Somewhere to belong

Here's the sermon that was shared at St Andrew's Wickford this morning:

We all want a place to belong – somewhere to call home. You might have found that place. You might still be looking. A house or a family don’t necessarily make home. We yearn for something more – a safe haven, a place of refuge where we can truly be ourselves.

When children are asked to come up with five words or phrases that sum up what is needed in a home, they come up with words like: safety, warmth, happiness, food, water, somewhere to sleep, shelter, people who love you there.

The letter to the Ephesians, of which we have heard a section read this morning (Ephesians 2.17-22), says that these things can be found and experienced by becoming a part of God’s family. The starting point in the letter for talking about this possibility is very different though because it begins by talking about two groups of people who are separated from each other by significant barriers.

The letter is speaking about the way in which the Jews were separated from the Gentiles, on the basis of the Law of Moses, by racial, religious, cultural and social barriers. In addition, there were also sub-divisions with women and children being viewed as less important than men. Jews were understood to be God’s chosen people and very close to God while the Gentiles were seen as the distant heathens.

Christ tore down these barriers through his death on the cross. He died and rose again to bring us freedom in the form of the gift of love. The law of love and grace fulfils the Law of Moses meaning that the barriers between Jew and Gentile have been torn down because the old rules and regulations no longer apply in the same way and can no longer divide us.

In this way Christ created a unity that wasn’t based on racial, religious, cultural or social stereotypes, time or context, but a unity based on, and through, him for the whole world and in all periods of history. The new mixed-race Church is not so much the joining of the Jewish and Gentile people – with each trying to negotiate their own starting points – but rather a completely new humanity. And if Christ can unite Jews and Gentiles in this way then no other gulf should ever be that great again!

So what does all this mean for us today? Firstly, the emphasis on unity means that no one person, group or nation is more important than another. No one is a stranger or a foreigner because now we are all united in one body through Christ. The universal Church now contains all of us as members of God’s family, his house. This ‘oneness’ has to be demonstrated in our relationships with each other and in our behaviour. So we should welcome and respect everybody equally in our daily lives whether they are on our doorstep or in another country.

Secondly, by using the imagery of family and house, the Letter to the Ephesians shows that God wants to have a close relationship with us, like the ones we try to achieve in our own families and friendships. He no longer wants to be worshipped at a distance and in a temple that is man-made. Instead, we have become his temple through Christ dwelling within us. This is why our behaviour and our relationships have to reflect his Spirit working in our hearts. We are called to be holy and to model Christ’s love for us.

Thirdly, to do this we need Christ as the cornerstone of our building, our lives. Just as without a cornerstone a house is not properly supported, we cannot survive without Christ. God’s purpose for humanity is revealed through Christ. It is Christ who bridged the gulf between Jew and Gentile through his death on the cross and therefore it is Christ who unites us. It is through Christ that we become the temple in which God dwells through his Spirit. As a recent worship song says, “It’s all about you, Jesus.”

Therefore, as we build our lives on Christ:

• we should be united in faith;
• we should build up the Church by the way that we live our lives;
• we should welcome all people without discrimination;
• we should thank God for sending his Son to save us by his death and resurrection;
• we should live faithfully in prayer; and
• we should trust in God’s Spirit working through us.

By sharing what we have, we can make home a reality for others when they lack provision, nurturing, belonging, support or refuge. By offering our time, energies, resources and prayers, we can create the sense of belonging that God wants all people to find in him. May it be so for us. Amen.

(Based on materials from the Mothers’ Union resource pack entitled ‘Home’)

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Matt Redman - The Heart Of Worship.