God’s Great Plan

I like that translation of Ephesians 1.10 we heard talked about God's purpose.

Another rendering of that word is in the ESV.

And it translated it like this.

A plan, purpose, a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in him in Christ.

Things in heaven and things on earth.

Shortly after we were married, I thought it good to take my wife to Ireland, Northern Ireland,

so she had some idea where this wild man that she let into her life had come from.

Meet some of my relatives. I chose some of the less wild ones.

It was difficult.

So my Aunt Kathleen and my Uncle Stanley met us at the airport and drove us 80 miles to their home.

Our journey took us through the little town of Antrim.

I don't know if any of you know the province.

And as we drove down the main street, Sue, my wife, noting the red, white and blue bunting,

the union flags fluttering from shops and homes,

and the fact that somebody had painted the curb stones red, white and blue,

asked if the town was still celebrating the Jubilee.

I'm afraid there was sniggering from the paddies.

So when she asked why, we told her that no, the colours and the flags were there to, as it were,

underline the tribal identity of the population of the town.

A few miles down the road, over the Glenchain Pass, we came into the nationalist town of Dungiven.

Different colours there.

Different flags.

The green and white and saffron of the flag of the Irish Republic.

So in that small patch of land, beautiful as it is,

people who look exactly the same, speak the same accent,

share much of the same history,

adhere to actually very slightly different branches of the same Christian faith.

people who look at the same,

were stressing,

as I'm afraid they still stress,

the things that divide them,

that make them diverse from one another,

rather than what unites them.

Is it just my personal history

that makes me raise my eyebrows

when people

say, as if it were totally self-evident,

diversity is good?

Up to a point,

Lord Copper.

When Paul wrote Ephesians,

and by the way,

I am of course aware of the arguments

that he didn't write it,

but the disciple did,

I just don't agree with them.

When Paul wrote Ephesians,

there was a lot of diversity,

religious, cultural, and social,

around him.

The Romans had brought together

people from very different backgrounds

into their great empire.

And by and large, you see,

Rome was pretty good at managing all this.

A mixture of tolerance,

sort of saying,

well, your god Sulla,

that they worship in Bath,

is just the same as our god Minerva,

same goddess,

just, you know,

different name,

the whole thing they did.

And,

stamping down hard,

very hard,

if diversity threatened

the Roman peace.

So,

Greeks,

and Gauls,

Numidians,

and Nabataeans,

all rubbed along together

fairly well,

as long as

everybody knew

who was in charge.

Yeah.

Burn a bit of incense

to Caesar in your temple.

Do what they tell you.

It'll all work out.

However,

in Paul's time,

there was one particular

diverse group

in the empire,

which,

yeah,

made for big problems.

The group

Paul himself

had been born into.

The Jewish people.

There were a lot of them,

perhaps one in ten

of the entire population

of the empire.

They were found

everywhere in it,

only in Judea,

around Jerusalem,

and in Galilee,

the majority.

But,

they formed

big minorities

elsewhere.

I mean,

for instance,

in Alexandria,

which was

the biggest city

in the empire,

apart from Rome itself,

they were one in three

of the population

were Jewish.

There were a lot of them,

and both what they believed

and what they did

was so different

from the rest

of the empire,

it was difficult

for them to be

sort of assimilated.

It wasn't just

that they only believed

in one God,

a God

who you couldn't

make an idol of,

and

they sort of

rather looked down

on the people

who had lots

of gods

and worshipped

them in idols

and thought,

actually,

that they were

all sinful.

It wasn't just that,

it's the stuff

they did.

You know,

they had a different

calendar.

You know,

we're so used to

a week and a day

of rest at the end

of it,

we don't realise

how unusual that was

in the ancient world.

And then there were

the foods they

wouldn't eat.

Bacon,

for instance.

Yeah?

And then,

of course,

it was common

knowledge that

their menfolk

were mutilated

in a certain way

as babies.

It seemed

very odd.

So,

problems.

problems.

And the Jews

were marching

to a different

beat from

everybody else

and march

they did.

For instance,

when a Roman

official tried

to put up

statues of the

emperor

in the synagogues

in Alexandria,

a violent

revolt ensued

and the whole

city was

convulsed

and in flames

for months.

And,

of course,

shortly after

Paul's death

in AD 66,

a great revolt

broke out

in Judea.

Four years

it took the Romans

to bring it

under control.

And it ended

with the destruction

of Jerusalem

and its great

temple.

Well,

you may say,

this is all

very helpful

for the pub quiz,

Peter.

Thank you very much

for the history

lecture.

What's it got

to do with

Ephesians?

To answer that,

we've got to

get inside

Paul's head

as almost

certainly

towards the

end of his

life

ministry

in prison

in Rome,

he decides

to send out

this letter.

Almost certainly

not just

to the Ephesians,

actually.

There are some

manuscripts of the letter

which don't say

Ephesus.

No,

it was almost

certainly

a circular

letter

he sent out

to all

the churches

he knew.

And in it

he sets out,

as I said,

at the end

of his life,

thinking it

all through,

what has

God been

showing me

about Jesus

and then

what the

gospel is

all about?

Ephesians

is Paul's

big reveal.

That's why

it's so

wonderful

that you're

exploring it.

You know,

the other

letters,

like to Rome

and Corinth

and Galatia,

he writes

to address

particular issues

and then

the deep

stuff comes

with that.

But here

he just

wants to

say,

this is

what it's

all about.

And what

is it?

This big

theme?

Well,

it's spelled

out in

that last

verse.

God's

purpose,

his plan

for the

fullness

of time

to unite

all

things

in

Christ,

things

in heaven

and things

on earth.

A big

word,

purpose,

plan

and

unity.

God

has a

plan,

a great

plan,

staggering,

breathtaking

in its

scope

and reach.

What is

it?

To

unite

all

things

in

Christ.

To

bring

together

and

restore

everything

and

everyone

that has

been

divided,

pushed

apart

by

sin.

And

this

plan

to

unite

all

things

and

all

people

had

been

a

complete

surprise

to

Paul

when

many

years

ago

he

first

began

to

get

his

head

around

it.

He

calls

it

in

verse

nine

a

secret.

He

actually

uses

the

Greek

word

mysterion

which

is

our

word

mystery

isn't

it?

It's

a

mystery,

a

secret.

You

see

as Paul

tells us

in another

letter to

the

Philippians

he

had

been

before

he

met

the

risen

Lord

Jesus

the

most

Jewish

Jew

you

could

imagine

circumcised

on the

eighth

day

of the

people

of Israel

of the

tribe

of

Benjamin

a

Hebrew

of the

Hebrews

if

Paul

had

been

a

stick

of

rock

you

get

at

the

seaside

he'd

been

kosher

all

the

way

through

and

as a

proud

Jew

Paul

had

regarded

non-Jews

in his

own

words

as

sinners

who

he says

in

Galatians

Gentile

sinners

strangers

to God's

promises

from

this

very

letter

later

on

before

Gentiles

met

Christ

they

are

strangers

they

are

apart

they

are

different

from

God's

people

they

have

no

part

in

his

promises

until

they

meet

Christ

but

that's

also

true

of

the

Jews

ones

like

himself

who

at

that

time

had

rejected

Christ

before

they

accept

Christ

so the

idea

that God

in Christ

could now

reach out

to those

same

sinful

idolatrous

Gentiles

and unite

them

with the

faithful

among his

people

the ones

who had

recognized

Jesus

as God's

anointed

the

saviour

of the

world

and its

Lord

and

had

done

so

mark

you

without

requiring

the

Gentiles

to keep

Sabbath

to eat

kosher

to have

their

male children

circumcised

just as

they are

just as

they are

they can

come

as long

as they

accept

Jesus

as

Lord

that

would

have

seemed

madness

to Paul

before he

met

Jesus

but now

at the

end of

his life

having

come to

believe

that Jesus

is the

anointed

Lord

the Christ

of God

he writes

to churches

which are

in fact

already

now

overwhelmingly

Gentile

the churches

he'd founded

and pastored

and known

were all

overwhelmingly

non-Jews

he can't

get over

what has

happened

that the

blood of

Christ

has brought

these

diverse

antagonistic

groups

together

people who

hated one

another

and condemned

one another

are now

together

in one

fellowship

wow

what a

surprise

what a

mystery

and this

astonishing

thing

is a

small part

and a

sign

of a

much

greater

work

of

God

to

unite

all

things

everything

that's been

blown apart

by sin

in Christ

you know

it's often

an accusation

I've heard

hurled at

Christians

by Jews

and others

well

Jesus is the

Messiah

how come

there's still

so much

fighting

and conflict

in the

world

why hasn't

he brought

peace

which I

answer

by saying

he has

but he

in his

mercy

is doing

it slowly

and mercifully

but

when I

look at

Christian

communities

which are

united

even though

they have

so many

different

people

from different

racial groups

different

backgrounds

but all

united

I see

already

a sign

of the

great

peace

that is

coming

at the

end of

the

age

and

fascinatingly

in our

passage this

morning

elsewhere

in the

letter

Paul

suggests

that this

unity

does not

mean

that we

have to

merge

what makes

us different

our

histories

our past

the good

stuff in

our

heritage

into one

sort of

melting pot

which produces

a big

tasteless

stew

no

we can

keep

our

identity

the stuff

that God

planned for

us to

have

each of

us

different

men

and women

slaves

and free

Jews

and none

do

all

have

rich

important

histories

that don't

need to

be lost

in fact

when they

come together

and work

together

they make

for a

far

deeper

richer

unity

than if

we had to

give everything

up and have

some bland

common

denominator

which is

why of course

later in

the letter

Paul holds

out the

picture of

a marriage

between a

man and

a woman

as a

picture

of the

unity between

Christ and

his church

because

as I know

rather well

actually after

45 years of

marriage

men and

women are

different

you may not

notice this

but yeah

you know

and Paul

says vive la

difference

you know

because actually

when a man

and woman

come together

and they

become one

flesh

their unity

transcends

enriches

and deepens

their union

than if they

had just been

the same

because they're

different

because their

weaknesses and

strengths complement

each other

and that's

what he says

about the

church

our

differences

can be

in God's

mercy

sources for

a richer

and deeper

unity

than if we

were all

the same

cast from

the same

mold

so what

does that

mean for

us today

well

if you take

nothing else

from this

what I've

said

let's try

and get

our heads

round

how big

is God's

plan

yes

yes of

course

it includes

our own

personal

salvation

and restoration

but it's

far bigger

even than

that

he's making

all things

new

uniting

all things

and when

the end

comes

all the

stuff that

makes us

weep

about our

world

the wars

and the

conflict

the ruthless

exploitation

of nature

by humans

all that

will end

and all

things will

work together

for good

that's how

big it is

all things

that's his

plan

and he

wants

you and

me to be

part of

it

to work

with him

where

in our

lives

in our

homes

and communities

and our

nation

and our

world

is God's

great plan

momentarily

delayed

and thwarted

you know

look I've read

the bible

I know how

it ends

okay

but we know

evil is still

powerful and sin

and the devil

in our world

trying to

thwart the

plan

let's get

on board

let's work

with him

promote

unity

wherever we

can

I've

mentioned my

uncle Stanley

let me tell you

a bit more

about what he

did

he was

headmaster

of the

grammar school

in Limavady

and in the

early 1960s

before the

violence began

he went

to see

the new

Catholic

priest

Stanley

himself was

a faithful

member of

the Church

of Ireland

an Anglican

if you want

and he

said to the

priest

look

we've got a

sixth form

in the grammar

school

which of course

you know the

province

was at that

point 100%

Protestant

we have a

sixth form

you've not

got a sixth

form in the

Catholic

secondary

school

so your

sixth form

must have

to get

on the

bus

and go

15 miles

there and

back

to Derry

that's

silly isn't

it

if I

promise to

you

that nothing

will be done

in the grammar

school

to offend

the Catholic

students

and you

can come in

and teach them

Catholic

religious

instruction

can they

come to

us

so they

did

very

unusual

almost

unheard

of at

the time

and it's

still the

case

I'm still

in touch

with people

in Limavadi

and still

Catholics

go to the

grammar school

in the

sixth form

Limavadi

was just

the sort

of little

town

which there

could have

been a lot

of violence

in the

Troubles

there wasn't

how can you

shoot a

policeman

in the

back

when you've

been in the

same rugby

team as

him

how can you

throw a

bomb into

a Catholic

pub

when you

you might

kill or

injure

Seamus

who was

your best

mate in

the grammar

school

well

it's an

example

the sort

of stuff

I'm talking

about

and the

church

you know

the church

has got to

be a sign

of unity

and I

rejoice

that here

you know

originally

two

traditions

separated

came together

Anglican

and Methodist

I guess by

now it's

all so long

ago that

many of

you

that's all

ancient

history

I don't

know

but

that's

such a

great

sign

I cannot

commend you

more

strongly

for that

to have

happened

and

also

you know

there are

things that

divide

Christians

which

unfortunately

you can't

just

gloss over

I mean

I'm sorry

I've got to

say it

but

when there

are deep

divisions

over matters

like the

authority of

scripture

the role

of preaching

then

it's very

hard

actually to

live with

contradictory

opinions

really is

I'm

minded

of

Elijah

on Mount

Carmel

why

limp

ye

between

two

opinions

sometimes

actually

we've got

to hammer

it out

decide what

we believe

and be

united

around

what we

see as

the truth

and that

may mean

division

actually

but come

on

we all

know

most of

the divisions

in churches

aren't about

that are

they

it's about

petty

stuff

isn't it

or much

less

important

stuff

I mean

I know

Germany

very well

live there

worshipped

mostly

actually

in Catholic

churches

you know

and I was

reminded

when

you said

stand up

and then it

was the

prayers

well actually

if you go

to a Catholic

church in

Germany

you stand

to sing

and sit

or kneel

to pray

just like

we do

you go

to the

Protestant

churches

just to

catch the

Catholics

out

they

sit

to sing

and stand

to pray

okay

spot the

visitor

you know

from the

other lot

and that's

why Lutheran

hymns by

the way

are all

so low

you know

you have to

growl them

out

because they're

seated

that's just

petty isn't

it

but you know

how people

get worked

up

don't they

I remember

when I was

a pastor

of a church

in the

Midlands

and the

worship wars

were in

full swing

on the one

hand

the traditional

organist

and the

choir

on the

other

the music

group

hymns

or spiritual

songs

which should

we sing

now there

was an

uneasy

compromise

so every

fourth Sunday

the music

group got

to lead

and most

of the people

who were

traditionally

inclined

didn't bother

to come

but then

something

amazing

happened

the organist

went on

an alpha

course

and his

walk with

Jesus

grew

much

closer

and one

Sunday

when the

worship group

was leading

they were

belting out

you know

our God's

the king of

the giants

or something

and David

began

softly

to play

the organ

in perfect

harmony

he was a

consummate

musician

with them

it was the

beginning

actually

in that

church

of a

wonderful

process

of

transformation

when God

the Holy

Spirit

worked

deeply

in people's

hearts

everybody's

hearts

actually

because there

was no

right or

wrong side

there

was there

and finally

all things

includes

you

and me

each

one of

us

needs

to be

united

in

Christ

for

without

his

headship

that's

what the

word

used in

the Greek

gestures

towards

it's

literally

all things

are going

to be

re-headed

in Christ

given a

new head

a new

mind

you know

sometimes my

body doesn't

obey me

increasingly I

find

my knees

gone

my legs

gone to

sleep

I've only

sat down

for ten

minutes

but there

are far

more

disobedient

things going

on in our

bodies

and our

hearts

aren't

there

you know

Paul really

nails it

in Romans

7

when he

talks about

the divided

heart

the thing

that I

so much

want to

do

I don't

do

I do

the thing

I hate

you know

that's

that's us

without

Christ's

headship

divided

torn

unbearably

diverse

and that's

so many

people

in our

society

now

are in

that

situation

they are

torn

apart

by different

desires and

urges

they can't

control

they know

what's right

they know

what they

want and

yearn for

but

they can't

do it

they do

the thing

they hate

they're not

just talking

about addicts

but they're

talking about

them certainly

there are

many things

we can be

addicted to

so much

stuff in

our society

now

and we

can be

re-headed

in Christ

we can have

the mind

of Christ

be united

in him

in our

inner selves

and all

the anger

fear and

fear and

the hatred

and the

despair

that we

know

sometimes

our inner

selves

can be

re-headed

united

in him

if you've

experienced

that

you know

what I'm

talking about

if you

haven't

it's on

offer

for you

this

morning

we

can be

part

of God's

great

plan

to unite

all things

in Christ

heaven

and earth

enemies

divided

churches

divided

people

it's on

offer

by God's

grace

by the

riches

of his

grace

it's not

a secret

any longer

it's been

made known

on the

cross of

Christ

and his

blood

on the

cross

he united

all things

and it's

here for us

this morning

for our

nation

our world

our church

and each

one of us

and if you

don't know

what I'm

talking about

come and

talk to me

or someone

else you know

in this

congregation

afterwards

and let

us

by his

grace

and only

by his

grace

find it

together

I'm sure

there'll be

prayer ministry

afterwards

perhaps there's

things I've

said in this

service

go and

pray

pray

pray for

this world

pray for

this nation

pray for

this church

and pray

for yourself

and your

loved ones

that you

and we

and me

can be part

of this

great plan

which is

going to

succeed

I've read

the Bible

I know

how it

ends

thanks