You probably know that the Ephesian church began, as did other first century churches, as a collection of Jewish followers of Jesus who gathered together on the first day of the week. As they met they would listen to “the apostles teaching, enjoy the fellowship of the church, break bread in communion, and pray together” (Acts 2.42).

Theirs was a strong, exciting and excited community of faith. Soon non-Jewish people, Gentiles began to notice. They wanted to know what this new faith was all about. Maybe one day when they worshiped at the church before they heard the good news of Jesus, there they heard Psalm 122. I imagine they felt welcomed as I did as a child in my home church when the worship leader would stand and begin our service with the words of the Psalm, “I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord”.

Maybe they felt like they wanted to belong when they heard that “Jerusalem was a place of refuge. Within its walls and towers was a promise of protection and they stood as visible symbols of the refuge afforded those who trust the Lord. Jerusalem was a place of praise. It was the practice of people to go up to the city on days of annual festivals to give thanks to the name of the Lord. And Jerusalem was a place of justice. It was the place where the legal and religious institutions were housed” (Interpretation series, Psalms, Louisville. John Knox Press, p. 392-393).

They felt embraced by the hope and hospitality of the church, and as they learned more and more about Jesus, they began to believe in him and they became followers of his too.

All of a sudden it seemed that before anyone could notice, the Ephesians had themselves a diverse congregation. And they had some adjustments to make. Here was the problem.

There was some unease because the Christians who had been around for a while wanted the new Christians to adopt all the customs that were important to the long time members. The new Christians believed that the old ways had no relevance for them and in fact their freedom in Christ meant that there were no rules, no laws, no customs that they were bound to follow absolutely.

The long time members of the church had begun to wonder, “what were we thinking sharing our church with these people? They don’t know our customs, they don’t know our laws, they don’t really know us. The newer members said, “we are not shaped by their history, or by their ways. What we know is this church now.” For a minute, it looked as if issues of diversity in which differences are celebrated was about to become divisive. Rather than a source of celebration, it was about to become a reason for dissension.

Then one day the church received a copy of a letter sent by one of the church’s leaders, one for whom the gospel of Jesus was a threat, and so he wrote his letter from a prison cell. We are fortunate to have the letter that was read aloud to the Ephesians and to other congregations. One of the values we hold is that we are a diverse congregation of believers. And since we are in the process of determining what our diversity means both in and outside of these walls, it seem to me that the letter addressed to the Ephesians has some helpful advice for us.

The point of the letter seems to be that it is possible for the church to celebrate its diversity if we understand that what unites us is immeasurably greater than anything that makes us different. The Ephesians and we are reminded that we have been received into this church. We belong to Christ Jesus and he belongs to us. It is Jesus is the church’s head and Lord, so requiring loyal obedience and service; and he is both Israel’s Messiah and Gentiles’ hope, so uniting in himself a new people, both Jews and Gentiles” (Interpretation series. Ephesians. Ralph P. Martin. Atlanta, John Knox Press, p. 1991, p. 5). Everything else follows from our faith and hope in him, and it is Christ who has the power to bring us together.

So we read in the second chapter of the letter, they have been reminded that Jesus, “is our peace, in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the hostility between us” (v.14). In the third chapter, we are encouraged by these words, “I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints what is the breadth and length, and height, and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (vs. 18-19).

Know Christ as the peace between us, as the one who stands in the gap when we are at odds and offers himself as the connecting bridge between us. Know him as the love that surrounds us and drives us. Know him. That is our call and in the fourth chapter of Ephesians we are invited, in the name of the Christ who loves us live up to the high call of God in our lives and in the church, to live lives worthy of that call. How do we live that worthy life?

After our worship summit a week ago, some of us stayed and had a conversation with William Meyer. I know he also spoke with several of you after church last Sunday. Bill is interested in becoming the pastor of a multi-racial church and sees this congregation as a model for what such a church might be. As we sat talking, he asked an intriguing question. If Broad Street Christian Church did not exist, but was in formation, if it were coming into being as a multi-cultural congregation, what would we need to do. Here is what people said:

We need to: “do a marketing survey – what are people looking for in a church, why do they want to be in an interracial church? Lead people by the hand gently, be a tad more charismatic, find friends of different backgrounds, and begin with a mixed core group.”

“We need to: understand that it won’t be painless, no one person gets a veto, have inclusive leadership, respect people enough to welcome them as they are, or to let them leave, choose partners.

“Understand that it is hard work, there will be distractions, it isn’t easy. Be ready to put on the armor and go. We will need faithfulness and belief, dedication and commitment. We must have not preconceived notions, and we have to keep the focus on the Holy Spirit.”

That seemed to me a good way for any church to conduct itself. Listen to the people you want to serve, do the work necessary to be the church we pray to be. “Live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called.”

I believe we can. Let’s live this church’s life in a way that defies conventional wisdom. Conventional wisdom says that a church in which people do not think, act, or look alike cannot grow. We know that we don’t have to look alike, dress alike, or think alike. Let’s do all that we can to say to the church and to the world, here we are in every way that God has blessed us and called us. We will respond by living worthy of the calling to which we have been called. We are called to a life of faith, of prayer, of study, of being in relationship with God, each other and the world through God’s son, Jesus. We will be here, in this place, Can we declare that we are not going anywhere, so come if you are looking for a place to be that makes you glad when they say to you, “let us go to the house of the Lord”.

Other people all over the world are glad to go into other houses of worship and we wish them every blessing of God. But we are glad to be in this house because it is here that we find our refuge, a release for our praise, and a sense of justice and everyone.

What we are called to do is to be one, not in the sense of radical individualism that says my needs are all that matters, but in the sense of this congregation having one purpose. It is to share the good news that in Jesus Christ there is one body - church. There is one Spirit – God’s own sacred, enlivening Holy spirit. There is one Lord, who is Christ, one faith, that in him all things are possible, and our hope is founded on Christ, in whose name we are baptized, and by whose grace we can be made whole and free.

Our unity recognizes and celebrates that while we have different gifts, some on full display and some hidden, we do each have gifts to share. What is your gift – and are you using it to the glory of God? Ask yourself that question, seriously. Ask yourself and pray for an answer. You may never answer it in a way anyone will hear, though I hope you will become we need your gifts. But find you gift and in whatever way you can, add yours to the ones we know.

Let’s be united in our desire to be mature Christians, anchored by our faith and our hope in Jesus Christ, ready to give all that we have to build up the church and then become the church God is calling us to be. There are ministries of hope and reconciliation to be done in this city and I believe we are uniquely suited to do it. That is how we will live out our call.

As we live our lives in Christ, there is no need for us to be egotistical or arrogant or insistent, we can in humility simply be who we are and what we believe. We are part of the people of God who believe “that Christ’s call reaches across the worldly divisions of race, nationality, ability, gender, sexual identity, or socio-economic status and seeks therefore to be Christlike in our response to one another and to the world.”

We want to be mature Christians here, we want to be anchored in the love and unity of one hope, and one Lord. As we do, we will be able to speak truthfully to each other, truthfully and lovingly.

As we do, every part of our ministry, our education and worship, our communication and nurture, our maintenance and outreach will fit together like a perfectly toned body. Every part of us will work as we should and this glad house of faith will be a place of protection, praise, and justice. It will be a place where all people are respected, where young people are nurtured, and where older adults are honored, and where we make room in our hearts as well as in these pews for people to join us here.

Finally, I like the way Eugene Peterson describes the church, it is who I believe we are on our way to becoming. He talks about a people “skilled in servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love”. That is how with one faith, one hope, and one Lord, we lead lives worthy of the call of God in our lives.

Thanks be to God. Amen.