Every Sunday morning we, along with billions of Christians across the world, gather together in worship.  It is quite an amazing thing, really, that despite everything that has happened throughout history, the diversity of world cultures and languages and persecution and apathy, that approximately 1/3 of the world’s population is Christian. It takes Divine Intervention.  In fact, that’s actually the whole point.  We sometimes treat going to church like it’s a club, where we gather together with likeminded members of our community.  But Scripture tells us a very different thing.

St. Paul writes, “You who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”  Notice the verbs here, “have been brought.”  That is in the passive tense.  You are not the ones doing the bringing, but God is the One who is doing the work.  Luther explained this well in his explanation of the 3^rd article of the creed, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him…” You see, Christianity is not like a ladder that we climb to try to reach God.  That is what the tower of Babel attempted, and we all know that didn’t work out well.  Luther continues though, “but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.”

This is what St. Paul is talking about.  You want to draw closer to God?  Good.  But remember this: our sin separates us from God.  And our sin keeps us from God.  It makes all us equal opportunity offenders toward God.  Dead in our trespasses and sins, separated from God, far away. But in the incarnation, God draws close to us. He comes down from heaven to dwell with sinners.  And He draws sinners to Himself, He draws sinners together around Himself.

God gathers a people to Himself. These people are to be holy and blameless. Notice what He doesn't say. He doesn't say God gathers the perfect.  He doesn't say God gathers the righteous.  He doesn't say God gathers those who have it all together. But God gathers, strangers, aliens, those with no hope, the godless.  Broken by the weight of our own sin and that of the world. Needy. Beggers. Not even able to go to God.

This is what Jesus is doing today, here, now. Through the waters of your baptism, He has gathered you to Himself.  And through His very body and blood, He draws you to partake of Himself, to receive His forgiveness and life.  And finally, to build you up into a temple of living stones, who breathe with the Spirit’s breath.  Israel not of the flesh, but of the Spirit, a church incorporating children of Abraham who believe as he believed in the Christ to come.  Built upon the prophets and apostles, founded upon Christ Himself, with the cross standing high and proud.

There is a place for you here, because there is peace and reconciliation for all in the body of Jesus. All believers have been brought near—to God and to one another—by the blood of Jesus (3:13). He killed the hostility for all on the cross. No longer is any believer a stranger or a foreigner here in the assembly of the baptized. All share the same foundation, the same cornerstone; Jesus Christ.  It is through the bestowal of the Triune name of God in our Baptism that we receive our place in the temple, the dwelling place of God.  That’s why we begin our service with the Trinitarian invocation and make the sign of the cross.  It’s not just a tradition, not just a reminder, but it is reality. We belong here, because Christ has come near to us and brought us near to Him.  And in Jesus Christ all belong here as citizens with the saints and members of God’s household.

Member of God’s household.  The Christian church is communal.  That’s why we confess that we believe in the one holy Christian and apostolic church, the communion of saints.  That’s you the Creed is talking about, people of God, gathered together by His Spirit into one faith, by one Lord, through one Baptism. We find ourselves brought near to God, but also to each other. 

This shapes our relationships with one another and with the world.  No longer are sinful divisions to exist among us, because Christ has died to bring us together. “When you try to maintain your hatred or your anger or your separation, it’s as if you are reaching into the wounds of Jesus—where all of that sin went—and pulling it out again. Give the separation up! Let go of the anger! Leave it in the wounds of Jesus. He has reconciled you to God, his Father. Now, be reconciled to one another! For you are saved by grace, through faith, and this is not of yourselves so that no one may boast, but it is a gift of God.

You are brought to Jesus by the blood of Jesus.  Come now, for the table is set, the body and blood of Jesus give for you, offering you the peace of God that passes all understanding, the forgiveness of your sins, life and salvation.