Ephesians 2:16-22 • One Body, One Home Pt. 2

HOOK:

Imagine a world where every wall that divides us—whether by race, culture, or even our past sins—can be completely torn down.

What if I told you that Christ has already done that for us, offering us peace, access, and a place in His family?

Today, we're diving into the incredible transformation that happens when we go from being strangers to living stones in God's eternal temple.

Ready to discover your new identity in Christ?

Review & Overview

1. Ephesians’ Overview

Paul wrote Ephesians to remind believers of who they are in Christ and to encourage them to live like it.

The first half of the letter (chapters 1–3) focuses on what God has given us—adoption, redemption, inheritance, power, grace, and His incredible love.

It’s all about our identity in Christ. Interestingly, there are no commands in these chapters, just reminders of what God has done and who we are in Christ.

So Chapters 1-3 deals with the Christian’s Position Spiritually.

3. Current Study’s Overview

That brings us to Vs. 16 and our portion of Scripture. Read…

The Title of Today’s Sermon is: One Body, One Home

Because… Have you ever felt distant or disconnected from God, like you're on the outside looking in?

Or maybe you've experienced division and hostility in relationships, wondering if true reconciliation is even possible.

Here, in vs. 16-22, Paul shows us the incredible transformation that happens when we come to Christ.

Through His work on the cross, Jesus offers us peace with God and with each other, taking us from a place of separation to a place of belonging.

Today, we’ll explore how Christ breaks down barriers and builds us into something much greater than we could ever imagine.

If your taking notes today, we’ll be looking at 2 more shifts that describe our new identity in Christ.

Four transformations that happen in the church and in each of our lives.

#1 Our position in Christ shifts us…

1. From Alienated To Access Vs. 16-18

1.1 Access Through The Cross of Christ Vs. 16

Reconcile:   to restore back to a previous condition…    speaks of man before the fall of Adam.

Turn,  2 Cor.5:18-19…   positionally we have been restored, made holy, righteous…

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 “18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”

It’s all a result of God’s Grace…   its not our good deeds or good works…

1.2 Access Through The Peace of Christ Vs. 17

In this verse, Paul highlights the peace that Christ brought through His life, death, and resurrection.

The peace Christ offers isn’t just a temporary or superficial calm—it’s a deep, transformative peace that reconciles us both to God and to one another.

This is the kind of peace that the world cannot give, and it is central to the gospel message.

In the context of Ephesians 2:17, "those who were afar off" refers to the Gentiles, who were alienated from God by their sin and the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile. 

"Those who were near" refers to the Jews, who, though they had God's promises and covenants, were still in need of peace with God because of their sin.

Paul’s point is that Christ’s peace applies to everyone—whether they were once “near” (Jews) or “far off” (Gentiles).

The gospel bridges the gap between these two groups and, more importantly, it bridges the gap between humanity and God.

So, Peace here speaks of reconciliation: it is the peace of being made right with God through Christ.

This peace removes the hostility that sin created between us and God (Eph. 2:14-16), and it also removes hostility between individuals—replacing hatred with love and division with unity.

ILLUSTRATION: There was a story of that was older than the bible of two cities separated by a massive river.

For years, people have tried to communicate across the river, but the gap is too wide and the current too strong.

Then one day, a bridge is built—a magnificent, unshakable bridge, made of materials strong enough to withstand the river’s fiercest waves.

This bridge is open to everyone, no matter where they are from.

The people in both cities can now cross freely, no longer separated by the river but brought together in unity.

APPLICATION: This is what Christ’s peace does.

Through His death on the cross, He built a bridge between us and God, but also a bridge between us and each other.

No longer are we divided by sin, hostility, or cultural walls.

In Christ, all barriers are broken down, and we are invited into fellowship with God and with one another.

APPLICATION: The peace that Christ offers isn’t something we just receive and then move on from—it’s something we’re called to live out.

As believers, we are now called to be peacemakers, just as Jesus was.

Matthew 5:9 NKJV

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.

This means that, as recipients of Christ's peace, we are now ambassadors of peace, tasked with bringing the message of reconciliation into the world.

APPLICATION: This week, think about the areas in your life where there’s division.

Maybe it’s in your relationships, at work, home, or even within the church.

How can you bring the peace of Christ into those areas?

Perhaps it’s offering forgiveness, reaching out to someone you’ve been at odds with, or simply being a presence of calm and understanding in a heated situation.

APPLICATION: Another thing - Pray for Peace: Ask God to show you areas in your life where you need His peace to reign.

Pray for peace in your heart, in your relationships, and in the world around you.

As you pray, remember that you are not just asking for peace to come; you are asking God to use you as an instrument of that peace.

1.2 Access Through The Spirit of Christ Vs. 18

Because of Jesus’ work on the cross, we don’t just have forgiveness—we have access to God Himself.

ILLUSTRATION: Think about someone trying to meet the president:

you need a clearance badge, a formal invitation, maybe even a six-month background check.

But here’s what Paul says: through Christ, every believer holds the ultimate backstage pass.

Hebrews 4:16 NKJV

16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

That word “boldly” isn’t an accident.

It means we walk right up, no security checkpoints, no special handshake—just the confident assurance that because of Jesus, we’re welcome.

Jesus Himself puts it this way in… John 10:9:

John 10:9 NKJV

9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

He isn’t talking about a side door or a back door. He is the door. And in John 14:6 He doubles down:

John 14:6 “6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

One Mediator, one path, one open invitation. As 1 Timothy 2:5 reminds us,

1 Timothy 2:5 “5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,”

APPLICATION: So what does that mean for us today?

It means we don’t have to whisper our prayers or wait for a ‘good enough’ moment.

We can come as we are—boldly—and pour out our needs, our joys, our failures at His feet.

APPLICATION: This week, let that truth shape your prayer life:

you aren’t petitioning a distant monarch; you’re walking into the very throne-room of grace, fully known and fully loved.

#1 Our position in Christ shifts us…

From Exiled to Engaged

From Hostile to Healed

From Alienated to Access

2. From Strangers To Stones Vs. 19-22

2.1 Made us Citizens Vs. 19

Now, we may be strange…     but we are no longer strangers…

1 Peter 2:9 NKJV

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

1 Peter 2:4–5 NKJV

4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

So, there is now no longer a difference between us.

Galatians 3:28 “28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

No matter where you go there is a wonderful union between believers…

ILLUSTRATION: In the same way an immigrant works hard for citizenship, the believer is granted a citizenship not by their deeds but by the grace of God through Christ’s sacrifice.

It’s not about what we’ve earned; it’s about who we are in Christ.

Philippians 3:20 “20 For our citizenship is in heaven…”

We are now strangers of this world…

2.2 Made Us Grow Vs. 20-21

The foundation for the church was laid by the Apostles & N.T. prophets, which is Jesus Christ, 1 Cor.3:11…

1 Corinthians 3:11 NKJV

11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

He is also the cornerstone, or the rock that binds the whole building together…        

Matthew 16:18 NKJV

18 …I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

According to vs.21 we are growing into a holy temple in the Lord…      HOW,

By God’s Grace… 

2 Peter 3:18 NKJV

18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…

2.3 Made us Habitable Vs. 22

Because of God’s Grace we are being built or prepared to be a habitation for God…              a place, which God desires to dwell…   

The question is, are willing to receive His Grace… and receive Jesus Christ as Lord!!!

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians gives us this amazing picture of what the church is really all about: God’s household.

The imagery here is all about a building, but not just any building.

Paul’s using the metaphor of a temple, something everyone back then would’ve been familiar with.

Temples were the focal point of life in the ancient world, often the largest, most important buildings in a city.

They represented the presence and authority of the gods, and everyone knew where they were.

But here’s the twist: Paul tells us that for Christians, we’re not building a physical temple anymore.

The church is not a building made of stone and mortar. It’s a community of believers—each believer a living stone—and together we’re being built into something even greater.

We’re being made into a spiritual house, a place where God Himself dwells.

Think about it: in ancient Rome, when a temple was being built, it was a huge deal.

The whole city would gather, resources would be poured into it, and the people would be united around this massive project.

Now, instead of a physical temple, we, the church, are the project, and we’re each contributing a piece.

Illustration: Let’s imagine the construction of a temple back in the day.

Everyone in the city would have been involved in some way.

Maybe some were laying bricks, others were bringing materials, and the priests would have been overseeing the process.

It was a community effort, and the finished product was a building that stood as a symbol of God’s’ presence.

But here’s the cool thing—what God is building now isn’t a temple made of stone.

It’s a community of people, each person playing a vital part in creating a space where God’s presence can dwell. Called the church.

You and I are the stones in this temple.

And we all have a part to play. Whether you're the one making sure things run smoothly behind the scenes or you're out front leading worship, every single believer is a living stone in the household of God.

So when you look around at the people sitting next to you in church, remember: they are living stones, just like you, being built up into something incredible.

You’re not just attending a service or sitting in a building—you’re part of God’s living temple.

Each person contributes to the whole. Every relationship, every conversation, every act of service is a piece of the structure God is building.

And you know what’s the best part? It’s not just any building—it’s a place where God Himself chooses to dwell.

You’re not just a part of any community; you’re part of God’s community, a place where His Spirit is at work.

Application: I encourage you take a moment to recognize the other "living stones" around you.

Consider the ways you contribute to building up God’s temple, the church.

It’s not about the building; it’s about the people.

Each one of us has a role to play, and as we work together, we create a space where God’s presence can be felt—right here, in our lives and in our community.

So let’s embrace our role as living stones, being built up into a holy temple, a dwelling place for the Lord.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 NKJV

19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

As we draw to a close, let these four shifts sink in one more time:

From Exiled to Engaged – You who once stood far off are now welcomed close by the blood of Christ.

From Hostile to Healed – The dividing walls of enmity are torn down; Jesus Himself is our peace.

From Alienated to Access – What once barred us from God’s presence now invites us to come boldly to His throne.

From Strangers to Stones – No longer wandering outsiders, we’re living stones built together into God’s eternal temple.

These four points are the story of your life in Christ.

He has rewritten your identity, reconciled you to Himself and one another, given you direct entry into the Father’s heart, and grafted you into His very household.

Application: This week, pick one of these “From…to…” realities and embody it.

Maybe it’s reaching across a relational divide (From Hostile to Healed), or stepping into unhurried prayer each morning (From Alienated to Access),

or inviting someone new into your small group (From Strangers to Stones).

Live out the transformation you’ve received—because the world is still watching to see if the church actually lives the story it proclaims.

ENDING…