Oneness and Peace

Oneness and Peace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMbvpftTEUs

Ephesians 2:11 (ESV)

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—

Gentiles is the word ethnos. Ethnic where we get our language culture and ideas from.

Genesis 11 is where ethnicities began

God scattered them and confused their languages

It was here that God pulled Abraham Gen 17:7 out and made a nation out of him and his people

Every other ethnic group was considered a gentile

Things that make us awesome?

The jews thought they where with God so therefore they where awesome

Everyone else (the uncircumcised) gentiles are not with God so they are not awesome

There was great animosity between these groups

If a jew married a gentile

The jewish people would have a funeral for that Jew

Gentiles where equivelant to dogs

Paul reminds the jews that although they are following God’s command of circumsion it is still by flesh and flesh doesn’t save…

Ephesians 2:12 (ESV)

12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

For roughly 1400 years..

Separate from Christ

Strangers to the covenant of promise

Gods covenants

God made a covenant with Adam, then Noah, then Abraham than Isaac then Jacob and then David and Until that time the Gentiles had no part in it.

God found favor for Israel

The gentiles had no covenant, no citizenship..theya re without hope or even purpose in life.

In Ephesus there is a large Jewish population and so Paul is lifting the gentiles as equals

Having no hope and without God (atheos) athiest in the world.

I am rich.. if your without God your without hope I am famous.. if your without God your without hope

I am young…whole life ahead of me if your without God your without hope

But God

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Two claps and a Ric Flair

This world of ours is a mess, but God has a plan. This world of ours is a mess, but God desires for us to bring that plan of salvation of Jesus to the world

This world of ours is a mess, but we can make things better—much better.  Because, church is not somewhere you go, church is something you are.

For those near to God losing hope

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV)

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self[a] is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

He is our peace

Ephesians 2:14 (ESV)

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

Berlin wall: 1989 knight rider the hoff

Abolishing commandments

Ephesians 2:15 (ESV)

15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,

the jews had the law but the could not keep the law

this was the ceremonial law that paul is talking here..the ceremonial law.. also known as the Levitical law..laws of feasts and sacrifices.. Jesus literally erases all of that

God’s moral law still stands.. what started as the Ten commandments in Exodus 20 moves to Jesus teaching in Matthew 22..love the lord your God

And is next leveled by Jesus in John 13:34

A new commandment I write unto you that you love one another even as I have love you that you also love on another.

See Gods moral law leads us toward Love.. the same love of Jesus

creating One new man

John Macarthurs states, Where you have sin, you have discord. And the reason is this, sin is basically by definition selfishness. And where there is selfishness, there can never be harmony. Where you’ve got everybody looking out for himself, you cannot have harmony. Where you’ve got everybody looking to get what he can get, no matter what it does to somebody else, you can’t have harmony. And so, as man is a sinner, man is selfish. And as man is selfish, man will never know peace. And the only place where peace occurs is where self dies.

broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.

Jesus on the cross takes away this sin…

We are grateful for God to remove the barrier between us and him through Jesus.. but hesitant to allow him to do it for each other?

Once created a new man.. we are no longer strangers to God.. then we are strangers to the world..

1 Peter 2:11-12 The Message

11-12 Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life in your neighborhood so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.

Reconciled through the cross

Ephesians 2:16 (ESV)

16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

Growing up church there was hostility hymns vs worship music long hair vs straight hair..not tattoos vs tatoos youth ministry vs old people..

Galatians 3:28 (ESV)

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

We have fought over nationality

America is God chosen place.. not in scripture, culture , gender we color, religion Muslims do not recognize Jews as God's chosen people.  Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah.  Protestants do not recognize the Pope as the leader of the Christian World.   The Catholic church doesn’t recognize other denominations.

Its time for the church to come to the realization that we need to stop looking at what the sins of the world are but our sins..

Jesus death on the cross killed hostility amongst believers

Andrew young video

Time in: .31 Time out: 4:22

“True Christian unity is not found at a negotiating table, but at the communion table.”

See it is at the negotiating table we accuse each other my friend Khori smith calls us Keyboard warriors..

And it is at the communion table we confess our sins and are offered forgiveness. This is where we look in and focus on how we wrong each other and God.. This is where relationship starts because we remember what Jesus did for us.

We can have disagreements as believers but their should never be hostility, hate or bitterness..

Hebrews 12:14-15  (ESV)

14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

We have the Father

Ephesians 2:17-18 (ESV)

17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Paul is taking this from

Isaiah 57:19  (ESV)

19     creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him.

Two people in Christ are always one because of the blood of Jesus.

Oliver Green argues An unsaved person does not know the meaning of real love. No person can love in the deeper sense until GOD, by faith, abides in the heart . . . because "God is love."

Acts 10:36 the disciples peached peace through jesus

John 14:27-28 (ESV)

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMbvpftTEUs

Let them all pass all their dirty remarks (One love) There is one question I'd really love to ask (One heart) Is there a place for the hopeless sinner Who has hurt all mankind just to save his own? Believe me

One love, one heart Let's get together and feel all right As it was in the beginning (One love) So shall it be in the end (One heart) Alright, "Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right." "Let's get together and feel all right.

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.