(Audio/Video/Text)
Title: 2 Things We Are, 2 Things We Are Not
Intro:
Initiation, “earning your stripes”
“Now, therefore…”
In a broad sense, this “therefore” points back to the major theme that Paul has been teaching since the beginning of chapter 2, namely, that the work that Christ accomplished on the cross has unified all peoples, whether Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, into one body, the Church, and made all who would accept Jesus as Lord and Savior children of the Kingdom of God, and inheritors of the promises of that Kingdom.
In a specific sense, this “therefore” is looking back to Paul’s statement in verse 18 where he explains that through Jesus alone, all people groups can now have access (remember our word “prosagōgē” from last week) or, more specifically we have an introduction, and an introducer (Jesus), who presents us to the father.
And BECAUSE of all that (“therefore”)
Here is the result:
We are now:
- No longer strangers
Greek: Xenos (from where the word “xenophope” comes from )
Definition: a foreigner, a stranger
alien (from a person or a thing)
without the knowledge of, without a share in
new, unheard of
And, by implication: one who receives and entertains another hospitably
with whom he stays or lodges, a host
Anyone here at any point in their lives had a person who was not literally blood related, be, and act, just like family. And I mean someone who has a key to your house, walks into your kitchen at 2am, opens the fridge and starts chugging milk right from the jug and you don’t even blink because it’s just like if your brother or sister or parent did the same thing?
Now, envision that person the first time you ever met them, and your feelings of comfort around them vs. the point where your relationship is at now.
My oldest friend in the world and I met under quite unusual circumstances. (Mike and Ben colliding on the football field.)
2. No longer Foreigners
Greek: paroikos
Definition: a stranger, a foreigner, one who lives in a place without the right of citizenship
Can anyone here explain in our country what the difference is between a citizen and a naturalized citizen?
This is a good parallel: The Jews believed were citizens of the Kingdom by birth, and any Gentile believers had to become naturalized citizens by adhering to the Jewish law, they could then earn the right to become citizens.
Jesus comes along and destroys all of that by claiming that there is one qualification for citizenship in the Kingdom of God: the gift of Grace of the cross. Either you acknowledge what has been done on your behalf and receive that grace. Or you don’t acknowledge that grace and do not receive it.
3. We ARE fellow citizens with the saints
(IHOP Slide)
Has anyone, at any point in their lives, ever wondered why IHOP is the “International” House of Pancakes? I’ve only seen them in America, usually about 300 feet from a Wal Mart or Best Buy.
Does anyone know the answer? I googled it.
Because they serve french toast and crepes. You have to remember that in 1958, when the first International House of Pancakes opened, this was a fancy place that had these “exotic” foods from Europe. They pioneered (amongst others) the Swedish crepes which have lingonberries.
See, keep coming to Heritage, and you get this nuggets of gold. (Watch, THIS is what everyone is going to remember from the sermon…)
(Incidentally, my favorite quote about IHOP comes from Homer Simpson: slide)
Okay, back to the Bible:
My point here is that the House of God is now international. It is not relegated to just one people group and culture (the Jews) it is now a citizenship that anyone can be naturalized into by believing in Christ.
And that gives the Kingdom a great and rich diversity.
How does the diversity of the Kingdom glorify God?
4. We are Members of the Household of God
And, finally, Paul takes things a step further then and reminds us that not only are we citizens of the Kingdom, which is a huge blessing in and of itself, but we are also now members of the family.
Imagine for a moment you live in a monarchy…
What are the advantages to being loved by the King?
What are the advantages to being loved by your Father?
God is not only our King, but our Father.
Q&A