“Who Are You, Who Who, Who Who?”

Ephesians  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  46:56
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Intro: NC State Wolfpack (I was Derek Whittenberg) (Lorenzo Charles)
I grew up in a family where rivalry was normal. Now I told you that I idolized Derek Whittenberg, and I did, but that was dangerous ground in my family.
You see I grew up in Tarheel country. To pull outside of the Tarheels was dangerous. But even more dangerous to root outside of the Tarheels was to root for Duke.
Now even though I went through a phase of pulling for the Wolfpack, and clearly that was over the name of Derek, all I really had left to pull for was Duke.
But to pull for Duke, to pull for Duke would have been a travesty and probably would have got me forced out of the family.
Clearly over the years I got things corrected and finally found my niche in the Kansas State Wildcats. Boy did I dodge a bullet there. With that being said, we live in world full of rivalries.
We see it in politic between left versus right, Pepsi versus Coke, PC vs Mac, Android vs iPhone, SEC vs college sports.
We see big rivalries between Kstate vs KU, NC vs Duke, Cubs vs Cardinals, Toilet paper roll from the front or the back, I mean there are rivalries in everything these days.
Today we are going to be in Ephesians 2:11-22. In this passage we see that Paul is identifying and maneuvering through a hostile rivalry between two people groups, Jews and Gentiles.
This rivalry was religious, cultural, and racial. yet through all of that, Jesus changed it all, He bridged that rivalry.
A commentator Kyle Snodgrass, notes that this is one of the most key passages as applied to the church and the structure of the church, with the cross being the center of it.
Sandwiched in the middle of our passage today is Paul once again reminding the reader of how Jesus bridged the gap between who we were and who we became. It answers, who are you?
Last, we we learned that when our mind slips to forgetting the gospel of grace and thinking that somehow, we’ve earned God's favor, then we will think about self and entitlement sets in.
But when you lift your eyes and put it on the cross, entitlement goes out the door, and you'll put others first.
We have to remember the gospel. Remember who you we were before Christ. If you do, then you're going to truly be able to fully love.
Today, Paul takes it another step into remembering who we were from another angle. Let’s go ahead and dig in now to our passage. Read: Ephesians 2:11-22
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.
Basically verses 11-22 are the fruit of the gospel infiltrating the hearts of men and women. Here's the fruit.
Not only does Christ reconcile you to God, but what should blow our minds is when Jesus takes two people who normally would be hostile to each other, and He reconciles them to each other.
This text is earth-shattering. Jew and Gentile? They were completely hostile to each other. It says that Christ through his death has brought down the dividing wall of hostility.
In the temple in Jerusalem, there was the veil that separated the Holy of Holies, the presence of God, from all the people of God, and only the high priest could go once a year behind that veil to offer sacrifices.
Then there was a dividing wall that separated where the Jews could come and where the Gentiles could come.
On that wall there was an inscription that said, "If any Gentile passes by here, they have only themselves to blame for their death."
The Scripture we read is saying that when Jesus said, "It is finished” on the cross, not only through his death did the veil get torn in two but wait there’s more.
And now we who are sinful, because of Christ's perfect blood paying for our sins, can have access into the presence of God. That is with us repenting of our sins of course.
Not only that, but that dividing wall of hostility should come down, because a believing Jew and Gentile understand that it's only by God's grace that they have access to the Father.
When they are reminded of that, they will let go of their hostility and that really is an amazing thing. So what we will do today is take what Paul wrote and answer the question, “Who are you?”
We will find three truths that answer that question to the fullest and the first truth that we will see Paul defined is ...
1. You were alienated (11-12)
As we begin, we see a similar pattern of the verses that we started with last week in 1-3. Last week we saw a dark picture of what it looks like apart from God.
That simple description was one of death. Today Paul continues that mindset a bit further. He says, Read: Ephesians 2:11–12
Ephesians 2:11–12 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.
Now here he is highlighting the fact that there was a physical difference, but that physical difference has no weight when you remember that you were all sinners outside His grace.
Essentially what Paul is saying here is it has nothing to do with your skin, but everything to do with your heart.
The Jews saw circumcision as the sign that established their covenant with God. So, if you were not circumcised you were just as sure saying that you were cut off or separated from God.
But Paul makes a very clear statement to clear that up. Circumcision is done by human hands, reminding them that was the old identifying marker, the marker now is that you are a new creation.
So, Paul then goes on to elaborate more by saying that they were not just without Christ, but also separated from the same hope and covenant that Israel had been promised, a people of no hope.
How hopeless would that reminder be? Now I want to take a second to make sure you know that God did plan to bless all nations through Israel. That was always His plan.
The problem was that the Gentile people would not have known this. They did not know God or His promises for many reasons.
One glaring reason was that they opted for idols which suppressed the truth of God and His promises or to know them.
They did not share in life with the Jews or their traditions. They were about self and other things to worship.
Let’s be honest here. We too were the same people. At one time we too were separated from
Christ. We too were alienated because we were about self and chasing things outside of God.
Don’t forget who you were. When you do, you lose gratitude for what you now have. Illus: So easy to forget our old self and judge others.
He is pointing out to them, “Remember you used to be outsiders.” That is, circumcision is a sign of God’s people, God’s covenant, in the Old Testament.
What he is saying is there was a time when you were outside of the kingdom. You were outside of his promises. You weren’t invited to the party. You were an outsider looking in.
This leads us to our second truth this morning that Paul defines. He just told us that we used to be outsiders, but ...
2. Christ reconciled (13-18)
Everybody remembers what it was like to desire to go to a party or be a part of something so badly, and have nobody invite you, nobody to want you to be there.
Then all of a sudden, a friend comes along and says, “Yeah, why don’t you come with me?”
Read: Ephesians 2:13–18
Ephesians 2:13–18 ESV
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.
The only reason why you are here is Christ has brought you in. You should cling close to Him. Do you know what else? While you’re here, you should have a posture of humility.
You must at some point just be thankful you are a part of the party. Illus: Picture at a birthday party with Jordy Nelson
Here is what I have always loved about Jordy, and you can see it in him every time you get around the guy. He has never forgot where he came from. He has always remembered.
This plea to not forget where you came from is more important than you might understand. Here’s why. Me included you know what I see in believers more often than not?
We think we’ve always been a part of the party. We think that we have always been blessed by God. We often forget we were separated.
We often forget to realize that at one point in time, the gospel had to come over continents, had to come over oceans. People had to die, make sacrifices, just to get the gospel to us, to invite us.
What that should do to us is it should create a posture of humility for us all, a sense in which I am thankful to be here. Always thankful to be a part of this Gospel party.
Don’t forget what the work of the Christ on that cross. He died on our behalf. He bore our punishment.
He took our place so that we might be declared righteous. We receive the benefits of forgiveness, righteousness, and new life.
We encounter the effect of the cross by our union with Christ. Notice it is “in Christ Jesus” that we experience the benefits of His shed blood (v. 13).
There was a past event that is experienced in the present. This is what gives us peace with God and with others today.
The cross is central to our final truth that Paul lays out to answer the question, “Who are we?” That final truth is ...
3. We are citizens (19-22)
Because of that work on the cross we have become citizens of the household of God. This is the most incredible thing people! Read: Ephesians 2:19–22
Ephesians 2:19–22 ESV
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.
This is your identity now. You are citizen of the household of God. This is the church that you are a part of, but I don’t want you to be confused by that statement.
The church is not a building or some weekend event we attend. The church is family, living life together on a mission.
Be careful not to treat the church as a hotel, visiting a place occasionally, giving a tip if you are served well.
Rather, see the church as part of your Christian identity, and understand that we all have a role in God’s household.
God did not invite us to be a building or tax ID number, because God is not that. Jesus made us the church, not a building.
If you gathered all of us together and we went to my house, might be a tight fit, but we gathered at my house, do you know what we are? The church. We are citizens of Heaven. Is that not worth celebrating?
It was while you were at your worst that Christ died for you. That’s our citizenship, that’s our celebration.
It wasn’t me on my good day who God loved. God, on my worst day, that day I’d be most ashamed of, that day I most regret, those events I wish I could go back in time and change.
It’s in that mess that Christ shows up and goes, “You’re my beloved. You’re mine. I have purchased you by my blood.”
That’s our celebration. That’s why in moments like these, obedience is enabled, and the dark night of the soul finds an anchor in the goodness of God. That’s how he shapes us.
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