Ephesians 2:11-18
Last year, we travelled back to Australia via the USA. We had a couple of days in southern California, so we decided that we would hop down to the Mexican border and pop over into Mexico for a few hours to see what it was like. I found a town on the map called Tecate a city of about 60,000 people which was right on the border literally, right on the border. So we decided to go there. We parked our hire car on the USA side as the insurance was void in Mexico and walked across the border.
You know, in Australia, when we travel abroad, we have to hop on a plane and travel for hours. That time while we fly sort of prepares us for the different culture and living conditions we encounter when we touch down. But this crossing from the USA to Mexico we did on foot. One minute we were in the United States of America the wealthiest and most powerful nation on earth, probably in history, which despite the recession was bristling with affluence. A few steps later and we were in Mexico, a third world country, rife with poverty, violence and corruption. Talk about culture shock. We wandered around for a few hours, even accidently attending a funeral guarded by armed civilian militia. When I say armed, Im talking about machine guns.
But one of the most striking things we saw was this: this fence. This wall. Do you know what it is? This wall this barrier is the US Mexico border. Why is it there? Is it there to stop Americans from going to Mexico? No. It is there to stop Mexicans from going to America. The Americans are busy building and lengthening their physical barrier with Mexico to stop Mexicans from entering the United States.
There are other barriers in the world. Fences. Walls. Last year we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. During the Cold War it stood in the middle of a big, busy city, separating one half from the other. It was the same city but it was not possible to visit the other side. Its purpose was to stop people in the East going to the West. There are other walls. At the moment, the Israelis are busy building a wall to stop Palestinians from entering Israel. In Australia, we dont have any fences to stop people but we have the Indian Ocean, patrolled by the CoastWatch and whenever anyone tries to cross it to enter Australia we do our best to stop them.
People are trying to get from one place to another. People are trying to get from Mexico to the US. In the Cold War, they tried to get from Eastern Europe to the West. Today, people are trying to get from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and other countries to Australia. Even when I lived in Central Asia, locals often asked me how to get a visa for the US!
Why? Why do people want to move from one nation to another? Think about the hardest cases. Think about Afghans refugees wanting to come here. Why do they risk their lives, with people smuggling sharks, leaky boats, spend all their savings, and then potentially spend years at refugee camps on Nauru, Christmas Island, or at Woomera. Why would they do that?
Its because they want what weve got. Think about it. An Afghan is probably illiterate, has no education, and theres no possibly of educating his kids. In Australia, there is free education for our children and even university is heavily subsidised. In Afghanistan he lives in grinding poverty, there is a lack of jobs. In Australia, there are lots of well paying jobs and even if he cant find a job, there is always social security. In Afghanistan, there is poor or no health care. In Australia, there is Medicare and free public hospitals with health care second to none in the world. In Afghanistan there is war and conflict and the Taliban. In Australia there is peace and security.
Going back the US Mexican situation. In the US, Mexico is right next door. Just metres separate the rich, ordered, peaceful United States from the poverty, chaos, conflict of Mexico. A barrier has to be put in place to stop the Mexicans from crossing the border. In Australia we have an ocean to stop the Afghans which we protect with planes, ships and detention centres..
And even if a Mexican does manage to cross into the US, or an Afghan into Australia, they are still illegal immigrants. They dont enjoy the same rights as citizens. They dont have access to health care, to education, to employment rights or welfare. They live in constant threat of deportation.
They were born on the wrong side of the fence and with the wrong citizenship.
Todays Bible passage is also about a wall, a barrier. Its about people born on the wrong side of the fence. People born without citizenship. And unless you are a Jew - that is you! This passage today is about how that barrier was ripped down. Not just ripped down so you could cross, but so that you could be a citizen! So that you can enjoy the rights of the people on the other side. So that you can be reconciled to God, and to those people on the other side! So what is this barrier that is being talked about? In Ephesians 2:14, it says that it is a barrier, a dividing wall of hostility. Verses 11-12 talk more about this barrier.
EPH 2:11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)-- 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
We need to understand the context of the New Testament times. We briefly touched on it a few weeks ago. In Ephesians 1.13 it says that we were included. That is, Gentiles were included in the promises of God. But why did we need to be included? Why were we not already included? In Eph 2.11 it talks about Gentiles. What is a Gentile? A Gentile is a non Jew. So then, what is a Jew?
The word Jew come from the word Judah. Judah was one of the 12 tribes of Israel. Most of the other 12 tribes were lost to history after the Northern Kingdom of Israel was captured by Assyrians 722 BC. The largest group remaining, in the south, were from the tribe of Judah. Hence today we use the word Jews. Since the Jews, or ones from Judah are most of the remaining Israelites, we use the terms interchangably. So when we read Hebrews, Israelites or Jews, we are talking about the same people. Where did they come from? Their father is Abraham, and their history dates back to Abrahams call in Genesis 12.
GE 12:1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.
GE 12:2 "I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
GE 12:3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."
The Old Testament contains many other promises and covenants to Abrahams descendents. But this the first one of distinction. It marks the choosing and calling of the Israelites as Gods chosen people. Later the covenant of circumcision given, which was a physical mark that distinguished between those who were in and those were out. And that mark of cirumcision is referred to here in Ephesians 2.11.
By the time of New Testament, uncirmcision had become a derogatory term. Gentiles and Jews called each other names. They looked down on each other. They hated each other. Racism between the two groups was alive and well. And uncircumsised was a derogatory term used by Jews for Gentiles.
But where they justifified to do this? To call them names? To exclude them? In one sense yes they were. Verse 12 says:
Eph 2.12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
We Gentiles were the Afghan refugees in relation to God. We were the Mexicans without citizenship of a rich and wealthy country. We were excluded from citizenship in Israel. What did that mean? To be excluded from citizenship from Israel? The Gentiels had their own citizenship. But what was it worth?
You see, only Israel were Gods chosen people All the covenants were through them. The promises of God came through them. In Genesis 12.2, the chosen nation comes from Abraham and only from him. Later covenants even narrower that down further to the descendants of Isaac, and then to those of Jacob.
Only the descendents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are part of this nation by birth. Citizenship is usually by birth. Why cant an Afghan enter Australia, get a job, subsidised education, and Centrelink allowances? The answer is that he has the wrong citizenship. He was born in the wrong place to the wrong parents. And so it is too with us Gentiles. We were born of the wrong line. We were not born of the line of Abraham.
Now at this point you may have an objection. Was that fair? Was it fair to have such discrimination? In our society, we are taught that discrimination, even though we do actually discriminate, for instance with Afghans refugees!
But we need to access that whatever God does is fair and right. That He knows best.
Part of trusting Him is trusting His decisions. So firstly, we need to accept Gods choice, which at that time was Israel, although even that not the whole story.
You see, going back to our question from before, were the Jews right to exclude Gentiles? To disparage them? To look down on them? To exclude them? As weve seen in one sense yes they were. But in another sense no they werent. Lets go back and look at the covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12.
Gen 12:3b and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."
Notice, it says , all peoples, that is, not just Jews. That means it includes non Jews, that is, Gentiles, as well. This was ultimately fulfilled in Christ, one of Abrahams descendents, which we will come to soon. But this blessing was supposed to be through Israel. Although generally one became a Jew by birth, the Old Testament had provision for non Jews by birth to become Jews by circumcision.
EX 12:48 "An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the LORD's Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male may eat of it. 49 The same law applies to the native-born and to the alien living among you."
God cared for the alien and told the Israelites to care for them too:
LEV 19:33 " `When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. 34 The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
Deut 10:18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. 19 And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. 20 Fear the LORD your God and serve him.
And King Solomon understood this. Notice part of his prayer for dedicating the temple:
1KI 8:41 "As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name-- 42 for men will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm--when he comes and prays toward this temple, 43 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.
The purpose of Gods blessing Israel was not just for the Jews, but was so that they may be a witness to all peoples. The Jews had a great privilege. They had citizenship as Gods people. They had access to God and His promises. When one people has something and another people dont, they can have one of two attitudes. They can look down on the other people and exclude them. Or they can share what they have.
And the Jews were supposed to share it. And some did. But mostly they looked down on the Gentiles and sneered and excluded them. Yes, Gentiles had to be circumcised and to become Jews, but it was possible.
So there was a dividing wall between the two. It was not just a figurative wall. It was also literal. The divide was so strong, that at the Temple in Jesus day, there was the main part where Gentiles were not allowed. There was a stone wall around it and near the entrance an inscription which read:
No foreigner may enter within the barrier and enclosure round the temple. Anyone who is caught doing so will have himself to blame for his ensuing death.
So as Gentiles we were excluded. We were on the wrong side of the fence.
We were Eph 2.12b excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
When you look at a refugee, they are foreigners, they dont belong anywhere. They are without hope, and many of them are without God, the true God. And we were like that. We were excluded from citizenship, foreigners, without hope, without God. Far from God.
But that is not the end of the story! That is how we were.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
We have been brought near. That wall, the dividing wall between Gentiles and Jews
EPH 2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
Its all very well for the wall to be destroyed. If the wall on the Mexican US border is destroyed, what of the Mexicans who get across the US border in to the US? What of Afghan refugees whose boat reaches the Western Australian coast? Theyve got in - but they are still not citizens.
But
EPH 2:19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,
Now that is something to rejoice about! Most of us here today, perhaps all of you, are Gentiles by birth. By birth, it means we were born on the wrong side of the tracks, without the right citizenship. But through the blood of Christ, the wall is destroyed
and we have citizenship! What does that citizenship look like?
Eph 15b His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
In verse 18 it says, we both. That is, both Jews and Gentiles have access to to the Father through Jesus. But was is interesting is that we do not have access as two different groups, but God makes us one. Jews and Gentiles become one. In verse 15 it says that He made one new man out of two. In verse 16 it says we are one body, made up of both Jews and Gentiles, and together we are reconciled to God.
You see, God doesnt reconcile us with Himself only. He reconciles us with each other, with other believers. Jewish Gentile divide was very strong. Historically it has been very strong, even recently. Just think of WWII, Hitler, the holocaust, Auschwitz. But even though thats fairly recent history, lets face it, here in Gympie, in Australia, in the 21st century, is there such a big deal between Jews and Gentiles? We dont come across many Jews these days but when we do ot many Jews we dont generally feel antagonism between us. Maybe in the Middle East theres still plenty of antagonism between Jews and others, but not here. So if thats the case, what does this passage have to say to us?
Firstly, just what it says. The promises of God come through the Jews. We Gentiles were aliens, foreigners. We were without citizenship, and now we have been granted citizenship! We now have access to the Father, as a united body. In verse 19 we are called Gods household. Thats another phrase for the church, which verse 20-22 talk more about and which I will speak about more next time.
But the second thing we can learn from this passage is that although the Jewish Gentile thing is real, it also tells us about other divisions in society. While the Jewish Gentile division is not big in our society, we do have other divisions.
Think about it. As Aussies we pride ourselves on not been racist. On being egalitarian not class-ist. But we are.
What is our attitude to Afghans, Arabs, Aboriginals? What is our attitude to those from a different social class? If you are poor, do you despise the rich? If rich do you despise the poor? If educated, do you look down on the uneducated? If uneducated, do you regard the educated as snobs? In point of fact, our society is divided.
In the United States, Sunday morning is regarded as the most segregated hour of the week. There are white and there are black churches. This ought not to be so! Sunday morning ought to be the least segregated hour each week. For we are all one in Christ. The church is made up of black, white, rich, poor, educated, uneducated, young, old. We are reconciled to God together. This is why the church is so important. The church is the assembly of Gods people, from all different walks of life. As it says in Colossians 3:11:.
Col 3:11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
These groups were the major divisions in New Testament times. Greeks and Jews.
Circumcised and uncircumcised. Barbarian and Scythian they were different races which were normally suffered racism. Slave or free referred to social class. But in Christ, we are one.
Where else in sociey but the church does such a diverse group gets together each week? We are women, men. We come from different nationalities and races. We are young and old. We have teenagers, young families, single parent families, retirees. We have doctors, solicitors, accountants. We have labourers, mine workers, farmers. We have shop owners, real estate agents, students, We have retirees, pensioners, full time mums. We have public servants, chaplains, pastors.
I think here at Gympie Baptist Church we do this well, loving each other despite our differences. But need to make sure we keep doing it. Put this range of different people in any other meeting and there would be World War Three. Thered be
more political parties than Labour, Liberal, National and Green!
We are from different backgrounds but we are united. Together we are reconciled in Christ. Together we have access to the Father.
Thirdly, what is our attitude to those outside the church? The Jews were hostile to the Gentiles. Remember was this justified? In once sense Yes. The Jews were people of the promise, with access to God at that time. And so too, now, access to God is only through Christ. And this is together as Gods people, which is the church.
But remember the answer of, No. The Jews forgot their purpose, their task, to be a light to the world. That all nations are to be blessed through Abraham. And that it was actually possible for someone to become a Jew.
What is our attitude to outsiders? In one sense, yes, we are exclusive. Salvation is only through Christ. People from all backgrounds, can only be united in Christ, within the church, for all its faults. And it does effect our relationships with others
- 2CO 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.
For example, in marriage - there is even an exclusivity in our relationships.
But just because people are outside, foreigners and aliens, they dont have to stay that way. Whats our attitude to, for example, alternate lifestyle people who are into the new age etc that we have here in Gympie? We might not agree with everything they do. But do we despise them? Or do we pray for them, serve them, witness to them?
To win them for Christ?
Muslims - do we fear them, revile them? Sure we dont want Sharia law here in Australia. We dont agree with their religion. But that doesnt mean we revile them. But we pray for them, serve them, witness to them.
Why? So some of them may come in to the Kingdom of God. They may receive citizenship and the wall of hostility can be broken down and together we may have access to the Father.
Lets recap. We were foreigners to the covenant of promise. We were excluded from citizenship in Israel. There was a dividing wall of hostility. But thanks be to God, that dividing wall has been broken down for those in Christ! The dividing wall between Jews, Gentiles. Between whites, blacks. Between Europeans, Aboriginals, Arabs and Chinese. Between rich and poor. Between young and old. And so on.
But there are still those outside. Without citizenship. Alienated. Both in Gympie and beyond, who need to hear the Gospel.
And maybe, today, maybe you are one of those, without citizenship. You know you are not right with God. The Christian faith is exclusive - the only access to the Father is through Christ, no other way. But it is also inclusive because anyone, from any background, any past, can gain access through Christ. Why dont you call on Him, - and get your passport, your citizenship to heaven, with its rights and responsibilities?
And the rest of us let us work to win the lost, telling them about the access they can have to the Father, through Christ, which is available for anyone, who would only believe and trust in Him.
