August 8, 2021                        Text:  Ephesians 4:17 – 5:2

Dear Friends in Christ,

    Back in 1991 Rodney King was a motorist pulled over for drunk driving.  The Los Angeles police subsequently beat him and the video made of it became part of history.  The officers were acquitted in court and that led to riots in LA and elsewhere around the country.  Rodney King went on TV and uttered these famous words:  “Can we all get along?”

    The Apostle Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus this morning with that same theme.  Still relevant.  Still important.  All of his words are much needed in our society.  All of his words are things we need to hear as well.

“CAN WE ALL GET ALONG?”

    We have all heard these words since childhood.  Can we all get along?  Easier said than done, right?

    In 416 BC, during the war between Athens and Sparta, Athens decided to attack the neutral island of Melos.  When the Melians protested they had done Athens no wrong, the Athenians replied, “The strong do what they can; the weak suffer what they must.”  The Melians were starved into surrender.  The men were killed and the women and children sold into slavery.

    This wasn’t unusual in the ancient world.  The strong would dominate the weak.  But things began to change.  What brought about the change?  The difference was Christianity.

    It is interesting that Paul would write this Epistle.  He at one time was someone strong who oppressed the weak.  He lived it.  He had a perspective few had.  Paul came to realize that all persons were made in the image of God.  This meant every human being has worth and dignity.  The Christian further emphasized the spiritual and moral equality of all people.  We all suffer the same problem – sin.  We all are in need of the same solution – salvation through Jesus.

    Look at the old self-problems Paul points out:  darkened, alienated, hardness of heart, callous, sensual, greedy, impure.  We have to be careful we don’t start thinking, “Yes, our society has problems with all of those.”  They do.  But so do we.  We too have to put off the old self and put on the new self.  The Holy Spirit helps us with this so we can live in “the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (v. 24)

    With our new self we strive to get along.  I don’t pretend to know all the ins and outs of all the theories being bandied about in our world.  This much is clear.  Christianity is the sole historical source of concepts now taken for granted:  human dignity – we are all made in God’s image.  Human equality – we are all one in Christ all can come to faith and be saved.  Universal human rights – these are endowed to us by our Creator God.  Everyone is important in God’s eyes.  

    How do we know this?  Because God sent Jesus to die for the sins of the whole world.  Jesus is the Savior of the nations.  Christ dying and rising again has given all humankind a hope and a future.  The Lord wants us to be His and to serve Him and one another willingly.  This is only possible because He removed the sin that separated us from Him.  Can we all get along?

    What does that look like?  Paul spells it out for us.  We speak the truth.  We control our anger.  We build people up with our talk.  We do not tear them down in person, on social media, behind their back.  We give grace to those who hear.  We let go of bitterness and malice and slander.  We are kind to one another.  We are tenderhearted.  We forgive one another just as Christ has forgiven us.  As we do these things we all get along better.  As we do these things we build each other up.  As we do these things are little corner of the world is a better place to live and raise our children.  

    The last part of our text is continued encouragement.  Imitators of God.  Walk in love.  A fragrant offering.  The Greek word for “imitator” gives us our English word, mimic.  We mimic our Heavenly Father like children mimic their parents.  Children who live in a loving home see how it’s done.  Christ how taught us to love by loving us first.  Christ has taught us how to forgive by forgiving us first.  Can we all get along?

    You have probably never been asked this question, but can people smell your goodness?  When people see you coming do they think this is going to be a good day, a good conversation, a time for a faith lift?  What attitude do you bring to this party we call life?  We need our Christian goodness to smell up everything around us.  Let it permeate those who want to divide because of their selfishness.  Let the waft of love and forgiveness stick to the minds of those who see no hope.  May the aroma of Christ, which we carry, give direction to men and women everywhere.

    Can we all get along?  Living in Christ we can.

                                Amen.    

August 1, 2021 Text: Ephesians 4:1-7

Dear Friends in Christ,

Frederick B. Speakman wrote about an incident in which a veteran waitress was taking orders from a couple and their young son. The couple had specific requests regarding substitutions. Speakman wrote than when the waitress addressed the son, the son “began to order with a kind of fearful desperation. ‘I want a hot dog…’” he started. Then this: “And both parents barked at once ‘No hot dog!’ The mother went on. ‘Bring Lyonnais potatoes, beef, vegetables and a roll.’

“The waitress wasn’t even listening. She said to the youngster, ‘What do you want on your hot dog?’ He flashed an amazed smile. ‘Ketchup, lots of ketchup – and bring a glass of milk.’

“’Coming up,’ she said as she turned from the table, leaving behind the stunned silence of utter parental dismay. The boy watched her go before he turned to his father and mother with astonished elation to say, ‘You know what? She thinks I’m real! She thinks I’m real.’”

We might not agree with the way the waitress handled it but it makes a point. God sees us as real. We are His. At the beginning of the Book Ephesians it says that God chose us before the creation of the world. Imagine that. It was His will to choose us. He has made us His through faith in Christ. As our text says, “you have been called.” Let’s not complicate this topic. Let’s keep it simple.

“ONE”

When Paul wrote this epistle he was in prison. He had offended the Jewish leaders who hung onto their laws and traditions that were contrary to salvation in Christ alone – One. Society couldn’t have someone spouting absolute truth so he had to be put behind bars.

We learn from the imprisoned Paul this morning. Did you catch all the One references? One body, One Spirit, One hope, One Lord, One faith, One baptism, One God and Father, grace given to each One. Christ’s Church is One.

We call this church the invisible church. It consists of all who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. What binds us all together? Faith in the person of Christ. Faith in His life and suffering and death and resurrection. Denominations and divisions do not destroy the unity and Oneness of Christ’s church. This Oneness transcends denominations or labels. It is a holy church.

The church is One and holy because Christ made it so. He took our unholiness, our sins, and made us holy by redeeming us on the cross. The true believers of the church are found in all denominations. We are unified in the Old and New Testament Scripture as God’s Word. We are One in our belief that Christ died to save us from sin and grant us eternal salvation. We say it again. One body, One Spirit, One hope, One Lord, One faith, One Baptism, One God and Father of us all who is all and through all.

The visible church is right before our eyes. We see a church where hypocrites and unbelievers are present. This church may have false teachers and teachings. The visible church is the church at war. I’ve said this before but it bears repeating, “It is the Christian Church on earth that has done far more damage to the church and Christianity than unbelievers or outsiders.” God would love for the visible Church to be One in doctrine and teaching, but not at the cost of forsaking the truth of His Word. Paul lifts his voice for unity. Unity of Spirit and bond of peace.

Professor Eugene F. A. Klug wrote this in his book on Church and Ministry: “Differences in doctrine, therefore, between Christian church bodies on earth cannot be a God-pleasing thing, nor is the church’s splintered condition into many denominations. The solution for this disunity and division, does not, however, lie in the direction of tolerance or allowing false teaching in the church – all of it is misguided and wrong – but in humble listening and obedient bowing before God’s Word of truth, the Sacred Scriptures. This is the posture demanded by God of every devout follower of His and of every church, be it a congregation or a larger fellowship of congregations bearing Christ’s name.”

We all have the responsibility to find a church where God’s Word and Sacraments are taught and preached in truth. This makes us One. If you can’t find that, become a missionary. Christ’s grace has been given to each One of us.

We are called to speak the truth, grow in faith toward Christ who is our Head, and move as One body, waiting together for the return of our Lord and the resurrection of all flesh. All this we believe and confess with One voice as Christ’s true Church on earth.

Amen.