Members of The Household of God

7-21-24

Hoonah-Hadley

Ephesians 2:11-22

Call to Worship Psalm 89:20-37

Daily Verse Ephesians 2:19

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” Remember the slogan “Membership Has Its Privileges”? It was an advertisement made famous by American Express that implied that those who qualify for exclusive membership or status receive special rewards or benefits. This slogan replaced their 1975 classic, “Don’t Leave Home Without it!” This is not a debate about whether credit cards have privileges or not but how the catchy phrase applies to being members of the household of God. To say there are benefits to being members of God’s household might only be a catchy advertisement to the eternal blessings God has in store for those that are “fellow citizens”. One of the main differences between being a member of God’s household and owning a credit card is the one sends you a bill, and the other pays the bill. The one changes their slogan with the shifting winds of a moral compass without direction, the other remains unchanged regardless of the debt we incur or the mess we make of our lives. The one operates with interest, the other erases our debt. The one we might be better off leaving home without, the other when left behind leaves us hopeless. In fact, the “card” without Christ regardless of its available credit could never afford a membership in Gods house. “Remember that you…in the flesh…that at the time you were without Christ…having no hope and without God in the world.” In the end, a life without Christ will find us bankrupt. Membership in Gods house does have its privileges.

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Verse 11 “Therefore remember that you…” Therefore, indicates a logical consequence or connection between ideas, events, promises, commands, etc. The “therefore’s” in the bible cause us to pause and consider what was said before, they are signs, reminders that because of the former, the latter applies. Here in verse 11 the “therefore” actually tells us to “remember”. Remember what? Remember 2:1-10. “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked…were by nature children of wrath…But God…because of His great love with which He loved us…made us alive together with Christ…For by grace you have been saved by faith…it is the gift of God…For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand that we should walk in them.” We’ll not pit one “therefore” over another or one “remember” over another, but this one is massive! The entirety of Ephesians is, but then again so was the exodus out of Egypt. Should we put an exclamation point on the matter, we might look at 1 Cor. 11:24 “and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’” Should we forget all else about life, all our trophies, our victories, defeats, where we left the car keys, what we went to the grocery store for, let us never forget “His great love with which He loved us.”  Eph. 2:12 “that at the time you were without Christ…aliens…strangers…having no hope and without God in the world.” This is a terribly profound notion. Not only was there a time when this was us, but it applies today to those who are without Christ. In Genesis 1:4 “God divided the light from the darkness.” The two are in opposition. In Christ, God sends light and our very being is in conflict within itself. As soon as we receive the light, we begin to separate ourselves from the darkness around us.

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Vs. 13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been brought near  by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians might be likened to the Yellowhead Highway 16 running from Prince Rupert, Burns Lake, Prince George in British Columbia then joining Highway 93, the Icefields Parkway down through Jasper and Banff National Parks in Alberta, following the Continental Divide. It’s without doubt one of the most awe-inspiring, breath-taking stretches of wilderness on the planet. Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians does that, it practically takes our breath away. God’s amazing grace, His mercies that are new every day, reel in our wilderness wanderings, wash our filthy travel weary rags in rivers of living waters, cloth us with the fragrant offering of our risen Savior and send us on a breath-taking journey with a love letter that surpasses all understanding. We were once lost, without hope, broken, defeated, living in darkness, but as day follows night, the blood of Christ has been shed abroad into our hearts reconciling us to our Father, raising us on eagles’ wings to a heavenly kingdom of eternal light. To be brought near by the blood of Christ is the single most profound act in human history save the empty tomb. Vs. 14 “For He Himself is our peace…” One sermon leads to another and soon we find ourselves preaching on peace. Just know this, it cannot be bought or sold, it is a gift given to us without price. This peace, His peace can only be found at the foot of the cross lapping up on Calvary’s shore. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer…with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God and His peace…will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6-7) English minister Edward Bickersteth penned the famous hymn “Peace, Perfect Peace” in 1875 while visiting an aged dying relative. Herein Isaiah 26:3 “You shall keep them in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee.”

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Verses 14-18 Christ removes the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile, there was great enmity between the two. Christ sacrifice on the cross, where the veil was ripped in two made both one, Christ not only brought peace, He is our peace. He broke down the middle wall of partition, the ceremonial law that made the great feud and was the badge of the Jews. This eludes to the wall in the temple which separated the court of the Gentiles from that into which only the Jews had liberty to enter. Thus, Christ slayed the enmity between the two, and so it is today, Christ sacrifice reconciles sinners to God. Verse 18 is the result of this peace, both Jews and Gentiles have “access…to the Father.” Our access is through the Holy Spirit. Vs. 19 “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens…”  We have our great nation as a simple example of this, from the pilgrims to anyone entering our borders today to start a new life. Once they have completed the process to become legal citizens of the United States, they are no longer foreigners and strangers, “but fellow citizens.” Vs. 19 continues, “…and members of the household of God.” Our border with Canada has “access” points with security to check your citizenship. Jesus Christ is our access point into the household of God, He is our Visa, our passport. Wherever you live, you have access to that “home” and all the privileges of that dwelling place. When you enter, you can flip the switch and turn on the lights, the TV and the coffee pot. For those that are in Christ have all the privileges that Christ has “on earth as it is in heaven.” As a member of God’s house, you belong there. We are His children and He is our Father, all that is His, is ours. Psalm 91:1 “Those who dwell in the shelter of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”  Membership does have its privileges. There is no place like home, you have a passport. Amen.