Untitled Sermon (5)

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(ESV)

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.

God’s people Israel were set apart by circumcision. Non-Jews, Gentiles didn’t know God and were separated. When Jesus came he started his church with Jews. Gentiles weren’t apart of it. No hope. Some of us can feel like that - outcasts from God, from his people, like we don’t fit in. We can lack hope.

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

God draws near through Jesus and his blood. God is perfect and we rebel against him cutting ourselves off. How do we get close with God? It is clear that we don’t get close by morality, or rules, or ritual. We don’t get close because of what we do, we get close because of what Jesus has done. We deserve death but Jesus took that death in our place - his blood was shed. We skipped work but Jesus gave us his paycheque.

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

Because of Jesus, we no longer have to be enemies of God, no longer outcasts. The hostility, the rift is overcome! We caused destruction - he is peace.

15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

one new man in place of the two. Literally, the scriptures says “new humanity.” Jesus is creating a new humanity. The early Jesus-followers struggled with this divide of two people groups “Jews and Gentiles.” Jesus reconciles everybody to God and reconciles us to each other. He creates a new humanity, a new unity - centered on him.

This is different then a club or a team where we have a common interest. This isn’t about common interests but a common identity.

We are British, we are Chinese, we are Filipino. We are jocks, we are hipsters. We are single, we are married. We are different, different subcultures, different social groups, different worldviews, different humanities.

God is saying that Jesus is bridging all those differences and making a new humanity. It isn’t that our differences are wiped out. But what we have in common is more central than our differences. We now have more in common with another Jesus-follower than we do with members of our race, family, or clubs who don’t know Jesus. This is radical! This is about identity.

Interests are about WHAT we do. Identity is about WHO we are.

It isn’t a common affinity

SERIES - WHITEBOARD - Identity

In this series we are looking at different facets of our Identity.

Today, I want to focus on the “Family” facet of our identity. If you follow Jesus, this is who you are - you are his child, a part of his family. We have a corporate identity.

3 Observations

Jesus-centered Family not a self-centered Family.

Jesus’ Family is Open not Closed.

Jesus’ Family is what you want to be a part of.

Jesus-centered Family not a self-centered Family.

Jesus is at the center of all things. He is the giver of identity and the source of value. We don’t make ourselves, he makes us.

Vs. 13 - brought near to God by Jesus. Vs. 14 - Jesus made us one. Vs. 15 Jesus creates a new humanity. He gives identity. Our identity is centered on him and our value flows from him.

Good news! Last week we talked about how in late modernity we live with a self-centered philosophy of life believing we can define our own identity and give ourselves value - but it isn’t true.

In Traditional societies one’s identity was related to one’s place within that society and community and therefore one had value based on the community and one’s role within in. It was understand that your personal feelings would be suppressed in order to faithfully benefit the whole.

Christianity

Christianity placed an emphasis on the inherent value of the individual. Every person is loved by God and their value is based on God as they are made in his image - regardless of place within society. This is positive.

Late Modern Thinking has taken the fruit of the individual’s value, cut it off from the root of God, pumped steriods into it and has evaluated the individual to a sovereign place. Your aim is to authenticate yourself and be yourself.

You decide what is true for you. You decide who you. You find the power within, choose who to be, follow your deepest dreams to reality.

Problems with this:

i. Incoherence. You can’t just choose who to be by following your desires because our desires are incoherent. Our desires are in conflict and we don’t choose in isolation, we interpret through a cultural grid influenced by our cultural heroes. We desire ice cream & to be fit - these desires are at war..unfortunately! What does it mean to be true to myself then?

ii. Pressure. When we need to create an identity and sense of value from scratch it enslaves us to earn value & places pressure on us. Pyschologists say we are the most anxious culture in history.

iii. Value. We can’t place value on ourselves. We can’t cover our shame ourselves. You can tell yourself you are beautiful with self-talk for a week and it one comment from someone else saying “you are looking good” gives us more. We can’t just decide our value on our own. We know our mistakes, we know how we can been selfish and jerks and manipulative and we can tell ourselves we are okay for a lifetime - but we never convince ourselves truly. We can’t cover our shame. When someone else gets to know our weaknesses, sees our issues and chooses to love us - then we are covered and reminded of our value.

Conclusion: The philosophy of life that says you are the sovereign, that you are in the center, that you are the authority to choose truth and your value and destiny. It doesn’t work and it places pressure on us.

Jesus has good news. He makes us new. He gives us identity. He covers our shame. He accepts us as we are. He gives us value. It isn’t based on what we do, it is based on who He is!

He invites us to become more truly human, to be a part of his new humanity, his spiritual family, the church. Where it is centered on him not self, where striving ceases and peace reigns.

Jesus-centered Family not a self-centered Family.

2. Jesus’ Family is Open not Closed.

Jesus’ Family is Open not Closed.

17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Through Jesus, we are adopted into one family, receiving the same Holy Spirit. We have equal access to God the Father.

We are a family, members of God’s household.

A few things to note:

i. Hospitality - Jesus invites those who are far, who are undeserving to come in and join the Family. He invites us to move from strangers to saints and siblings.

ii. Household - not just about blood but also about business. Jesus creates a new household starting with the fishermen and re defines their household business. His household, his spiritual is about fishing for people. Jesus’ family has a purpose. To go invite others in.

Jesus’ family, is a Jesus-centered family that is sent - outward focused.

Individualism leads us to back away from the broader culture and community and focus on family and friends. We create a mini society that suits our interests and leave the broader population to deal with itself. Rich dad, poor dad book. always ask "what's in it for me?" One popular pastor joked about his family having an SUV and when accused of not caring for the environment he said "I am caring for MY environment." IMPACT: We form community based on personality not purpose, based on affinity not unity. Our relationships goes as deep as our affinity allows.

CS LEWIS on Friendship

"We picture lovers face to face but Friends side by side; their eyes look ahead. This is why those pathetic people who simply "want friends" can never make any. They very condition of having Friends is that we should want something else besides Friends...[otherwise] there would be nothing for the Friendship to be about; and Friendship must be about something." (Lewis, Four Loves, 63)

3.Jesus’ Family is what you want to be a part of.

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

Paul, the author of this letter, switches metaphors to speak of stones being built together.

Jesus is the most important stone, the corner or capstone. But we are being built together.