Fifth Sunday in Lent

“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. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ… So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. " (Ephesians 2:12, 13, 19-22 ESV)[1]

It was the summer of 1987. I was part of a youth evangelism group called Ongoing Ambassadors for Christ (OAFC). Each summer there would be several national travel teams (12 youth and 2 adults that would travel for 10 days from church to church sharing Jesus). This summer I was on such a team. One on the team rules was we were to stay together at all times.

On this trip through the South we decided we were going to tour a dam built by the Tennessee Valley Authority (Leader’s choice not the youth’s). We got to the dam and went into a small room that contained pictures and plaques telling about the building of the dam. As the group was looking around I noticed an observation deck off one side of the room. I ventured out onto the deck to see the view – mistake number one, I left the group. After a few minutes I noticed a trail leading down a slope from the deck and decided to see where it led – mistake number two, I left the sight of the group without telling anyone where I was going.

After a few more minutes being on the trail I decided I better get back. I came back to the deck and entered the building to find the room empty! Where was everyone? I ran up to the parking lot thinking they were leaving, but no one was there. I ran back to the dam and inside the room – still no one. I even checked the bathrooms but still no one. Then after 20 minutes or so an elevator door opened on the other side of the room and out came the group. While I was away from the group a worker at the dam invited the group on a tour. I missed the tour because I had left the group. In essence I was lost, even if it was for a short while. I panicked, I feared the worst, but in the end I was lost because I had strayed away from the group.

In our text for today Paul talks about another type of being lost – lost from God, far away because of sin. Paul was addressing Gentile Christians who were having a hard time with Jewish Christians. They weren’t sure how they fit in and the Jewish Christians weren’t helping the situation by require rituals from the Old Testament. Paul begins this section by reminding the Gentiles (and I believe all of us too) where we began – lost in our sin, far away from God. Our sin has separated us from God. Because of our sinful nature we are lost and are in need of being found.

Almost in the same breath Paul give an answer to our lost ness. In the next verse Paul tells us that in Christ we are found, brought near to God through his blood. In essence because of Christ life, death and resurrection we now are not lost in sin but brought near to God. Jesus found us. When I was lost I was in a panic. I didn’t know what to do. All kinds of bad things went through my head. When I was returned to my group, not that I didn’t have to face the consequences for my actions of leaving the group, I still was overjoyed to be back where I belonged. Paul is saying the same thing about our spiritual lives, isn’t it a joy to know that we are found in the Lord. We were lost but now are found!

Paul remind the Gentiles and us that because of sin we were lost but thanks be to God that we have been brought near to God, found in Christ Jesus. But Paul continues on from here and tells this Gentile and Jewish Christians how this lost and found transforms them. They are not only lost and found but they are to be together in the Body of Christ.

The final verses of this section tell us we are to work together in the body of Christ. What we are is the hands and feet of the Lord. God uses us to transform other’s lives for Jesus. We are Christ’s body to the world.

This is so evident in my life. I was brought up in a Christina home. My parents brought me to the waters of Baptism. I was told about the Lord from an early age, was read Scripture, and went to church on a regular basis. My family was the hands and feet of Jesus to me and I am a Christian today because the body of Christ worked to bring God’s love to me and brought me near to Him.

One person in particular has had a great impact on my life – my Grandmother. We lived only a block away from her growing up and I spent a lot of time with her. She was church secretary for many years and served in many ways at our church. She had the gift of hospitality – not only of making people feel welcome but also conveying the love of Jesus.

One thing my Grandma loved to do was visit Christian bookstores, which I have inherited from her. She could spend hours in the Christian bookstore and loved visiting new ones whenever she traveled. She was on a first name basis with the owner of the store in out town and helped me land a summer job there to. She also loved to buy things from the Christian bookstore, novelty items, cards, devotion books, etc. She would have a closet full of stuff she bought at home. But she didn’t buy these things for herself; she bought them to give them away. She would give simple gifts to many people on any occasion. These gift not only were a nice gesture on her part but always contained the Gospel message of Jesus. She was being the hands and feet of Christ to everyone she came in contact with. She is a part of the body of Christ.

That is what the body of Christ is all about. We were lost but now are found in Christ and are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus to bring good news to those who are still lost. Being the Body of Christ means we are to work together to share God’s love and receive His gifts of grace and mercy. A concept from Stephen Ministry that I think tells it well is we are to give care where it is needed and receive care when needed ourselves. That is how the body works. As you have been filled with the love of God you share it with those who need to hear it, and when you “fall down” you graciously receive the care of others in Jesus name. It is a give and take relationship. But it begins with you. You have to be the hands and feet of Jesus. You have to reach out to the lost with the love of God. You have to take the first step, because those outside our walls are lost, and may not even know it. They can be found though the body of Christ – you. You are the hands and feet of Jesus.

Here is your goal for this week. Find one person you know who needs to hear of God’s love in Jesus Christ and find a way to share it with them. You take the initiative and are the body of Christ. You were lost but now are found and together we are the body of Christ. Amen

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[1] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.