Pax
A Communion Address

Ephesians 2:11-16 "Wherefore remember, that ye [being] in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; [12] That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: [13] But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. [14] For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us]; [2:15] Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace; [16] And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:"

If any among those who are called "human" should be moved at the Lord's Table, if any should be humbled, and grateful, and overwhelmed with the Power of God's Love - if there be any, then we who are called "Gentiles" and "Uncircumcision" should be the most blessed. A few weeks ago one of our children asked me the question, "Pastor David, can you name all the Apostles?" To be honest with him, I had to admit that, though I could name a few, I could not name them all. Yet today I want to name them. They were:

1. Peter, who would go on to become the leader of the Church in Jerusalem, considered to be the Headquarters of the early Church;

2. John the Revelator, exiled to the island of Patmos to write the book of Revelation (Revelation 1:9);

3. James, the brother of John, who was the first disciple to be martyred (Acts 12:2);

4. Andrew and;

5. Philip were two of several to inform Jesus about the Greeks (Gentiles) wanting to see Him (John 12:22);

6. Bartholomew is last seen in the boat with a few other disciples in the Sea of Tiberius catching an abundance of fish that Jesus miraculously brought up (John 21:2);

7. Matthew, the reviled Tax Collector, wrote a gospel;

8. Thomas is last seen doubting Jesus (John 20:24-25);

9. Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of our Lord, committed suicide (Acts 1:18);

10. James, the son of Alphaeus;

11. Thaddaeus, and;

12. Simon the "Zealot" are merely mentioned in the list as disciples (Matthew 10:4, Mark 3:18).

Each of these men were called by our Lord Jesus to be His disciples, students, and as part of that "inner circle" they later became Apostles to the Church. Each of these men were "common" men. Each of these men were laborers. Each of these men also had one other thing in common.

Luke 22:13-14 "And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. [14]  And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him."

Each one of these men, called and set forth by our Lord Jesus as Apostles, were each and every one Jewish, of the Circumcision. They were of Israel, just as our Lord was of Israel in His flesh. These Israelites broke Bread with Jesus, drank Wine with Jesus. They shared the first Lord's Table with our Savior - for Jesus, when He first came - came for the lost sheep of Israel, the Covenant People of God. Though I believe that the Gentile Christian was in the mind of Christ from eternity past, when Jesus broke Bread on that first Lord's Table it was with the  Children of Promise.

Thus today, as we approach the Lord's Table, we remember this:

Ephesians 2:11-12 "Wherefore remember, that ye [being] in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; [12] That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, ..."

In our day and age we often make much of skin color. We speak of "white" and "black" and "yellow" and "red", and often consider those of one color to be privileged over those of another. In America, many consider it to be "privilege" to be white as opposed to African-American, or Phillipino-American, or Asian-American, yet in countries where other races are in the majority those of us who are white are considered to be disadvantaged. You see, color and the prominence of color often seems to bestow privilege.

Yet in God's economy, in the times past, and even today in this era, color has no value. In the Age of Israel those who were of Israel were considered by God to be the "Children of Promise". The Covenant of Promise was first established with Father Abraham, as the writer of Hebrews states:

Hebrews 6:13-20 "For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, [14]  Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. [15]  And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. [16]  For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. [17] Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: [18]  That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: [19]  Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; [20]  Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."

God made a Covenant of Promise with Abraham and his seed, and then restated and renewed that Covenant with the Children of Israel. He ratified the promise of Land to Israel through the Palestinian Covenant, and ratified the promise of an eternal Kingdom through the Davidic Covenant. These promises were overtly made to Israel, the children of Promise, the children of the Covenant - God's Chosen.
These promises were FOR Israel, not because of color, but because of God's Will and Grace. We who were Gentiles, REGARDLESS as to our color, were "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise".

We were dogs. We were without hope. Israel, the beloved of God, shared none of her table with us.

Remember. Remember...

Though the whole world was in God's mind, though He desired to save all, His will determined that Israel, the children of Promise, would be first offered the  Covenant of all Covenants. All previous Covenants focused on man working his way toward God with God, but another Covenant was given which would empower man.

Jeremiah 31:31-33 "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: [32]  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: [33]  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people."

When this Covenant came, if Israel accepted it it would cause them to be spiritually changed, NEW creatures in Christ, people EMPOWERED to walk hand in hand with God because of the indwelling Spirit. But again, alas, this Covenant was promised to the Children of Israel, the Children of the Covenant. Color was not the reason they were first offered the Covenant. God's Will was the reason.

And we all, regardless of color, were without hope, and without Christ.

Ephesians 2:11,13-14 "Wherefore remember ... [13] But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. [14] For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us]"

Though NONE of us who are Gentiles sat at the original Lord's Table with Jesus, though all who sat around Him were of Israel, WE were in His mind. Our Lord Jesus said:

John 10:15-18 "As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16]  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. [17]  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. [18]  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."

Though Jesus said that He had "other sheep" not of "this fold", or of Israel, Israel hearing these words did not understand them. After all, Israel was the chosen nation, the children of Promise. Jesus could have no other sheep but Israel, could He?

We who were rejected from the first Table by the prejudices and failures of the children of Promise were in the mind of Christ all along. We who were the rejected, the dogs, the others were the rejected stone that our Father would raise up through Christ to His glory and majesty. Jesus said:

Matthew 21:42-46 "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? [43]Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. [44]  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. [45]  And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. [46]  But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet."

The chief priests, the Pharisees, the leaders of the Chosen Nation rejected the Blood and the Body, the Wine and the Bread. When Pilate said, "I find no guilt in this Man", Israel said, "Kill Him, and His blood be on us and our children". Jesus was rejected by the Chosen, and knowing this gave Himself - not just for the Chosen - but for the Gentiles as well. He gave Himself for the world, the WHOLE WORLD. The Kingdom of God was taken away from Israel, the stewardship removed from that privileged Child, and was given to the underprivileged. It was given to us, and to all who believe.

He is our Peace, our PAX (Latin), our EIRENE (Greek). Jesus Christ our Lord broke down that "middle wall of partition" between Jew and Gentile, between Privileged and Under Privileged, between God and man. Sin is no longer a barrier between us and Father. Inability to serve the Law is no longer a barrier between we who are now of the "Family of God". Or, as Ephesians 2:19 states,

Ephesians 2:19  "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God".

We were not physically at the Table on that night of the first Lord's Table, be we were there IN JESUS. We were not at peace with God, but now are within the Family of God because of Christ's broken Body and shed Blood.

Ephesians 2:11, 15-16 "Wherefore remember ... [15] Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace; [16] And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:"

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, all offenses that separated you from God the Father have been erased. The Spirit of God indwells you. You are empowered to walk with God in the Garden unashamed. The barrier of sin that separated you from a loving relationship with the Godhead has been removed.

Mark 15:38  "And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom."

No longer does anything separate you from God. No longer do you have to have the privileged High Priest enter the Holy of Holies for you. No longer is the Law, written on Tablets of Stone, something that you must look at with shame because you are unable to live its precepts.

The Law of God is written in your heart, and you are empowered by God to walk, lovingly, within that Law.

As you come to the Lord's Table today, realize that you were not physically represented at that first Table - though you were in the Mind of Christ. Realize that His Body and His Blood were offered for you in particular. He knew you before you ever knew Him. He died for you before the Chosen knew His death applied to you. And though were who are Gentiles were not physically represented at that Table, we had one thing in common with all at that Table.

He called, and we followed by faith. Because of Him, we sit at the Table today, and will one day sit with Him in eternity.

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