Read Ephesians 2:11-22
It’s hard for those churches that believe in the importance of physical things. Some churches believe that bread physically becomes the flesh of Jesus at communion. And that this only happens when a priest says the special words. For these churches, communion is not holy unless everything is physical.
Physical symbols are powerful. They are important. We are human, and it was because of our need for physical things that Jesus came to earth. But we can’t depend on physical things always. Jesus came, and Jesus went. Now we know his power through the Holy Spirit.
Back in the early days of the Church, physical things were getting in the way. Jews were circumcised. It was a physical sign of belonging. Non-Jewish Christians were not. There was a clash of cultures. What did it mean for the gospel?
Paul is clear. To be sure, something physical has brought everyone together – but it’s the blood of Christ. In verse 13: “now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Eph 2:13).
The physical differences between us so often separate us. But Jesus has made those differences meaningless. The Jews had a special relationship with God, which in a way made them “near”, but what good did it do them? The law and its commandments were so special to the Jews, and yet they were a stumbling block. In verse 15, we hear: “He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace” (Eph 2:15).
So now we have peace: “peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near” (Eph 2:17).
Don’t let the physical things get in the way of the Spirit. “for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father.” (Eph 2:18).
We can’t meet together right now, but we don’t depend on that. We depend on the Spirit.
Look at how Paul describes the temple. It’s not a physical gathering place at all. The cornerstone is Christ Jesus, whom we cannot see. The foundation includes the apostles and prophets, who have gone before us and we also cannot see. We are citizens and family members together in this structure – yes, and at the moment we cannot even see each other! But that doesn’t stop God in Christ, for “In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord”. We are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God. Right where we are. We’re connected through the Spirit, as we pray for each other and for this world. Keep ringing each other, keep praying for each other, keep connected. We don’t need circumcision and we don’t need bricks or wood to build our church. Brought together by the Spirit, God is building the temple in us.
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