Living From the Right Foundation

Beginning the new year is exciting as we discover and live out our new identity in Christ. It’s not about doing more in 2026 but it’s being with Jesus more. Praying, praising, worshiping, and knowing Jesus which is the core of our existence.

We are God’s masterpiece created in Christ Jesus to do good works. We are not junk… God doesn’t make junk. As we live out our new identity in Christ, we are right where God wants us to be. We are in that slow process where God is making us more like HIS Son.

God’s resurrection power give us the power to do good works because we are God’s masterpiece and HE is doing the chiseling.

No matter how good we become, we will never earn this. We will never be any better then anyone one else because we will all stumble but God loves us enough to pick up back up. Abiding in Christ is living from the right foundation.

Let’s stand for the reading of God’s Word

Ephesians 2:11–22 NLT

11 Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. 12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. 13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. 14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. 17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. 19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

PRAY

Be sure we are living from the right foundation.

We were far from God, but now we are brought near through Christ.

Jesus is our peace.

We are being built together into God’s dwelling.

Our foundation is on Christ alone. Not the temporary, earthly, worldly success or wealth, influence or platform. Everything we have, all of our influence, our wealth, our success, our material possessions… God had given us all of it so that we can steward God’s resources for HIS Kingdom purpose and not our own.

Jesus is not just part of our life… Jesus is the foundation of our life.

Christ is the cornerstone of our faith and the uniting factor of all believers, fulfilling God’s promise of reconciliation and showcasing His role as the ultimate mediator between God and humanity throughout the Scriptures.

Christ tears down walls that divide

Unity flows from shared identity in Jesus

The church is not a building— we are the place where God’s presence dwells.

Unity in Christ is the foundation that empowers us to live authentic, connected lives, breaking down barriers and building up the body of Christ.

1. Remembering Our Roots

Ephesians 2:11 NLT

11 Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.

This is why Paul’s calling to reach the Gentiles was such a controversy for the Jews.

There existed a huge gulf between Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews).

The Jews had the privilege of being God’s chosen nation to whom he had given his covenant promises .

Deuteronomy 7:6 NLT

6 For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.

One of the signs of HIS covenant was circumcision. God required circumcision:

As a sign of obedience to God.

As a sign of belonging to HIS covenant people.

As a symbol of “cutting off” the old life of sin and dedicating oneself to God.

More than any other practice, circumcision separated God’s people from their Egyptian and Canaanite neighbors.

Pious Jews (“the circumcision”) considered all non-Jews (the “uncircumcised”) to be ceremonially unclean.

The Jews erred in believing that circumcision, that which was done in the body by the hands of men, was sufficient to make them godly without the necessity of inner renewal.

Paul reminds the Gentile Christians of their former condition.

Ephesians 2:12 NLT

12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.

Compared to the Jews, the Gentiles had some distinct disadvantages:

They were separate from Christ, having had no expectation of a Messiah to save them.

They were excluded from citizenship in Israel.

They disconnected from God’s covenant promise.

They were without hope.

They were without God in the world.

This was a bleak description but fortunately, it does not end here and that’s why God intervened on our behalf.

Paul told the Gentile Christians to remember what it felt like to be treated that way, to be seen as unworthy outsiders. He called on them to remember where (and what) they were when God found them: separated from Christ, excluded from his promises, without hope and without God. A bleak picture indeed—but God changed all that by his mercy.

Ephesians 2:13 NLT

13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

Here’s that word “But” again… It was But God, now it’s But (Now)…

God’s intervention from heaven to earth and the entire story of redemption.

“Jesus” was added to the title “Christ” implying that HE is not only the Jewish Messiah but also the Savior of the world.

The words “far” and “near” describe the position of Gentiles and Jews in relation to God. To accomplish this “peace” and to “bring near” those who had been far away could only happen through the blood of Christ.

Hebrews 9:22 NLT

22 For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.

Paul first reminds the Ephesians of their past, highlighting their previous separation from God and His promises. By acknowledging their former alienation, Paul emphasizes the radical transformation brought about through the blood of Jesus, which brings those once far off into intimacy with God. This serves as a reminder that no matter our past, through Christ, we are brought near and have a new beginning. Our status changes from outsiders to beloved family.

We must remember our roots

2. Breaking Down Barriers

Ephesians 2:14 NLT

14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.

Christ’s sacrifice atoned for the sins of all kinds of people—Jews and Gentiles. Jews and Gentiles alike could be guilty of spiritual pride—Jews for thinking that their faith and traditions elevated them above everyone else, Gentiles for trusting in their achievements, power, or position.

Only Christ breaks down the walls of prejudice, reconciles all believers to God, and unifies us in one body.

As HIS Church we now have the power and obligation to live out this reconciliation, mirroring Christ, the great unifier who brings us together despite our differences.

Spiritual pride blinds us to our own faults and magnifies the faults of others.

Be careful not to become proud of your salvation. Instead, remember what God has done and humbly thank HIM for what HE has done, and encourage others who might be struggling in their faith.

Now, through Christ we are called to dismantle modern dividing walls of prejudice, religious superiority knowing that we are unified in Christ as one.

Ephesians 2:15 NLT

15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.

The Jewish law itself brought hostility for the law was the means by which the Jews justified themselves before God and excluded the Gentiles.

Jesus said…

Matthew 5:17 NLT

17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.

Christ fulfilled the Old Testament law because that law (especially the ceremonial law with its regulations for sacrifices) foreshadowed his coming.

In his life on earth, Jesus obeyed and supported the intent of the law as God’s revelation and standard for people’s behavior.

Paul also supports the moral and ethical purpose of the law as valid to guide us.

It was Christ’s death and resurrection that annulled the law—that is, he made it ineffective. The law did not make people right with God.

The demands of the law were intended to make people see their inability to be “good enough” apart from Christ. No one could perfectly keep the law with its regulations and commandments. That’s why Christ came to abolish the law by perfectly fulfilling it.

Neither Gentiles nor Jews were capable of keeping God’s law, all of us are in need of a Savior, and that’s why Jesus came, lived a perfectly sinless life, died, and rose again. Jesus fulfilled and abolished the law as the way of salvation.

John 14:6 NLT

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

In Christ there are no longer Jews and Gentiles but a mixture of Jews and Gentiles, combined as Christians, who make up the body of which he is the Head. Christ reconciled both groups to God in one body—that is, in the church.

Ephesians 2:16 NLT

16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.

Christianity is the only religion in the world that can truly be described as an equal-opportunity faith. All Christians stand on level ground before the cross of Christ: young and old, male and female, Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, and black, white, and every other color. We are all sinners in need of salvation.

Other religions set up barriers between people. Hindus believe in a caste system; Muslim men will not worship with Muslim women; until very recently, black people could not join the Mormon church.

Christ alone breaks all these barriers. As HIS church we must break down all barriers of race, economics, or gender. Don’t put up walls where Christ has torn them down.

We must break down barriers that prevent anyone from coming to Christ.

3. Proclaiming Peace for All

Ephesians 2:17–18 NLT

17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

Christ brought the gospel to all races of people. Christianity is open to everyone, regardless of race, ethnic background, or economic status, so there are some adjustment problems in making all these different kinds of people into one body.

Jews and Gentiles had a bad history where they spent centuries developing a deep animosity toward one another.

Singing kumbyya around the campfire isn’t going to work. We can’t change people’s heart so the expectation for all of that history to evaporate at once is unrealistic, even impossible—unless something other than human nature was at work.

That something is the peace of God, which is far beyond human comprehension. Christ, the Prince of Peace, has called us to peace as well. Peace with God and peace with one another.

It’s the peace of God that causes us to embrace inclusion into God’s family. Through Christ everyone has access, regardless of background, anyone can approach God. As we celebrate our new identity in Christ as members of HIS household, drawing us away from isolation into communal connection.

That’s why our relationship with Jesus is so important when it comes to our relationship with other people, especially in the church. As the church, we are all members of God’s family.

One of the surest ways to stifle God’s love is to be friendly only with those people who are similar to us. Fortunately, Christ knocked down the barriers and has placed all believers into one family. It’s the cross that makes unity possible and it’s the Holy Spirit that helps us look beyond the barriers to the unity we are all called to enjoy.

People can see that God is love and that Christ is Lord as we live in harmony with each other and in accordance with what God says in his Word.

We aren’t called to compromise truth to bring inclusion. It’s God’s truth that set’s people free from sin. We can still speak truth and love them at the same time. Even in areas or lifestyle choices that go against Biblical truth, let the truth set them free because Jesus came to set them free from sin not keep them enslaved to sin.

We are called to proclaim God’s peace to all people.

4. Building God's Household

Ephesians 2:19 NLT

19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.

We are no longer strangers and foreigners but you belong to God as citizens.

Imagine that you are a refugee from another country. After surviving your flight to this country, destitute and homeless, you want to become a citizen. Imagine further that after taking the oath of allegiance, the judge who authorizes your citizenship invites you to come live in his mansion along with a number of other immigrants.

Would you accept his generous offer? Of course! Once there, would you be grateful, or would you take it upon yourself to complain about your accommodations and fellow occupants?

God, in his mercy, has taken us—foreigners and aliens—and made us part of his kingdom and even members of his own household. What kind of lives should he then expect from us: critical, complaining, argumentative, never satisfied?

No! Our lives should be characterized by gratitude, patience with one another, and praise for God’s love and generosity.

Ephesians 2:20 NLT

20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.

Paul expanded the metaphor, describing the apostles and prophets as the “foundation.”

The “prophets” here are probably the New Testament prophets because “apostles” are listed first. These apostles and prophets received and believed in Jesus Christ as their Messiah; then they took the gospel message out to the world.

Look at those who came before us, who put their faith in Christ and gave up everything because they followed Jesus.

Establish that good foundation of faith for your family.

Every well-built structure with a firm foundation has a cornerstone. A cornerstone is a valued architectural piece. Stonemasons choose just the right rock. The cornerstone anchors the building and gives all the walls their line. Jesus is the chief cornerstone of God’s building.

Ephesians 2:21 NLT

21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.

Each part of the building, each believer, fits perfectly into the building, all the pieces being aligned with the Cornerstone. The structure is not yet complete; it will not be complete until the day that Christ Jesus returns.

The building’s purpose is also described: to become a holy temple in the Lord. The church becomes a holy temple because of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

The word used for “temple” here refers to what was the inner sanctuary (the Most Holy Place) in the Jewish temple.

The union of God with people, and the unity of previously alienated people with one another is something that only God is able to do.

If the president were coming to visit you—or perhaps a king or queen—what would you do? Straighten up the house, mow the lawn, and trim the shrubs?

When we belong to Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, he doesn’t just come to visit. He takes up residence in our hearts. We are his dwelling place, both individually as believers and collectively as the church. Since we are together a living, growing holy temple, a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit, what kind of dwelling place ought we to be?

A place marked by divisions, self-seeking, quarrels over money and worship styles?

Or one that exudes unity, servanthood, joy, self-sacrifice, and love? In which place would you rather live?

In Christ we are joined together to become an entirely new kind of dwelling.

In the Old Testament, God’s “dwelling” referred either to the nation of Israel or to the tabernacle or temple.

But in the New Testament, this dwelling is the whole body of believers, the church, made up of both Jews and Gentiles.

There would not be two “churches”—one made up of Jewish believers and one of Gentile believers but believers who are being built together in Christ

There should be no barriers, no divisions, no basis for discrimination. We all belong to Christ and share fully in his blessings. He lives in us (corporately and individually) by his Spirit, the Holy Spirit.

Christ is our foundation, our cornerstone. The Church is not just a collection of individuals but a connected, growing holy temple where the Holy Spirit dwells.

This empowers us to build our lives on Christ and HIS teachings, and joining others in HIS divine construction. It’s our unity in Christ that strengthens our ability to support and uphold one another.

TAKE AWAY:

What is your life truly built on?

Are there relational walls God wants torn down this year?

Align your life with Christ, not culture.