Grace and Peace, Bethesda!
August is a funny month to me. On the plus side, the weather is fantastic, anticipation for football season is
building, and Paul Jorgensen and I get to celebrate our birthday on the 14th! On the downside, however, is the
feeling of summer slipping away, the shortening days, and the approach of school year responsibilities (for
many of us).
The origins of “August” make for an interesting juxtaposition to our summer series on Ephesians, “Growing Up in
God.” In 8 BC, the Roman Senate renamed the month of Sextilis to “August” to honor Caesar Augustus. Yes, the
one from the Christmas story (Luke 2:1). Julius Caesar had the month of July named after him, so Octavian
Caesar Augustus naturally wanted his own month. The calendar became a testimony to the great
accomplishments of these great men. The Latin word “augustus” means venerable or consecrated.
Now to Ephesians. Paul opens his letter “augustly” by venerating God and pointing to the consecration of the
saints: “blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual
blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and
blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the
good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved” (1:3-6).
What a juxtaposition between Octavian Caesar Augustus and Christians. Octavian was adopted by his Uncle
Julius, who had no living male heirs. Christians were adopted by God himself before the foundation of the world!
Octavian had a month set aside to honor his deeds. Christians received an eternal inheritance, not based on
their own deeds, but on the freely bestowed glorious grace of God in Christ!
In chapter 2:1-10 (skipped over in the summer lectionary readings because it came up during Lent), Paul
elaborates on the grace of God. He teaches that we have been saved by grace through faith, and this is not our
own doing, but is the gift of God – so that no one may boast! (2:8-9) Think about how easy it would have been for
the Roman Catholic Church at the height of Christendom to rename the twelve months of the calendar after the
eleven faithful apostles, with Paul as the twelfth. Wasn’t a priority!
“Growing up healthy in God, robust in love” turns our attention away from our own august deeds and toward
the extravagant riches of Christ’s grace and mercy. Let the Caesars of this world have their thrones and their
months, for God “has raised us up with Christ and seated us in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus!” (2:6)
Shalom,
Pastor Tom