7-21-24 Sermon "Built Together" 22 Minutes

Ephesians 2:11-22

This morning I'll be reading Ephesians chapter 2 verses 11 through 22. And I'll be reading from the Holman Christian Standard Bible. Ephesians 2:11-22 I told you last Sunday that this was written by Paul and sent to the church in Ephesus,,, to strengthen their faith. The verses that we look at this morning will continue this discussion. Ephesians 2:11–22 (HCSB) — 11 So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. 12 At that time you were without the Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. 14 For He is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In His flesh, 15 He made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that He might create in Himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace. 16 He did this so that He might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross and put the hostility to death by it. 17 When the Messiah came, He proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. 21 The whole building, being put together by Him, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord. 22 You also are being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit. The word of God for the people of God,,, thanks be to God! God bless the reading and the hearing of your word this morning. Let us pray: Dear Lord,,, as we begin this morning,,, with everyone here today and all that are listening and watching by video,,, we ask that you open our ears to hear and our hearts and minds to receive the message that you have for us today,,, In Jesus' name I pray,,, Amen. ___________________________________ Last Sunday we looked at Ephesians 1:3-14,,, and we learned that we were created by God for His glory,,, and we were created perfectly! But sin,,, messed everything up. We know that God had a plan in place to deal with that,,, and we've been struggling with the consequences of sin ever since,,, and that will continue until Christ comes to make everything right again! I told you,,, that some can read these scriptures and say that God already knows who will be saved and who is not,,, but that doesn't agree with other scriptures that we have. That's why that I reminded you why we were created,,, so that hopefully we can see that God wants all to turn to Him,,, not just a select few! God knows what will happen in the future,,, just like He knew what happened yesterday before it happened,,, and what is happening today,,, even while events are taking place. We can't understand that,,, we just have to accept it,,, even while we agree that we don't understand it! In those verses,,, Paul is doing everything that he can,,, to help the Gentiles,,, and us today,,, see,,, that we are saved because of Jesus Christ! God knew how His plan would be carried out,,, and He knew that nothing would change that plan. There is nothing that anyone can do to stop God's plan,,, or change it in any way. And we don't need to be distracted by the thoughts that God has determined before hand who will be saved and who will not,,, when we have clear evidence that Jesus Christ came into the world so that "all" might be saved! John 3:16 says: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. That's what we need to remember,,, don't be led astray by worrying about something that we can't control,,, or understand. God wants what's best for us,,, and He's giving us every chance to make the right decisions,,, so be sure that you stay on the right path. Put your faith in Jesus Christ! Trust in Him,,, and Him alone! If you do that,,, you will stay the course,,, on the narrow road,,, that few will follow because many are led astray,,, not because God has chosen for them to go that way,,, but simply because they have not followed the direction that God gives,,, each and every day! So be sure that is your intentions today,,, and every day,,, to listen for God's voice,,, and then proceed in obedience! This morning we will look at these verses in Ephesians chapter 2,,, and see how they help us in our walk with God this week.

___________________________________ Verses 11-12 said: 11 So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. 12 At that time you were without the Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

The verses that we will look at this morning,,, help the Jews and Gentiles,,, see the ways that they can work together through their unity,,, to increase the Kingdom of God.

Verses 11 and 12,,, simply remind the Gentiles that they were excluded from the family of God before Christ.

___________________________________ Verse 13 said: 13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.

The words,,, "But now",,, signals an abrupt transition.

The Ephesian Gentiles had been rescued from that place of distance and alienation, and had been elevated to a position of nearness to God.

When they received Jesus Christ by a definite act of faith,,, all the cleansing value of His precious blood was credited to their account.

Jesus not only brought them near; He also created a new society in which the hostility between Jew and Gentile was forever abolished.

Up to New Testament times,,, all the world was divided into two classes,,,—,,, Jew and Gentile.

Now,,, our Lord and Savior,,, has introduced a third,,, — ,,, the church of God (1 Cor. 10:32).

In the verses that follow,,, we see how believing Jews and believing Gentiles are now made one in Christ,,, and are introduced into this new society,,, where there is neither Jew nor Gentile.

___________________________________ Verses 14-16 said: 14 For He is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In His flesh, 15 He made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that He might create in Himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace. 16 He did this so that He might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross and put the hostility to death by it.

Christ Himself is the peace between Jewish and Gentile believers,,, having made the two groups one,,, and having destroyed the barrier,,, the dividing wall of hostility.

The animosity between believing Jews and Gentiles ceased because by Christ’s death,,, He rendered the Law “inoperative.” in believers’ lives.

Jews and Gentiles were enemies because,,, the Jews,,, sought to keep the Law with its commandments and regulations (cf. Col. 2:14, 21–23),,, whereas Gentiles were unconcerned about them.

This difference,,, was like a barrier between them.

But now that the Law is inoperative (“Christ is the end of the Law” [Rom. 10:4]),,, Jewish-Gentile hostility is gone,,, or should be gone.

Christ had two purposes in ending the hostility. The first purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace.

This “new man” (Eph. 2:15), or “new humanity,” is also called “this one body” (v. 16), the church.

In the church,,, Gentiles do not become Jews,,, nor do Jews become Gentiles.

Instead believing Jews and Gentiles become Christians,,, a whole new single entity.

Christ’s second purpose in destroying the enmity was to reconcile both Jewish and Gentile believers to Himself in … one body (cf. 3:6).

This reconciliation was accomplished through the cross,,, by which Christ killed,,, or,,, as it says,,, (put to death),,, the enmity between people and God.

Though He was put to death,,, He in turn put to death,,, the Jewish-Gentile hostility.

In verse 14,,, the reconciliation is between Jewish and Gentile believers,,, and in verse 16,,, the reconciliation is between people and God.

Reconciliation,,, (removal of enmity),,, between man and God is mentioned elsewhere by Paul (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18–20; Col. 1:20).

___________________________________ Verses 17-18 said: 17 When the Messiah came, He proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

In verse 14,,, Christ is our peace.

In verse 15,,, He made peace.

Now we find that He came,,, and preached peace.

When and how did He come?

First,,, He came personally in resurrection.

Second,,, He came representatively,,, by the Holy Spirit.

He preached peace in resurrection; in fact, peace was one of the first words He spoke after rising from the dead (Luke 24:36; John 20:19, 21, 26).

Then He sent out the apostles in the power of the Holy Spirit and preached peace through them (Acts 10:36).

In verse 17 when it said,,, the good news of peace to you who were far away (this was the Gentiles) and to those who were near.( this was the Jews),,, and my commentary says that this is a gracious fulfillment of God’s promise in Isaiah 57:19.

The practical proof that a state of peace now exists between members of the one Body and God is that they have access at any time into the presence of God.

This is in sharp contrast to the Old Testament where the high priest was the only one that could go into the Holy of Holies,,, the place of God’s presence.

___________________________________ Verse 19 said: 19 So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household,

Believers of Jewish ancestry have no advantage over them.

All Christians are first-class citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20, 21).

They are also members of the household of God.

Not only have they been “super-naturalized” into the divine kingdom; they have been adopted into the divine family.

___________________________________ Verses 20-22 said: 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. 21 The whole building, being put together by Him, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord. 22 You also are being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.

Paul described the church as a great building,,, a holy temple in which God dwells.

This figure of God dwelling in a temple comes from the Old Testament.

Paul wrote of the building’s foundation in verse 20,,, formation in verse 21,,, and function in verse 22.

The reason Gentile believers are “fellow citizens” as seen in verse 19,,, is that they are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.

The “prophets” are of the New Testament era,,, not the Old Testament.

“Prophets” follows the word “apostles” here and in 3:5 and 4:11.

These men received the revelation of the mystery of the church in the present Age,,, which had been hidden in days past,,, that is,,, in Old Testament times (3:5).

The words could be translated, “the foundation which consists of the apostles and prophets.”

This makes the best sense when one sees in 4:11 that the apostles and prophets were gifted men given to the church as its “foundation.”

Furthermore,,, this fits well in the present context,,, which states that Christ Jesus Himself is the chief Cornerstone,,, that is,,, He is part of the foundation.

In ancient building practices “the chief cornerstone” was carefully placed.

It was crucial because the entire building was lined up with it.

The church’s foundation,,, that is,,, the apostles and prophets,,, needed to be correctly aligned with Christ.

All other believers are built on that foundation,,, measuring their lives with Christ.

In Christ the whole building is joined together.

This structure rises to become,,, or as it says,,, “continually grows into” a holy temple in the Lord.

This indicates that the church is a living and growing organism,,, as new believers are included in this temple’s superstructure (cf. 4:15–16; 1 Peter 2:5).

Both Jewish and Gentile believers are being “joined together” into this one organism labeled “a holy sanctuary” (cf. “one new man” [Eph. 2:15] and “one body” [v. 16]).

The goal of this temple is to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.

In the Old Testament God’s glory was in the temple,,, which represented His presence with the people.

In this Age God dwells in His new temple which is constructed not from inanimate materials but of living believers.

The Holy Spirit indwells each individual believer (cf. John 14:17; Rom. 5:5; 8:9, 11; 1 Cor. 2:12; Gal. 3:2; 4:6; 1 John 3:24; 4:13),,, who is thus a “temple” (1 Cor. 6:19).

But the temple in Ephesians 2:21–22 refers to the Holy Spirit’s corporate “dwelling” (cf. 1 Cor. 3:16; 2 Cor. 6:16),,, His “temple” composed of all Jewish and Gentile believers.

“By His Spirit” is literally,,, “by the Spirit,” as it is translated in Ephesians 3:5.

Now we can see,,, Paul has shown that though the Gentiles were formerly outside God’s household,,, they are now one “new man” with Jewish believers.

This new entity is like a temple that is structured on the apostles and prophets,,, with Christ being the chief Cornerstone; it is indwelt by God through the agency of the Holy Spirit.

___________________________________ And now that we have been,,, built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit. ,,, it is very important that we remember where God has placed us when it comes to building up His kingdom.

As the church we are tasked with being the voice of Jesus,,, and we accomplish that by relying on the Holy Spirit's strength and power.

We can see that we have everything that we need to be able to work together if we just remember how God has brought us together,,, and gave us everything needed to do His will.

The answer will come when we stop relying on our thoughts and expectations,,, and allow God to guide us as He gives us the answers that we need.

___________________________________ With that being said,,, we end today with a similar thought as last week,,, being sure that we put our trust in God,,, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us each and every day.

And we will do that when we stay in touch with God,,, doing all of the things that keeps that relationship strong,,, listening each and every day,,, as we pray for guidance for our church.

We are stronger when we come together in prayer,,, committed to listening for God's voice,,, as He gives us instructions,,, to show us the way that we need to go!

And we can accomplish that,,, when we remember that He has laid the correct foundation,,, and we see that we are able to come together,,, and work together,,, because we have been,,, built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.

And we need to continue to trust His wisdom,,, each and every day!

___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Hymn: 337 - Oakdale Hymn: 337 - Seminary Benediction -----------------------------------------------------------