Ephesians 2:11-22.                  Division and unity!!                22/7/12

 (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. {13} But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. {14} For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, {15} by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. 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. {19} Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, {20} built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. {21} In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. {22} And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

 Also Jeremiah 23:1-6. and Mark 6:30-34.

 Our readings today deal with the issue of unity where division has been inflicted on humanity by sin and those who have been placed in charge of God’s people. Once again a very challenging topic: but also a very timely one for us here in the Lutheran Church today. However, here he especially gives us and reminds us of that which brings and gives true unity in the midst of this division. Right at the outset, we are reminded through these readings that it is Christ Jesus: the Lord our Righteousness as the Old Testament reading calls him; that is the chief cornerstone that holds us together, along with the apostles and prophets: in other words, the Word of God. It is there that we find and have the true unity that God would have for us as his people.

 Now we all know and feel deeply the hurts of disunity and division. We know that it is not good and right for these things to be there. But we also know full well that they are a fact of life in a sinful world. However, in the Church we believe that they should not be there. But they are. They abound in our day as much as they did in the days of Jeremiah. They are also just as destructive as they were back then. So it hurts and grieves us that there is this disunity that is thereabouts in our community and in our church in particular.

 But the greater danger that we face today, is the same one that God’s people faced back in the time of Jeremiah and also at the time of Jesus. The shepherds of God’s people were not leading the people through their troubled times. In fact they were doing just the opposite. They were proclaiming; peace, peace, when there was no peace. They were telling the people what they wanted to hear, not what they needed to hear. They twisted God’s Word to suit themselves. The people were left, like sheep without a shepherd. They sought to maintain unity at all costs.

 But what did God say of the leaders of Jeremiah’s day: they are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture. Despite their seemingly good intentions, they were producing results that were destructive for God’s people. Instead of peace and security; which was being proclaimed to them, the people were left feeling very much afraid and terrified, because they were not warned of the need to take God and his Word seriously. For this the Lord has a harsh message for those who are scattering his people. But at the same time he promises he will keep his remnant that remains faithful.

 However, it is when we now turn our attention to today, that we surely are concerned and challenged. Now, as we are being encouraged to accept women as pastors, homosexual marriage, watering down what our church believes and practices, and many other issues, there is increasing pressure on us to give way. At the same time all kinds of things are being done to maintain the unity of the church and to avoid conflict, and to build a unity with other churches [which in itself is a good thing, if it is a unity around that which is important.] However much of the unity that is being built, is an outward unity which ignores and downplays the truth of God’s Word. Doctrine, we are told is not important; it is love that counts. God’s Word is to be interpreted in light of today’s society. Truth is relative: in other words, if it is true for you it is true; but we can’t push that on to others. And much more.

 Now then, what is to be our attitude in the midst of, and toward, this thinking? It is here that we need to again reflect on our readings here today. For they along with many other sections of the Bible make the same point; as well as the history of the Church down through the ages.

 The first point is that it does matter when false teaching and leadership arises amongst God’s people. God again and again tells us and warns us that he will be extremely harsh on those who lead his people astray. Jeremiah here is not an isolated case, we read again and again through both the Old and New Testaments that this is the case. In the Gospels, Jesus also is very critical of those who depart from his truth, and seek to lead people to place their trust in anything else other than in the Lord and his truth. He also warns his people to guard themselves against false teaching.

 Secondly we need to remember that it is those who turn to a different teaching that are the one who are scattering and destroying. Those who neglect what has been handed down through history from the early church and seek to bring in new teaching that is not in accord with Scripture that are the ones that we need to be careful of. Those who neglect the teachings and doctrines of the Church and instead promote that which peoples itching ears want to hear, are the one we need to be wary of. Anything which shifts the focus off of Christ and the cross and places it on us and what we do, with regard to our salvation is to be discarded.

 Thirdly we need to understand very clearly that true unity in the church is always around Jesus Christ and the truth. We only have unity when we are ‘one in Christ.’ Yes he has preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. Through his death on the cross alone we have forgiveness of sins and are reconciled to God. However any who reject that love and forgiveness and seek to place other criteria as more important are not ‘one with Christ.’ They do not have his Spirit, but the false spirit. There are only two Spirits active in the world; God’s Spirit and Satan. There is no middle ground that we can take or leave.

 God’s true Church is based very clearly on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. The Scriptures in its entirety are to be upheld as the Divinely inspired and inerrant Word of God. Law and Gospel are vital for us and for our salvation. Nothing is to be added or taken away from the Scriptures. That means that Jesus Christ and his death on the cross will be seen and proclaimed as central, for it is through the blood of Christ that we who once were far away have been brought near. Everything is to finally point to him and to him alone.

 Having accepted that, we also then accept every other key teaching that he gives to us in his Word as right and important. That is why ‘original sin’, infant baptism, the real presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper, the Office of the Ministry and many other things are vital for the unity of the Church as well. They are all part of God’s life giving Word that centres us on and in Christ and him alone. That being the case we must hold these things up as central to our being, our unity and our existence.

 Then with this knowledge and understanding, we go forward seeking to maintain the unity of the Church as best we can. Remembering that it is Christ and his Word that makes us one, we keep calling for all to repent and receive his Good News. We uphold his truth at all costs. That means that we also reject that which is not in keeping with this truth. A church that cannot reject; cannot bless; is a statement that has always been valid throughout history. So through this period ahead of us we must clearly hold all these truths up before all, so that we are able to see what makes for unity, and what is a ‘sham’. We will work for unity wholeheartedly, but not at all costs. We will bear criticism, but maintain our stand. We will continually look to and place our trust in the Lord, and seek his wisdom, guidance and strength, so that we can do that which is in accord with his will.

 Yes, divisiveness and disunity is a tragedy. However, false teaching and error is even more so. We need to remember that our Lord has told us that these things will always be with us; and he also said in the latter days they will get worse. In the midst of it all though, he continually calls and encourages us to look to him and place our trust in him and his Word, and we will not be put to shame. Remain faithful to him because he has been faithful to us, and he will gather the remnant of his flock to himself, and he will give us the crown of life. So to him alone then be all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish