WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:00.800 Well, good morning. 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:01.919 Happy Father's Day. 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:05.679 And all the things that we've been talking about are so critical to the life of Connect Church. 00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:09.359 We're not just a place where you hear a sermon, we're a place where we're a part of a community. 00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:15.679 And we're wanting to share the love of Jesus across this state and across this community and around the world. 00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:20.960 I'm the lead pastor and I get the privilege of sharing with you for just a few moments today. 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:32.000 I was in my prayer time recently, and I have a stack of cards that I pray through for different people in my life. 00:00:32.479 --> 00:00:36.000 And I was praying for my friend Charles. 00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:37.359 That's not his real name. 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:40.960 It's not someone you know, but I'll use a different name. 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:50.240 I was praying for my my my I was praying for Charles, and I said, Lord, bless my friend Charles. 00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:56.399 And the Holy Spirit said to me, and by the way, I'm learning to discern his voice. 00:00:56.560 --> 00:01:06.079 You learn to discern the voice of the Holy Spirit by reading his word, hanging out with his people, asking for discernment, asking for wisdom from above, as James teaches us. 00:01:06.239 --> 00:01:09.439 I'm learning to hear his voice more and more the grow more I walk with him. 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:14.319 Sometimes the voices that we hear are the voices of culture. 00:01:14.560 --> 00:01:17.760 They're loud, but the loudest voices is the voices of self. 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:18.480 Right? 00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:20.000 The voices we speak. 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:23.359 But I was confident this was the Holy Spirit speaking to me. 00:01:23.599 --> 00:01:30.640 And it was as clear as day that the Holy Spirit said to me, stop calling him your friend. 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:33.519 Stop calling him your friend. 00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:35.840 You two don't get along. 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:41.280 It was as clear as day. 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:45.599 And today we're continuing our series on the metaphors of the church. 00:01:45.920 --> 00:01:49.040 Brenda started this wonderfully last week, didn't she? 00:01:49.200 --> 00:02:10.560 And helping us understand that in Christ, God brings together people who are vastly different, sometimes even opposed to each other, and creates this unified but diverse group of people that the scriptures call the called-out ones, the ecclesia, the called-out ones. 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:16.719 Who, as we are called out and called into Christ, we learn to work together. 00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:17.520 Why? 00:02:17.759 --> 00:02:18.879 For our own benefit? 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:20.080 Not so much. 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:27.520 But more so that we can be God's, a display of God's redemptive love in the world. 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:28.960 Now that benefits us. 00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:33.680 We become better people when we do God's will. 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:39.199 But the purpose of the church is to be this redemptive voice in the world. 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:45.840 And last week, Brenda introduced this idea of the body as one of those metaphors. 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:47.439 There's going to be five of them. 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:52.080 And she she gave this word bank, I think you call these, I'm not sure, but I loved it. 00:02:52.240 --> 00:03:04.879 And it really is not like I'm not preaching on this again, but I loved that oneness as the key, uh the main word in the passage that she read and showed us. 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:08.080 That the body is one and we have all these other pieces. 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:12.319 And today we're going to introduce the next metaphor, and that is family. 00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:21.280 Family, which is another metaphor in Scripture that runs through both the teachings of Jesus and the teachings of the apostles, particularly the Apostle Paul. 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:27.039 And so we're going to look at this today, and we're asking the same three questions that Brenda introduced for us last week. 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:29.680 And I'm just going to put them on the screen so you know these questions. 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:32.560 This is what we're going to explore every week in this series. 00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:35.919 First of all, the question we're going to answer is why this metaphor? 00:03:36.319 --> 00:03:39.680 What is Paul in this case addressing with the original readers? 00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:52.479 Why did he use this metaphor to speak in this letter to the Ephesians, by the way, and use this to explain his idea that he wanted to get uh across about the ecclesia, the called out one? 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:53.360 So why this metaphor? 00:03:53.520 --> 00:04:00.000 Secondly, how do what does this metaphor say about the purpose of the church for the original readers? 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:03.919 Like, so as this metaphor was used, how did the early church hear that? 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:06.159 But by the way, that's the way you should read scripture. 00:04:06.319 --> 00:04:07.520 You should read scripture two things. 00:04:07.680 --> 00:04:09.439 Looking, what does it teach me about God? 00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:12.879 And then, secondly, what did the original hearers hear and understand? 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:14.159 That's where you start. 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:16.879 Too often we say, Well, what can I get from the scripture? 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:20.319 That's such a like God's the Holy Spirit is still gonna honor and help you. 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:22.800 Like, don't stop reading the scripture if you're doing it wrong. 00:04:22.879 --> 00:04:24.720 Just keep just do it better, right? 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:27.439 And the question is, what does this teach me about God? 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:33.839 And then the question really then, as we interpret what this teach me about God, is how did the people that heard it the first time understand it? 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:35.279 So that's the question we'll explore. 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:38.959 And then, of course, there's this idea that scripture then can apply to us. 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:40.000 I believe that strongly. 00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:48.639 I believe that if you do good exegetical work, more importantly, if the Holy Spirit helps you, you can begin to take what the original hearers were understanding and apply it to your life. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:51.759 So that's what we're gonna try to do with this concept of the family. 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:58.720 So if we back up a little bit from Ephesians, where we're gonna be in a moment, back to Jesus, which seems like a good place to start. 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:17.759 And we're gonna be in Matthew in a second, but to understand what's going on in Matthew chapter 12 with this metaphor of family, I'm gonna take us to Mark 30, Mark III, and just say that in Mark 3, the scripture tells us that Jesus fought, Jesus' mother and brothers came from one community to another. 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:21.040 What's important to think about that is it's about a 30-mile walk. 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:25.920 So they walked from here to the edge of Topeka, or whichever direction you want to go. 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:30.000 And they walked with intent to speak to Jesus. 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:42.399 So understand that as they made this journey, Mark chapter 3 tells us they walked to take charge of Jesus because he was out of his mind. 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:50.720 So here's mommy and brothers coming to their brother and saying, Hey man, you're losing it. 00:05:51.360 --> 00:05:57.839 Alright, so then that that's in Mark, but Matthew tells the same story, not with that context, but Matthew tells the same story. 00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:02.160 So here when they arrive, here's what happens in Mark in Matthew chapter 12. 00:06:02.399 --> 00:06:09.439 As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, again, after that 30-mile walk, asking to speak to him. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:13.600 And someone told Jesus, Your mother and brothers are standing outside and they want to speak to you. 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:16.240 And Jesus asked, Well, who is my mother? 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:20.079 That's not where they got the title for that book that you read to your kids. 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:23.120 That's not, but maybe like, who is my mother? 00:06:23.360 --> 00:06:25.199 And who are my brothers? 00:06:25.759 --> 00:06:31.519 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, Look, these are my mother and brothers. 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:38.560 Anyone who does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:48.240 Jesus' words here indicate that not even your own parents, brothers or sisters, are necessarily a part of your family. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:51.120 That's shocking. 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:54.639 We read over these words sometimes as just like, uh-da-da. 00:06:54.959 --> 00:06:56.319 Think about that. 00:06:57.360 --> 00:07:02.319 And Paul, when he picks up this idea of family, is thinking about that. 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:09.040 That there is this thing that Jesus came to create that's different and unique and challenging. 00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:15.759 Yeah, this is not really the main part of the sermon, but let me just say something here very quickly but clearly. 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:25.519 That a temptation on Father's Day or or Mother's Day or any day that Hallmark makes up to help us think about family, we can make an idol out of our family. 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:32.879 And it can be an extension of our own self-interests to feel good about ourselves or proud of ourselves. 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:35.040 This puts all kind of pressures on each other and family. 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:37.199 Like, you understand the dynamic I'm talking about? 00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:41.600 Jesus wants to help us understand something about family. 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:43.519 Now we're gonna we're not gonna uncover all of this. 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:47.920 We're gonna leave you with some questions to wrestle, or as they say in Oklahoma, wrestle with. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:53.920 But uh there's something new being started here that Jesus is bringing about. 00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:56.319 And there's something that can be helpful, I think. 00:07:56.399 --> 00:08:03.759 And here's also not the main point, but something I want you to clearly hear that when you get this right, you'll be a better father. 00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:16.879 You'll be a better mother, son, or daughter, when you recognize that family is not your possession to hold and shape and mold and control and release and be proud of and show off. 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:23.600 But they are just like all they are those that you can love deeply and de and love the most for sure. 00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:25.839 And in a different way than you love others, right? 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:26.480 Does that make sense? 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:28.000 We gotta get this right. 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:37.840 We've we're I'm I'm saying way more than I intended, but I feel a pretty deep passion about what we can do to make our families idols. 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:38.879 All right. 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:41.759 Perhaps we should get back to the words of Jesus. 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:44.879 In Luke 14, he doubles down on this idea, actually. 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:47.039 Sorry, it's not gonna get easier. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:09:05.440 Luke 14, Jesus says now there, or the scriptures say now there now, large crowds were going along with him, and he turned and said to them, If anyone comes to me and does not hate what does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, and there's the key phrase. 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:10.240 You cannot be my disciples. 00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:15.440 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come before after me cannot be my disciple. 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:17.039 So just think about what Jesus is saying. 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:22.080 We use this phrase, die to self, carry the cross, and we think it means something fun and easy. 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:32.240 And what Jesus is saying is listen, there's a there's a level of discipleship that that I want you to get to where you die to self-interest so that you can be filled with my spirit. 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:56.080 And and and part of that Jesus seems to be saying here is that you view your family not as your possession, or not as your failure or success, but as you surrender your family, just as you are as you surrender yourself. 00:09:56.960 --> 00:09:57.919 Alright. 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:13.039 Because see, in the past, if you're a Jew, you are a part of God's chosen family, but God's purpose has always been that adoption into his family is for people from every nation, tribe, and people. 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:19.840 But Jesus is reorienting reorienting believers to a new way of family one. 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:27.120 He says that anyone who puts their faith in Jesus as Son of God is a part of God's family. 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:33.360 Even the Gentiles, the non-Jewish people, and think how radical that was for the Jewish people to hear. 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:40.799 Even Gentiles can be a part of the family of God, and Jesus is going on to say, and not all Jews will be. 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:43.360 He's creating something new. 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:47.759 So, what does this metaphor say about the purpose of the church for the original reader? 00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:50.240 So that's the that's why Jesus chose the metaphor. 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:51.519 He chose the metaphor, a family. 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:52.720 Why this metaphor? 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:54.480 Because he was talking about something new. 00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:56.320 That's what he was wanting, that's the why. 00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:59.360 How did this land with those who heard it first? 00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:01.039 Is the next question. 00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:11.919 You see, the Jews were God's chosen people, and their unique identity was to make a path for the Messiah to come and rescue all of humanity. 00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:13.919 That's why God created the Jewish people. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:17.039 That's why God called Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:26.879 And that's why we have Joseph and the 12 tribes and all the history in the Old Testament, was so that God could prepare a people through which to send a Savior to rescue the world. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:31.919 However, their unique identity also meant a separation. 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:33.759 God said, I want you to be different. 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:48.080 As I prepare this people through which the Messiah will come, you will be a unique people, you will have unique laws, you will have unique governance and customs, you will be called out and chosen. 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:54.720 And so the the the the the the Jew the Israelites had two sort of mandates. 00:11:54.879 --> 00:12:00.799 One, be a be a group of people through which the whole world can save, and two, be people who are very unique. 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:02.399 It seems like almost opposites. 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:07.360 And in fact, you've ever heard the phrase, you can go down the road and get it wrong by going to one ditch or the other. 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:11.120 The Israelites went down the road and got it wrong by going into both ditches. 00:12:11.919 --> 00:12:32.639 Because what they began to do is forget their calling as the as the people through which the Redeemer of the world would come through, and they began to see their exclusivity as something they earned or they deserved, and they begin to forget, and they forgot that God was doing something, and maybe it wasn't so much forgetting as maybe it wasn't as clear to them as it is to us now. 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:37.039 But the prophets would remind them, and the scriptures were clear, that you are created. 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:42.240 It was in the original call of Abraham, you're going to bless the nations, you're going to be a blessing to all nations. 00:12:42.399 --> 00:12:44.639 And they forgot that as a people. 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:48.320 By the way, every human group would have forgotten that as well. 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:52.320 They became proud of who they were. 00:12:55.360 --> 00:13:01.440 And the other danger was they forgot that they were supposed to be unique. 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:02.559 Right? 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:04.559 They forgot the laws. 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:07.200 They walked away from the commandments. 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:09.440 They didn't obey the mandates. 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:14.559 And so God sent prophets and punishments and restitution and all the things that you're in the Old Testament. 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:16.399 So the Jews are forgetting it both. 00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:21.600 One, they forgot they were supposed to be a blessing to the world, and two, they forgot they were supposed to be unique. 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:25.600 And so they have this dual failure as you go through the Old Testament. 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:31.200 And so after returning from exile, this all kind of came to ahead. 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:32.480 They returned from exile. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:36.159 Remember, they went into Babylon, and God brought them back after 70 years. 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:44.559 And when they came back from exile, which by the way was their punishment for aligning with pagan gods. 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:50.159 Their exile was punishment for forgetting that they were unique, that they were to serve one God. 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:53.679 They were not to sacrifice their children to Molech. 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:55.600 They were to serve one God. 00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:56.480 And they forgot that. 00:13:56.559 --> 00:14:02.159 So God sent them into exile because they had forgot the nature of their uniqueness, their chosenness. 00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:04.879 And so when they came back from exile, you know what they decided? 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:06.159 Never again. 00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:08.159 Never again. 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:10.559 So they set up strict rules. 00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:14.960 They doubled down on their uniqueness, but they did it in their own humanity. 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:18.320 And so we're not going to let this happen again. 00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:25.840 They set out strict rules, including never participating in food and never hanging out with Gentiles. 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:34.559 And so they began to see their separateness as something they needed to protect themselves and their identity became how do we keep ourselves separate from those pagan people out there? 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:38.080 And they developed these laws and rules which bound up their own people. 00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:48.559 And so instead of accepting God's uh God's commissioning of them as unique people and with unique laws, they decided they were going to create laws in order to be a unique people. 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:52.480 They took control of what God wanted to do for them. 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:56.000 And this became their national identity. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:14:59.519 The separation from Gentiles. 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:07.759 So then Jesus comes along and he says, I'm going to change the definition of family. 00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:10.639 It's not going to be just the Jewish people. 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:15.919 I'm going to, I'm going to, the family, the family is going to be any who will trust and follow me. 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:19.279 Family is going to be any who will take up their cross and follow me. 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:27.519 Jews, Gentiles, and even Americans and Algerians. 00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:33.759 And Paul doubled down on this idea in his letter to the Ephesians. 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:36.879 And that's the text for this morning that we're going to read. 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:43.759 If you read the book of Ephesians in the second chapter, we often love as we should, verses 1 through 10. 00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:48.320 I love verses 1 through 10, which show us this incredible grace. 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:56.399 It's not from yourselves, it's the gift of God, so no one can boast about it. 00:15:56.639 --> 00:15:57.440 We love that verse. 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:01.519 Ephesians 2 8 through 9. 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:04.559 We absolutely should love that verse. 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:08.399 But Paul goes on in Ephesians 11 and says this. 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:33.759 Remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:37.840 He says, You are far away from God, Gentiles. 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:40.399 But now in Christ, Gentiles. 00:16:41.360 --> 00:17:13.839 Now in Christ, you who are formerly far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ, 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, so that in himself he might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them to both in one body to God through the cross by it, the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:19.680 And he came and preached peace to you who are far away, and peace to those who were near. 00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:24.640 For through him we both have access in one spirit to the Father. 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:53.759 And there was also a very real sense in which the Gentiles were further away from God. 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:59.759 They sought after multiple gods to appease them because they lived without hope and without the one true God. 00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:03.519 They did not have the prophets coming to them and saying, God's not done with you. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:06.640 So they sought God in any way they could find them. 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:13.119 And so when you come to this time of Judaism in Jerusalem, and the temple is now, the second temple is up and operating. 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:21.119 And if you were to walk into the temple, you would see this separation literally in how the temple was constructed. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:28.079 There were places where Gentiles could come into the temple area, but there was a wall that said, you can't come past here. 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:31.839 And this wall was constructed. 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:32.160 Why? 00:18:32.319 --> 00:18:35.759 Because the Jews were protecting their identity and their own strength. 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:39.519 This was not commanded in the Old Testament building of the temple. 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:40.960 This is what they chose to do. 00:18:41.119 --> 00:18:43.200 It's a metaphor of how they lived their lives. 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:46.480 Gentiles can come this close to God, but no closer. 00:18:48.559 --> 00:19:00.960 In fact, there's a plaque that was found in an archaeological dig in 1871 that says this near the temple, no man or of another nation is to enter within the fence and enclosure round the temple. 00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:06.960 Whoever is caught will have himself to blame that, have himself to blame that his death ensues. 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:09.039 So it's pretty strong. 00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:13.599 And this wall represented this chasm between Jews and Gentiles. 00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:24.799 This chasm formed by Gentiles who didn't know any better were trying to find God, and the Jews who were trying to hold on to their identity, forgetting that God wanted to use them to bless the world. 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:27.279 But here's what I want you to hear. 00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:30.160 And we have to hear this because this is the point of the mourning. 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:38.319 The chasm between the Jews and the Gentiles was minor compared to the chasm between all of us and God. 00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:40.880 We gotta hear that. 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:43.039 And what happened? 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:46.000 What happened when Jesus died? 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:48.640 You see, there was another barrier in the temple. 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:52.240 Sure, the Gentiles couldn't come where the Jews could go. 00:19:52.799 --> 00:20:00.000 And there was a but there was a holy place where only the priest could go, and there was a holy of holy place where only the priest could go once a year. 00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:08.640 And if you remember when Jesus died, one of the things that happened was that temple curtain that separated the Holy of Holies. 00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:13.359 That place where only the high priest could enter once a year to make atonement for all the people. 00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:18.880 One of these laws that made the Jewish people unique, that God was trying to teach them about access to Him. 00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:26.400 This curtain was torn in two from top to bottom when Jesus died on the cross. 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:33.359 Remember what Paul said in the passage I said? 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:45.519 Remember that you were at that time, Gentiles, separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope without God in the world. 00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:53.839 But now in Christ, you who were formerly far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 00:20:54.240 --> 00:21:06.720 So the access that Paul talks about in Ephesians 2.18 is now available not only to the Gentiles, but also to the Jews. 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:15.680 The Gentiles can now not only go into the Jewish area, but all of us can go into the very presence of God. 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:23.920 Jesus brought Jews and Gentiles together by bringing Jews and Gentiles to God. 00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:27.440 Let me say that again. 00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:36.559 Jesus brought Jews and Gentiles together by bringing Jews and Gentiles to God. 00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:44.400 And so when he talks about family, he's not saying to the Jews and Gentiles, get along. 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:48.079 Have a conference. 00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:51.519 Have a pop, whatever it is. 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:54.079 We need to get along. 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:56.079 We need to be good citizens. 00:21:56.400 --> 00:21:57.599 We need to love our neighbor. 00:21:57.759 --> 00:21:59.599 But what Jesus is saying, I'm creating something. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:09.039 New, where people can be reconciled to God so that they can be reconciled to one another. 00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:13.599 It makes all the difference when we talk about reconciliation, friends. 00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:19.039 Being reconciled to God opens up the door for reconciliation with us. 00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:21.519 Does it guarantee that people are going to be your buddies after that? 00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:22.079 No. 00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:38.000 But stop, I think we need to stop trying to reconcile to our brothers and sisters until we first pass through that wall that has now been torn down into the presence of God. 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:41.119 So how might this apply to us today? 00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:46.240 Kind of said this, but just because I made a note for it and it's on the screen, I'll say it again. 00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:56.079 Because Jesus tore down the curtain between humanity and God, he also tore down the walls of hostility that divide humanity and one another. 00:22:57.680 --> 00:23:10.319 When Jesus tore down the curtain, he made it possible for us to be born again, born into a new family, so that everyone that's born again is part of this new family. 00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:23.599 Or as Mark Holmes says, Jews, Jesus, excuse me, did not just tear down the wall between Jews and Gentiles, but between gender and race and ideology and socioeconomic levels and more. 00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:26.319 If we are in Christ, we are equal. 00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:32.640 All distinctions must give way to the one overall title for all of God's children, the redeemed. 00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:44.160 As with the Jews and Gentiles of Paul Day, God has combined the many people of this world into one unique and blessed existence known as the church, the body of Christ. 00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:47.119 There are no walls of separation here. 00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:54.079 See, choosing to follow Jesus does not mean that the family of God displaces your biological family. 00:23:54.400 --> 00:23:55.759 For some of you, that's good news. 00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:57.759 For some of you, that's bad news. 00:23:58.319 --> 00:24:00.559 Probably for all of it, it's a little bit of both. 00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:03.519 I was just at a family reunion yesterday. 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:12.880 I tell you something, you come to a family reunion with Rovensteins, you're about to walk into a whole bunch of opinions. 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:16.799 And I brought mine with me too. 00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:20.240 I love family. 00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:24.559 I love Father's Day, and to remind us of the importance of family. 00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:30.400 I'm not suggesting for a moment that we abandon our families or think less of our families. 00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:34.799 I'm simply saying that Christ created a new thing. 00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:36.400 A new thing. 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:40.400 He brought the Jews and the Gentiles together in one body, one family. 00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:46.240 Then that means that those people who are different from me now are a part of my family. 00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:51.920 Some of you are a little concerned about my words from the Holy Spirit. 00:24:52.079 --> 00:24:54.640 I didn't finish what the Holy Spirit said to me. 00:24:55.279 --> 00:24:57.200 So come back with me to that. 00:24:58.720 --> 00:25:06.079 The Holy Spirit said to me, Charles, stop calling Charles your brother. 00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:08.480 You two don't get along. 00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:10.559 He's not your brother. 00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:11.839 I'm sorry. 00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:13.839 I gave it away, didn't I? 00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:16.400 Stop calling Charles your friend. 00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:18.319 You two don't get along. 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:20.559 Charles is not your friend. 00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:22.000 He's your brother. 00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:25.200 Man, that helped me so much. 00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:29.039 I don't think Charles and I are ever going to go out for dinner. 00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:31.119 I don't. 00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:37.680 Sort of what happened between us seems too deep for us to really ever want to hang out a lot. 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:42.640 But if we do go out for dinner, it will be his brothers. 00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:45.759 I don't have to. 00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:48.400 I have this, I have this tendency in my life. 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:52.079 I don't know where I came from. 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:53.200 I have a pretty good idea. 00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:56.480 Dad who's watching. 00:25:57.759 --> 00:25:59.039 Have everybody be my friend. 00:25:59.759 --> 00:26:00.720 Let's just settle it. 00:26:01.359 --> 00:26:03.119 You're not going to be friends with everybody. 00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:06.960 But if they're in Christ, you're brothers and sisters with him. 00:26:07.920 --> 00:26:10.240 And here's the thing we cannot miss. 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:16.079 I didn't choose my biological family, and I don't choose my spiritual family. 00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:19.119 That's probably the negative side of this conversation. 00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:24.000 The positive side is in Christ, and the walls come down, our sins are forgiven. 00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:26.160 We have release from shame. 00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:30.480 We have the opportunity for healthy relationships as we grow towards each other. 00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:33.519 We do it in a different way than just saying we're going to try to get along. 00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:40.480 We do it under the banner of the cross with the love of Jesus in our heart and the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, right? 00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:47.519 That it gives us an opportunity for deep and powerful relationships. 00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:50.559 So let me give three next steps. 00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:52.559 They're going to be quick. 00:26:53.039 --> 00:26:54.400 Here's the first one. 00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:57.920 The curtain is down, friends. 00:26:58.240 --> 00:26:59.359 Come to God. 00:27:01.200 --> 00:27:05.440 If you've never trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, what does that mean? 00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:12.000 Well, it means you just believe that what Christ did on the cross dropped that barrier between God and you. 00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:18.880 And you confess that you need that barrier dropped, that there's brokenness, there's sin in your life, and you trust that Jesus can overcome that. 00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:30.319 And you may not understand it all completely, but like if we're, it's it's so if you're if there's something in your heart that I was talking to this today said, okay, I want this in my life, I just say, just trust Jesus today. 00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:32.000 The curtain's down. 00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:37.440 Just in this moment, even in this moment, to say, Jesus, I I I confess I'm a sinner. 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:39.680 I believe you died for me, and I trust you. 00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:41.759 I don't understand it completely. 00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:47.359 By faith, I trust that you died for me, and I want your life, and I want to follow you and walk with you. 00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:53.119 If you've ever done that, never done that, I encourage you to do that today and tell somebody about it and start a journey with him. 00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:56.720 The second thing I would say is the world is watching. 00:27:57.200 --> 00:27:59.039 Step towards your siblings. 00:28:00.640 --> 00:28:03.920 And I don't mean by this like we got to do better, church. 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:05.599 We got to show the world that Jesus loves us. 00:28:05.759 --> 00:28:23.200 I mean by this, like when you come to the Father and you die to self, as you step, as you get up from worship, as you stand up from your knees, either literally or figuratively, look around and understand that there are people that are your brothers and sisters. 00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:28.559 And I think the world's watching to see if we act like family or not. 00:28:29.279 --> 00:28:34.319 There's a I don't know what that means in your life, but step towards your siblings. 00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:38.720 And by the way, Charles and I, we're good. 00:28:39.680 --> 00:28:40.480 We're good. 00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:44.319 We we understand and respect and love each other. 00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:46.799 We understand the conflict that happened. 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:50.720 I will see him sometime, and it will be good. 00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:53.119 We're just not gonna hang out. 00:28:54.160 --> 00:28:56.160 Step towards your brothers and sisters. 00:28:57.119 --> 00:29:00.000 And thirdly, I'll say this the cross is our DNA. 00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:02.079 Let it guide our path. 00:29:02.559 --> 00:29:05.200 I love the cross because it has so much to teach us. 00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:07.839 One, it is our path to access with God. 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:10.000 That's primary, foundational. 00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:11.279 Never take that away. 00:29:11.440 --> 00:29:16.960 But something we often don't talk about, well, we talk about it some here, we should more, is also how we're supposed to live our lives. 00:29:17.359 --> 00:29:18.799 Jesus said, carry your cross. 00:29:18.960 --> 00:29:20.480 Jesus said, This is the way. 00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:22.880 This is the way Christians live. 00:29:23.119 --> 00:29:24.799 The surrendered life. 00:29:27.039 --> 00:29:28.720 It's what makes us family. 00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:33.039 It's what tore the curtain into, it's in our DNA. 00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:36.640 It's really not optional. 00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:41.920 One of the reasons Rovensteins have so many opinions is because it's in our DNA. 00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:50.240 And one of the reasons we are committed to reconciliation should be that it's in our DNA, and reconciliation doesn't happen without a cross. 00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:53.599 And if they're not going to die on the cross, it's up to us too. 00:29:54.480 --> 00:29:57.279 That's not to say we lose our identity. 00:29:57.440 --> 00:30:00.079 That's not to say we give in to falsehood. 00:30:00.160 --> 00:30:02.880 That's not to say we lose our sense of self. 00:30:03.119 --> 00:30:13.359 It is to say we lose the power to control others and surrender to Jesus and say, What could you do in this family brokenness? 00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:17.119 So we're going to take communion, which I think is pretty cool. 00:30:17.599 --> 00:30:20.160 Way to lean into this idea of the DNA of the cross. 00:30:20.400 --> 00:30:22.079 So you have elements there. 00:30:23.119 --> 00:30:24.799 You grab those. 00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:34.079 And I want to read from 1 Corinthians 11, which we often read as sort of the preparation for communion, sort of the how we take communion. 00:30:34.160 --> 00:30:35.359 It's a great passage. 00:30:35.519 --> 00:30:37.440 I'm going to read a little bit more of it this time, though. 00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:40.559 I want to read the verses before the familiar verses. 00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:50.079 Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11, in the following directives, I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:54.559 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you. 00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:56.160 And to some extent, I believe it. 00:30:56.319 --> 00:30:59.359 So then when you come together, it's not the Lord's Supper you eat. 00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:03.359 For when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. 00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:10.960 I get the idea, it's like maybe the Jews were over in the corner saying, We're not going to eat with the Gentiles, or the rich people were over here, we're not going to eat with those folks. 00:31:11.119 --> 00:31:14.240 I don't know what it was, but it's like they weren't coming together around the meal. 00:31:14.319 --> 00:31:17.839 They were using the meal as a way to show their social status. 00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:23.759 As a result, one remains hungry and another gets drunk. 00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:26.079 Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? 00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:30.640 Or do you despise the church of God by humilitying those who have nothing? 00:31:30.799 --> 00:31:31.839 What shall I say to you? 00:31:31.920 --> 00:31:32.720 Shall I praise you? 00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:34.640 Certainly not in this matter. 00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:37.920 Paul is saying you forgot the way of the cross. 00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:42.000 You forgot that the cross is in your DNA, Church of Corinth. 00:31:42.160 --> 00:31:52.720 And so when we take communion, as I move to these more familiar words from 1 Corinthians 11, and you take the bread out that's in there in your little plastic container there. 00:31:53.920 --> 00:32:08.799 Paul is not only reminding us that the curtain has been torn down between God and us, he's reminding us that the curtain, the wall, the man-made wall, has been torn down between Jews and Gentiles, between whatever group and whatever group you want to say. 00:32:09.039 --> 00:32:23.200 And he's calling us to remember this when he says, For I receive from you, I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body which is for you. 00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:27.839 Do this in remembrance of me, you may take. 00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:37.839 And in the same way, after supper, he took the cup, saying, This cup is a new covenant in my blood. 00:32:38.240 --> 00:32:41.839 Do this whenever you drink it in remembrance of me. 00:32:42.079 --> 00:32:59.680 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes, and if I might add, and as you proclaim his death, you are shouting, the curtain has come down between God and me, and the walls are coming down between me and my siblings. 00:32:59.839 --> 00:33:01.039 You may partake. 00:33:05.039 --> 00:33:10.400 Thank you, Lord, for the cross, which makes reconciliation with you and others possible. 00:33:11.279 --> 00:33:23.920 I pray, Lord, that we would come to you and then turn around and see our brothers and sisters and walk towards them because the world is watching to see if the gospel really works. 00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:30.960 And Lord, help us to walk towards our brothers and sisters with the DNA of the cross coursing through our bodies. 00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:32.079 In Jesus' name. 00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:32.799 Amen. 00:33:33.039 --> 00:33:34.240 Let's stand in worship.