NEAR AND FAR

This is the G-Talk, given by Pastor jen Cumberbatch at Full Measure’s inaugural “The Gathering” on September 25, 2022

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles (Far) by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Ephesian 2:11-18

I have always been fascinated by this definition of peace that I found years ago

“To make whole something that has been fractured into more than one piece.”

I want to emphasize from the quote above that Christ came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

Did you know that God has from the beginning of time wanted to be close to you?

And, that God desires to tear down the walls that separate us from God and each other.

The writer here is talking about a physical wall in an ancient building.  The temple was the house where the Spirit of God, the Creator of the universe had chosen to reside there and to show God’s excellence, splendor, forgiveness and beauty to human beings in a world of chaos, evil and emptiness. 

Those who were near to God could experience God freely in this building.  But, those who were not of this tribe: non-citizens, “the others”, who were far away from God had a beautifully decorate low marble wall over which they could “gaze at” all the splendor and beauty, but could never cross the barrier to be intimate with the people, who were near, and certainly could not cross over to be intimate-close to God.

The insiders and the outsides.  The citizens and the non-citizens divided by an ornament, beautifully construct architectural piece specifically designed for exclusion from God and other.s

The writer emphasizes what I want to make clear to you today.  Jesus, did you hear, through the cross and through his own person and body has made the insiders and the outsides equal.? Jesus has torn down the wall.

Jesus has made 1+1=1

There is a new paradigm

A peace polity

There is a new version of humanity---a new genus.

At the sign of the cross those who were once far from the center of God’s glory are united first  vertically to God and then horizontally human-to-human.

That is Peace making out of fratured pieces one whole.

That is Tranquility: Torture Transformed.

When we embrace Christ and all he has done for humanity to help us return to the beautiful image of God in self, (which has too often been fracture, broken, oppressed, crushed) and all Jesus did to bring us into relationship with God’s good, splendor, beauty, grace and excellence, we are no longer fracture but, whole, at PEACE, no longer FAR, but NEAR.

NEAR & FAR

INTRO:

From every Nation

Every tribe

Jesus Gave his life to make us one.

From North & South, East and West. We’ll sit at your table drink your wine, eat your bread.

May all the people of every tongue, sing your praises throughout earth far flung

Verse 1:

Near and far, yet close to your heart.

For a fallen world you gave. Good for bad, life for death. Your life for ours you exchanged.

Refrain:

Don’t understand it all but my heart longs. To be close to you, Lord, I pray (3Xs) (Always).

Verse 2:

In my heart there’s a part that’s slipped farther and farther away.

From the good the kind, from your love divine.

Lord, from your mercy and grace.

But, in my ear, your voice so clear, [Draws me closer and closer I pray. (3Xs) (Always)]

Bridge:

This world right now seems upside down.

But, you promised, Lord, a new heaven an earth..

Return to Verse 1

End with Refrain

Original Song by jen Cumberbatch, please, don’t copy, or use without expressed permission