Concord Minute: United in Christ

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.” - Ephesians 1:7-10

Unity. Wholeness. Togetherness. Communion. What do all four of these have in common? Peace. What does unity or wholeness or togetherness or communion (the sacrament or otherwise) look like? Shalom. Peace. Joy. Everything as it is supposed to be. Everything in its place was designed when there is unity, wholeness, togetherness, communion. You and I crave this atmosphere of peace daily. We need unity. We are anxious to establish peace. From one person to the next, we want to be of the same heart and mind to bring about peace.

In a very real sense, God has done that in Christ. Jesus’ resurrection and ascension has united all things in heaven and on earth in and under Him. You, reader, are redeemed, restored, renewed by the blood of Jesus. You are united to Christ by faith in Him. You, and a bunch of other people like you, are tied together under Christ by faith in Him. You are unified to God and to others. You are not alone. Thanks be to God!

Yet how far from unity are we? Regional and national news continues to show an untied nation, an untied church, an untied life together. This is how life is when sinners are living around other sinners. Sinners break stuff. Sinners unravel that which is brought together. Sinners divide, divorce, diminish and/or destroy that which God has united. Communities, families, churches, even the nation itself can fall apart. Why? Because we are all sinners. How far from unity are we? Quite far.

There is hope and promise. Jesus has overcome the world. Jesus says “it is finished.” Jesus unifies His church under Him. That is promised by Paul here in Ephesians. What Paul does not promise is that the “Untied” States of America will one day become fully United. Nor does Paul promise that a church that divides, divorces itself, diminishes, or destroys God’s Word will survive. For there to be unity, wholeness, togetherness, even a common love for one another, Jesus is needed. Christ has unified you to God. Christ continues to unify you to God. Christ will return and you will see Christ face-to-face. Then, there will be everlasting peace.

We are not solely waiting for Jesus to return with that everlasting peace. While she waits for her Lord’s return, the church brings that peace into the world and brings the world under that peace. That peace is the Gospel: redemption through Christ’s blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace for you.

The Rev. Matthew Berry is pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Sikeston, Missouri. Based in Sikeston’s Historic North End, Concordia is a member congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), a theologically conservative, biblically sound, Christ-centered church.