Sermon Tone Analysis

When I lived in Chicago I did my internship for a ministry called by the hand in Cabrini Green

17-19

Cabrini Green used to be on of the worst neighborhoods in in the whole country.

It was notorious for gangs and violence, drugs and poverty.

Cabrini is right in the center of Chicago, yet it operated as its own little city.

There were different rules, different cultures, different way of living.

I remember talking with one lady who grew up there

Why has Jesus come?

she told me how they had their own

Jesus came to forgive us of our sins so we can go to heaven when we die.

True, but not the ultimate purpose

stores, markets, laundry, and never had to leave…

In fact, there were kids there that i worked with that had never even been to the lake (11 min walk)

Jesus came to redeem us from the slavery of sin.

True, but not the ultimate end in of itself

The reason these kids were unable to go to the lake was because there were very real walls of hostility, and if they crossed one of those walls they would be taking their life into their hands.

Jesus came to be our substitution, he died in our place so we can live.

True...

When I lived in Mass i worked for a ministry called Straight Ahead Ministries

we would work with gang involved men seeking to help them break down the walls of hostility so they might live safe and productive lives.

Jesus came to reconcile us to God, to mend a relationship that has been broken by sin.

We wanted to unite those who were once opposed to each other by showing them the peace of God.

I have tried to convince you from Ephesians that the ultimate purpose of Jesus coming was to unite all things in heaven and earth in Christ.

This is the telos, this the plan, this is the goal.

That in Christ God is reconciling all things, uniting all things to himself.

And the way in which he is doing this by destroying the walls of hostility and has done this by making peace by the blood of his cross.

He has come offering peace, for he himself is our peace.

And as we saw last week this peace is not just a theoretical peace, or an internal peace, but this peace is a peace that is expressed and experienced in real life situations.

For the Ephesians were experiencing Jews and gentiles living at peace with one another after years and years of bitter hatred.

And this unity of Jews and gentiles was something that would have been impossible apart from Christ.

So this is what Jesus has done, he has come to unite all things to himself.

And as the source of our peace, all that is united to him find peace with one another.

Example mixing something and it becomes one

Paul says in

So Christ has come, preaching peace to those who are near, which speaks of the Jews.

But also to those who were far off speaking of gentiles.

And now through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Both Jew and Gentile are brought near in Christ, we all have the same access to God in Christ, therefore there is no longer a distinction between Jew and gentile.

So Christ, upon the cross has reached to the ends of the earth a has taken hold of groups that hated each other and has brought them and us to himself

Upon the cross Jesus provided true peace, and after the resurrection he could preach that peace.

he justified us

he redeemed us

he reconciled us

he gave us peace

he has redeemed them,

So now, that he has broken down the walls of hostility, he has given us his Spirit, and he has given us his peace… Now, what is he doing with us?

The the people of God had been waiting for this Christ, Messiah, proclaimer of peace, to come.

Jesus has come not only to forgive our sins.

If we are no longer enemies

Isaiah wrote about the coming Messiah multiple times..

Remember the fourth gift on God’s eternal Christmas list in Isaiah 9:6? — “Prince of Peace.”

Through him Isaiah prophesied there would be preached “‘Peace, peace, to those far and near’” (57:19) — that is, to Gentiles and Jews.

When Christ came to earth the angels sang, “‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests’” (Luke 2:14).

On the eve of his death he said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (John 14:27).

After his resurrection Jesus came to his disciples through locked doors and said, “Peace be with you!” (John 20:19, 20).

Paul says in our text of reconciliation, “For he himself is our peace” (v.14), and, “He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near” (v.

17).

He is our peace.

Isah 9 6

This anointed one, the prince of peace, would likewise

Upon the cross Jesus defeated

This is a peace the world had never seen.

never before has there been peace like Jesus.

Post resurrection?

Post resurrection?

If we are no longer far away from him

john 14 1

If we are no longer alienated from him

If we are now one body

we have been saved by grace through faith

And we are at peace with God and one another

And we are at peace with God and one another

What is he now doing with us?

What are God’s purposes for the men, women, boys and girls, from all over the world that are being united to Christ?

It is really popular to think about God saving us as a rescue mission.

As if we were prisoners in a city like Cabrini Green and Jesus has come to take us out of that city.

We

We live in a sinful, broken, evil, corrupt world and Jesus has come to rescue us from that world and from the fires that await that world.

But this notion is only half true,

Indeed God did rescue us from the slavery of this world, but rescue is not the ultimate end of God’s mission.

God’s mission is not ultimately one of rescue but one of building, construction and creation.

You see, we are rescued and brought into Christ where he takes us apart, piece by piece and then puts us back together again.

And as rebuilt people he sends us to join him in rebuilding the world.

The goal would not be to rescue people out of Cabrini Green, but to reform and recalibrate the people and send them back into the city to rebuild what sin had destoryed… and destroy what sin has built.

And what is it that we are building?

The bible speaks of this building project in many ways…

New creation

Kingdom

house

Temple

City

And this city is the city of God which stands in contrast to the city of man.

It is a city that is nestled, like Cabrini Green in Chicago, within all the nations of the world, and it is a city that shines with the light of the gospel which calls the nations of this world out of darkness and into his marvelous light.

it is a city that is built upon a foundation

It is a city that is unshakable

it is a city that cannot be destroyed

there are different cultures, different languages, different expressions of worship.

its a city with a cournerstone

Its the city where God dwells.

This city is diverse, it is made up of men and women, boys and girls from every tribe, tongue and nation.

there are different cultures, different languages, different expressions of worship.

Its a city with citizens, leadership, pastors, teachers, families, rituals, feasts, celebrations.