Sermon preached July 18, 2021
Rev. Bernadette M. Hartsough
Good morning church. Church. It can mean a building or a group of people. It can also become a verb-we are churched. Our understanding of church is based on the epistles, mostly on the epistles written by Saint Paul and the epistles bearing his name but written by his proteges. We also glean information from the Acts of the Apostles. In the times of the New Testament, church also meant to gather and to unite. That is the description that we hear today in Ephesians.
In today’s Epistle to the Ephesians, we have what we might call the theological foundation of the church. Ephesians describes the body of Christ worldwide. It is a gathering of people in which Christ is the head. This assembly, this gathering of people was known as “Ekklesia.” Ekklesia became the word that meant church.
Within this description, Ephesians highlights the unity that Christ brings and the alienation and division between Jews and gentiles. This division was physically present during the second temple period-the time of Jesus’s life. During that time, the temple had a dividing wall. Gentiles couldn’t go past the wall. The wall was a daily reminder to gentiles that they were outsiders. If you weren’t Jewish, your pathway to God was limited.
The temple was destroyed in 70 CE. The inner sanctuary, the Holy of Holies was considered the cosmic foundation of the world.
People in first century Palestine would have understood the construction language in Ephesians to refer to the temple. The new construction in Christ would be referring to a new temple built on Christ. The language about: construction, the temple, building with Christ as the cornerstone, was interpreted by some to mean that Christianity replaced Judaism. Christ was the foundation of the new temple.
This is one of the passages of scripture that has been used to produce ant-Semitic-anti Jewish thoughts and ideas. This passage has been misinterpreted to mean that Christianity superseded Judaism. Supersessionism is the belief system that Christianity replaced Judaism. In Ephesians 2 verses 15 and 16 it says,
‘He has abolished the law with the ordinances and commandments that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of two thus making peace and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross thus putting to death that hostility through it.”
Now you and I are Christians. Of course, we believe that Jesus was the one the prophets spoke of-the Messiah. The language of Ephesians sounds like Christianity replaced Judaism. But I don’t believe that’s what Jesus had in mind. We need to remember that although Jesus criticized aspects of Judaism, he remained an observant Jew throughout his whole life. He criticized those who used the law and commandments for their own gain and to separate and judge people. He criticized the temple priests, Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes of his time but he never said that he was not a Jew. He never said to break the commandments. He encouraged fellow Jews to do more than just keep the commandments with actions. He encouraged them to change their thoughts and intentions.
Jews do not believe Jesus is the Messiah. Their path to God will be different than ours. It is NOT our job to judge or persecute them. Unfortunately, Ephesians has been used through the millennia to judge and hate Jews. During the Middle Ages, the Reformation, and the twentieth century, different biblical interpretations of Ephesians have caused hatred and attacks on Jewish villages.I cannot imagine that Jesus would approve.
Then what do we do about Ephesians? An epistle where the language seems to suggest that Christianity replaced Judaism. We start by looking at where, when, and to whom the epistle was written. This epistle was written decades possibly even a century after Jesus. The church was composed of Jews and gentiles. Ephesians is reminding the Ekklesia-the church of their purpose and their foundation. Ephesians highlights the division between Jews and gentiles to emphasize unity in Christ. There were those that were estranged and brought in to be united with those already in the church. Ephesians taught that unity brought reconciliation and peace to the church.
Ephesians provides the foundation to the mission of the church. The mission of the church is not elaborate, it is simple. It is unity. On page 855 in the Catechism of the Episcopal Church in the BCP, the mission of the church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.
Ephesians teaches us that at times we as individuals can feel alienated. We don’t feel welcome. We may look different. We may be different. Achieving unity with God and each other takes work.
Churches too can be alienated from the life of Christ. Each one of you form a brick in the building of this Ekklesia. This church is a community that is built as a dwelling place for God. That is why we are here. We gather and we unite. As you engage in worship and fellowship, the church unites and stays close to God.
This week I pondered the church as a building and the church as an assembly that gathers and unites. As I sat quietly in the sanctuary, I marveled at the workmanship, the love, and the care that went into this place. I understand why so many of you missed this space last year during Covid. The architecture reminds you that you are united to God through Christ.
I also pondered the church as an assembly that gathers and unites. We need to gather. We need to gather between ourselves and to gather outside of those doors. During the week, people from Plymouth come to me. Some people come for non-food items, some for gas, some for rent, and some for help paying utilities. This past week a young mother came in with her two-year-old son. She asked for a gas card. Her son needed to go to a specialist in Indianapolis to correct his foot. Without surgery, he wouldn’t be able to walk correctly. I met with her and her sister. I asked if I could pray with them. I anointed her son. The young mother cried and praised God for the prayer and the gas card. I am telling you this because you were part of the help that woman received. You are part of every encounter, with every person that I meet in this building. What we do matters. I hope and pray that the people you encounter, and I encounter are gathered up to God and are united to others. That is why we are here.
We are made to gather and unite.