SPECIAL DAY: Second Sunday of Lent

March 8, 1998 - LESSON: Ephesians 1:8b-10, NRSV

SERMON TITLE: The Gathering

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"'How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings, that publishes peace.' The people everywhere and in all ages have been drawn together in times of tribulation and likewise in times of joy."

This is the opening two sentences of a "Call to Worship" for a wedding.

People come together for all kinds of gathering

Families gather together to celebrate a marriage

The gather to mourn a death.

Families gather for reunions to reacquaint themselves with one another, or to introduce new members of the family to those who have been members.

There is another gathering of family of which we ought to be aware and deeply sensitive to.

God is going to gather his family.

This is what Paul is communicating in Ephesians 1:8b-10

"With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."

The important part of this scripture for today is the is the second part:

"as a plan for the fullness of time,

"to gather up all things in him,

"things in heaven and things on earth."

Stop for a moment and take each phrase.

See the import of them.

See the beauty in them.

Let them speak to us of God and life.

What do they communicate?

First of all everything is: "that he set forth in Christ,"

The gathering of all things begins with Christ.

The life-work of Christ has far-reaching effects for those who unite their lives with his.

The purpose of the work of Christ is to create peace.

Christ comes to begin the establishment of a new community.

Christ encourages us to participate in this new community though which all his benefits are mediated.

One of the most important benefits is to help us regain the original character in which humanity was created.

He comes to us to draw all into oneness with himself,

He seeks to lead to on to a higher and more productive life.

We may see partly, by what means this is done.

The Incarnation, (God enters the world scene)

Thus heaven comes down to earth.

The process begins with Jesus.

The sacrifice of Christ:

This is a peace offering.

By it the separation of ourselves and God is done away with.

The kinship offered through and in Christ:

All Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ.

Human differences are done away;

Jew and Gentile, bond and free, barbarians and civilized, are one in Christ.

In the end, the union of Christians in the Church should realize the oneness in Christ which will end war and mutual jealousies.

The headship of Christ:

Christ is recognized to be the head by all,

We also become members of him, and so members of one another.

The final triumph of Christ: Christ will ultimately triumph over sin, death, and all evil things.

This is the end of the process of the gathering.

As Paul writes in Ephesians this was: "as a plan for the fullness of time,"

Time is a question for the disciples; it is a question for us.

At Jesus ascension they asked him:

(Acts 1:6-7 NRSV) "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?"

[7] He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.

The angels standing by did not leave Jesus' followers in the dark

(Acts 1:11 NRSV) They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

Though we do not know the day nor hour, it will come.

In Matthew 24 Jesus answers a question with a duel answer.

Tell us what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age:

Jesus answered:

(Matthew 24:36 NRSV) "But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father...

He also warned and encouraged the disciples to be alert to his return.

(Matthew 24:42-44 NRSV) Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. [43] But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. [44] Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

In Ephesians Paul writes that In Christ will come the time: "to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."

This is not only for humanity, but for the whole earth.

Creation is said to long for the gathering

(Romans 8:19-23 NRSV) For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; [20] for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope [21] that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

[22] We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; [23] and not only the creation,

To be set free from the bondage to decay.

The Christian also long for the gathering

"[23b] but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

The redemption of our bodies.

The promise of resurrection

This is an intermediate step in the process.

The gathering restores our citizenship.

We are no longer strangers or aliens.

We have citizenship here in this country, but we also have another citizenship.

(Philippians 3:20 NRSV) But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We live in hope, but there is a greater hope.

(Titus 2:13 NRSV) while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We are encouraged to be patient.

(James 5:7-8 NRSV) Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. [8] You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

The purpose of the gathering will finally be fulfilled.

(John 17:20-21 NRSV) "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, [21] that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

In January of each year there are those in the Christian community who observe, "The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity."

Churches in the community are encouraged to talk with one another

Churches are encouraged to share with one another.

We used to have a "Week of prayer for Christian Unity" service.

We have not had a service in a some time.

There are those who see themselves right and others wrong.

We are all, in a sense, right and wrong.

Oneness has not yet been achieved.

This is evident in the lives of those of whom Jesus was speaking and those who have followed after.

The reason for oneness

The purpose to restore what has been distorted, warped, and lost.

It is to create peace and justice

To live finally in love and mercy.

The purpose of oneness

Not so that we can be forced into the same mold.

So others will recognize us for what we are.

They do anyway.

The blades of grass are all different, but they are still grass.

The world is full of different kinds of trees, but they are still trees.

God desires us to be recognized as Christians.

The result of unity.

Cooperation and the realization of human kinship.

Our Church Covenant Contains our "Mission Statement:"

We hold it to be the mission of the Church of Christ to proclaim the gospel to all humankind, exalting the worship of the one true God and laboring for the progress of knowledge, the promotion of justice, the reign of peace, and the realization of human brotherhood. Depending, as did our fathers and mothers, upon the continued guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth.

We work and pray for the transformation of the world into the kingdom of God; and we look with faith for the triumph of righteousness and the life everlasting

This is what we are working, and living for.

The transformation of the world into the kingdom of God.

The triumph of righteous

And the life everlasting.

It is no wonder that Paul can write in Ephesians 1:8b-10, NRSV

With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

God will.

God help us to be part of it.


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