Monday 22 September 2008

Sermon Sunday 14 September 2008 St Killian's, Bissingen Ephesians 4:1-6 Preached by Bruce In German

This is my English text. Thanks to Pastor Eva-Marie Freudenreich and Talita for producing the German text that follows at the end!

Thank you for the welcome, it is very good to be here again.

I have been asked to speak on this short passage from Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. It is a favourite passage of mineIf you read the first three chapters, they are all about our position in Christ. We are “seated” with him in heavenly places. In other words, while we live our lives here on earth, we do so in the knowledge that we are united with Christ, that he has done all that is needed to bring about our salvation, and we can rely upon him. This does not absolve us from doing good things, but God has prepared in advance good things for us to do. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we are also united with each other in him.

So far in the letter he has been describing who we are and the benefits that are ours, but now we come to Paul’s first real command to the Christians in Ephesus, and also to us. We are to live in a manner worthy of the calling we have received. Literally, we are to walk worthily.

It is very important to have correct, orthodox beliefs. But these are of no use if we do not reflect them in every day life. Indeed the orthodoxy of our beliefs is to be measured in six ways: humility and gentleness, patience and forbearance, love and unity. These can all be summarised under the one heading of Love.

This is the Christian life summed up! A firm in England called Ronseal make paints and varnishes. Their tagline is “It does what it says on the tin.” “Ronseal quick-drying floor varnish: it dries quickly and makes your floor look beautiful. It does what it says on the tin.”

Paul says that it says on the tin that Christians will be known by a way of life that is humble, gentle, patient and bearing with people, loving and devoted to unity. It was Jesus who said: “They will know you are Christians by the love you have for each other”.

So Paul appeals to the Christians of Ephesus, and to us, to live as those who are in Christ. Those who are not Christians know very well how Christians are supposed to live. It probably never happens here in Germany, but in England it is not uncommon to hear someone say:

“So and so is a church going Christian, but they are so hard-hearted, or critical, or proud, or self-seeking, …. If that is what Christians are like, then I do not want to be one.”

Our young people have a phrase: “If you want to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk.”

So what does it mean to walk like this? Paul explores this in the rest of the letter, giving wise advice for the whole field of our relationships, both domestic and public. He addresses us as neighbours, husbands and wives, parents and children, employers and employed, all in a most down to earth way. Finally he gives advice on how we can stand against the enemy.

It is all summed up, however, in the words of our passage before us.

Humility or lowliness was much despised in the ancient world. The Greeks never used their word for humility in a context of approval or admiration. They understood it to mean servile, abject, or subservient. When Paul asks us to be humble, however, he is saying that we should be like Jesus, who came to be servant of all. Humility is essential to unity. Pride lies behind all discord. We need to be not so concerned for our own position, but instead to give respect to the views of others. In this way we will be promoting unity in God’s family of the church and more widely in society.

Gentleness or meekness is a quality of moderation. To be meek is not to be weak. It is to have a balanced personality, able to be strong, but not asserting one’s personal rights. Jesus described himself as being ‘gentle and lowly of heart’.

Humility and meekness form a natural couple. The meek person thinks little about his personal claims, while the humble person does not dwell on his or her personal merits.

The third and fourth qualities also go together. Patience is longsuffering towards aggravating people, while forbearance is that mutual tolerance without which no group of human beings can live together in peace.

Love is constructively to seek the welfare of others. It is the foundation of Christian unity, because it is the heart and essence of God. We receive his love, we reflect his love to those around us. We have no choice. Paul writes as a prisoner of, or possibly for, Christ. Physically, he is under restraint; more importantly he is constrained to live a life in union with Christ, and under the influence of his Spirit. Paul is holding open the cell door and inviting us to join him in a glorious captivity that sets us free.

Our union with the one God leads us inevitably into unity with each other. There have been attempts to form visible unity between the different branches of the Church, based on negotiations about doctrine and rules and ways of organising. But none of these will mean anything or make any progress if they are not founded on the love and friendship that Paul speaks of here. There is only one God, not many. Therefore there exists in truth only one church. We maintain different denominations and movements. This could be described as a sin against the unity of God and the love he calls us to share in this world.

In Camberley there are ten churches, representing six denominations. We are trying to do more together. Paradoxically, the more we do together, the more difficult it is as we get to know each other better, and also experience the different understandings and ways of being that we bring with us from the past. But there is the great possibility that we will discover the humility and gentleness, the patience and forbearance, the love of Christ in each other. This will enable us to be transformed into the true representation here on earth of God’s gracious presence in heaven.

As we continue to explore the link between our towns, and between our church families, let us resolve walk to truly live the life, to do what it says on the tin.

May the Lord bless each of you. Amen.

Gottesdienst am 14. 09. 08 mit englischer Partnergemeinde
Vorspiel
Im Namen Gottes des Vaters und des Sohnes und des Heiligen Geistes. Amen.
17. n. Trinitatis; sieghafter Glaube
Wochenspruch:"Unser Glaube ist der Sieg, der die Welt überwunden hat" (1. Johannes 5,4)
Lied: "Morgenlicht leuchtet" 455, 1-3
Wochenpsalm: 25 713
Wir beten:
Gott,am Morgen dieses Sonntags kommen wir und danken dir, dass wir in der Gemeinschaft mit unseren Freunden aus Camberley diesen Gottesdienst feiern.wir kommen zu dir, um Ruhe und Geborgenheit zu finden.Wir blicken zurück auf eine Woche mit ihren leisen und mit ihren raschen Tagen,auf volle Stunden und auf Stunden der Ruhe.Laß' uns Dich im Zurückblicken finden!Laß' uns erkennen, wie Du in der letzten Woche mit uns gegangen bist,damit wir mit Mut und Zuversicht in die kommende Zeit gehen können im wissen, daß du uns mit deiner Hilfe nahe bist - und schenke uns jetzt einen guten Gottesdienst.Amen
Stilles Gebet
Wenn ich dich anrufe, dann erhörst du mich und gibst meiner Seele große Kraft. Amen.Schriftlesung Jesaja 49, 1-6
"Lobet, den Herren, alle dir ihn ehren," 447,1-3+6
Unser heutiger Predigttext steht im 4.Kapitel des Briefes an die Epheser. Dort wird uns gesagt (Verse 1-6):
So ermahne ich euch nun, ich, der Gefangene in dem Herrn, daß ihr der Berufung würdig lebt, mit der ihr berufen seid, in aller Demut und Sanftmut, in Geduld.Ertragt einer den andern in Liebe und seid darauf bedacht, zu wahren die Einigkeit im Geist durch das Band des Friedens:ein Leib und ein Geist, wie ihr auch berufen seid zu einer Hoffnung eurer Berufung; ein Herr, ein Glaube, eine Taufe; ein Gott und Vater aller, der da ist über allen und durch alle und in allen.
Gott segne diese Worte an uns allen.
Predigt (Bruce)
„Nun danket alle Gott mit Herzen, Mund und Händen,“ 321
Wir beten:
Du, unser Bruder Jesus Christus,du bist in unsere Welt gekommen, und du willst mitten unter uns sein durch deinen Geist in deinem Wort und in deiner Gemeinde.Gib, daß wir dich erkennen,gib, daß wir dir begegnen - in den Zeichen und Wundern, die du unter uns wirkst.Wo Menschen dein Wort weitergeben;wo Menschen in deinem Namen handeln;wo Menschen deine Liebe weiterschenken,zum Glauben ermutigen und Hoffnung eröffnen.

Wir bitten dich für alle, die gelähmt und unbeweglich sind,weil sie unter einer schweren Krankheit leiden,weil sie vom Leben enttäuscht worden sind,weil sie liebe Angehörige verloren haben,weil sie nicht mehr weiter wissen.Wir bitten dich für uns selbst,die wir uns oft genug nicht von der Stelle wagen,weil wir Angst haben,weil wir unser Vertrauen nur noch in uns selbst und nicht mehr in dich setzten.
Wir bitten dich für deine weltweite Kirche und unsere Gemeinde, daß wir erkennen: Du, Herr, baust deine Kirche und rufst uns zu deinen Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeitern.Du begegnest uns in deiner Gemeinde als der lebendige Herr.Gib uns dafür offene Augen und Ohren und einen wachen Geist, der dich und dein Wirken erkennt.Segne unsere Gemeinschaft mit unseren Freunden und lass uns alle zu Zeugen deiner Gerechtigkeit, deines Friedens und deiner Liebe. Amen.
Vater unser
Lied: "Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren," 316, 1+2+6
Abkündigungen
Segen
Nachspiel

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