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This reading is from a letter written by Paul while he was in jail. It is believed to have been circulated actually to a number of the early communities of followers of Jesus. This translation (slightly revised by Pastor Sara) is from Eugene Peterson he calls it The Message. He uses contemporary wording, which we sometimes find helpful in understanding what Paul was talking about. Notice references to outsiders and insiders --- in Pauls day this was a reference to Jews (the insiders in this very young developing religion) and non-Jews, the outsiders. As you listen to these verses, listen inside yourself for whom YOU might call insiders or outsiders.
Ephesians 2:14-19
The Anointed one has made things up between us so that were now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody.
Christ brought us together through his life and death. His teachings got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through his teachings we both share the same Spirit and all have access to God.
Thats plain enough, isnt it? You are no longer wandering exiles. This realm of faith is now your home country. Youre no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone.
Who did you think of as your outsiders? Focusing now on a category more than a specific person, whom do you think doesnt belong where you belong? What kind of person could you never imagine inviting to your fourth of July party?? Of course Id like to believe I have no such thoughts --- but if I look more closely, I know there are folks I would have a hard time including on my list. Its easy for me to say I wouldnt want to invite child molesters and sex offenders of all varieties. In fact, anyone with violent tendencies --- no one would slight me for leaving them out! And if I look inside a little more closely, I can see that I really wouldnt be that interested in sharing my barbecue with folks who belong to the National Rifle Association --- or folks of an extremely politically conservative bent ---- or, even, those ultra-conservative Christian folks. Just knowing how tiresome conversation could be with these folks could be, Id just as soon avoid it. I could go on a bit longer, I suppose....but Im going to stop for a moment and look at this place Im standing in.
Im standing on one side of a line Ive drawn......well, maybe its a circle. Im standing inside a circle Ive drawn......inside this circle with me are all those people with whom I could very comfortably and easily have a conversation about most anything. Im looking at all the people outside this circle, and suddenly it is clear to me that there are lots more folks outside it than are inside it. And theres something else I notice. If I look all the way across to the other side of my circle, because its not a wall, but just a line drawn on the ground ---just by looking at the people I cant tell whos actually in the circle and whos out of it. Now I could react to that fact in a couple of ways. I could react with anxiety, because I cant automatically know whos ok and whos NOT ok....or I could react by relaxing and noticing that maybe the differences arent as great as I had first imagined them to be.
Pauls letter was probably not written directly to the Ephesians, but more as a general letter that was circulated to a variety of early Jesus followers. Some commentators say that it describes Pauls theology --- and gives early followers some advice about how to form their communities. What we know is that these communities first formed each within their own circle of trust....so that there were Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles. But very soon, those who deeply understood Jesus message spoke out and said ok, now its time to merge your circles! Start to mingle with each other, and as Jesus taught, let your eyes blur a little bit, become softer, and look at each other with the eyes of love. For the time being, just try to let go of what it is that has kept you separate for such a long time --- generations of time --- and remember the teaching of this man we are all following --- he said we are to love each other, no matter what!
No doubt there was grumbling and murmuring when people heard this. Long-held beliefs are very difficult to let go of. What does it take for me to do that, to let go of my belief that I couldnt hold a conversation with a National Rifle Club member without gagging? I have to respond to the calling of this teaching --- I have to remember that I do in fact respect what Jesus taught quite a lot --- and if I believe his teachings expressed a powerful wisdom, I must also accept that I have it in me to rise to this calling. I think those early Christians did have a direct experience of realizing that Jesus wasnt telling them to do something that he knew was impossible. He was telling them this was within their capacity as humans --- and that if each of us as humans WOULD respond to this calling to express what we are capable of, we would know ourselves to be in the realm of God --- in the realm of the Sacred. In fact, we are all co-creators of this Sacred world as we wrench ourselves free of those circles and walls that keep us separated.
And what does this have to do with preserving that about our country that we love?? We cannot preserve something only for ourselves. That isnt preserving, that is hording. If we want to preserve what we love, we have to preserve it for all generations --- for all beings. If we want to preserve our freedom, we have to work for the freedom of all people....because as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said HYPERLINK "http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/24974.html" \o "Click for further information about this quotation" Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are indeed called to step outside of our circle of comfort and find a way to see all people as our brothers and sisters....not just those who think and believe the way we do. It means we have to draw upon our understanding of what we DO have in common --- that we all want to live free in peace, free of suffering. We all want to have our basic needs met --- food, housing, healthcare, education. Many of us in this country have these things, many do not. Everyone wants them and should have them. Most are willing and able to work for them, given the opportunity. There are many complicated reasons why some are not given the opportunity --- and why others who cant work for these basics still dont have those needs met. This truth cries out to us --- if anyone is suffering, all of us suffer.
So we are called to do what it takes to help make sure these needs are met --- in our country and in the world. We KNOW it is possible --- we have enormous resources. In order to make it happen, we need to let go of our circles of comfort --- if we truly can see each person as our equal, we can become that new human being that Paul spoke of. It is not a simple thing to do, it requires us to express our highest selves, this letting go of our long-held belief of separation. But we DO have the capacity to do this, and until we do, we will not truly know what the realm of God is like. Jesus was able to see that part of us that is able to reach this goal....thats one thing that was extraordinary about him. He saw it and he told people about it, and they believed him that each of us IS able to express a higher self than we ever thought possible. Paul says that the realm of Faith is now our home country. Thats a profound statement --- not saying we let go of governments and ethnic identities and cultural differences --- but that our HOME country is the one that reminds us we all belong to one human family. Aribi, 13th Century Sufi traveler & mystic said:
"My heart is open to all the winds... Wherever God's caravans turn, the religion of love shall be my religion. And my faith."
The basis of every Faith tradition is rooted in the power of Love, the power of Compassion. When we recognize that Power as the one to which we owe our allegiance, everything else WILL fall into place. We will know what to do to preserve all these things we love. "When the power of love becomes stronger than the love of power, we will have peace." Jimi Hendrix AMEN
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