Remember

I want to again start off today by thanking Jim for leading worship and preaching while I was away. He did a great job of getting us started in this study of Ephesians. And now as we continue into chapter two we start off in the middle of the chapter and we begin our study of it by being told to remember.

This remembering is supposed to take us back to the beginning of Ephesians 2:1-2 which tells the readers that they were once dead through their trespasses and sins. And now these verses not only help us understand what they are supposed to remember but it also immediately reminds me of the Lord’s Prayer.

In the Lord’s Prayer, depending on what version you are used to saying we hear that we ask God to forgive us our trespasses or sins as we forgive those who trespass or sin against us. It is those things that we did and failed to do that kept us and these Gentiles far off from God. We even see in Ephesians 2:12 that the word remember is once again used to help the original readers of this letter and ourselves understand that there were and are people in this world that are without Christ and do not know the promises and blessings of being in relationship with God.

I really think this push or emphasis to remember is a really important concept to hold onto. Now some of us might be lifelong Christians and it might be harder to remember what it was like not to be a part of the body of Christ, but I do believe even those who were born into the faith have experienced times when they walked away intentionally or unintentionally and there may have been this sense of being far off as the letter puts it.

I can’t tell you how many times I have had conversations with people who have told me they grew up going to church with their parents but then didn’t go for years…some even said it was more than 30 years that they had been to church. Even though they didn’t use these terms, I bet they would all agree that they felt far off from God.

I think it is important for us to remember those times in our lives as well. Remember what it was like to be both far off and what it was like that time when you then became near to God. That is what Ephesians 2:13 talks about. About being brought near to God by his blood, which is his dying on the cross for our sins and our trespasses. It is important to remember both for our sake, in remembering how much God has done for us and to not grow complacent in that gift, but also I believe so that we can remember what it was like so that when someone new walks through those doors you can greet and welcome them in that newness that they are experiencing. And to remember as our text goes on to say today that we are all one through the Spirit. Which is what the next part of the letter talks about.

Beginning in Ephesians 2:14-18 we have what commentators have called a hymn of praise of the early church that was placed in this letter. The beginning of this praise is telling us or helping us to remember that Christ is our peace. There are two types of peace that are being offered here.

The first kind of peace is peace between people. This is specifically mentioned between the two groups which are the uncircumcised and the circumcised, which are also known as the Jews and the Gentiles. There were huge tensions between thee groups because of the backgrounds they came from. This is a call and a praise to Christ that the walls have come down, the laws that separated people are now abolished, and that Christ is the bridge between the two.

Then we are all offered peace from God and from the Spirit. So not only are we united in peace to one another regardless of who we once were, we are also united in peace to God. We have peace with God which is our salvation. A peace that cannot be given by this world. A peace that goes beyond the kind of peace we think of between peoples, tribes, and nations. We all have peace and a relationship with God through the Spirit and thanks to the Son.

We then get to the final section of our passage today which then brings all of this remembering and peace building together to show what is possible. We see that happening because in Ephesians 2:19 we see the words “so then” being used. Basically saying that now that we have established all of these parameters, this is what is possible.

So what is possible? If we remember who we once were and where we are now, and that is also possible for others who we meet and invite to come to worship, then there are great possibilities for the future. The possibility is that there will no longer be strangers. That we are all one in Christ Jesus. United in the same goal of kingdom building. That the mission of kingdom building is built on all the apostles and prophets that have gone before us. And that the cornerstone of the entire kingdom that we continue to build today is Christ Jesus himself. The very one who united us and brought us peace. Who helped us remember who we once were and who we are now. A reminder that it is all of us, every single one of us joined together that builds and grows into the temple of the Lord.

Do you see what this letter tells us about worship and the body of Christ? Nowhere is a physical building ever mentioned. No, the entire kingdom building, the entire temple that is created is you and me and every one of us working together with all those who have gone before us while keeping the cornerstone and the foundation our savior Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:22 even specifically says that it is built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

Today we are invited to remember. Remember where we came from and where we are now. We are invited to remember to do away with anything that might separate us from one another because we are all united as one in Christ Jesus, and to remember that kingdom building involves those who came before, those of us who are building now and that Christ is the cornerstone of it all. Christ is in our remembering, in our unity, and in our mission to build this temple for the Lord. May we always remember how much has been done for us thanks to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit who is our peace. Amen.