Rooted in One, as one, for one Purpose

Opening: Our time in Lucas (outsider living in an insider world)

Elitests for some reason, so proud (describe the town)

5 years and still outsiders.

It was not a preparatory school. Focus was on maintaining the “Lucas way”

Need: We all want to feel like we belong to something, like we are insiders.

The Church in many ways can feel like the Village of Lucas.

Regulars know “you aren’t from around these parts.” They tolerate new people, but they never allow them to belong. Bring any new ideas to them and you get shunned.

Main Idea: This morning we will see how Paul is teaching the Ephesians that They have gone from being outsiders to insiders through Christ, and that inclusion happens by both the Jews and Gentiles having new citizenship called the church.

Brought Near by the Blood of Christ (11-12)

Ephesians 2:11–12 ESV

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Explanation:

For years the Jews and Gentiles have not liked each other. The phrase Gentile is a broad generalization for people who are not Jewish. If you are here today and you are not of Jewish descent in those days you would be lumped into the category of a Gentile. If you need an example in History of Jews and Gentiles feuding consider the Middle East, The Nazi party, and the Free Palestine movement today.

Israel is always singled out because they are God’s nation

It is worth noting that we should be excited that peace was established the Palestinians and Israel this week.

As Christians we want to support Israel because God is not finished with them. His plan for them is holy, their land is holy, their government is not holy. Just as God loves and supports us warts and all, we need to love and support Israel warts and all.

In BC times, for a Gentile to know God they Had to learn Hebrew, and pick up the Jewish customs, and their traditions. Even then, they were not really considered “equal” they were still alienated.

Paul gives us 5 ways in the text that Gentiles were secluded form God.

a. Five ways Gentiles were alienated from God.

Having no Savior or divine purpose (11)

They were uncircumcised. Meaning that they were not chosen or set apart from the ways of the world. By contrast their ways were the ways of the world.

Alienated from the commonwealth of God (11)

They were outside of the power of God’s protection. Israel had a king, but His backing was by the King of Kings and Gentiles were often finding them selves overpowered by God because the way they treated His people.

Strangers to the covenant promises (12)

Being outside of God’s covenant meant no land, no priests, no atonement and no eternal life.

No Divine promise meant no hope (12)

Resulting in (above)

God did not divinely intervene in their world (12)

Although Gentiles had many gods, they did not recognize the God of Israel and this rejection led to a deep seated anger towards His people.

V. 1-10 talk about how people are not at peace with God, but God who is rich in mercy has chosen to save individuals…

11-12 Tell us that nations are without the King of Kings, His covenants, peace, and divine citizenship, were only for the Nation of Israel.

Genesis 12:2–3 HCSB

I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

Isaiah 42:6 HCSB

“I, Yahweh, have called You for a righteous purpose, and I will hold You by Your hand. I will keep You and appoint You to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations,

Isaiah 60:3 HCSB

Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your radiance.

The Jews saw their position with God and became elitist.

Instead of being a light those nations without God, they felt better than the other nations and hatred and racism made it very hard for those on the outside to become an insider.

Israel’s elitism and discrimination led Gentiles to reject their ways, and their God.

Israel’s opinions of Philistines, Assyrians, and Romans and even their half blood relatives the Samaritans in Scripture all recored their hatred.

The “circumcision by hands” is Paul’s way of saying, the Jews “holier than tho” opinion was by their flesh and that their hatred was outside of God’s purpose for setting them apart by circumcision.

Transition: Something had to happen in order for these people groups to finally get along.

Reconciled in Christ (13-18)

Ephesians 2:13–18 ESV

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Explanation.

Paul says that the wall of hostility is broken down and peace is established in Christ.

Jesus is the only way that Peace between us and God can be established.

Not our religion, or our culture or our efforts to live upright before Him.

a. Peace is in Christ alone, [who has]

Removed the wall of separation

Now, In christ, the veil is torn the wall removed so that anyone can come to know God through Jesus as their Lord and savior.

He has reconciled us to himself by (read below)

Abolished the Law of the Commandments

This is not to say God does not care about the Old Testament or the commands He gave Israel.

Instead, He is saying while the Law was given for obedience, Gentiles did not know the Law, nor could they have fulfilled the Law because the covenant of Abraham, Moses, and David did not extend to them.

The Law exposes that truth mankind cannot please God through obedience. But the Spirit of the Commandments are still to be honored because they reflect God’s nature.

Therefore as a church we are very much called to obey the full Word of God.

Illustration:

Do not commit adultery, not so that you will be spared judgement, but do not commit adultery because is trustworthy and therefore we should seek to be like Him since we are in Him.

Do not lie so to escape justice, but be honest because the God who has brought you into His kingdom has done so truthfully.

Most of the OT commandments are still expected to be obeyed in the New Testament because again, they speak to how we live in fellowship with God, and His people.

The commandments that are “fulfilled” are the ones pertaining to the New Covenant in Christ.

so the feasts that look to the coming Messiah

, circumcision the physical symbol of God’s people now evident by the HS

, and sacrifices becasue Jesus died once and for all for His people.

Trick question… Do you want to know why the NT speaks little of giving??

It’s not because it is no longer necessary to give 10%, but because it was a means of praising God which is still the standard in the NT.

Giving is still required of the church because God is worthy of your praise.

Transition: Christ brought peace when He…

Made two into one new man through One Spirit

Therefore our symbols and ceremonies are no longer the feasts of Judaism, but the cross of Christ. The cross has connected both Jews and Gentiles to now live as Christ-followers.

This does not mean however that they had to abandon their culture and their heritage.

If a Christian family of Jewish decent wants to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles to remind their kids of How God dwelt with their ancestors in the wilderness is that wrong?

If Christian family of Gentile decent wants to eat pork, are they wrong?

If Christian family who are descendants from Ephesus wants to worship Artemis, is that wrong?

Trick question of course it is because it goes agaisnt God’s word.

Transition: Being reconciled to Christ allows us all to be made into the body of Christ called the church. We can all bring our cuture and heritage into the body but we are being built together by Christ.

Christ is Our Cornerstone (19-22)

Ephesians 2:19–22 ESV

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Explanation

In Christ, we are…

a. No longer strangers and aliens

Now, in Christ, Gentiles are able to have full rights and representation

b. fellow citizens and saints

Paul is teaching them that as Gentiles, they are now fellow citizens and saints but also members of the family of God.

Gentiles are more than just citizens while the Jews are the royal family.

Galatians 3:27–29 HCSB

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a garment. There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise.

We are all able to call God our Father, because of Christ. His death brought to all who believe access to God, and a seat at His table.

Illustration:

Tim Keller once asked Who would dare wake a king in the middle of the night?

Not even to resolve a dispute, but who would wake the King to request he given them a glass of water?

Most would never be so foolish knowing the power and position of the King,

but only the King’s child can wake the king in the middle of the noght and ask him for water.

And out of His love for his child, He will get up and bring the kid water in the middle of the night.

Transition: This new faith and access to God the Father through Christ- our cornerstone is

c. Built on the apostles and prophet’s teaching

Paul says this movement is not based solely on new teaching, but it incompasses all of God’s teaching through His prophets in the OT and the Apostles in the NT.

The OT is as important as the New Testament.

We need to avoid sayings like we are a NT church, or red letters only.

Without the OT

You never fully understand the sin nature within mankind and the grace of God to forgive.

If you only read the NT, it starts with God sending love into the world but it does paint the full picture of the truest explanation of human rebellion and our propensity for turning from God to the ways of this world.

Transition: With Christ as the Cornerstone he sees to it that we are…

d. Growing into a holy temple.

Life in the Church is centered on Christ.

He is our cornerstone

He is what everything is built on

All measurements are taking from the Cornerstone.

It bothers me when people think they can be saved, love God, but hate the church.

The community of believers is the church. Jesus dies for the church. Jesus is building up the church. He is returning for the church and will one day adorn His church in glory.

The rapper Lecrae said this about the church in his song titled The Bride

“Before you diss her get to know her Jesus got a thing for her and he died just to show her.

You were saved to Christ. You were saved to be His prize. You were saved to be in community.

Saying things like I love God but not the church is main character thinking.

You and I are not the main characters. You are a stone. Say I am a stone

A single stone is not very impressive. It isn't very useful. But when used to build a temple it takes on great meaning reflecting the beauty of the designer and builder.

Built into community

The purpose of the two becoming one as a temple is to

Function as a community. One like no other before.

Love like no other community has ever loved.

Give Grace to those inside and outside

Establish praise and worship through the Word,

Give mercy where it is unearned.

How were two groups who hated each other like the Jews and Gentiles supposed to do that?

The people would need to be… (below)

Indwelt by the Holy spirit

Remember Paul said earlier in Ch. 1 that the Holy Spirit would serve a a promise a seal. Like mortar to a building the Holy Spirit does not just connect us from the outside but he draws us into the Father from the inside.

He is the source of our power to love, forgive, extend mercy and grace.

A church indwelt with the Holy Spirit is reliant upon His guidance.

The individuals of that community place Jesus and His glory above their own

They are lead by the Spirit to be different than the world and yet welcoming those who are outsiders.

They share a common desire above all things to see God’s kingdom grow

Acts 2:41–47 ESV

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Is that your desire, this morning?

Application

You cannot “go it alone”

We are not the main character.

Christ is our citizenship and inheritance.

Through Christ, we have access to God the Father who is King of Kings.

The Holy Spirit dwells within us so that we can live as citizens.

As heirs of the King, we are to extend the invitation to His Kingdom to all

Those who are in Christ are brothers and sisters.

Blood is thicker than water and Christs blood is deeper than that of family ties.

Appeal

My hope is that we would not be a church that is made up of elitists that are to good to share the grace of God we have received.

Like Israel we have to fight against the temptation to see ourselves as worthy of salvation while others, unworthy.

I want us to be great worshippers of God because he has brought us in from outsiders and has given us a place to belong in his family.

I want us to be rooted a family with Christ the cornerstone the one we measure our lives against.

I want us to be a temple that is held together by the Holy Spirit who enables us to live up to our calling.

All three persons of the Trintiy were instrumental in calling you and bringing you into the body of believers.

Response:

Do you have an elitist heart? Allow the Spirit to humble your pride.

Do you live for yourself or for Jesus?

Are you one with God or still an outsider?