“Whose Calling? God’s Calling!”
Ephesians 4:1-6, 13-16 (4:1-3) – August 4, 2024
I love the Olympics! Yes, the Winter Olympics are wonderful! No doubt about it. However, I have always had a warm place in my heart for the Summer Olympics. Watching such marvelous athletes can be excellent for both the head as well as the heart.
Watching the nations of the world come together in friendship and friendly competition is wonderful, too. Sports and friendly competition can transcend national rivalry, ethnic differences and even bring about an end to conflict and wars – as temporary as the peace and truce every four years at the time of the Olympics is.
Sadly, in Paul’s time, regions and countries were in regular conflict and war, one with another. The apostle Paul is quite deliberate here at the beginning of Ephesians chapter 4. He does entreat, in all seriousness! Paul knows how difficult it is for individuals to get along with each other, much less countries. It sounds much like today!
The letter to the Ephesian church is divided into two parts. Paul ended the first section with Ephesians 3, with a prayer for an outpouring of Christ’s love. Paul wished the Lord might grant strength and power to the Ephesian believers, prayed they might experience the full-ness of God, and closed with a spontaneous doxology to the immeasurable praise and glory of God. Here at the beginning of the second section of his letter, Paul gets practical.
I would like to read again these words from the apostle Paul. “live a life that measures up to the standard God set when he called you. 2 Be always humble, gentle, and patient. Show your love by being tolerant with one another. 3 Do your best to preserve the unity which the Spirit gives by means of the peace that binds you together. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as there is one hope to which God has called you.”
When you think of someone who is humble, gentle, and patient, who comes to mind? Let me tell you who comes to mind for me. Mister Rogers. Yes, Fred Rogers from Mister Rogers Neighborhood is for me a star at being humble, gentle, and patient. Yet, look at our culture here in the United States. These three attributes are not seen to be highly regarded or sought after. Look at television commercials, which deliver a hard no to humble, gentle, and patient.
Especially as – and I am going to venture into the political realm for a moment, which I usually do not do – we consider the general tenor and divisive attitude of the whole nation, with our national election only three months away. Who among our political leaders and those running for office wants to showcase themselves as humble, gentle and patient? Yet, that is exactly what the apostle Paul tells us to be, as believers in Christ.
Paul moves to the idea of being worthy of “the calling you have received.” That is, each of us is called. God has chosen us, as the Bible says in multiple places, to be God’s beloved children. The Lord has chosen each of us to be a part of God’s Church Universal. And, each in our congregation is a part of our local church here. St. Luke’s Christian Community Church.
In the Olympic competition every four years, we can watch many, many different teams playing a variety of sports, from all over the world. I was very much struck by the USA women’s rugby team, who actually medalled, winning bronze. The first time a USA team has won a medal in rugby, since 1924. I heard Illona Maher, the earnest, sincere captain of the team interviewed, and several of her teammates also commented. They are so grateful they had the opportunity to practice and to compete together. There is a special bond between these women that will last a lifetime. May the bonds between each of us as fellow Christians lead us to such togetherness.
Now, WHY should there be such togetherness? As Paul is urging believers in Ephesus to live lives worthy of this Godly calling, he also urges each of us to do the same. “Nothing we do can ever make us truly worthy of the gift of God’s grace, but God’s grace should make us want to live lives that align with who God has called us to be.” [1] Isn’t grace the whole point of living our lives as believers in Christ? Talk about being counter-cultural! This is it, right here.
God not only freely gives each of us grace – which none of us has done anything to earn! – but we, the church, have been given unity! I know it doesn’t seem like we are unified some of the time. Even, most of the time, depending on which groups of people you and I are looking at! Paul reminds us: “Do your best to preserve the unity which the Spirit gives by means of the peace that binds you together.”
As we look at the spirit and goal of the Olympics, we can see another expression of unity. Unity in sport, in friendly competition. This year, athletes from more than 200 countries are living together under one roof, and are unified as ambassadors of peace, for these two weeks at least. What a marvelous expression, and how similar is this unity that the apostle Paul talks about here in our reading today! What better way to express this unity, as Paul says, than by stewarding this unity through you and me striving to be humble, gentle, patient and loving.
I know sometimes there are fierce rivalries between sports teams, and between their devoted fans. But, not here! Not in God’s gifting. Just as on a sports team there are different gifts displayed by the various team members, so there is in every local church different people performing different functions. Even equipped with different but equal talents! “It is notable that God, desiring unity, didn’t make us all the same, but instead has given us the opportunity to encounter people who differ from us. Our goal as a Church is to learn to love all peoples ‘until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God.’” [2]
So, God is again doing the unexpected: giving us grace! And, calling us with the rich calling that is even more amazing than we could possibly ask for. Plus, the hallmarks of our calling as believers come as we all strive to be humble, gentle, patient and loving – to everyone! All people, from everywhere. Just like the Olympics. Just like the Church, all over the world.
Listen to Paul – be peacemakers to all people, and be unified. As God has gifted us to be. Alleluia, amen!
(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. and A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!
[1] https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/worship/weekly-worship/monthly/2024-august/sunday-4-august-2024-eleventh-sunday-after-pentecost-year-b
[2] Ibid.
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