The Walls are Gone
Ephesians 2:13-22
Ill. From our earliest moments, we tend to focus on differences. There is a story about two apples in a tree. One of them said, “Look at those humans. They find reasons to hate and fight each other over everything.They are stealing, killing, going to war, committing crimes, hurting one another….Why, some day they will kill themselves off and we apples will be all that is left.When that happens, we will rule the world.”
The other apple asked, “Which of us? You red ones or us green ones?”
This week’s sermon was supposed to be part of last week’s sermon, but I am sure you didn’t want me to preach an hour last week. We will drop back one verse to tie these passages together.
Ephesians 2:13-22. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 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 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. 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, 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.
One of the most amazing things happened after Jesus rose again and the Church was mobilized by the Holy Spirit. Historically, Israel had been a separate people from the other nations. Many tribes of the world were hostile while some tribes were friendly.
When the nation of Israel moved to Egypt under Joseph, they were warmly welcomed. However, during the next 430 years of that stay, the Egyptians grew to resent the Jews. When 2 million people left Egypt to trek through the wilderness to their promise land, they were not welcomed by the nations there. Primarily, from that point on, the Jews have dwelled with a hostile world.
In Jesus’ day, the saying was, “The Jews hate the world and the world hates the Jews.” It seemed to be that way from the beginning and still today.
The German version of the Holocaust was terrible and cruel in sheer numbers. 6 Million Jews were murdered by the Nazi leaders. But the hatred for the Jews was no greater in that than in most of their history.
Yet after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, this Christian movement started with a handful of Jews and reach out to all people. In the earliest Church, it was almost a spectacle; for the first time, Jewish and Gentiles worshiping together, worshiping this leader named Jesus. The change was unexplainable to the secular world. Many came and found Christ because they had not seen anything like that in their lives.
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, pushed that theme as central to Christianity. He teaches us that Jesus tore down walls…..
I. In the Nations.
Eph 2:14-16 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 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.
(Picture the Jewish Temple layout). Please look at the picture you have been given of the layout of the Jewish Temple. That area on the upper left is the Gentile court. That was as far as any Gentile could go into the Temple area. Everywhere else was forbidden and separated by a stone wall.
Some Gentiles were proselytes into the Jewish faith. But they could not go past the Gentile Court. So in the worship services, they were separated from the Jews.
The thing that amazed the world was that in the Church, there was no wall of separation. It was as if Christ had broken down the thickest barrier that separated people.
Ill. In our SBTC State Convention, the focus was on making our Churches look more like heaven. We have just ended a term with a black president and many Hispanic officers.
If Christ made all people one, breaking down the walls of separation in the early Church, our congregation would do well to resemble what heaven will look like. In Heaven here will be blacks, whites, Hispanics, Asians, people of every color and every nation, unified under something stronger than our differences.
Story: In a historic move to liberate themselves from 3,000 years of oppression, thousands of Dalits, or “Untouchables”, conveged on Dehli to renounce Hinduism. Although Dehli authorities attempted to block the rally in November (2001) by withdrawing permission to use the planned venue and detaining Dalits travelling to the city, still they came. Dalit leader Ram Raj declared nothing would stop this event. They had waited too long.
At the last minute, organisers relocated the rally to a compound named after the famous Dalit champion Dr. Babashaheb Ambedkar. Ambedkar rejected Christianity, because he observed: “Indian Christians, like all other Indians, are divided by race, by language, and by caste. Their religion has not been a sufficiently strong unifying force to make difference of language, race and caste mere distinctions.”
Although a much smaller venue, it was highly significant. Last century, Ambedkar had led thousands of Dalits to a caste-less Buddhism, after experiencing rejection from the Christian church. The 100,000 at the rally also planned to embrace Buddhism. As the crowds chanted “All humanity is one! All are equal” Ram led them into a dramatic ceremony as they converted to Buddhism.
They had rejected Christianity because sadly the caste system has infected the church in India since its inception. India’s first Protestant church contained a wall separating different castes. It said to Untouchables who came to Christ that they were still Untouchable.
II. In the Throne Room.
Eph 2:17-18 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.
Jesus came and preached peace. Jesus prayed, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me,” John 17:20-21.
When He prayed that, it was in earshot of the disciples. However, it meant something far more meaningful than they first imagined. The basis of our unity is unity with the Father through the Spirit. We can be unified with each other only because we are unified with God.
The entire concept of being unified with God would be considered lunacy to the world and heresy to the Jews. But the biggest wall Jesus broke down was the one between us and God. That is pictured during the crucifixion.
Ill. In the Temple was the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. The priest would go into the Holy Place to prepare for entering the Holy of Holies. Only one designated priest could enter and represent all of Israel for the sacrifice for sins.
Mat 27:50-51 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.
Christ not only removed the walls so Gentiles could go into the Holy Place, but the curtain was torn to open up for everyone the Holy of Holies.
Ill. When John F. Kennedy was president of the United States, the world found themselves on the brink of another world war. The Soviet Union had plans to ship nuclear weapons to Cuba, well within reach of our nation.
In a historic meeting, Kennedy invited Andrei Gromyko the White House. At that moment, that was the most important meeting in the world. Security was stepped up. The secret service officers stood guard to two of the most powerful men in the world. These men talked about the possibility of peace.
However, there was one person who came in and out of the Oval Office at will. It was as if the armed security was ignoring this person who when pretty much where she wanted when she wanted.
As the two most powerful men in the world were signing an agreement that kept a world from war, Caroline Kennedy, the President’s daughter came into a room with her doll and began playing on the rug just below their feet.
The greatest power in the universe is conducting the most important business in the universe in the throne room of Heaven. Yet HE has invited you to “boldly approach the throne of grace” as His child. Jesus purchased your redemption so you are welcomed before the Righteous, Holy, Powerful God who created the stars that shine in the sky.
III. In our Hearts
Eph 2:19-22 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 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.
The work of God is ongoing. We were once strangers and illegal aliens to heaven, but now fellow citizens with the saints and the household of God, jews and gentiles alike. This building of God’s Kingdom, built on the foundational work of the apostles and prophets, with Christ being the cornerstone, is the Church. The whole structure, knit or constructed together by the master builder, is nothing less than the Holy Temple of God.
But look at the change in verse 22. “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
You individually are being built up, or matured to be part of that building creation. God is tearing down walls in your heart and your life, making peace.
The world today is looking for peace, and that is what Jesus offered. Php 4:6-7 “…not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
In 1555, Nicholas Ridley was burned at the stake because of his witness for Christ. On the night before Ridley's execution, his brother offered to remain with him in the prison chamber to be of assistance and comfort. Nicholas declined the offer and replied that he meant to go to bed and sleep as quietly as ever he did in his life. Because he knew the peace of God, he could rest in the strength of the everlasting arms of his Lord to meet his need. So can we!
