able, and once a separated people, Jesus became the bridge to make us one

“For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him. Romans 10:12

The church was always meant to be together as one…may it be so with us