I was struck by a memory of President Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, tear
down that wall" speech. I'm also struck by the fact that - as reunion
was for the Germans, so it is for us - we are imperfect, sinful
creatures for whom togetherness guarantees problems - but what
wonderful opportunities we have when we let ourselves be filled with
the power that is available to us whenwe live as one people, united in
Christ. We can begin to tear down other walls that divide and harm.
Early musing, Ken in WV
Share the transcendent, all-inclusive, "common- wealth of Israel",
especially the riches of reconciliation and forgiveness, with those
who we once considered as being most foreign and alienated from the
reach of the love of God, i.e., the sick and afflicted, the naked,
hungry, imprisoned orphaned, etc.,! (PaideiaSCO in GA mts)
The "commonwealth of Israel" blesses those, through and in Christ
Jesus, who were once considered outside the boundaries of the reach of
the love of God...and Jonah is still angry over Nineveh. God in Christ
still transcends the religious-theological boxes, linguistic
structures, and/or the Holy of Holies curtain in our
"temples-of-spirituality-and/or-brick-and-mortar" in which we have
tried (unsucessfully) to imprison the Breath-Presence-Wind-of-God. (PaideiaSCO
reflections from north GA mountains)
The Ephesians are urged to become an inclusive community, open to
those who are near and far. They may begin by remembering that, as
Gentiles, they themselves were once the outsiders.
This weekend, our church was blessed with a visit from not one, but
two, African clergy. They didn't even know each other before arriving
here for a reception and our worship services. One was from Rwanda,
the other from Nigeria. In our discussion, and in the Nigerian
pastor's sermon, we had the opportunity to really look at ourselves.
Truly, they were missionaries to our culture!
I love what Ken said about Reagan's speech. I wonder what other walls
we need to tear down in order to do God's work, or even to see God's
people. What a close fit with the 2 Samuel passage, as well! MTSOfan
I'm pairing this with the 2 Sam text. I want to stay positive.
The thing is, while I agree that the Ephesian church is being urged to
be in unity, and to break down walls (I hope I can find my track of
Steve Green's "Let the Walls Come Down"), I don't know that I need to
preach about including people different from ourselves this week.
Rather, I want to affirm what we HAVE done towards this end. There are
some racist folks in our church body - but unity, and inclusiveness,
means including them, too.
A community in unity, walls coming down, is a tall order! That means
embracing (in our case, with our racially changed community) persons
of color AND those who reject them. It means maintaining my pastoral
presence in the face of the very ones who antagonize me because I'm
(choose one: a woman, a graduate from a rumor-laden seminary). Unity
doesn't mean being of one mind, but being able to love despite ...
Neither does "inclusiveness" mean anything goes.
People who hold racist opinions, though I'm clear that I believe those
beliefs contrary to the gospel, still need my pastoral care and
Christian love.
We are now the house of cedar for God.
Sally in GA
Here's a link about Cedar Trees.
www.jewishnaturecenter.org/html/cedar_trees.html
Sally in GA
I've twice found that the Gentiles were not allowed to cross the
dividing wall or they would be executed. Whose law was this, the JEws'
or the Gentiles'? Who was afraid of whom?
Sally in GA
Does anyone besides me think that racism is the biggest issue in the
church? I may be wrong, but I think part of my congregation's
reluctance to do evangelism might be the fear that one of "them" might
show up.
I'm working with the issue of putting the pieces of the puzzle back
together. My thought is that in the Babel story (language and accents
are one of those racial identifiers that can separate us) the original
unity that God intended was pulled apart by our pride and sin.But in
Christ, there is no seperation-the pieces of the puzzle are even now
being place back together
revgilmer in Texarkana
I think that race is one of MANY walls that we choose to keep us
divided from each other. I am worried that if we focus only on race as
the dividing issue, we will ignore the other walls that we have put up
as well-- age, income levels, education, clothing styles, political
views, etc...
Along with revgilmer, I suspect that all of these play a part in our
reluctance to reach out beyond the "walls" of our congregations.
No sermon ideas yet <grin> but enjoying the discussion! Thanks for all
your thoughts...
Peace, Pastor Beth
Okay, let me share my struggle. I understand inclusivity. I want
inclusivity. In my congregation and in my world. But some think that
being inclusive means "accepting" means that anything goes in the
church. That means you can wear what you want no matter what and you
can act how you want in the sanctuary. Here is my thought. I know we
shouldn't have to be dressed fancy to be in church. But there is a
part of me that longs for the respect of wearing your Sunday best. I
know that the sancturary is a room. But it is a room that, at least
during worship, should demand respect. Kids jumping in the pews and
coming on stage during the service isn't worshipful or cute. So are we
"excluding" if we encourage folks to consider dressing up for God as
they would for any dignitary. Not to gain favor, but because we love
and respect him. are we "excluding" if we ask families that they keep
their children still during the service as it distracts from worship
when they run around?
I know this is not a huge issue. But it has become one for me as I
hate that we have become so "comfortable" with God that we don't seem
to honor Him with our best...
Early thoughts...for me, Thursday is early. Tammy in Texas.
Some one help me! Is this passage about racism? or is it about
inclusion into the greater family of God? Racism is one of the
greatest issues we face in the Christian church. It is a horrible
issue we must work to destroy, daily. But, then again, exclusion from
the family of God in any form is horrible. How many do we exclude
becasue they live on the wrong side of town, in the worng kinds of
homes, wear the wrong clothes, sing the wrong songs, etc., etc.,
etc..... In my own denomination (So. Baptist), people are excluded for
all sorts of lesser issues. One very horrible and sad event took place
in a NC Association (like a UMC District). One church had the
"audacity" to baptize a known homosexual. The church and its pastor
were summarily "excommunicated" fromt he association! CAN YOU BELIEVE
SUCH COULD HAPPEN?!?!?
I wonder if we might first consider what it means to be included into
the family of God. That is, how is it that we are included in God's
family. AND, if we made it in, shouldn't we do all we can to create
means by which others are welcomed as well?
Steve in NC
Steve in NC
Yes, I believe such things can happen. As an ordained minister in the
Presbyterian Church(USA)where our church courts are being used to
challenge churches who have ordained homosexuals as elders (yes, it
goes against the Book of Order,but another statement in the same book
says that "the local church shall have the right to choose its own
officers)
And to Pastor beth and others
Thanks for reminding me that there are other points of inclusion and
exclusion besides race (especially income and education-but which
groups have the lowest average income and education?). Here in
Texarkana, there is even division between those who live on the Texas
side and those who live on the Arkansas side of State Line Ave(which
has nothing to do with race or income). And just don't let me even get
started about divisions over music. I have one elder who thinks it
would be an awful tragedy for someone to be a Christian and never
learn "THE DOXOLOGY" Still, I live in East Texas...
revgilmer in Texarkana
Two thoughts from my weekly text study group.
1) The only imperative in this text is "Remember." Everything else is
the action of God.
2) Some of us, like the Jews (maybe alot?) find our relationship with
God in the law. Some, like the Gentiles, find it in the love of God
that crosses all barriers.
Jim in Ia.
This is my first time contributing a post, but not the first time
using this text study. I have a three point parish in Western North
Dakota / Eastern Montana and getting to a sit down text study is
difficult because of time and distance (100 miles to the text study),
so I want to start by saying thank-you, I enjoy the diversity of
thoughts about God that comes from this text study, because of the
diverse nature of the group.
Now to the text, in verses 19 and 20 we are told that we are no longer
aliens or strangers but are citizens and members of the household of
God ...with Christ Jesus himself the cornerstone.
Since 9/11, being a citizen of the United States has certain benefits
- an alien in the United States can be arrested upon suspicion of
terrorism or your visa, especially a student visa can be cancelled at
anytime, for any reason. But being a citizen grants us certain rights
like to due process or the right to pursue an education... also the
household codes grants rights to the members of the household, even
those not born as a family member, have certain rights as a member of
a household.
As citizens of the Kingdom of God and Members of God's household we
hold certain rights, have certain privleges along with certain
expectations.
Our rights and privleges included forgiveness of sins, redeption from
death and the devil and eternal salvation to all who believe in God's
promises. As members of the household of God we have the privilege of
being called, gathered, enlightened and sactified as individual
members of the communion of saints. As Jim in IA remindes us the
expectation that these verses hold for us is to remember, God takes
care of everything else. On Sunday we will be celebrating Holy
Communion and remembering Christ Jesus and what he did and continues
to do for us as he has given and shed his blood for us.
We are citizens and members, I like the sound of that, in a world of
fragmentation the fact that you and I belong is wonderful news, that
we belong to the Kingdom of God and God's household, now that is good
news, good news indeed.
grace and peace,
Paul in the Badlands
As a pastor of a church in a growing area, I find myself drawn most
strongly to the challenge the Ephesians had between the newcomers to
the Christian faith (the Gentiles) and the oldtimers (the Jewish
converts, including Paul). Right now, I'd say our worshipping
congregation is 3/4 folks who have been members 20 years or longer and
1/4 folks who have just joined in the past five years (and have just
moved into this community from the suburbs), without much in between.
But five or ten years from now, if the church is faithful at
attracting new people who move into the new subdivisions that are
being planned and built, it'll likely be flipped -- 3/4 newcomers! The
challenge that the Ephesians faced that continues to challenge our
churches today is: are we really willing to let God tear down the
walls between those believers already in the church and all of those
who are in our communities who are spiritualy hungry but have not yet
come to know Christ. As verse 12 says, "remember that you were at that
time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and
strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God
in the world." How many people within a couple mile radius of our
church have no hope and live without God in their world? What walls
(that we have erected around our church) would need to come down to
share God's love with them? *BKW in IL
In speaking about Jews and Gentiles, this text is speaking about
divisions - in a more generic term it would be the "in's" and the
"outs." But, the Jews and Gentiles we're preaching to are
metaphorical. And, recall that there were many Gentile God-fearers;
those who believed but were not born into the Covenant - were not Jews
by birth. Thus, likely seen as on the "B list."
Rather, this is an assurance to the Gentiles that no matter where
they'd been before, or whether they'd been circumcised, they're on
equal footing with the Jews in Christ.
I'm thinking of something I heard on NPR not long ago - and my husband
and I were talking about it just last night. Ushers in the African
American Church. Especially during the days of segregation, one of the
very few places that treated Black folks with any respect was the
Black Church. The person being interviewed (I apologize; I can't for
the life of me remember who he was) elaborated about how quickly an
"order" got established. There were the balcony ushers, then there
were the "floor" ushers, and so forth. (He named a few but I only
remember those two).
What my husband and I were musing about was how much a part of human
social nature it is to consciously or unconsciously construct ranks
among people. I see it in any group I've ever been a part of. And,
what makes me a Gentile is that I'm seldom in the "A list."
It's also interesting how "B Listers" have ways of appointing
themselves their own "A List." Such is, I believe the dilemma of any
"isms."
I'm going to concentrate on that: what makes us "B Listers?" and how
are we included. In my congregation, it's age. It's also racism -
they're hurting themselves by not reaching out to those in this
changing (or should I say changed) neighborhood.
Sally in GA
This is a separate post - if you're not dealing with "ranks" or
"walls," you won't want to read it. Fair warning.
one more "ranking" illustration - what brought our whole conversation
up last night.
We were on a date and passed this basketball workout center that's
open 24-7. I read an article about it in the paper more than a year
ago and it followed the center for 24 hours. People go and play
basketball literally all day and night. Turns out, many of the pro's
practice there - especially during off-season. There's a "rank" for
the courts. Most of the courts are equal in, say, lighting and wear
and tear on the court, but players have to earn their way up to the
more prized courts. So, though the b-ball center is open to all 24/7,
there's an internal, unspoken set of lists.
It probably began for real, and practical reasons. The folks who just
like to shoot hoops couldn't hold a candle to the pro's, and any game
they might play with pro's would be so unbalanced as to be frustrating
for both pro's and amatures.
Nonetheless, status got introduced.
Still another illustration:
Be involved with any choir - talk about a pecking order! I'm good
enough to earn a spot on some pretty good choirs, but within those
choirs, you quickly learn where you "stand" (I'm usually on the low,
low end). And if you think it only happens in these professional (or
semi- or quasi- professional) choirs, just sit in on the church choir
a few times. One of the most awkward experiences of my life happened
when I inadvertently threatened the current Alpha Singer's position in
a church choir. It was then that I learned to take things a step at a
time.
Sally in GA
Amen to the church choir illustration, I've sung with many church
choirs and the seminary choir and there is most definitely a "pecking
order" and watch out if you think there isn't one. I've used this idea
for the Ephesians text before and I'm working on it again for Sunday;
using the visual of a wall built up during the sermon - I've used 12
pack soda boxes and covered them with brown paper (bricks for a wall)
and on each of the bricks I plan on writing a word/phrase of something
that puts walls up between us - prejudice, hatred, age, fear, hurt,
secrets... and build this wall as I preach about the walls we build in
our world - tangible walls and intangible walls; walls htat are there
for protection can also serve to seperate us from the very people we
are called to serve - God's people. Then somehow, I'm trying to change
my wall into the shape of a cross, since it is Christ's death on the
cross that breaks down the dividing walls between us - and the words
ont he cross will be those things that unite us - compassion
(connection iwth the Gospel for SUnday), love, understanding, peace,
joy, forgiveness, ... I'm not sure about how to do this logistically,
b ut I'mhoping the visual will work with the spoken words to help
preach this text. I'm preaching to my home church this week as a
supply preacher while their current pastor is in Atlanta for a youth
gathering. just thought I'd share the idea that I had read somewhere
years ago and see if anyone else had any suggestions/feedback.
LCShelly in MA
Shelly, I'm doing something similar, but using vss 19 - 22, I'm
rebuilding the wall as part of the "dwelling place for God," made up
of the "members of the household of God." Max in NC
