RACIAL HARMONY PART 1

HIS PEACE BRINGS US TOGETHER

EPH. 2:11-22

Eph. 2:11-22 NET – 11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh – who are called “uncircumcision” by the so-called “circumcision” that is performed on the body by human hands – 12 that you were at that time without the Messiah, alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, 15 when he nullified in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace, 16 and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, 18 so that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer foreigners and noncitizens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, 20 because you have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

INTRO:  This is the first part in a new series entitled, “Racial Harmony.”  This week we are looking at, “His peace brings us together.”  In the next two weeks we will look at, “What race are you,” and, “A new song for a new race.”

It is not my desire to answer race issues within the sermon series; nor is it my desire to show the differences of the races and how we can work through them.  My one and only desire is to see what Scripture has to say about the race issue and what we can learn from it, not man or our own philosophical beliefs.

When Jesus came to set up His church, He didn’t set it up to be divided.  Now there are a number of things that can divide us:  denominations, worship style, doctrine, service times, size of church, and the list could go on and on.

And of those I listed, perhaps the only one that I can understand a division for would be for those who believe and practice and teach false doctrine.

One area of separation that shouldn’t have ever happened to the Body of Christ is separation because of race.  It is just wrong.  We have specific churches that are based on race.  Now I don’t mind a separation based on language, but not along racial lines.

When the early Pentecostal movement was first founded, they had an expression: “Race has been washed away by the blood of Christ.”  But sadly, in a few years that belief had changed.

I’m thankful that our church has different races attending.  It’s like a beautiful rainbow.

We must be like Jesse Owens and Luz Long and how they reacted in the middle of a racist country.  Jesse Owens should have aced the long jump at the 1936 Olympic games inBerlin. The record he'd set the year before, 26' 8 1/4", would stand for 25 years. But the Nazis were out to prove "Aryan superiority." As the black sharecropper's son walked to the pit, he saw a tall, blond German taking practice jumps in the 26-foot range, and grew nervous.  On his first jump he leaped from inches beyond the takeoff board. Rattled, he fouled on his second attempt, too.  Then the tall German approached Owens and introduced himself as Luz Long. Long suggested that since the qualifying distance was only 23' 5 1/2", he play it safe on his last try by making a mark several inches before the takeoff board and jumping from there.  Owens qualified easily, set an Olympic record, and earned the second of four gold medals. The first to congratulate Owens was Long—in full view of Hitler.  Owens wrote, "You could melt down all the medals and cups I have, and they wouldn't be plating on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long."

You see, we must do more that what we’ve been doing to see this bondage of racism broken.  Let’s look.

1.  Racial harmony will never be brought about by political action.

A.     Now before we go any further, we are really fortunate to live in this country.  We have freedom of expression and dissent.

1.      But to think that using the political system to see the racial divide conquered is wrong.  You see the political machine is a man developed system.  It may produce some change, but it will never produce a change in lives, hearts and attitudes of people.  Only Christ can do this.

2.  Racial harmony only comes when the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, Rules in our hearts.

vv. 13 – 16 NET – 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, 15 when he nullified in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace, 16 and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed.

A.     It is the death of Christ on the cross that truly brings about racial reconciliation.

B.     You will notice in v. 14, that peace isn’t an event, but a person; Jesus Christ.

1.      It also states that He is the one who made both groups, Jews and Gentiles (two different races) into one and He is the one that destroys the hostility.

C.     This passage also states in vv. 15-16 that God has created one man out of the two, and by doing this has made peace.  He has reconciled the races into one body to God through the cross.

D.     Also in v. 16 it states that hostility will not be ended or killed in some staged political rally or event, or at some conference table, but at the cross.  This verse specifically states that at the cross the hostility has been killed.

1.      The Greek word for, “killed” here is: “to slay, to put to death, to destroy, to abolish, to inflict a mortal wound, to deprive of spiritual life and procure eternal misery in hell.

3.  In light of this, what must we do?

     A.  Remember where we came from.

vv. 13; 17& 19 NET – 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 19 So then you are no longer foreigners and noncitizens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household.

B.     It is not Law, but the Peace of Christ that tears down the walls.

vv. 14-15 NET – 14 For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, 15 when he nullified in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace.

C.     The peace of Christ should be preached to all, regardless of race, background, or creed.

v. 17 NET - And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

4.  Racial harmony comes when we build our lives on what the Word of God really teaches with Christ as our cornerstone.

vv. 20-22 NET – 20 because you have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

CONCL: Peace between the races only comes through the Words and deeds of the Prince of Peace – Jesus Christ.

It doesn’t come by some political figure, gangs, separation, or false religion.  Let’s build our lives on His Word with Jesus as the focus.