Gentiles don’t start well
Jews don’t either, but maybe we could say God gave them a head start. Verse 12 repeats the word remember appending to it three words: at that time. The Ephesians were not separated at the time Paul wrote to them, but he did not minimize the reality of their past.
Before God got involved the Ephesians were separated from Christ. At first blush that might seem only annoying. When one reads further, however, Paul describes the condition as eternally worrisome. In the next phrase, he hoisted back up their alienation from Israel. While Paul dissolved the import of circumcision in the framework of First Century Jew-Gentile relations, he solidified the importance of the Jewish heritage.
The Gentiles did not start well. They began their life course alienated from the only path to God. God bound himself inside covenants to Abram and his offspring. That offspring growing up inside the walls of those promises received benefit upon benefit, blessing upon blessing. The Gentiles started outside God assembled
Hopeless
Look how Paul finalizes this at the end of verse 12: “having no hope and without God in the world.” Ugh.
Life with eternal hope numbs those past eras where there was none. When one faces life there are always songs in the background. These are songs of hope for the present and forever. During the week that I prepared this lesson, my pastor’s father passed away. Their relationship was a positive one often spoken of from the pulpit. There is sadness for our pastor as he looks out over the now altered family landscape. But, and this is a Christian advantage, he has a living hope for that place where his father has gone.
In the 2018 release of Mary Poppins, there is sadness of a lost family member. Mary sings to children rattled from a nightmare of the place where the lost things go. There is the lost deed to the house, but a person is also lost to them. As Emily Blunt sings this song there is an automatic and powerful connection built. So many upvotes are poured into social media on this one. It strikes a deep chord infusing hope into sad hearts, and all the more to those who recall the movie moment.
But! But!!! My bells go off and I can only imagine the chorus which would be raised to shush them. The song is hope without anything but a comforting nanny as an anchor. When children face real nightmares they need strong supports; supports which will carry them through their years. Marc Shaiman and Scott Whitman’s lyrics do not grow up strongly. They are wrapped in the word “maybe.” The hope comes only in imagining that somewhere this family member smiling from a star that somehow she is making glow. Additionally, this person is also trying to find their way in this new, nebulous place.
I feart that this beautiful song is a bit of a numbing put off of real issues. Such a statement will surely evoke angry howls from certain quarters. No matter, though, my response is still my response. Let us look at another movie to blunt my reaction to Emily’s song.
When I look at life, I see the end of it all. If you have seen What about Bob? maybe you can recall Siggy Marvin lying in the bed staring at the ceiling worrying about dying. I recall the Tourette’s scene in two ways: funny in their faking, serious in Siggy’s glance to the end of it all. I do not have Siggy’s worries but find an unescapable glint of the end that stands watch over every person. So, when Emily Blunt croons a temporary solution to children with real problems I cannot help but cringe. See, there is a better solution. I think most who will read this or come to the class where I teach this
Gentiles, though, before Christ had no hope. So many people need this hope but turn to songs instead. There is no healing behind the bandage of songs like this. It feels judgmental to write this as if I diverge unnecessarily from the cultural energy this type of presentation assembles. Somehow I cannot get past such sidetracks.
Apollos and Paul brought the healing to Ephesus, and in this letter, Paul is a better Emily Blunt as he wove the blessing of the past tense through this letter to the Ephesians. He drew their recollection to their individual and communal pasts, but built out from it to assemble present and future joy. As I mentioned above Paul told them to remember their past to brighten their present; to inform the now they were to remember their former station. See, Christians don’t become lost things. They lose the maybe. God upholds the whole framework and we, too, shall someday join them.
The Bible gives real insight into the quandary Annabel, John, and Georgie Banks face personally and with regard to their mother. Mary is clearly fictitious, but how about her advice? Its beauty makes us want to apply it to our lives. How will that work out?
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