Implications of Christ's Peace (2:19-22)

Introduction:

As we continue our marvelous trek through the book of Ephesians, we have uncovered many incomprehensible truths that we as human beings, in the flesh, with finite minds are seeking to understand. The fact that God, in eternity past, chose a people for himself to display his immeasurable love and grace through Jesus the Messiah. This grace has extended to all peoples, both Jews and Gentiles alike, having become one new human race in Christ, being reconciled to God through the cross, thus giving us peace with God, as we learned last week.

This morning we will close chapter 2 by carefully unpacking what the Implications of Christ’s Peace really are. In other words, are these just wonderful truths we’ve been learning, or does having peace with God somehow change everything in the here and now of our lives. Let’s find out together as we study together Ephesians 2:19-22.

Text: Ephesians 2:19-22

Ephesians 2:11–22 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— 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 hostility 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, 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. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Main Idea: Since having Peace with God is the outcome of God’s eternal plan, the implications of that peace is clearly displayed in time.

It was never God’s plan that having peace with God would imply dormancy, or some kind of spiritual couch potato, awaiting it all to end so we can get our inheritance. But to the contrary, the church is a living growing organism as we will see, and it begins with the...

I. Implications of Citizenship (19)

We all are born into a citizenship; we are born into the kingdom of darkness, and therefore dead in our trespasses and sins (how chapter 2 begins). This kingdom is rued by Satan, who is the God of this world. But when we are regenerated or made alive by God, and through faith we trust Christ, we are translated into a new kingdom, the Kingdom of God. We will see here in the context of these verses, that Paul is particularly addressing Gentiles, which verse 19 tells us about...

(19) So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

So then - duel conjunction meaning, consequently; pointing back to God’s eternal plan to reconcile a people unto himself through the cross, we therefore are...

no longer strangers (xenos [adj] - foreigner, one without allegiance to your country, nor speak the language) and aliens (paroikos [adj] - also a foreigner that lives in a place without the right of citizenship) - The kingdom of God is now international

fellow citizens - on equal plains with. There is no first-class citizen, the Jews, and a second-class citizen, the Gentles. They are both first class citizens!

with the saints and members of the household of God -

the community with those set apart and belong exclusively to God’s household, with all the rights of citizenship and focusing on one purpose, to glorify God.

Note that the apostle goes from the broad to the intimate; fellow citizens to household of God.

In other words, the Jews and Gentiles are not just fellow citizens, but they are both intimately apart of the household of God.

So is this citizenship and household of God just static with its set number of members with no room for growth? Paul tells us further that the implication of peace means there are...

II. Implications of Growth (20-21)

We start first of all with the foundation for this growth. How do we know that this building will stand since every building is only as good as what holds it up…do here’s what the scripture tells us about this foundation...

(20) built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets - some notes concerning this phrase:

(1) These apostles and prophets were “foundational” because they proclaimed the very words of God, and some of their words became the books of the NT. Since a “foundation” is laid only once (i.e., at the beginning of the church) there are no more apostles or prophets today, but their function of speaking the words of God has been replaced by the written Bible, which is the foundation today. So it’s like saying, the Holy Scriptures are the foundation of the church.

(2) The prophets as mentioned here, were very closely tied to the apostles in the phrase the apostles and prophets, and that these prophets do not represent all who had a gift of prophecy in the early church (see note on 1 Cor. 12:10), but were a small group closely associated with the apostles (or else identical to the apostles) to whom God had revealed the mystery of the Gentile inclusion in the church (see Eph. 3:5, where the same phrase, “the apostles and prophets,” occurs). In this case ordinary Christians who had the gift of prophecy in Ephesus (4:11) and other churches were not part of the “foundation” but were part of the rest of the building that was being built (that is, the church) and would continue so throughout the church age.

(3) As far as these prophets mentioned here referring to the OT prophets, the evidence such as is seen in Eph. 3:5 point to prophets of the NT era.

Therefore, in light of the evidence shown in this context and elsewhere in the New Testament, we must conclude that these prophets were of the New Testament era and closely associated with the apostles. However, the inclusion of the Old Testament prophets is recognized in the New Testament in their forth telling and fore telling found in the Old Testament scriptures. The apostle Peter tells us this:

2 Peter 3:2 ESV

2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,

In other words, no New Testament prophet ever was in competition with the Old Testament prophets.

Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone -

The cornerstone of a building, in addition to being part of the foundation and therefore supporting the superstructure, finalizes its shape, for, being placed at the corner formed by the junction of two primary walls, it determines the lay of the walls and crosswalls throughout. All the other stones must adjust themselves to this cornerstone. (William Hendriksen)

How fitting is this metaphor, since the church is shaped into the image of Christ its cornerstone.

Again, we need to realize that the foundation of God’s house was laid once for all by the New Testament apostles and prophets. The cornerstone is Christ (1 Cor. 3:10, 11).

1 Corinthians 3:10–11 ESV

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

The joyful testimony made by the apostles and prophets in confirmation of the very fact that the basic or primary foundation is Christ makes it possible that, in a secondary sense, they, too, can be called the church’s foundation. (William Hendriksen)

We see next that this foundation was set powerfully to support growth...

(21) in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

It was never God’s plan that the church would remain static, but dynamic, growing steadily as each member obeys God’s commands.

God’s house grows through the continued addition and integration of God’s people as “living stones” (1 Pet. 2:5)

1 Peter 2:5 ESV

5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

joined together. Christians, members of God’s universal, invisible church, are the temple of God corporately; thus belonging to the universal, invisible church necessitates that they also belong to the local, visible church which is not optional for followers of Christ, since it is the living breathing, visible display that God’s universal, invisible church exist.

holy temple. Where God meets with his people in joyful worship and fellowship. Believers do not have to worship in Jerusalem today because they themselves have become the new temple of God (Jesus makes this clear to the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:21)

John 4:21 ESV

21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.

This segue’s into our final point, the...

III. Implications of God’s Dwelling Place (22)

(22) In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

The house is also a temple because God Himself lives in this new building of people.

In (preposition of position) him - referring to Jesus Christ

You (second person plural) also (kai [adverb showing inclusion]) are being built together (synoikodomei [pre, pas, ind] - continually being constructed together) - in other words, both Jew and Gentile are being constructed together, and that this building is continually happening and will not stop until the Lord’s return. Jesus tells Peter this in Matt 16:18 “18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

into (preposition of direction) a dwelling place (katoiketerion [noun] - a place that is more then temporary and defines its inhabitants) - used only 2 X’s in the NT, once here which defines the inhabitants of God’s people, and once in Revelation, which defines the habitants of the demonic realm.

Revelation 18:2 ESV

2 And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.

The contrast is incredible, for we are being constructed together into the dwelling place,...

for (definite article meaning, this one) God by (preposition of location) the Spirit (Holy Spirit). - Moreover, you are being built up together, in the closest possible association with each other, through active fellowship. Thus, the church universal gradually rises. It will not be finished until the day of the consummation of all things. Then it will be in perfection what it is even now in principle, namely, “a dwelling-place of God in (that is, by virtue of the cleansing and transforming operation of) the Spirit.” (William Hendriksen)

So What?

Can we even fathom the reality that we who were once aliens and strangers from God have been made fellow citizens with all the saints of God and members together of His household?

This reality should season every thought, action, and word of our earthly reality. It like counting down the days to the fulfillment of our dreams!

Do we understand that while we await our dream home with God, we are to be about Church growth?

However, we as finite human beings, though saints of God, cannot grow the church but, we are given clear directions for our involvement in making disciples, through evangelism, teaching, assembling together and fellowshipping with one another, and God the Holy Spirit will build His church using us as His instruments.

This involvement will always be built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets as shown us very clearly in the scriptures, being fashioned and formed into the image of the cornerstone, Jesus Christ.

Do we understand that as the church grows, it is being formed into the dwelling place for God to abide with us?

God has always chosen to dwell with His people. In the OT, it was in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle, and later the temple. The old temple was destroyed and that destruction was a part of God’s plan so that a new temple, God’s people, would be built.

So that throughout eternity, God will dwell in and with us, His people. This is the scene in Revelation 21:22-27

Revelation 21:22–27 ESV

22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.