New and improved. There is something contagiously alluring about the statement. We all like to get new things. We are attracted to things that are advertised as "New and Improved"
We want a new and improved dishwashing liquid. The computer industry is making a killing out of the new and improved models that are available almost on a weekly basis. We want a new and improved hair color. Some of you even want new hair --- or any hair! We want a new figure. We want a new car. And the list can go on and on and on. We like new things.
All of this points to the biggest need people have. It is the need for a new life. The reason why so many people are dissatisfied with what they have is because they are dissatisfied with who they are.
This is the need that these first three chapters of the book of Ephesians has been addressing. The glorious reality of who we have become in Christ has been the topic of these first three chapters. In Christ all things are made new.
In Christ we have a new identity.
And on the first few pages of Paul's letter to the Ephesians you become acquainted with the new person that you are in Christ.
The reason Paul wrote Ephesians, and the reason for this study on the book, is so you would be able to see yourself from that perspective. What we believe about ourselves will determine how we behave and how we live. If our present self-image is determined by what we failed to achieve before we met Christ, then we will find ourselves caught up in a downward spiral of despair. But, if it is determined by what God's Word says we are in Christ, then we will be able to mount up with wings as eagles and soar to the heights. So it is important that we come face to face with the reality of our new life in Christ in all of it's implications.
Our text today gives us a short list of several new and improved relationships the believer has in Christ. This is part of our new identity in Christ --- the new you.
I. Citizens In A New Kingdom - A new allegiance
vs. 19 "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints"
In Christ we are now citizens in a new kingdom. We are fellow citizens with the saints. Before we met Christ we were strangers and aliens. The word strangers could also be translated as foreigners. We were foreigners, strangers and aliens, to the Kingdom of God.
As citizens of that new kingdom, our allegiance changes. One of the underlying motivators for the name change of our fellowship is that very fact. Psalm 45 speaks of this relationship as the bride changing her allegiance from her fathers household, to the groom. Here the idea is of our allegiance to a new kingdom. It is the Kingdom of God. Not only in the future, but here and now. The Gospel is a Gospel of the Kingdom. We find John the Baptist declaring in Matthew 3:2: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6:10: "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." When we come to Christ, we enter the Kingdom of God. And what is this kingdom? It is the place where God rules. When you come to Christ, you submit yourself to the rule of God. Those who refuse to submit themselves to that rule have not really come to Christ. True believers enter the Kingdom because they enter into a relationship to God whereby they surrender their rights and submit to His rule. That is what the Kingdom of God is all about. We are now citizens of that kingdom.
Many people call themselves Christians without appealing to the meaning of the word. They appeal to the sound. A word can be a sound or a word. As a sound, it has no meaning. As a word it defines. You cannot call yourself a Christian if you are not sold out to the Lordship of Christ. You cannot call yourself a Christian if you are not prepared to give your total allegiance to God.
In Corinthians Paul says that we are ambassadors of our new nation. Although we don't live there as such, we participate in that kingdom on this earth as representatives of that Kingdom.
If you go to Washington, you will find a building that flies a different flag. It is the South African flag. That is not the only thing different about that building. When you walk inside it seems to take on a whole new atmosphere. Magazines on the table have news and information about South Africa. The music that plays over the sound system is strange. It has a different kind of beat. And then as you walk to the information window you discover without question that this is a very different place when that clerk opens her mouth and you hear that very strange accent coming forth.
That's what it means to be an ambassador from another nation. You represent those things that are common to that country.
That is how it should be with heavens ambassadors. With Christ's ambassadors. Our homes are heavens consulates.
If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two,
If he came unexpectedly, I wonder what you'd do.
When you saw him coming, would you meet him at the door?
With arms outstretched in welcome to our heavenly visitor.
Would you maybe change your clothes before you let him in,
Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they'd been?
Would you turn the radio off and hope He hadn't heard,
And wish you had not uttered that last, loud, nasty word?
Would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out?
Could you let Jesus walk right in, or would you rush about?
And I wonder....if the Savior spent a day or two with you,
Would you go right on doing the things you always do?
Would you go right on saying the things you always say?
Would life for you continue as it does from day to day?

Another implication of this new citizenship is that we actually break all ties with our past. Paul says, "Forgetting our past we press on to the prize that is before us." Again in Philippians 3:20, he says, "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" You see, when you cling to the old habits, when you cling to the familiarity of your past life it is very difficult to give your allegiance to the present...
11 years ago when we came to America, we were obviously very proud of our home country, South Africa. In some cases we I was a little overbearing in my quest to let everyone know that America does no compare with S.A. One day a good friend put me straight. She in no uncertain terms let me know that we are in America now, and perhaps it's time to show some loyalty to our new home. She was right. We could never have been as happy as we are in this beautiful country with it's beautiful people if we did not quit hankering after what was.
We are no longer aliens. Our allegiance is not based on our old identity, as citizens of earthly kingdoms. Our new allegiance is based on our new identity as citizens of the heavenly kingdom. We are fellow citizens with the saints. Our allegiance is now to God and His people. We are together part of a new culture, a new race, a new nation, a new society. And every saint of God is part of this new kingdom. In Christ we are citizens in a new kingdom. In Christ we have a new allegiance.
In the second place: In Christ we are:
II. Members of A New Family - We have A New Fellowship
". . . and are of God's household."
God is not finished yet. Paul takes it a step farther by saying we are members in a new family. We are of God's household. In Christ we have a new family. And this is very important to me. Family is better than fellow citizen. We are brought into the inner circle of relationships.
You see, citizenship in a state is important but not intimate. When we are told we are of God's household, it means we have now entered into the most intimate of relationships as members of the family of God. Those who are in this family are our brothers and sisters in Christ. And these relationships in the family of God enable us to have our needs met on a far deeper level. We can now be accepted fully, loved freely, greeted warmly, and encouraged daily. This is what families are for.
Someone defined home as the place where, when you show up, they have to let you in. So it should be with the family of God. It is God's redemptive community. We don't always agree, and sometimes members of that family get bent out of shape, or headed in the wrong direction, but we are still family. And if we are truly family, then we can touch each other on the deepest of levels, and meet the most pressing of needs.

This was demonstrated to me in a new way this week end, when a bunch of total strangers invaded our household at our invitation. These were friends of our daughters and another close friend in Dallas. They are also native South Africans and were feeling homesick, so we told them to come on. What a wonderful weekend of fellowship it was. In a moment those who were once strangers became warmed towards us, and us to them. Not so much because we were from the same country physically, but because we were from the same country spiritually. We have the same Father. We just knew that we could be open and caring with each other and that we did not have to be on our finest behavior. We could be who we are and be loved and appreciated anyway.
I love this song by Ken Medema

IF This Is Not a Place…

If this is not a place, where tears are understood, then where shall I go to cry?
And if this is not a place, where my spirit can take wings, then where shall I go to fly?
I don't need another place, for trying to impress you, with just how good and virtuous I am,
No, no, no, I don't need another place, for always being on top of things.
Everybody knows that it's a sham, it's a sham.
I don't need another place for always wearing smiles, even when it's not the way I feel,
I don't need another place, to mouth the same old platitudes; Everybody knows that it's not real.
So if this is not a place, where my questions can be asked, then where shall I go to seek?
And if this is not a place, where my heart cry can be hear, Where, tell me where, shall I go to speak?
So if this is not a place, where tears are understood,
Where shall I go, where shall I go to fly?

This is the new and improved, intimate relationship we have entered into by knowing Christ. We have become members of a new family --- the family of God. But there is one more new relationship that Paul speaks of here. In Christ we are:
III. Living Stones In A New Temple - We have A New Purpose
". . . having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. (2:20-22)"
Here the apostle moves on to a new figure. It is the picture of a temple. It is the temple of God. But it is not a physical temple made with hands. This temple is a spiritual temple in which we are the living stones, fitted together as we grow into a holy temple. The dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
The apostles and prophets have laid the foundation for this temple with Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone.
In 1 Peter 2:5 we read, "You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
This is not the picture of a temple made of bricks which are all alike, by the way. Rather, it is a stone edifice. Each stone is different. But each stone is necessary. And each stone doesn't come as it is, either. It says that we are being fitted together by a Master Builder. The Master Stonemason is in charge of chiseling us into the right shape to be placed where He chooses. To be used as he chooses. Each one with a unique and special purpose.
Last week I eagerly jumped into our new shower in our new home. This shower is wonderful. The water pressure remains constant and you can actually stretch your arms out without touching the walls. Jan bought this new special liquid soap with lanolin. I love it! I had washed my hair and reached over to the spot where we keep the bottle of soap. I squeezed out a big dab and began to rub it onto my arms. But nothing happened. There was no rich lather appearing. I figured it must be the grease on my arms from working on the car, so I tried it on my legs. Another bog dollop. Still no lather. Something was definitely wrong here. As soon as I could wipe the water and shampoo from my face I saw what the problem was. Right next to where the soap stood, there was another bottle almost identical in size and shape. The hair conditioner. I had grabbed the wrong product and tried to use it for the wrong purpose. Both were great products, but they were designed to do different things.
That is how it is with the body. God is re creating us in the image of His Son, and as He does this, He creates us each uniquely different. He also is giving us gifts to serve in the Body of Christ. We are not all alike. But we do not set the terms and conditions --- He does! God is building us together. In Christ, we are living stones in a new temple.
Paul compares the spiritual Temple to the analogy of a living body.
1 Corinthians 12:12-20 "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 14] Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. [15] If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. [16] And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. [17] If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? [18] But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. [19] If they were all one part, where would the body be? [20] As it is, there are many parts, but one body. [27] Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. Imagine an "Eye Body" How useless. How unattractive. Couldn't hug. Couldn't kiss. Imagine how painful it would be when you rolled around the house. All that dirt in your eye. We make six foot eyeballs out of people. We make 5"9" Noses out of others. We put them on pedestals. Make them our stars. But they're just eyes and ears and knees and toes, all part of a body with a vital function to the whole. And that is another point. Each part is a vital part with a worthwhile and essential responsibility.
How marvelous. No other institution on earth can function in this way. There are always too many chiefs and not enough Indians. But not in God's Living Temple. When He is allowed to build it His way, it is always exactly right. Too often we are trying to build a church, when actually what God is desiring to do is build His Kingdom, build His family, build His Temple, for His purpose.
And what is that purpose?
Our text says that this temple is a dwelling of God in the Spirit. The passage we read in 1 Peter 2:5 indicates that it is a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, "to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." In other words, this new temple is built to contain the presence of the living God, and we are not only to contain His presence but to respond to that presence as priests in praise.
The implication is that in Christ we now have a new purpose in life. We have been turned into a royal priesthood so that we might offer up spiritual sacrifices of praise. We are told in Hebrews 13:15, "Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name."
We are created to worship Him. That is the new purpose for every believer. Not only are our lives to show forth praise to God, but our lips are also to praise Him. This is one of the marks of true Christianity. People who never get excited about their walk with God may not have a walk with God to be excited about. But those who have entered into a living relationship with a living God will have a living faith and a living praise.
In Christ, we are citizens of a new kingdom --- we have a new allegiance. In Christ, we are members in a new family --- we have a new fellowship. And in Christ, we are living stones in a new temple --- we have a new purpose, a life of praise to God. If you know Christ this is the new you.