United as one, through Christ PT. III

Ephesians 2:19–22 (NIV)

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Intro:

Everyone has an unconventional family member. Call them what you will—odd, crazy, or unique. Here’s the big problem. You didn’t get to choose for them to be part of your family. She will always be your aunt whether you want her to be or not. No matter how different your brother is, he will always be your brother. We do not get to choose who is born into our family.

In the same way, we do not get to choose who is born into the family of God. There will be unique, peculiar and odd people in the family of God. And you may be one of them. It’s ok. You are loved and accepted by God. The family of God’s role is to love and embrace you as well.

Unification: What Jews and Gentiles Are in Christ (Eph. 2:19–22)

Paul has repeated the word “one” to emphasize the unifying work of Christ:

“made both one” (Eph. 2:14);

“one new man” (Eph. 2:15);

“one body” (Eph. 2:16);

“one Spirit” (Eph. 2:18).

1. All spiritual distance and division have been overcome by Christ.

2. In the closing verses of this chapter, Paul gives three pictures that illustrate the unity of believing Jews and Gentiles in the church.

Point I

One nation (v. 19a).

Ephesians 2:19A (NIV)

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,

1. Israel was God’s chosen nation, but they rejected their Redeemer and suffered the consequences.

2. The kingdom was taken from them and given to “a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof” (Matt. 21:43).

Matt. 21:43

43 “Therefore, I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

a. This “new nation” is the church, “a chosen generation … a holy nation, a peculiar people” (Ex. 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9).

Ex. 19:6

6 you[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

1 Peter 2:9

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

b. In the Old Testament, the nations were reckoned by their descent from Shem, Ham, or Japheth (Gen. 10).

c. In the Book of Acts, we see these three families united in Christ.

i. In Acts 8, a descendant of Ham is saved, the Ethiopian treasurer.

ii. In Acts 9, a descendant of Shem, Saul of Tarsus, who became Paul the apostle.

iii. and in Acts 10, the descendants of Japheth, the Gentiles in the household of the Roman soldier, Cornelius.

d. Sin has divided mankind, but Christ unites by His Spirit. All believers, regardless of national background, belong to that “holy nation” with citizenship in heaven (Phil. 3:20–21).

Phil. 3:20–21

20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Point II

One family (v. 19b).

Ephesians 2:19b (NIV)

19b with God’s people and also members of his household,

1. Through faith in Christ, we enter into God’s family, and God becomes our Father.

2. This wonderful family of God is found in two places, “in heaven and earth” (Eph. 3:15).

Eph. 3:15

15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name.

a. Living believers are on earth; believers who have died are in heaven. None of God’s children are “under the earth” (Phil. 2:10)or in any other place in the universe.

Philippians 2:10 (NASB 2020)

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

b. We are all brothers and sisters in one family, no matter what racial, national, or physical distinctions we may possess.

Point III

One temple (vv. 20–22).

1. In the Book of Genesis, God “walked” with His people (Gen. 5:22, 24; 6:9); but in Exodus, He decided to “dwell” with His people (Ex. 25:8).

a. God dwelt in the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34–38) until Israel’s sins caused “the glory to depart” (1 Sam. 4).

b. Then God dwelt in the temple (1 Kings 8:1–11); but, alas, again Israel sinned, and the glory departed (Ezek. 10:18–19).

2. God’s next dwelling place was the physical body of Christ (John 1:14), which men took and nailed to a cross.

John 1:14

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

3. Today, through His Spirit, God dwells in the church, the temple of God.

a. God does not dwell in man-made temples, including church buildings (Acts 7:48–50).

Acts 7:48–50

48 “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:

49 “‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? 50 Has not my hand made all these things?’

b. He dwells in the hearts of those who have trusted Christ (1 Cor. 6:19–20), and in the church collectively (Eph. 2:20–22).

1 Cor. 6:19–20

19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Eph. 2:20–22

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

4. The foundation for this church was laid by the Apostles and New Testament prophets.

a. Jesus Christ is the Foundation (1 Cor. 3:11) and the Chief Cornerstone (Ps. 118:22; Isa. 8:14).

1 Cor. 3:11

11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Psalms 118:22

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

Isa. 8:14

14 He will be a holy place; for both Israel and Judah he will be a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem, he will be a trap and a snare.

b. The cornerstone binds the structure together; Jesus Christ has united Jews and Gentiles in the church.

c. This reference to the temple would be meaningful to both the Jews and the Gentiles in the Ephesian church: the Jews would think of Herod’s temple in Jerusalem, and the Gentiles would think of the great temple of Diana.

d. Both temples were destined to be destroyed, but the temple Christ is building will last forever. “I will build My church” (Matt. 16:18).

Matt. 16:18

18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[a] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[b] will not overcome it.

e. The Holy Spirit builds this temple by taking dead stones out of the pit of sin (Ps. 40:2), giving them life, and setting them lovingly into the temple of God (1 Peter 2:5).

Ps. 40:2

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand

1Peter 2:5

5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

f. This temple is “fitly framed together” as the body of Christ (Eph. 2:21; 4:16), so that every part accomplishes the purpose God has in mind.

v As you look back over this chapter, you cannot help but praise God for what He, in His grace, has done for sinners.

5. Through Christ, He has raised us from the dead and seated us on the throne.

a. He has reconciled us and set us into His temple.

b. Neither spiritual deathnor spiritual distance can defeat the grace of God! But He has not only saved us individually, but He has also made us a part of His church collectively.

c. What a tremendous privilege it is to be a part of God’s eternal program!

Conclusion

This leads to two practical applications as we close this study.

1. First, have you personally experienced the grace of God?

a. Are you spiritually dead?

b. Are you distant from God?

c. Or have you trusted Christ and received that eternal life that only He can give?

d. If you are not sure of your spiritual position, I urge you to turn to Christ by faith and trust Him.

i. Like the nation of Israel, you may have been given many spiritual privileges, only to reject the God who gave them.

ii. Or, like the Gentiles, you may have turned away from God and lived deliberately in sin and disobedience.

iii. In either case, “there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:22–23).

e. Call on Christ—He will save you.

2. Second, if you are a true believer in Christ, are you helping others to trust Him?

a. You have been raised from the dead—do you “walk in newness of life”? (Rom. 6:4).

Rom. 6:4

4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

b. Do you share this Good News of eternal life with others?

c. You are no longer at enmity with God, but are you spreading the Good News of “peace with God” with those who are still fighting Him?

3. Jesus Christ died to make reconciliation possible.

a. You and I must live to make the message of reconciliation personal.

b. God has “given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18).

2Corinthians 5:18

18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

c. We are His ambassadors of peace (2 Cor. 5:20).

2 Cor. 5:20

20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

d. Our feet should be shod “with the preparation of the Gospel of peace” (Eph. 6:15).

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt. 5:9).

A missionary was preaching in the village market, and some of the people were laughing at him because he was not a very handsome man. He took it for a time, and then he said to the crowd, “It is true that I do not have beautiful hair, for I am almost bald. Nor do I have beautiful teeth, for they are really not mine; they were made by the dentist. I do not have a beautiful face, nor can I afford to wear beautiful clothes. But this I know: I have beautiful feet!” And he quoted the verse from Isaiah: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

(Isa. 52:7).

Do you have beautiful feet?