A Temple From the Rubble

So as we start today, I have to tell you about a fictional disease that I suffer with.

It's called grocery store amnesia.

Here's how grocery store amnesia works.

I walk into the grocery store to buy the things that we need,

the things that my wife and I might have talked about,

and I can't remember a thing that I'm supposed to get.

And so what happens then is I'm standing there in the grocery store,

and I'm like, oh, I don't know, what do I need?

And I get some few things.

And then, you know, a couple of days later, I get home,

and I go to make those blueberry muffins, and guess what?

There's no eggs because I forgot to get it.

It doesn't work out so well.

So one of the things I've discovered to address this issue of grocery store amnesia, right,

is to make a list before I leave.

So before I leave to go to the grocery store,

I stand in the kitchen, and my wife and I will put together a list,

and I tap that list out on my phone.

And you know what happens when I go to the grocery store then?

As I'm standing there, I can remember the things I was supposed to get because it's on the list.

And then, during the week, it goes so much better because the food that we wanted to have,

we actually have in our house now.

So I'm able to enjoy it.

As we look at our message today, what we're going to be finding is a pattern similar to that,

a pattern of standing in the present where we remember the past,

and it provides our hope for the future.

Three main points we're going to look at today are going to deal with the past, the present, and the future.

And I'll be explaining those to you as we come up.

The first thing we want to look at, number one, is the past.

And it's, remember, you were once far off.

Now, the word remember occurs at the beginning of our passage this morning.

So in verse 11 and 12, the verses are started with the idea of remember, the command to remember.

Now, the Bible speaks often of this idea of remembering, of remembering what God has done.

And in fact, in the Ten Commandments, the Fourth Commandment,

we're told to remember the Sabbath to keep it holy.

So there on the Sabbath day, that present day when we stand,

we're able to look back, and we're told, six days you had to labor.

So we remember back to those six days that we had to labor.

And we have that hope that we're able to look forward to the future.

And we say, I had six days to labor.

I'm taking this day as a break.

And these next six days to work, they're going to be sufficient for what I need.

Also, the idea of remembering occurs in the feast that are listed in the law.

So the law that was provided to Moses has a number of feasts that are provided in those.

And in fact, in Leviticus 23, there's seven feasts that are listed in there.

Each of those has the idea of remembering God's previous intervention,

and then looking forward to the hope that is to come.

And in the New Testament, we also have the idea of remembering.

In fact, Sunday morning, here in our worship service, we have an act of remembering.

It's called the Lord's Supper.

So our Lord's Supper, we're told, in remembrance of me.

It's how our Lord's Supper goes.

So here we are in the present.

We consume the elements of the juice and the bread.

And we remember, we look back and remember the sacrificial death of Jesus on our behalf.

And we look forward.

We have that hope that we look forward to,

that we recognize that Jesus has initiated a kingdom that has not yet been fulfilled.

So as we think of our own lives,

one of the things I want to pause and encourage you

is that do you have times when you can remember the work of God in your life?

Because in the moments of the present,

there will be challenging times that come.

There will be difficult moments that come.

And you will want to be able to remember the work of God in your life.

And in remembering, you will look to the future,

and you will say,

God provided for me in the past.

It may be difficult in the present,

but I have hope in the future.

Specifically in this passage,

we are told to remember.

And this passage is to the Gentiles.

So the Gentiles are called to remember,

you were once far off from God.

So this message is directed to the Gentiles

who were at one time separated from God's chosen people.

Let me provide a little information for us regarding this passage.

So as we think and see God working through the Old Testament,

we see that God has chosen the nation of Israel

to reveal his power through this nation,

to reveal his character through this nation.

And as a result,

requiring,

to understand God,

meant coming through the nation of Israel.

So people could come through the nation of Israel.

It wasn't that God said there was no place for Gentiles.

Not at all the case.

And we'll actually see that later.

But that God said,

as you come,

you'll come through the God of Israel.

So we see that God was indeed accessible to the Gentiles,

but it was only through the nation of Israel.

So the Gentiles are called to remember,

you were once far off.

And in fact,

here in the passage,

we see in verse 11,

it's reminding the Gentiles

that the Gentiles in the flesh

called the uncircumcision.

It's back to the act of circumcision,

which was a way of determining Israel from its neighbors.

And so the men of Israel would be circumcised,

whereas those who were not,

were not part of their community.

I think of David,

as he was about to slay Goliath.

And he sees that enemy of God.

And how does he refer to that enemy of God,

who he is about to slay?

He says he is that uncircumcised Philistine.

So that is how David recognizes

this person is not part of God's plan.

It's that act of circumcision.

We see also in verse 12,

it says that the Gentiles were separated from Christ.

The idea of Christ and Messiah

are the same idea in two different languages.

And so when it says they were separated from Christ,

the understanding is that they're separated from Jesus,

it is that they're separated from the coming Messiah.

So while Israel looked forward to a Messiah

who would deliver them,

the Gentiles did not have a hope in that plan,

because they were separated from the hope

that came with the Messiah.

The third way that we see in this passage,

how Gentiles were told that they were far off from God,

they were being reminded they were far off from God,

once again comes in verse 12,

when they're told that they were alienated

from the commonwealth of Israel.

Israel, once again, is that place of hope.

Continuing there, they're told four times in this passage,

they're told that they have been separated from God.

We see that they are strangers to the covenants of promise.

And there in verse 12, it continuing,

they are having no hope.

And finally, we see for the sixth instance

of where the Gentiles are told

that they are separated from God,

without God.

It says, you are without God in the world.

Six times, six times,

Paul declares to the Gentile believer,

you were once alienated from God.

With those six times that Paul is saying it here

in this passage,

it's a reminder to the people,

let me be clear,

you were once separated from God.

That remember in verse 11, though,

is prefaced with the word.

It's prefaced with the word,

therefore.

So therefore is a transitional word.

And it causes us to link back

to the previous section of scripture

to see why do these people need to remember

their separation from God.

We see there in the previous section,

Gentiles were called to remember

their previous status.

And they were called to look back,

reminding that they have been saved by grace.

They have salvation,

which is a gift of God.

They have received salvation

entirely by the gracious action of God.

Salvation is not merited,

not earned, not deserved.

So the question that we have here,

is that the Gentiles,

after hearing of their unmerited salvation

that they received

by the virtue of God's graciousness,

are reminded,

remember,

you were once alienated from God.

So the question that we have here,

why did the Gentiles

need to be reminded

of their previous status?

Why did they need to be reminded

that they were once alienated from God?

The answer?

Probably.

Because they forgot.

Or they at least

were in the act of forgetting.

The reason for their forgetting,

we don't know for sure.

But we can speculate.

One of the things to know

is that this writing

that's taking place

for the Gentile believers

is 30 to 35 years after Jesus,

after the time of Jesus' death

and resurrection.

And so the church

has been going on

for that length of time.

And what we likely have here

is that we are now

in the second generation

of Gentile believers.

So that first generation

understood their status,

whereas that second generation

didn't entirely know

what their previous history was.

So as a result,

they're not understanding

their previous alienation from God.

Because they can't understand

their previous alienation from God,

they're not fully able to grasp

their current standing with God.

This idea of generational forgetting,

it reminds me of immigrants

who come to the U.S.

And so when an immigrant family

comes to the U.S.,

often that very first family

that comes

becomes slightly Americanized,

but still very much

from their home country.

By that second generation

of the immigrant family,

the people,

the children,

become mostly Americanized.

and just a little bit

of the homeland.

By the third generation,

that once immigrant family

is almost entirely Americanized.

They've forgotten

that homeland

from which they came.

In the same way,

the Gentiles

are forgetting

where they were.

So why do the Gentiles

need to remember?

What is important about this?

The things we see

is that a person

to recognize

their hope-filled future,

they need to understand

their hope-barren past.

To see the hope

that they have coming,

they need to know

the hopelessness

that they were in.

Now the people of Israel,

they were well aware

of their hopeless state

as they were waiting

for hundreds of years

for a prophet to come.

God had gone silent upon them.

And they could even look

at their own history

over the course

of the last 500,

600 years

of feeling abandoned by God.

And while there's been

moments of hope,

they feel that God

has left them.

And they find themselves

looking for that Messiah.

They anticipate

that Messiah.

Messiah.

The Gentiles were not

part of that plan.

The Gentiles didn't have

that same angst

that was part of their culture.

And so the Gentiles,

as they have found themselves

in the family of God

and with the rival of Jesus,

they need to have

that same hope for the future

that the people of Israel

are able to have.

And the way that they're able

to do that

is by Paul reminding them,

remember,

you weren't even part

of the plan.

You weren't even

in the family.

But now you're in the family

and now you're part

of God's plan

moving forward.

Second thing we want

to look at

regards to the present.

And that's that

Jesus brings peace.

So the Gentiles

were once separated

by a dividing wall

of hostility.

Let me read verse 14 for us.

For he himself,

that is being Jesus,

for he himself

is our peace

who has made us

both one

and broken down

in his flesh

the dividing wall

of hostility.

So this dividing wall

of hostility,

that's what's keeping

the Gentiles out.

this is likely

a remark

on the design

of the temple.

Now in the temple

there was a dividing wall.

And there was

a dividing wall

between the court

of the Gentiles

and the temple proper.

So the Gentiles

were not actually able

to enter

into the temple.

In fact,

on that dividing wall

there was a sign.

And here is what

the sign said.

No foreigner

may enter

within the barricade

which surrounds

the sanctuary enclosure.

Anyone

who is caught

doing so

will have himself

to blame

for his

ensuing death.

Now perhaps

you might think,

oh,

they just put up

the sign

and they didn't

really mean it.

Well,

do know

that Paul

who is writing

the book of Ephesians,

he was arrested

because it was believed

that he brought Gentiles

inside of that

dividing wall.

So in Acts 21

you can see

the account of Paul

being arrested

for violating this.

And we see,

here is the remark

of the people there

from Acts 21.

He,

that being Paul,

he even brought

Greeks

into the temple

and has defiled

this holy place.

they were serious

about keeping Gentiles

out of the temple.

So this literal wall

that was in the temple design

was not part

of God's original design

for the temple.

Let me provide a little bit

of temple background

knowledge for you.

So the first temple

that was built

is called Solomon's Temple.

It's built about

a thousand years

before the time of Jesus.

And there,

as Solomon,

as he has,

the temple has been finished.

There is a prayer

of dedication

that he prays.

And it comes from

1 Kings chapter 8

1 Kings 8 · chapter mention

beginning in verse 41.

You can turn there

if you want

but I'm about to read it

so don't feel like

you need to turn there

but you can.

And one of the things

I want you to see

in this portion

of this prayer

that Solomon prays

for the temple

is I want you to see

how the temple

was for all people.

And I also want you

to see how God

was using Israel

to proclaim himself

to all people

which is an idea

that we talked about

a few moments ago.

Let me read for you

from 1 Kings chapter 8.

1 Kings 8 · chapter mention

And once again

this is Solomon praying

at the dedication

of the temple.

Likewise

when a foreigner

who was not

of your people Israel

comes from a far country

for your namesake

for they shall hear

of your great name

and your mighty hand

and your outstretched harm

when he comes

and prays

toward this house

here in heaven

your dwelling place

and to do according

to all for which

the foreigner calls to you

in order that

all the peoples

of the earth

may know your name

and fear you

as do your people Israel

and that they may

know that this house

that I have built

is called

by your name.

The temple was

for all people.

That temple

eventually gets destroyed

and then another temple

is rebuilt.

And this second temple

is then remodeled

by Herod

who is essentially

the governor

of Judah.

And this remodeling

of the temple

takes place

really close

to the time of Jesus.

And during this remodel

of the temple

it was significantly

expanded

and this dividing

wall was added.

We will find

that Jesus

figuratively

breaks down

that literal

wall

in the temple.

we see in verse 14

that He Himself

is our peace

and has broken

down

this barrier.

So within a decade

of this writing

the Romans

would come in

and they would

literally

break down

that literal

wall

and would destroy

the temple

and the

obviously

wall with it.

So we see

that Jesus

brings peace

and essentially

Jesus

rewrites the rules

for the Gentiles

to access God.

No longer

is Israel

the exclusive

conduit

to God.

Now Jesus

comes

and takes

that place

and now Jesus

becomes this new

conduit

able to bring

all people

to God.

Jews

and Gentiles

both are able

to come to God

through Jesus.

And we see

in verse 15

that Jesus

was abolishing

the law of commandments

expressed

in ordinances.

And ordinance

that word there

is dogma.

That's actually

what the word is.

So it's another way

of saying law.

So as you hear that

it can sound

a little awkward

but think law

when you hear it.

So Jesus came

to abolish

the law of commandments

expressed

in the ordinances.

So with Jesus

abolishing the law

the question has

does the law

still apply to us?

Can I just do

what I want?

Thinks to Jesus

the law is gone.

I'm free.

There's no more law

on me, right?

No.

No, of course not.

So as you have

those thoughts

if you have those thoughts

if you have those thoughts

the idea that you

are no longer

under the law

the rules

from the Bible

no longer apply to you.

I'm going to pass along

some advice

that I tell myself.

So this is advice

to me

and maybe it's

applicable to your own life.

And what I tell myself

is never cease

to marvel

at the powers

of self-deception.

So when people

come to the law

and say

hey is that still

pertained to me?

Does that still

pertain to me?

They often do that

when they are trying

to justify

actions

that they know

are against God's plan.

and through some

sort of roundabout

weird rationalization

misapplication

of the scripture

they come

and they say

the law doesn't

really apply to me.

So what we find

is that Jesus

in abolishing the law

he does not

why Jesus abolishes

the law

he does not

entitle you

he doesn't entitle you

to have sex

with your boyfriend

or girlfriend.

He doesn't entitle you

to do pornography.

Jesus abolishing

the law

does not entitle you

to gauge in

deceptive business

practices.

Doesn't entitle you

to be greedy.

Jesus abolishing

the law

doesn't mean it's

okay for you

to have temper

explosions.

All those are

still against

God's plan.

These are wrong

sinful actions.

Do not

do not find

yourself

using the

sacrificial death

of Jesus Christ

the son of God

in order to

justify your own

sinful behaviors.

the passage

does say though

that Jesus

did abolish

the law.

It is exactly

what it says

and let us

understand how

he did that.

So Jesus

abolished the

purpose of the

law.

The purpose of

the law was

to bring people

to God

so that they

could understand

who God was

and the character

of God

the law was

provided

to say

here is who

I am.

Jesus now

comes and is

able to be

that conduit

once again

that brings

people to

God.

And in

fact Jesus

explains this

idea of

abolishing

the law

when he

says in

Matthew 5

this is

Jesus talking

do you not

think that I

have come to

abolish the

law of the

prophets?

I have not

come to

abolish them

but to

fulfill them

because Jesus

is moving

towards that

purpose of

the law

which is to

bring people

to God.

He says I

will become

that way to

God.

what we

find is that

Jesus did

not abolish

the tenets

of the

law.

So we

still have

laws that

we are

called

expectations

that we

are called

to follow

and these

expectations

that we are

called to

follow and

issues of

morality those

are the ones

that we need

to follow.

And there's

ways as we

look back on

the law there's

some things we

don't follow and

there's reasons

for that.

But when it

comes to issues

of morality we

follow those.

One of the

things that I

also want to

see is that

Jesus brings

reconciliation

with God.

We see in

verse 16 that

Jesus reconciles

us both to

God in one

body through

the cross

therefore killing

the hostility.

So we're told

again that he

reconciles us

both.

That us both

is Israel

and Gentiles

both.

And we see

that Jesus

brings peace

between God

and the person.

Jesus

reconciles us.

This idea of

reconciliation is

a great way of

understanding the

work of God.

We recognize

that when

people were

originally created

there was no

separation between

them and God.

There in the

Garden of Eden

there was a

perfect relationship

between God and

his created people.

But when sin

enters the world

that splits that

relationship and

separates people

from God.

And sin now

keeps us away

from God.

But Jesus

comes to

reconcile that

relationship.

To put it

back together.

So we find

that Jesus

is able

to reconcile

us to God

by virtue of

his nature

and his death

upon a cross

and his

subsequent

resurrection.

Jesus is able

to offer us

reconciliation.

reconciliation.

So the question

I have for you

is have you

accepted the

reconciliation

with God?

Have you

accepted the

peace with God

that Jesus

offers?

To each of us

we have a choice

to make.

Do we choose

to follow God?

Do we choose

that reconciliation

that Jesus

offers us?

So if you

find yourself

today and you

say I don't

know what that

means.

I don't know

what it means

to be reconciled

to God.

Don't leave

this place

this morning

without talking

to someone

and say I need

to know more

about what it

means to be

reconciled to God.

And perhaps

there's some of you

today who you

are considering

that choice

and even as

you walked in

today you

found yourself

saying I don't

know God

I feel you

working on my

life but I'm

not ready to

submit to you

and receive that

reconciliation that

peace that you

have to offer.

Consider today

today is the

day to fully

submit yourself

to God so

that you can

experience that

reconciliation that

peace with God.

during our

service each

week we have

a time of

a passing of

the peace.

And so during

our service we

have a time

where we are

able to take

the peace that

we have received

with God.

So through

Jesus we have

peace with God

and we are able

then to extend

that peace to

those within our

community.

As we think of

that ability to

extend peace on

a horizontal level

as a result of

the peace that we

have vertically

as we look up

towards God.

I am reminded of

the world of

which we live in

which is a world

without peace.

It doesn't take

much information

searching to find

the results of

nationalism,

ethnic cleansing,

religious wars,

political vitriol,

racial injustices,

mass killings.

Each of these

things is a

reminder to us

of the peace

that is lacking

in our world.

The deficiency of

peace that we have.

You can't go on

social media

without being

reminded of the

lack of peace

within our world.

So we find

ourselves in a

world that

desperately needs

peace.

peace.

Even when we

think that in

our homes,

across our land,

there's a 50%

divorce rate among

people who are

married.

If we can't manage

peace in our own

homes, imagine how

depraved we are of

peace once we step

outside of it.

And I will tell you

that in a world

without peace, and we

live in a world

without peace, we

know the answer.

The church knows

the answer.

peace will come

not through any

human institution,

human idea.

And while these

institutions and

these efforts that

are made on the

part of people,

they have some

benefit to the

symptoms of the

conflict around us.

They do not

address the root

cause of the

conflict around us.

And the root

cause of the

conflict around us

is that people do

not have peace

with God.

And if you do

not have peace

with God,

there is no way

that you are able

to extend peace

to others.

Our world suffers

from a case of

psychological

transference, a

collective case of

transference.

We look at the

animosity that we

have with God, and

we direct that to

those around us.

So when we look

and we see the

depraved nature of

our world, a world

that so desperately

needs peace, the

answer comes through

Jesus.

The answer comes

with people first

finding peace with

God above.

And when they have

peace with God

above, they are

able to extend that

peace to those

around them.

As we think of

this idea of peace

and being able to

extend peace with

those next to us,

provide a warning.

I want to

provide a warning.

It's this, that

many, many churches,

many churches cannot

maintain internal

peace.

And if you have been

involved in more than

a handful of churches,

you have probably

experienced churches

that do not have

peace within their

own group.

And I will tell you

this, it is

impossible for a

church to share

the peace that

comes through Jesus

Christ if they

themselves cannot

experience the peace

within their own

community.

So as we think of

our church, as we

think of Trinity

Cambridge, let us

protect the peace

that we have.

As we continue

on our past, we

come to the third

section, which is

the future, that

which we have to

come.

And the future is

our ongoing

spiritual temple.

And in verse 18,

what we have is a

great example of the

Trinity being brought

together.

And so before we

read verse 18,

provide just a bit of

background knowledge

for us.

So the Trinity is a

term that is not

found in the Bible.

The term itself is

not found in the

Bible.

But the doctrine to

which it reflects is

clearly taught.

And so when we come

to the idea of

Trinity, it's a very

Christian word.

But when you go to

look for your Bible,

you wouldn't find it.

But once again, the

doctrine is clearly

there.

And the doctrine is

this.

It is that God is

three and one.

So there is three

persons to God, the

Father, Son, and

Spirit, the Son being

Jesus.

And the Father, Son,

and Spirit make one

God.

They are distinct, yet

the same.

And when we come to

this doctrine, it

could be like, well,

that's confusing.

Well, you know, it's

probably a good thing

for us that aspects of

God are a bit

confusing.

Otherwise, God would be

a lot like us.

And we don't want a

God that's a lot like

us.

We want a God that's a

little bit more

complicated than we are.

So when we come to

the Trinity, we're

reminded that there's

things about God that

we just can't quite

understand.

And that's a good

thing.

And I mention the

Trinity because in this

passage here in verse

18, we are going to

find all three persons

of the Trinity

mentioned.

And so it's nice to

find a spot in the

scripture where you'll

see all three persons

mentioned together.

Let me read verse 18

for us.

For through him, that's

through Jesus, for

through him, we both

have access in one

spirit to the Father.

And so there we have

the Son mentioned

Jesus.

We have access in one

spirit to the Father.

As we see those

together, if you're like

me, I prefer kind of

images to be able to

work with.

And so images will

help me better

understand this idea

of the Trinity.

And so the Bible also

in another portion

provides a great image

of the Trinity.

And that comes in the

baptism of Jesus.

And so we find this is

recorded in Matthew

Matthew 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3.

So in the baptism of

Jesus, Jesus as he's

being baptized comes out

of the water.

And we're told that the

spirit descended on

him like a dove.

And then there is a

voice from heaven, the

voice of the Father,

that says, this is my

Son, whom I love.

With him I am well

pleased.

So we have that idea of

the Trinity being

presented here.

And once again, it's

hard to understand, but

that's a good thing.

Because our God is a big

God.

As we continue on our

passage, we're going to

see that the Gentiles are

fellow citizens with the

saints.

I want to read verse 19

for you.

So then you are no longer

strangers and aliens, but

you are fellow citizens with

the saints and members of

the household of God.

Gentiles have equal status

with Jews.

Jews.

So as we come, we see

that the Gentiles have peace

with God through Jesus.

And now they're able to

extend that peace with

also the Jewish followers on

that horizontal level.

And as the passage continues

on, it comes to this idea

of a re-envisioned temple.

And the passage speaks of a

figurative temple that will

include both Jews and

Gentiles.

And there in the passage, it

describes this temple being

built.

And the language that is used

there is very much kind of

this construction building

language.

And so I want you to follow

along with me, beginning in

verse 20.

And I want you to cue in on

the construction language, the

building language that's taking

place there as it describes

this temple being put

together.

This temple is built on the

foundation of the apostles and

prophets.

Christ Jesus himself being the

cornerstone, whom the whole

structure being joined

together grows into a holy

temple in the Lord.

In him you are also being

built together in a dwelling

place for God by the Spirit.

So as we see this temple, we see

this temple being put together.

But this temple is not yet

complete.

It is in the process.

It is ongoing.

This figurative temple that's

described here is an ongoing

being built.

And today, we call that temple

the church.

And as we think of the church,

we know the church is not a

building.

It's a gathering of people who

collectively follow Jesus.

And when we think of ourselves

meeting this morning, we're happy

the church is not a building.

Because as we are meeting here

today, we are in a Portuguese

social club.

But you know what?

The church can meet in a

Portuguese social club because

we are a group of people who

have joined together that says

we're going to follow God.

This temple, or the church as we

think of it, has a blueprint.

Here's the blueprint that's

described for us here in this

passage.

The first thing is the

cornerstone is Jesus.

That's where it all is.

And as we think of that

blueprint of the temple, that's

the same blueprint that our

church wants to have.

That's the same blueprint that

the church needs to have.

The cornerstone is Jesus.

It all starts there.

If we don't build on and around

Jesus, then it all falls apart.

The foundation is the apostles and

prophets.

And we can think of that as our

Bible, our scriptures, that

read those, what we have for

them.

It is a dwelling place for God by

the Spirit.

And in this, you, we, are being

built together.

The key point for us today is that

the church is a group of people who

are being built together.

The cornerstone is Jesus.

We have the apostles and the

prophets, which are the foundation.

We have the Spirit that's work

among us.

But it is the people from all

nationalities, from all backgrounds,

who are being put together, built

together.

As we think of this idea of being

built together, something I want to

remind you of, and it's this, is that

church membership is important.

Church membership is important.

Because in church membership, that's

our decision to say we're in it

together.

We are going to be built together.

Now, I must be honest with you, in

being around people, in being in

churches, one of the things that I've

discovered that, that's in the

Christian community, I wouldn't say

the church, but in the Christian

community is this, is what I would

describe as the churchless

Christian.

I don't really think there's such

thing as a churchless Christian.

Like, it doesn't, that doesn't make

any sense.

It's a nonsense term.

But there are people who try to live

the life of the churchless Christian.

And here, here, here are the things

that we hear from the churchless

Christian.

I can listen to a sermon on a

podcast and just get the same thing

as I do on a Sunday morning.

So, obviously, church is more than

listening to a sermon.

And, yeah, this doesn't really make

sense, right?

As you think, it's about life together.

And if you think that listening to a

podcast, listening to a sermon online is

life together, that's not it, right?

So, that's, that's bad.

Here's the other thing that I hear, I

hear from the churchless Christian.

I just can't find a church that fits

me.

There are some things I'm looking for in

the church.

I've tried lots of them, but they just,

they're not a good fit for me.

There's just little things about them.

And then, then finally, people don't

often exactly want to phrase it like

this, but they communicate this to you.

Here's what, here's, here's one of the

things.

You know, I've just got so many

weakened commitments.

I just can't really, you know,

commit to attending church regularly.

I've just got so many other things

going on.

And I will tell you the flaw of the

Christian, the flaw of the churchless

Christian is that it's all about the

individual.

The churchless Christian wants a church

that fits into their schedule, that

matches all their tastes and

preferences.

They want a church that doesn't

interfere with their social schedule.

They want a church that's me, me, me, me, me.

And if it's all about me, we can't be

built together.

So in Trinity, Cambridge, we strive to be

built together.

And the way that we do that is through

church membership.

It's not mystical about church membership.

It's not weird or awkward.

It's like strange.

It's just our way of saying we're in it

together.

It's our way of saying it's not I, it's we.

It's not me, it's us.

There's not some sort of kind of group

thing where we leave our differences.

Within our church membership, we have

people who have an array of political

beliefs.

We have people who have different

backgrounds in regards to nationality,

ethnicity.

If we were to probe people's ideas on

social ideas, we would see different

things coming up.

We are different in so many respects.

But we set aside all those things that

would divide us.

All those things that the world says

should divide us.

And we say, you know what?

Those are part of me.

But I must set those aside for the

basis of our church membership.

Because my commitment to Jesus Christ

is superior to all those things.

my willingness to follow Jesus is

greater than whatever ideologies I

hold.

And so when we come to our church, we

say we're joining together as part of

this church.

It's that we're saying, you know what?

We're in it together.

We are going to be built together.

And as we know, living in the culture

of this area, living in the culture of

Cambridge, or perhaps you're in a

surrounding community, the culture of

New England, being a Christian and

living a committed life is challenging.

It is challenging because our culture

tries to pull us away.

Our culture doesn't respect the idea of

church.

And that's okay.

We know that's the case.

But as we think of our culture and its

eagerness to absorb us in its ungodly

ways, I have the image of a predator and a

prey.

And we as Christians are the predator.

And our culture is the predator that seeks to

take us away.

And you know what predators do when they come

upon the pack?

They look for the ones who aren't in it.

They look for the ones who've gotten themselves

away from the group.

And as we think of our church membership, we're

being built together so that we're together.

We're in the group.

So when that predator comes to pluck us away, it'll

say, oh, they're so tight I can't get in.

But if you find yourself veering away from the

church, stepping away from the church, that predator

will pluck you away.

We come, we say, this church membership, what is that

about?

It's being built together.

It's being built together because we say, you know

what?

Together we can follow Jesus.

Together we can set aside our differences because we

choose to follow Jesus.

And our culture will not pull us away.

We will not be pulled away from the faith.

Let me close this in prayer this morning.

God, we come to you this morning.

God, we do ask that you would build us together.

That you would build this church together.

God, that you would take the individuals, those who are so

different here, and build us together.

And God, we ask.

We ask that you would protect the peace that is here.

God, we're thankful for the peace that we have.

We're thankful for the love that our church community has.

God, we ask that you would protect it and continue to

grow it.

We ask all of this in your name.

Amen.