The church at Ephesus was not like most churches. It was a church without conflict. There were no pressing issues or problems. In fact it was one of the Apostle Paul’s most successful missions. Nevertheless, like the other churches, we have this letter, (apparently written by a disciple of Paul) which was delivered to the congregation.
You could say that the writer was "preaching to the choir." This was a faithful church, a church Paul could count on. It was the "crown jewel" of the churches in Asia Minor. But, even the faithful need to be reminded of the essential elements of the faith now and then. They are after all, still human, capable of making mistakes and forgetting what they are about. Therefore, they got mail. The author was attempting to raise the conscious level of the believer, and summarizing what it means to be the true church of God.
The letter begins with a message about God’s grace. What better way to begin a new year than to hear a word about the grace of God. The message is mostly about what God does, not what the faithful do. Grace is a free gift, not something we have to earn or purchase. We are the beneficiaries of grace because what Christ did for us, not anything we did for ourselves. What does it mean to live in the grace of God?
First, it means we are forgiven, "forgiven of our trespasses." Last year has ended. It is over, finished. We cannot turn the clock back and undo anything that was done. It is history. We have no choice but to live in the new year. The same is true for our failures, our mistakes, our sins. Because of God’s free grace we do not have to live with guilt, with shame or with feelings of condemnation. We are forgiven.
Last Sunday I made an "unpardonable" sin. I was late to worship. You would think that after eight years I would know what time worship begins. For some unknown reason I thought I had 15 more minutes, therefore took my time getting ready. An usher finally came looking for me. Some thought I had taken ill. I pride myself on being on time, but this time I blew it.
Fortunately for me, no one got mad and no one left. The congregation just sat there, quietly, assuming I would show up at any time. I entered late, and the congregation graciously welcomed my arrival. Perhaps this seems like a minor offense but even small mistakes can bring discord to the church. And this is exactly what Paul did not want.
Besides being persons who are forgiven, we are to be people who are united. Secondly, the message of the letter addresses the importance of being bound together, "to unite all things in him (Christ), things in heaven and things on earth." God’s purpose for us as a church is to work as a team.
Often times our pride gets in the way. Unfortunately, society teaches us to be self reliant. We are taught to believe that being dependent on others is bad or even immoral. The church at Ephesus was doing so well they were vulnerable to the idea that they didn’t need anyone else. The very fact that this letter was directed to them is a reminder that even the "most successful" still need to be reminded that they are not alone. Even the "choir" cannot run amuck.
A colleague of mine became seriously ill the week of Christmas. That meant he was unable to deliver the Christmas Eve message. He was not able to make his contribution to the monthly newsletter. And during the same week there were two deaths in the church which meant someone else would have to officiate. The good news is that he has an associate pastor who could perform these duties in his absence. The associate pastor was hired this past year. Not everyone in the church was in favor of hiring an associate pastor. But now the congregation is discovering the wisdom of expanding their team of ministry.
There are times when we have to let go of our pride and allow others to do our work for us. I know that for my friend that will not be easy. There are times when we have to make concessions and be a team player. Unity in the church is an essential element of our faith. The reason churches fail is because a small minority want their own way. Or, a church fails to connect with the larger community, thus preventing them from developing relationships beyond themselves.
The Church at Ephesus could not stand alone. They needed this message to guard them from total self reliance. By reminding them that God’s grace was freely given they are reminded that one of the very reasons they are a faithful community is because of what God did, not what they did for themselves.
Although this message reminds the church that grace is free it does not exempt the faithful from active participation. There is one expectation; people of faith are to live "to the praise of God’s glorious grace." God wants us to live with a thankful heart, in praise for all God has done and is doing. When a body of people have an attitude of gratitude it is contagious. Newcomers and outsiders will experience the true spirit of God.
We are not a club. We are not a business. We are a community of believers who share one common denominator. We are all redeemed. We are a gathering of people who are all different. We are people who at sometime or another "have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." And the glue that holds us together is grace.
It is a costly gift, yet free to us. And although we feel unworthy we are still loved. We are not the church because we have performed well. We are not the church because we are respectable citizens. We are the church because we freely accept the grace of God and are free to pass it on.
Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio