Mentoring (Part 4) - Rev Allister Lane
READING: EPHESIANS 2:11-22
This reading is so important for us today. It was written for the Church, and tells us something crucial for faith and life.
The world is fragmented, divided, polarised. By race, religion, gender, politics.
BUT, we are told… Christ is our peace.
Do you hear this? … Christ is our peace.
This peace has two dimensions (making this a significant promise for us today):
Peace ‘vertically’ – we are reconciled to God
Peace ‘horizontally’ – we are given unity with one another
The blood of Christ has done this – once and for all, and still today in the lives of people like me and you. verse 14 says: the ‘wall’ has been broken down; what divides people is demolished.
What does the demolition of the ‘wall’ achieve?
We are now one family, “one new humanity”
We are able to enjoy full relationship together…in Christ.
So, this sets the expectation for the Church across the world. We are to live embracing everyone – all cultures, backgrounds, races, genders, ages.
Although the wall of division is demolished, it’s not the end of ‘walls’ completely. We are told a set of ‘walls’ are put up – as a structure of people joined together and growing into a holy temple in the Lord.
I want you to picture in your mind that we are
built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God. (v22)
This building is not for keeping people out but to bring people in – to where God dwells!
There are two things to notice about this ‘building’.
1. Christ is the ‘Cornerstone’ (v20)
The cornerstone in ancient building methods had an important function. It was the stone used by the architects and builders to determine the layout/plan of the whole building.
So, Christ is the pattern which shapes us together. Our strength and growth is determined by conformity to the original guiding plan.
As people brought together, we become the place where God dwells; the goodness and glory of God is expressed to the world through our lives, as shaped by the Cornerstone.
2. Apostles & Prophets are the foundation (v20)
Those who have gone before us strengthen us still. We are all connected, and we grow together into the holy temple (dwelling-place for God).
So we are able to give thanks for those who have shared with us the Good News of Christ – these people are our mentors. They enable us to build on the firm foundation and be shaped by Christ the Cornerstone.
We aren’t the only ‘builders’. We build on the Cornerstone of Christ.
But everyone builds their lives on something. Some build their lives on the cornerstone of career, …or the cornerstone of parenting, …or wealth, …or academic success.
The trouble is, when the cornerstone shakes – life and identity shakes. Sometimes when a cornerstone wobbles, a person may be advised to build on something else.
I heard of someone who lived for sex, and when that went wrong, they were counselled to focus on their career. But, do you see the problem? That is just swapping one shaky cornerstone with another shaky cornerstone!
Christ is our Cornerstone. The prophets and Apostles our foundation. We are joined together and growing into a holy temple.
Our lives have this structure in Christ.
And I hope you can see the shape of mentoring in it all –
Christ is our mentor,
those before us are mentors,
and we are mentors.