No division in God's Kingdom

The Berlin Wall

In 1961, construction on the Berlin Wall commenced. It was a wall that was to divide East Germany and West Germany.

It served as a physical barrier but in many ways the symbolism of that wall was so much more powerful.

The wall said - we’re different from you.

East Germany was communism.

West Germany capitalism.

It all started shortly after World War 2 when the land was divided up.

The wall was considered necessary because there was a drain of people from the east going over to the west.

The wall was a reminder that we live in a divided world.

The reality is, while the Berlin Wall might have been the physical reminder in a particular place and time, these divisions happen all the time.

The political divide is a big one today. It seems like it’s no longer enough to just disagree with the people on the other side of the political fence - we have to hate them.

Another divide which thankfully is nothing like it was a few generations ago, is the Catholic - Protestant divide. Both look at the other with scepticism. Sadly at times, its aroused even stronger feeling, moving towards hatred.

Part of the problem is that so often, there is such little desire to get rid of the division - in whatever sphere that might be, whether political, religious or cultural differences.

The desires not there, because we know that we’re right, and they’re mistaken. We might even assume the other is part of some sinister plot, and it doesn’t even matter if there’s no evidence to prove as much.

We might assume the division is good, because it’s keeping those nasty idea away.

Well, I want to think about this today. I want to think about how we need to tear down the barriers that stop us from becoming what God has intended us for - and look at what that end result is going to be.

Jew - Gentile barrier

But let’s start with the big barrier at the time the New Testament was being written - the Jew - Gentile barrier.

The Jewish people knew their designation as God’s chosen people. They knew how God had called the Abraham and given him a promise that he would be a great nation, that he would inherit land, and that he would be a blessing to all nations.

This nation became known as Israel after God changed the name of Abraham’s grandson from Jacob to Israel.

God set apart this nation. There were to be set apart ethically. They were to be set apart religiously. But also they were to be set apart physically, with all men bearing the mark on their body through circumcision.

By being set apart they could become the vessel of God’s grace. They carried the promises that were central to God’s plan. It was through them, that the saviour came.

After Jesus ascended into heaven, we get the day of Pentecost, which incidentally, was a day that was recognised only a few weeks ago. This was essentially the birth of the church. 3000 people were baptised that day.

And more than that, each day, new believers came, and so the church continued to grow.

Now, what we need to recognise is that in this early period, the church was mostly made up of Jewish people. It was very easy to see the continuation of Israel as the people of God, to the Jewish way being what’s required as the new people of God.

To be a Christian is to be a Jew - was something that wasn’t even really questioned in these early days, because effectively almost every Christian was a Jew.

But, of course, the church kept growing. In fact, it grew in the way that Jesus told his disciple. Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the ends of the earth.

As they moved outwards of Jerusalem, many Gentiles started to believe. As Paul’s missionary journey’s started to gather momentum, even though he would still preach to the Jews, he started to see his primary mission as being to the Gentiles.

But now we have a division.

The previously unquestioned assumption that to be a Christian is to be Jewish, was now the basis of a dividing wall.

Front and centre in the debate was the physical mark of circumscision.

Now, this debate comes to a head in what we refer to as the Council of Jersualem, which you can read about in Acts 15. It was at this point that it was made explicitly clear, you do not need to bear the physical mark of being Jewish to be a Christian.

That debate had been and gone by the time Paul was interacting with the church at Ephesus - which is where we find ourselves in the reading that we had a short while ago. But despite the decision, it was important to remind the Church of Ephesus why this barrier goes against everything God has done.

Separated no more

As Paul goes through this passagge, he reminds them that actually, there was previously a barrier between Jews and Gentiles. They were separated because Jesus had not yet come.

But as Paul tells us in verse 13, the blood of Christ changes everything.

The blood of Christ - the symbol of his death. His death was not just for the Jews. He death was for everyone. Everyone has access to salvation because Jesus died. Your ethnicity does not matter. Your gender doesn’t matter. Your social status doesn’t matter. If you accept Jesus, you are saved, and that goes for everyone.

Peace

Now, we need to recognise, is that the work of Jesus is not just a ticket to heaven for after we die. Yes, for those who accept it, we will spend eternity with Jesus. But when we accept Jesus, the benefit starts now. And one of those beneifts is peace.

The Hebrew word that is often translted as peace is the word shalom, and I love this Hebrew word because there is so much more depth to the word than what we mean by peace.

You see, shalom describes things being the way God intended it. It describes the completness that God provides.

And the best part about it, is that you get to experience it now. It’s a peace that transcends the chaos of this world.

As Paul says in verse 14: Jesus is our peace.

But if things are going to return the way that God intended it to, then that which divides must be got rid of. Why? Well, for starters, all people are made in the image of God. Male, female, rich, poor, the educated, those who lack much education, every ethnicity, everyone… if you’re human, then you bear the image of God in you.

God never intended two humanities. Yes, God had a special place for Israel, but that was to be a vessel for the blessing that was to flow to all people.

And thus we see the destruction of the barrier, the divding wall of hostility.

The wall falls

Those words in verse 14 remind me of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

I was only 9 years old at the time, and to be honest, I have little memory of it at the time.

Many of you will know the story. It was the 9th November 1989. Pressure had been building for some time, particularly as many people from East Germany were finding ways to get through by other means. So the East Germans decided to open up some means for travel between the two.

But it was on the 9th November when communication of the new plans got bungled. You see, the person doing the press conference wasn’t fully briefed., and indicated that the new arrangement to allow people to move between the two was starting immediately. The gates became so overwhelmed with people wanting to move between the two, that in the end, the guards just let anyone come and go as they liked.

In many ways, there was great symbolism in the fall of this wall. It was a wall that stood for division, and it’s fall represented two becoming one.

But as significant as this wall was, what Jesus did on the cross was far greater. The Berlin Wall was for a specific division at a specific time in a specific place. What barrier that was destroyed by Jesus was something that has significance for all time in all places.

The wall is gone. And the result is peace.

A peace that means, even though conflict and struggles will continue, God is moving in a powerful way with us to make things right.

Breaking down our divisions

Today, we can still be divided. It might not be the divide between Jew and Gentile. It might be the divide between Catholic and Protestant. Calvinst and Arminian. Complentarian and egalitarian. A-millenium and pre-millenium.

And if I just said a bunch of words that you don’t know the meaning of, that’s okay, I’m not going to explain them now. The point is, we become convinced in a particular view, and we set up a dividing wall with those who differ from us.

Now, I’m not saying we shouldn’t have convictions about the views we hold. It’s good to have strong convictions.

But we need to see that among those who are believers, there should be no division.

Now, we might ask, but who is the believer and who isn’t? Because, I would argue, it’s not just the people who tick “Christian” on the census form.

A believer is anyone who has called on the name of Jesus. Or as Paul says in Romans 10:9, anyone who declares with their mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believes in their heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.

Yes we have to stand up for truth. And at times this might bring us into debate with other believers, but don’t put up the wall. Don’t divide what God has made into one, into more.

Now you might also think - well too late, those divisions are well entrenched now. But here’s the thing… I’m not going to advocate that we abolish Christian denominations. I agree those structures are too entrenched, and this side of the return of Christ, denominations will continue.

What I do want to advocate for, is to continue to work well between denominations. I love the fact that this already happens well here, with the combined service such as what we have now attests to. But we need to continue to work at it.

But as individuals - think about where you are putting up barriers. Ask yourself, are you putting up barriers that Jesus has torn down? It’s not always an easy thing to see, but it is well worth our reflection.

Building a temple

But let me turn to the last few verses in this chapter. You see, after Paul has described for us the breaking of this dividing wall, in its place, his gives us an image of a building being constructed.

This is no ordinary building.

For it’s foundation, we have the apostles and the prophets. Now I know today we can talk about people having the spiritual gift of apostleship and prophecy. Regardless of what your view on that is, here, I would suggest we’re actually talking about the apostles who spent time with Jesus, and the prophets in the bible. For our purposes, you could read this foundation being the bible.

The truths we learn in scipture form the foundation of this building.

But the foundation need a cornerstone which holds it all together, and in the image Paul is proving for us, Jesus is that chief cornerstone.

But here’s the beautiful thing… on this solid foundation, we the people become the building. And not just any building… we become a holy temple in the Lord.

As it says in verse 22 “… in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit”.

Jews and Gentiles. Catholics and Protestant. All God’s people come together to be built to become a holy temple. If you believe Jesus, this includes you.

An invitation

Now, in saying you get to become part of this temple, there is an assumption that you have called on the name of Jesus. It doesn’t matter which church you come from, what matters is whether you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.

And so, it would be remiss of me if I get this far without saying - if you have not made the commitment with Jesus, or your not sure, then please come and talk with either me, or one of the other pastors or strong Christians here. Say to Jesus, I’m sorry that I have not lived as I should but I want you to be the Lord of my heart. There’s an invitation for you to know this peace that Jesus has provided for us, and all you need to do is accept it.

Conclusion

There are so many benefits that we get to experience as believers right now. One such benefit is that we get to have countless brothers and sisters wherever you go.

Sadly, because we have a tendency to put up barriers, we lose something beautiful. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Jesus has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. This act was far greater than the toppling of the Berlin Wall. The effects of what Jesus did, are ever lasting.

And in the place of the barrier, we now have the temple - the dwelling place of God, and you are part of the building.

What a great truth to know.

Let me pray...