May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God, and the Fellowship

of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

Ephesians 2:11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “ Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. 17 And 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 our 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 are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. (NASB)

We are hearing a lot about root causes these days. It makes me feel like I am back in the 1980s at Carthage College where every professor I had constantly talked about root causes. Root causes of world poverty. United States. Root causes of discrimination. United States. Root causes of inequity. United States. Root causes of injustice. United States. Root causes of division between rich and poor, free and oppressed, black and white, corporations and individuals, landowners and renters, and so on…. United States.

Division – is a reality, but the United States, in fact no country is the root cause of division. Webster dictionary defines “division” as (1a) the act or process of dividing: the state of being divided. (2) one of the parts or groupings into which a whole is divided or is divisible.

And along worth division there is usually enmity between peoples. Now countries, governments, institutions, groups of people, and individuals can make the problem of division worse. There are some very powerful people, groups, corporations, and even political parties who’s stock and trade is division. They pit people against people as a means to an end. And what do they get out of division? What is the end? They get power, wealth, and a sense of self-righteousness – we’re between than they are. We know better than they do? Today people call that virtue signaling or wokeness.

So what is the root cause of division? It is sin. Sin divides. Sin created a division between human beings and the Lord God. Sin divided people from people and people from God. God created human beings to be in fellowship–united with Him. People were created to be holy, righteous, and at one with Him. That’s why He walked among Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

God created Adam and Eve to be one flesh and He created human beings to be together. Genesis 2:18, “Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.’” The man and woman were one and they were one with the Lord God their Creator.

The sin entered in and the curse and the Law followed immediately thereafter. Sin ends friendships, destroys marriages, estranges families, hurts

congregations, and even destroys nations and civilizations.

In the time of Noah, sin had separated every human being from God. But Noah and his household trusted in the Lord God. He believed the Promise God had given to his ancestors in the Garden of Eden. The rest of humanity rejected the Lord God and His Promise. People were not only separated from the Lord God, humanity was divided between the believers and the unbelievers. The faithful and unfaithful. The flood came and mankind was divided between those in the ark and those who perished outside the ark.

Then were was the Tower of Babel. The people were of one language and of one mind. Together they built a tower to make a name for themselves, to be like gods so the Lord God confused their language and scattered them across the face of the earth.

Sin divides, as a result God’s Word does too. As part of His plan to

redeem mankind, the Lord chose the nation of Israel to be His people and to send to the world the Savior. This act created the most important division in all of human history. There were chosen people and the not-chosen people—there were Israelites and there were the Gentiles. God gave His chosen people a sign. God commanded that every man in Israel be circumcised. Gentiles who believed needed to be circumcised too. Thus the division between “the circumcised” and “the uncircumcised,” between believers and heathens. Circumcision was the mark of a closed communion. Everyone else who was not a part of the covenant were on the outside looking in.

The Epistle lesson this morning is all about division and unity. It is full of the language of division—the division brought about by sin and the division created by God’s Word. The epistle speaks of the division between “the circumcised” and “the uncircumcised,” between “the commonwealth of Israel”

and “strangers to the covenants of promise.” It distinguishes between those “far off” from God and those “brought near” in Christ; between hostility and peace; between “strangers and aliens,” as opposed to “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”

Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called ‘Uncircumcision’ by the so-called ‘ Circumcision,’ which is performed in the flesh by human hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separate [born divided] from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”

Humanity is united in only one thing. Original sin. All human beings are born in sin and separated from God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. A hopeless humanity and without the One True God. But the Lord God chose a particular people to be the bearers of the Promised Messiah. Thus the first division in the Epistle lesson – Jew/Hebrew and Gentiles– all the others.

We were all Gentiles. 13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall.”

Critical theory was designed to further the division between economic and social classes in communist and socialist countries. It is builds on humanity’s sinful desire to covet and steal what belongs to others. We call it “class warfare.” Critical race theory is designed to divide people along race and foster enmity between the citizens of the United States. The world is always about division and enmity.

But Christ brings peace. Christ 15 “by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two [Jew and Gentile] into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.” Jesus Christ is the great equalizer. Through the cross He ends enmity and division between people. He re-unites that which had been torn apart in sin.

Before the call of the Gospel, the Jews were separated by blind devotion to the law as the way to earn righteousness. The Gentile was separated by ignorance, devotion to pagan philosophies, gods, and pleasure. Both groups, in other words were lost.

13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall.”

Paul says we were all “far off.” That’s a way of saying that the separation between the sinner and God was vast. Apart from faith in Christ, hostility is the natural state between God and Man. In our natural state we do not love God or our neighbors as ourselves.

Remember what Jesus said about His peace? It’s different. John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.”

Ephesians 2:14-15 “For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances.”

Our culture is increasing divided. That is no accident. It is a part of the tearing down and throwing away process. The new civic religions are creating more rules, more regulations, more articles of faith, and more fear. It demands adherence. Creates enmity and strife between people with different skin colors, different economic classes, and different genders. It punishes for non compliance.

But Christ to abolish the hostility, end the division, forgive our sins, and bring an end to our punishment. He broke down the barrier of the dividing wall. The dividing wall was the wall that divided the Jew from the Gentiles, the circumcised from the uncircumcised. But Christ tore down that wall erasing the distinction between Jew and Gentile.

Galatians 3:27, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.”

When it comes to racism, sexism, nationalism, and all the other ways people are identified, Christ Jesus is the great equalizer. Luke 24:46-47, “So it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

Luke 2:1-11, “So the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. are all one in Christ Jesus and equal heirs of eternal life.”

Once you were separated from Christ, born dead in sin and unable to save yourself. In your Baptism, Christ put His name on you—marked you as His own, and joined you to His death and resurrection. That is unity.

Once you were alienated from “the commonwealth of Israel.” In other words, once you were outside of the Church, but by Christ’s blood, you were brought into the commonwealth of the church. 2 Peter 2:9-10 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Once you were alienated, estranged from God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Now, in Christ, you are a beloved child of the father, a host to the Holy Spirit, and a brother or sister to Christ. You are now a member of the household of faith. 19 “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord.”

But not so among us. Once you were far off, but in Christ you have been brought near. Once you were aliens, but now you are citizens in Christ. Once you were strangers, but now in Christ you are members of the household of God. Once you had no hope: in Christ, you the hope that wells up into everlasting life. Once you were lost and condemned in sin. Now, in Christ, you are forgiven for all of your sins.

 

AMEN.

May the peace that surpasses all understanding keep our minds and hearts in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, 2021 – Re-United

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