Title: THE CHURCH—GOD’S ONGOING PROJECT
Focus: Since the church is God’s ongoing building project, let us continue to be re-formed and face the future with hope and confidence.
Function: To encourage the people to be continually shaped by God’s Word and Spirit as we wait and work toward the day of Jesus’ return.
Text: Ephesians 2:11-22
I’m optimistic about the future of the church. There are many voices in our communities that do not reflect that optimism. Those voices point to the churches in the Netherlands, for example, and say that the church in Europe, and the Reformed churches in the Netherlands in particular, are going “down the drain.” The sewer of secularism has done great damage in Europe, some say. Others say that this sewer of secularism and unbelief is also flushing the Christian church in North America. But I am optimistic about the future of the Christian church, for the Spirit and Word of God are at work right there where the sewers of human culture and history are found.
The other day, I read a delightful story about archeologists finding “Luther’s seat of contemplation.” (National Post, Oct. 22, 2004). You see, Martin Luther—the great reformer of the Christian church in the 16th century--has alluded in his writings that he formulated his 95 theses while suffering from constipation and spending a great deal of his time on the can at his home. The birthplace of the Reformation, then, it could be argued, is Martin Luther’s toilet seat.
Martin Luther’s house is still there in Wittenberg, but historians have never been able to find the sewer and its seat of contemplation. Recently, however, archeologists stumbled “across the remains of an annex of Luther’s house during plans to plant a garden.
They found a stone construction, with a 30-centimeter square seat with a hole. And underneath that seat they found a cesspit attached to a primitive drain.
Now historians are able to pinpoint the birthplace of the 95 theses that set into motion the re-formation of the Christian church in western Europe. While many Christians in the 16th century thought the church was “going down the drain,” God’s Spirit worked in the heart and mind of a man who spent a great deal of his time on the can, thinking about revitalizing the church. I’m optimistic about the future of the church.
Of course, I don’t say that simply because of this historical bit of news. I say this especially in light of the Scripture’s teaching in Ephesians 2:11-22. There we learn that the church is God’s ongoing building project. And since God is the builder, I say with optimism and in the same spirit as the apostle Paul: Let us continue to be re-shaped by the Word and Spirit of God and face the future with hope and confidence.
Before I open the Scripture passage, I want to set the stage by sharing with you some recent, observable trends in our communities and land. First of all, we are seeing a change in patterns:
patterns for new patterns: I’m thinking about the pattern of membership. Fifty years ago, when you emigrated from one country to another, you took with you your membership papers and made sure that you were duly registered at your new church in your new country. We valued our membership status in the church.
Behind that value is a biblical understanding of the church that is no longer shared by the younger generation. In fact, we find that many are changing the pattern of membership. They don’t bother with papers; they could not care less about their status. Today, people consider themselves a member of the church as long as they themselves value and enjoy being a part of the church. They don’t want to jump through “membership hoops of baptism or profession of faith, or transfer requests” that have no meaning for them anymore.
Another recent trend easily observed is
denominational boundaries: Most of us here have been in churches other than Christian Reformed. Most of us have worshiped, at one time or another, in Baptist, Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, and yes, even, Roman Catholic communities of faith. We now live in an ecumenically much more friendly age than 20 or 30 years ago. We are finding things in common; we are learning to appreciate different approaches to the ministry and mission of the church; and we are bringing into our own churches some of the strengths in theology and worship found in these other communities of Christian faith. Ecumenical boundaries are fading and a cooperative, good-will spirit is on the rise.
With that second, recent trend is another development:
rich history of the Christian church, and thus gaining also a new appreciation for their own (Reformed) heritage: Calvary Church has its roots going back to the 16th century reformation of the church. But more and more Christians, from many different theological stripes and tribes, are going back to the early centuries. And we are making all kinds of discoveries that are highly relevant for the church today.
For example, the church today and the Christian church of the early centuries have much in common: a culture that is vehemently hostile or opposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. By learning from the strengths and weaknesses of the early Christian church, we learn to navigate in the waters of secularism and postmodernism today. And we also gain a new appreciation for our own Reformed heritage. The Spirit of God left a deposit of wisdom with the church on earth. And today, the Spirit of God is moving many Christians to delve into that wisdom and apply its riches anew.
I am optimistic about the future of the church. It’s not going down the drain. It’s God’s ongoing building project. I say this in light of Paul’s observations in Ephesians 2:11-22.
In that passage, the apostle Paul points to
Wall: In Israel today you’ll find a huge, concrete wall creeping through the WestBank area of Palestine. The Israelis are building this wall to keep Palestinian homocide bombers from infiltrating and blowing up Jews in their towns and cities.
In the days of Paul, there was a great, invisible wall between Jews and Gentiles; that wall divided the nations and set them apart from the Israelites.
That wall meant that the Gentiles had no access to God’s presence as symbolized in the temple of Jerusalem; it meant that the Gentiles did not share in God’s blessings promised to Israel if they but should live as his covenant people. That invisible wall left the Gentile nations without God, without Christ, without citizenship in Israel, and without hope.
But here is the good news of Jesus Christ: (vs. 13) “…now in Christ Jesus you who were once far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.” The dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles is broken down: in the eyes of God, all people who come to Jesus Christ in faith—Jews and Gentiles alike--are one; the ancient dividing wall of hostility, that horrendous barrier is destroyed. The church of Jesus must must remember and practice that good news: the church of God is undivided—one. The church is catholic—universal—one in Christ.
Paul also points to
is, the oneness of the Church is found in Jesus Christ. Jesus unites and reconciles the peoples of the world—not only with God, but also with one another. Listen: (vs.14) “For (Jesus) himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man [body/church] out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” Jesus stands at the center of the church; he holds the church together, even though throughout history we have been tearing it and dividing it along numerous theological, cultural, and well-intentioned but petty vault lines.
In this passage, Paul also points to
For one thing, we now have “access to the Father by one Spirit through Jesus Christ” (vs. 18). And now we are “fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” There you have it: we must see ourselves as part of God’s building project. God is building his church.
He does so in Jesus Christ. Listen: “In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” When I consider the church today, in the context of all kinds of trends and changes and cultural developments that oppose the church and that seem to suck the church into the sewers of history, I take great comfort and encouragement in this knowledge: the church is God’s building project.
And just as God has continually shaped and re-formed the church throughout the past, so I declare to you: take courage! Continue to be re-formed and face the future with hope and confidence. Live with courage and confidence in these quickly changing times! God is building his church!
Let me give you some pointers in light of our Reformed heritage, and in light of the Scripture that shapes our lives. I will build upon the insights I gained from a Christian leader in North America by the name of Brian Mc. Laren. In his book A Generous Orthodoxy, (194ff), McLaren speaks to people like you and me. He pleads with us to use the strengths of the Reformed faith to make a greater, deeper impact upon society—not by constantly dividing the church and being schismatic, but by using our Reformed distinctives in a positive, helpful way.
We have captured these Reformed distinctives in the acronym of TULIP:
T—total depravity
U—unconditional election
L—limited atonement
I—irresistible grace
P—perseverance of the saints
Mc.Laren suggests a “slight revision to the old acrostic for reforming Reformed Christians.” Without changing the theological or biblical truth found in the teachings of TULIP, what would happen if we emphasize in today’s culture a more positive approach to the Reformed faith and Scripture? For example:
T—Triune Love: Suppose we would stress the mutual love and fellowship between God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Would the divine characteristic of God’s love emerge more in our own lives and relationships with each other? Suppose, we would take delight in the fellowship circle of God’s love as found among Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and suppose we would reflect that same love by emphasizing how we, as Christians, also may participate in the fellowship circle of God’s love. Would not people be more willing to listen to us and be more attracted to join our communities when that love of God is more evident in our midst? T—Triune Love. Let it become a distinctive in our midst.
U--Unselfish Election: Suppose we would emphasize God’s unconditional election as a gift that is given to some for the benefit of all others. God elects people so that they can be a “blessing” to others. Suppose that we live more unselfishly, recognizing that God has called us from eternity to be a blessing, to “do good works, which he has prepared in advance for us,” says Paul in vs. 10. U—Unselfish Election. Let it become a distinctive in our midst.
L—Limitless Reconciliation: Suppose we would stop speculating on the limited scope of Christ’s salvation (you know, that Christ died for the elect—whoever they may be). And suppose that we would start emphasizing to the world the forgiveness of God as found in Jesus Christ. Why not major on God reconciling the world unto himself through the work of Jesus Christ? Why not toot the horn of God’s limitless reconciliation? Why not live out the mantra of Jesus to forgive our neighbors and our enemies 77 times if not more?
God’s work of forgiving people and reshaping our relationships as brothers and sisters forgiven by grace, says Mc.Laren “…never isolates divine from human relational healing, and therefore always [we must pray] to be forgiven by God as we forgive others.”
L—Limitless Reconciliation. Let it become a distinctive at Calvary Church!
I—Inspiring Grace: Listen to this quote: “Rather than picturing God’s grace as a dominating, almost mechanistic force that cannot be resisted, a reforming Reformed faith would view God’s grace as a passionate, powerful, personal desire to shower the beloved with healing and joy and every good thing. Having received this grace freely and fully, the reforming Christian would thus be inspired by grace to freely extend that grace to others in an overflow of good works….” Mmm. Reformed Christians inspired by grace. Now that’s an energizing thought! I—Inspiring Grace! Let it become a distinctive at Calvary Church!
P—Passionate, Persistent Saints: Instead of having chips on our shoulders, sighing because it’s so tough to be a Christian in today’s culture, yes instead of dragging our feet to be bold followers of Christ, suppose we would show an unquenchable hope and confidence that God “will never fail to fulfill a promise.”
Why not passionately joining God “in expressing saving love for our world until every promise [of God] comes true”? P—Passionate, Persistent Saints. “With firm conviction that the gospel is a story of triune love, unselfish election, limitless reconciliation, and inspiring grace, Reforming Christians would be indefatigable in their attempts to live in adversity, persistent over centuries and across generations,” so says Mc.Laren. I tend to agree! Let passion and persistence become a distinctive in our midst today!
The Christian church is God’s ongoing building project, always reforming, and always being reshaped by the energizing work of God’s Holy Spirit and the inspired Word of God. Therefore, we shall live with confidence and hope. God will not give up on his church. Neither should we.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.