Ephesians 2:11-22 (2)

let’s start with prayer

Paul for Everyone: The Prison Letters Two into One Will Go (Ephesians 2:11–16)

We all live a short distance from the banks of the Columbia River, from Wenatchee to Chelan. It is a big river, already over 400 miles long by the time it passes Orondo. Not far downstream, The Wenatchee River flows into the Columbia It carries the water from the Cascades, and not only water; but fish like Steelhead , Salmon and trout. The two rivers have quite different characters. The Wenatchee rises in the Cascades. The Columbia starts way up in Canada, and runs along the twisting border between Washington and Oregon.

Once the two rivers have joined together, just upstream from Wenatchee, they are simply known as the Columbia. They do not become the Wenatchee/Columbia river. The mountain river from the west merges into the much larger river from the north. If someone were to paddle a canoe or kayak downstream along the Wenatchee River, once it had joined the Columbia they wouldn’t be able to say that they were still on the Wenatchee. They would have joined the main river.

The peculiar thing about what Paul says in this passage is that what must have looked to his readers to be the vastly greater and wider river has joined or grafted into a far smaller one—but it’s the smaller one that gives its history and instruction to the river that now continues with the two streams merged into one. The great, wide river is like the worldwide company of Gentiles, the non-Jewish nations stretching across the world and also back in time, including the glorious empires of classical Greece, Rome, Egypt, Mesopotamia, China and the rest of the globe. The smaller river is like the single family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, described in the Bible as ‘the nation Israel’. Somehow, like the two rivers joining, Gentiles and Jews have become one in the confluence: that is where Jesus the Messiah came in to instruct us and die for us. , but also in the hope that flows in from the covenants of promise made with the Israelite patriarchs.

Ephesians 3. Jew and Gentile Brought Together in the Church (14–16)

Ephesians 2:11–22 (NKJV)

11] Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—

12] that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 

Ephesians 1. The Need for the Reconciliation of Gentile and Jew (11–12)

a. we all were Gentiles in the flesh: God’s work of reconciliation is not only between God and us, but It is also between groups of people that are akwardly different from each other, like Jews and Gentiles in the days of Paul.

Gentiles are Who are called Uncircumcision by Jews, called the Circumcision: Gentiles were in a desperate place, being aliens, strangers, having no hope and being without God. This shows that they were not only spiritually dead, but they also did not have the access to God that the Jews enjoyed.

Here we see God’s work among us. “Remember where you came from” Paul seems to say to the Gentile Christians. “You were at one time without Christ * Without spiritual blessings • Without light • Without peace • Without rest • Without safety • Without hope

* without God.

They were in trouble. They had no hope for a Messiah. They had no knowledge of God. they had no future.”

13] But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 

Ephesians 2. Gentiles Brought near to God (13)

b. By the blood of Christ: Many people suggest different ways to come near to God. Some think you can come by keeping the rules or by belonging to a church. But the only way to be brought near to God is by believing on the blood of Christ. What Jesus did on the cross, in the place of guilty sinners, brings us near to God

14] For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 

15] having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 

16] and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 

3. Jew and Gentile brought together in the Church (14–16) a. For He Himself is our peace: Jesus Himself is our peace; He hasn’t simply made peace between God and man and Jew and Gentile; He is our peace. b. Who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation: The work of Jesus on the cross is the common ground of salvation for both Jew and Gentile. Therefore, there is no longer any dividing wall between Jew and Gentile. Jesus broke that wall down. i. In the temple, in between the court of the Gentiles and the court of the women, there was a physical barrier, an actual wall of separation between Jew and Gentile. ii. Paul was, at the time of this writing, under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial because he was falsely accused by the Jews of taking a Gentile into the temple past the literal wall of separation dividing Jew and Gentile. Paul made it clear that in Jesus, the wall is gone.

According to Acts 21:27–36, youncan read it on your own—-Paul was accused of bringing a Gentile into the Jewish temple in Jerusalem while he was visiting from his third missionary journey. The accusation came from Ephesian Jews who saw Paul with Trophimus the Ephesian in the city and believed Paul had brought him into the temple. The Jews claimed that Paul was against the people, the law, and the temple, and that he had defiled the holy place.

Paul was trying to prove that he hadn't abandoned the Mosaic law, and he told the crowd about his conversion experience and his role in bringing the message of forgiveness to the Gentiles. However, when he mentioned being sent to the Gentiles, the crowd reacted with hostility, throwing dust into the air and casting off their outer cloaks. A mob formed and tried to kill Paul, but a Roman tribune intervened and took him into custody. Paul was then house arrested for two years in Caesarea Maritima and two years in Rome, with a dangerous sea voyage in between that ended in a shipwreck.

iii. The wall of separation is gone because the common Lordship is greater than any previous division. If the Lordship of Jesus Christ isn’t greater than any conflict you have —be it political, racial, economic, language, geography or whatever, then you haven’t understood what it means to be under the Lordship of Jesus. i. “The enmity that Paul speaks of was between the Jews and Gentiles. The Jews hated the Gentiles, and would hardly count them as men; the gentiles hated the Jews, because they didn’t understand the religious rites and ceremonies, which were different from those of all the other nations of the earth.”

There is a similar situation here: Slavic Church that meets in the same building where we used to attend. Over in Europe there is much animosity between Ukrainians and Russians; they are at war and it has been going on for a long time!

There are both Russians and Ukrainians worshipping together over here. That’s why they call it the Slavic Church. This is because the emnity (the war and conflicts that caused the war) is removed over here: it doesn’t matter near as much. i. So as to create in Himself one new man from the two: Early Christians called themselves a “third race” or a “new race.” Early Christians recognized that they were not Jews, not Gentiles, but one new man embracing all who are in Jesus. e. Through the cross: We see the emphasis Paul places on the work of Jesus on the cross. He repeats the idea several times: made near by the blood … having abolished in His flesh the enmity … in one body through the cross. This unity didn’t just happen, it came at a great cost, the death and resurrection of Jesus.

i. This means that Jesus’ prayer in John 17 (that they all may be one) wasn’t “just” a prayer. It was a prayer Jesus prayed knowing that His work of the cross would accomplish This bringing together of Jew and Gentile, and a prayer knowing that His agony would be used for the answer.

17] And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 

18] For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. 

Ephesians 4. How Jews and Gentiles Are Brought Together (17–18)

4.

Taking this to an application, there are 5 steps to resolving:

1] Start with yourself

Ask the Hoy Spirit to show you the role you played

separate facts from feelings or assumptions

No Blame shifting: remove the log in your eye

Matthew 7:1–5 (NKJV)

1“Judge not, that you be not judged. 

2For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 

3And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 

4Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 

5Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

2] be humble

Matthew 18:1–4 (NKJV)

1At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 

2Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 

3and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 

4Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

3] keep it private

any shared info without the person present is gossip or slander

4] Seek reconcilliation

2 Corinthians 5:17–6:1 (NKJV)

17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 

18Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 

19that 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. 

20Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 

21For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

1We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

5] take the initiative

Don’t wait for the other party , you go first

Conclusion: conflict is lack of peace, and peace is lack of conflict

Isaiah 26:3–4 (NKJV)

3You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. 

4Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.

19] Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 

20] having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 

21] in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 

22] in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Chapter 2

Not only did God create a new body—He is creating a new building, built upon the foundation of the message of the apostles and prophets. That message is Jesus Christ. He is the Chief Cornerstone. But the building is not done. He has created a new man. But He is creating a new building. Why? Because it’s growing.

Peter tells us we are living stones being fit together to build a holy priesthood

4Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 

5you 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. 

6Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” 

7Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” 

8and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. 

9But 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; 

10who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Chapter 2

11Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,