You were Far Off, but now Nigh

For their Preparation (v17a); For their Perfection (v17b); For them to know their Purpose (v18a); For their Prosperity (v18b); For the Fulness of His Power in Them (v19)

Concerning the Placement of Christ (v20-22) - At the Right Hand of the Father; Above Everyone and Everything Else; At the Head of the Church

Concerning the Position of the Church (v23)

You Were Dead, but Now Alive (2:1-10)

It’s Personal (v1)

You were Dead; He made you Alive

Our Past (v2-3)

Our Path was Perverted; Our Conversation was Corrupt; Our Nature was Offensive

God’s Passion (v4)

Regardless, God…; The Riches of God - His Mercy, His Love

God’s Power (v5)

To Give Life to the Dead; To Give Fellowship to the Fallen

Our Placement (v6-7)

He has Elevated Us in Christ; He has Provided an Expectation of the Ages

Our Present (v8-9)

Salvation is by Grace through Faith; It’s a Gift to be Redeemed, not a Wage to be Earned, Glory is therefore God’s Not Man’s

Our Purpose (v10

Created In Christ, Unto Good Works; Expected by God to Walk Therein

Today we’re going to see another contrast in the life of the believer that Paul draws on. Today we’re going to examine ‘You Were Far Off, but Now Nigh’.

Whereas last week, Paul was speaking about their Status, now Paul is speaking about their Relation.

And just like last week, Paul is comparing the way things were to the way things are now in Christ.

So we see first a Call to Remember their Past

I. They’re Called to Remember their Past

Wherefore, REMEMBER…

In other words - don’t lose sight of where you used to be!

They were Pagans (v11)

Paul begins this section by comparing the differences between the Jew and Gentile. He calls them ‘Gentiles in the flesh’.

The word ‘Gentile’ means (def) a foreign race or tribe - by implication; pagan; heathen people. M-W 1828 (def) The Hebrews included in the term ‘goim’ or nations, all the tribes of men who had not recieved the true faith, and were not circumcised.

Pagan (def) A worshipper of false gods.

As mentioned the church at Ephesus was largely comprised of non-Jews - and because of that, they were pagans who worshipped false God.

The best way to describe the differences between the Jew and Gentile in that day were that:

The Gentiles worshipped false gods

The Jews worshipped God falsely.

Paul references the Circumcision / Uncircumcision, here he is laying the foundation for the passage, as he is in these verses talking about the differences between the Jew and the Gentiles.

They were Aliens (v12a)

‘…aliens from the commonwealth of Israel’

Going by definition, they were ‘non-participants’ (aliens) from the ‘citizenship / community’ (commonwealth) of Israel.

*TIME OUT* - Let me take this opportunity to point something out: There’s an issue in our country concerning ‘undocumented immigrants’. And many Christians are confused about how they are to Biblically respond - and I think that this passage can give some clarity on this situation

First notice that God didn’t call them ‘undocumented’ concerning the gentiles, He called them ‘aliens’ because that’s what they were - they were ‘non-citizens’.

Secondly, God allowed a way for aliens to become citizens - which is what this passage is about - but as you’ll see, there’s ONLY ONE LEGAL WAY for one to do so.

In other words - using the Bible as our guide - there’s a RIGHT way to become a citizen of this country, and a WRONG way. You can NEVER BE A CITIZEN in the community of Christ unless you come to the RIGHT WAY - and by such, you should never become a citizen of this country unless you come to the RIGHT WAY as well.

Jesus said: John 10:1 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.”

So these gentiles were ‘outside the citizenship / community of the people whose God was the LORD

They were Strangers (v12b)

“…strangers of the covenants of promise”

The promises of the covenants were foreign to them. They didn’t belong to them.

The Jew could claim ‘God spoke unto our father Abraham while he was in Haran and made a covenant (a promise) to him - He promised blessings and land’ - but the gentile couldn’t claim that.

The Jew could claim ‘God spake to our father Moses upon Mt. Sinai AFTER God brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand - He gave unto Moses the Law of God written by the finger of God - and then He gave Moses the Tabernacle’ He fed our fathers with manna from Heaven - but the gentile couldn’t claim that.

(Ill.) I could declare to my son - ‘Son, when church is over, I’m going to take you and get you an ice cream’. To _____ ice cream sounds good - they might like one - but the promise isn’t to them. They are a stranger to this promise.

The Gentile couldn’t lay claim to:

Their Religion

Their Parentage

God’s Promises

This is why Paul concludes v12 - ‘…having no hope and without God in the world’

They were Hopeless and Alone

“…having no hope and without God in the world”

They were without God

They were alone

Church, I don’t know how people live in this world without God! To me, it’s a terrifying thought. And to anyone who is, the only reason they’re not terrified is that they are ignorant of what that truly means!

You see, they’re not only alone - without God - BUT THEY’RE HOPELESS!

Their religion couldn’t save them

Their lineage couldn’t save them

God’s promises weren’t to them!

Paul doesn’t want them to forget that’s who they were!

And church, that’s who you were too!

Every soul in here has no right nor merit unto God! God didn’t owe us anything! We are not some prize that God was ‘lucky’ to get, we are paupers - beggars with no hope!

We Christians have such a sense of entitlement sometimes! It would do us well to have some humility and realize WHO WE ARE that we might better understand WHO HE IS and HIS GREAT GRACE TOWARD US!

They were Helpless and Alone

Paul Calls on them to Remember their Past

II. They Must Recognize their Present

We see once again the transition at the beginning of v13 - ‘But now in Christ Jesus…’

Let me say this: Things change when you’re in Christ Jesus!

Christ has Made us Nigh (v13)

Whereas ye WERE far off, now you’re made nigh.

Have you ever experienced distance in a relationship? It’s an awful feeling if it’s a relationship that is important. But then to be brought nigh.

(Ill.) My wife and I have been together for over 33 years now. In that time, there’s been times when we are just as close as can be, and there have been other times we’ve been as the East is from the West. But I’ll say this - it’s so good when that distance gets gone.

You see, Spiritually speaking, every one of us was like that from God at some point - We couldn’t have BEEN more distant - but, if you’ve been born again - you’ve been brought nigh - into the fold, into the family - BUT IT CAME AT A COST! “…by the blood of Christ”

In order to bring the heathen unto God, a great Sacrifice was made! There’s been no sacrifice as great before or since! The ‘LAMB OF GOD WHICH TAKETH AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD’ - died to bring us nigh!

Christ has Made us Nigh

Christ has Brought us Peace (v14-17)

The key word that we see in this passage is the word ‘enmity’.

Enmity (def) hostility; opposition; hatred - enmity is what is between ‘enemies’.

We see here that Paul is saying that Christ has brought peace where there was enmity. And the enmity he is speaking of is two-fold:

Enmity / division / hostility between the Jew and Gentile (v14-15)

Enmity / division / hostility between man and God (v16-17)

So what does this mean to me? One of two things:

Christ has brought us peace with God those who are in Him

Those who are not are still at enmity with God.

This is such an important truth to understand: Those outside of Christ, you do not have peace with God! God loves you, Christ died for you, He’s been a friend to you - but there is division between you! And it can only be remedied by Jesus!

For the Christian, Christ has brought us Peace

Christ has Given us Access (v18)

Something wonderful happened the moment Christ gave up the Ghost upon the Cross:

(Read Mar. 15:33-39)

Without going to great detail, the veil represented separation. It was the entity that divided sinful men from a Holy God - yet ‘in His flesh’ He abolished the enmity - he brought reconciliation and given us access unto God!

Christ has Given us Access

They’re called to Remember their Past, then to Recognize their Present - so that they Might Realize their Place

III. That they Might Realize their Place

In the Household of God (v19-20)

As we read these verses, we notice a few things:

We’re “not strangers or foreigners…we’re fellowcitizens with the saints and of the household of God”

Christians, we’re in the ‘Household of God’ - do you know what that means?

We’re are Cared for in the House

When someone comes into my house, they are under my protection. (Ill.) When my children were younger, they would have friends over for play dates, sleepovers & such. When a child came to my house, so did responsibility. It was my job to make sure that they were cared for - I fed them, I guarded them.

This is what God does for us - when we come into His Household

We have Comfort in the House

Also, I make sure that my guests are as comfortable as I can make them. (Ill.) Whenever we have a guest stay the night, if there is someone who sleeps on the couch, do you know who that is? Because we try to make sure our guests are comfortable - because they are my responsibility.

Church, through Christ, we are in the Household of God and He takes care of us! What a blessing!

We’re in the Household of God - but not only that, we’re an Habitation for God as well.

As an Habitation for God (v21-22)

We’re in the Household of God, and God is in us!

Remember what he’d just told this church in the previous chapter - Ephesians 1:11–14 “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

God lives here! He’s always with me, thank God for that!

Christians we have much to be thankful for! Today I’m thankful that though I was once far off, now I am nigh. What about you?

You were Far Off, but now Nigh

Introduction

I. They’re Called to Remember their Past

II. They Must Recognize their Present

III. That they Might Realize their Place

Conclusion