Who Are We?

Happy Mother’s Day! Today we honor not only biological mothers, but every woman who has embraced the God-given role of nurturing others in the faith. Some of you are moms in the traditional sense—raising children, shaping hearts, managing households. Others of you are spiritual mothers—women who disciple, encourage, and walk alongside others in their journey with Christ. Whether through family, friendship, or faithful service in the church, your influence matters deeply. So today, we celebrate all of you—women who nurture, who serve, who pray, who lead by example—and we thank God for the strength and wisdom you bring to the body of Christ. At the end of service today, we will pray over you and praise God for you. We feel this is the best possible thanks and gift we could give you!

EXCITE

When we go on vacation, if we’re not theme-parking it, we’re visiting historical sites and national landmarks. Now national parks, you get a lot of free roam, but not always at the landmarks. Oftentimes you’ll run into these rope barriers that let you know up front—you can only go so far. You don’t belong on the other side of the rope!

You can look. You can admire. You can see what you can to see, as long as you stay behind the line.

That’s what YHWH worship—God fearing—was like for the Gentiles. They could come. They could participate, sure, from a designated area. But it was pretty clear, they really didn’t belong. They were…on the outside looking in…at best. However, now in Jesus, Paul makes this staggering claim: the ones who were far off have now been brought near!

EXPLORE

From Alienation

Paul starts like he did in the previous part of this verse. He’s talking about believers and what it was like before Christ. As he does this, he uses covenant language, ideas that first started with Abraham back in Gen.17. Specifically, he uses the ideas of circumcision and uncircumcision. God commanded Abraham and his descendants to perform this sign as a way of expressing their commitment to God. It was a term of the stipulation of being a member of the covenant. The problem wasn’t so much the sign, though. It was the fact that people began trusting the sign, not the God who gave the sign.

Unbelievers, especially Gentiles or non-Jewish people, had no concept of this reality. We learned last week that we were dead in our trespasses and sins. We were separated from God. We really didn’t have any part with Him.

But, to make things clear here, Paul really implies that Jews actually were not better off just because they had been circumcised. Just because they’d received some type of sign of the covenant, that didn’t truly matter. Notice what he says about that covenant: it was made in the flesh by hands. It seems like no big deal—of course it was made by hands. Well, then, why did Paul mention that? Here’s the thing: it was not uncommon for things that were handmade in the OT to be thought of as idolatrous. (Leviticus 26:1 ““You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God.” Isaiah 46:6 “Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship!” Daniel 5:4 “They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.”)

See what Paul is subtly doing? He’s cutting the legs off of justification through the law even in something like the physical sign of covenant. He points out that Jews had basically made an idol of the law…out of circumcision. Before Jesus, the Jews saw uncircumcision as something that made you unfit for worship, and their insistence on being circumcised would actually plague the church throughout the first century, even drawing rebukes from Paul in multiple letters.

Paul doesn’t get lost on this point, however. He will circle back to some of these ideas, but right now he’s driving home the point that Gentiles once had no part of God. They were separated from Christ. He says they were alienated, which means they belonged to a different country; they held a different citizenship—they didn’t belong to OT Israel. And, to top it off, they were strangers to the covenants of promise. They didn’t know God…didn’t know His covenant faithfulness…didn’t know of His good promises. Because of this, Gentiles were without hope because they were without God.

Paul doesn’t say all of this to demean the Gentiles. Remember, God has sent him to be a missionary to the non-Jewish people. Instead, he’s simply clarifying their sad reality before Christ. They didn’t know God, and they didn’t have hope.

Paul sets up a prior reality as a way of helping us understand and rejoice in our current blessing. He isn’t bringing all of this up to leave them in that past—he’s bringing it up so they feel the weight of it. Because you don’t appreciate being brought near unless you first understand how far off you really were. He’s deepening the contrast. He wants them to see that their problem wasn’t just that they lacked a sign like circumcision; it’s that they lacked God Himself. No covenant, no promises, no hope.

And when that reality settles in, it sets the stage for one of the most beautiful turns in all of Scripture: “But now in Christ Jesus…”

Through Reconciliation

I’m becoming more and more convinced the theme of Ephesians is this:

Union with Jesus changes everything.

Against the backdrop of our previous alienation—we once were far off—we’ve now been brought near by the blood of Jesus. In God’s glorious grace, Gentiles have been brought near to God. There are some marvelous connections here to Isaiah 57. Isaiah 57:19 originally speaks of Israel’s restoration, where those “far off” are exiles and those “near” remain in Judah, but Paul expands this to include Gentiles as those now brought near in Christ. In doing so, he shows that through Jesus, Gentiles are brought out of exile and included among the true people of God. This fits the larger biblical story, where in Christ the royal line, temple, and priesthood all come out of exile, forming a new people in whom God dwells. Peter picks up the same idea 1 Peter 2:10 “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” We’ll come back to this in a minute.

How does this happen? The blood of Jesus! His once-for-all sacrifice is what brings every sinner out of exile from God’s presence. This goes back to a promise farther than even Abraham, back to the third chapter of Genesis. Remember what happens after God promises a seed that will crush the enemy’s head even though He’s bruised in the process? They’re exiled. They’re sent far off, out of God’s presence. The moment sin entered, humanity was driven out—far from God’s presence. But through the blood of that promised seed, Jesus, those who were driven out are now brought back in.

This is what Paul is getting at in verses 14-15. Jesus is our peace and makes us—that’s Jew and Gentile—one. He tears down dividing walls of hostility and abolishes commandments expressed in ordinances. Jesus is making in Himself one new man in place of the two. There’s now a harmony that exists between the ones who used to be called circumcised and uncircumcised. This doesn’t mean that Gentiles become Jews or that the church replaces Israel. Instead, there is a new and deeper spiritual reality that goes beyond simple ethnicity and signs.

We actually see a picture of this while Jesus was still on earth. In Mark 11, Jesus goes into the Temple and clears out a busy marketplace that had taken over the outer court—the place meant for people from all nations to come and worship God. Instead of prayer, it was filled with people buying, selling, and exchanging money, leaving no room for worship. So Jesus drives them all out, not because the services were wrong, but because they were happening in the wrong place. He was taking back a space meant for God and showing that the Temple was supposed to be a “house of prayer for all nations,” not a place that kept people away. By doing this, Jesus was also sending a bigger message: God’s plan was to welcome all people to Himself through faith, and a time was coming when worship would no longer be centered on that Temple.

One commentator said that Jesus “fused all believers together…in Himself.” Now, in the place where division once stood, there is “one new man” in Jesus, recreated and grafted into the root and shoot of Jesus, that all may be a part of the True Vine—Jesus.

Peace, then, has been preached to those who were far off and to those who were near, because we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. This vertical and horizontal peace, peace with God and peace with one another—Jew and Gentile—grants us access. We’re allowed into the very presence of the One who is vastly superior to us. You don’t get access to any king’s throne room, yet that’s where we get to boldly go because of the work of Christ. Pair this with the Temple imagery Paul’s about to lay out, and it’s not hard to see that we get access to the very presence of God. Jew and Gentile alike are now allowed into the space that was once guarded and reserved for the high priest once a year.

So what does this mean for us? If Jesus has brought us near to God and made us one, then we don’t get to rebuild the walls He tore down. Unity in Jesus changes everything—it reshapes how we see God, giving us confidence to draw near, and it reshapes how we see each other, calling us to live in peace as one people. No matter our background, we now share the same access, the same Savior, and the same family. So we live like it—walking in humility, pursuing peace, and welcoming others in—because through Jesus, we all belong in the presence of God.

To Incorporation

Paul says that the Gentiles have now become fellow citizens…and members of the household of God. Theologically speaking, Paul is tearing down massive walls that had existed in the common practices of YHWH worship for generations upon generations upon generations. First, he basically equates circumcision to idolatry. Second, Jesus abolishes the law of commandments expressed in ordinances in order to unite the people of faith in Himself. Finally, the Temple is done away with as God builds a new household (same terminology that Peter uses when he says we’re being built into a spiritual house, a new temple). Said simply:

Everything that once defined access to God—signs, laws, and even the Temple itself—is now fulfilled and even replaced in Jesus.

This spiritual temple is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and Jesus is the cornerstone. Paul seems to be using apostles and prophets as a description of their office, not their gifting, because a foundation is only laid once. The NT apostles and prophets, sent by Christ and proclaiming the Word of God, established the new believing community on Jesus the Messiah, going to the Jews first and then also to the Gentiles. As the cornerstone, Jesus is the One who holds the whole structure together. Further, since the foundation is laid, there is no need to lay another. This is why Paul says, “…even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed” (Gal.1:8), and concerning a different gospel, he said, “not that there is another one” (Gal.1:7a).

As the gospel spreads, this new kingdom grows into a holy temple. Whereas the previous temple was stationary, set in its place, and bound by what it could be, this new temple surpasses it in every way. It’s larger, spreading first to Jerusalem, then to Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest ends of the earth. Second, unlike the Ezra-Nehemiah temple, the glory of the Lord has absolutely descended upon this one. We saw it first when the Spirit descended upon Christ like a dove. And, we saw it again as the Spirit fell at Pentecost, then throughout the Book of Acts as the gospel spread to the nations, the Spirit continued to move. And, we see it again every time the gospel is proclaimed and a new believer places their faith in Jesus and they are sealed and marked by the Spirit of God (Eph.1:13-14).

Finally, where the former Temple limited access to God, separating God’s presence from the commonwealth by a giant veil, we now have access, every single one of us, by the new veil—Jesus Himself (Heb.10:19-22). Be assured, His veil still separates: you will not get to the Father by any other means. However, for those who come by faith in Christ, the passage is forever open.

EXPERIENCE

Let us then rejoice and worship in humble gratitude and draw near to the throne of grace and seek God while He may be found and draw near to Him for He draws near to us and cast our cares on Him because He cares for us.

Let us ascend the hill of the Lord and stand in His holy place and worship Him in the beauty and splendor of holiness.

Let us stand amazed in the presence and cherish the old rugged cross and sing hallelujah, Christ is risen. Why?

Because of who we are. We once were not a people, but now we are. We were alienated and separated, but praise the Lord that through reconciliation, we have been incorporated. Hallelujah—we are the people of God!

Mother’s Day Prayer Outline

Based on Ephesians 2:11–22

Opening Praise — “But Now in Christ Jesus”

Father, we praise You because You are the God who brings near those who were far off. Thank You that through Jesus Christ, we are no longer strangers and aliens, but members of Your household. Thank You for Your grace that welcomes us, keeps us, and calls us Your people.

Prayer of Gratitude for Mothers

Lord, today we thank You for the gift of mothers and women who reflect Your care in countless ways.

We thank You for:

Mothers who faithfully nurture and lead their families

Grandmothers whose wisdom strengthens generations

Stepmothers who chose love and faithfulness

Foster and adoptive mothers who opened their homes and hearts

Spiritual mothers who disciple, encourage, teach, and pray

Women who quietly serve and care for others with Christlike compassion

May they know today that their labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Prayer for the Hurting

Father, we also remember those for whom this day is painful.

We pray for:

Mothers who have lost children through miscarriage, illness, tragedy, or estrangement

Women who longed to be mothers but were unable to have children

Those carrying grief from broken relationships or difficult family memories

Single mothers carrying heavy burdens

Women who feel unseen, overlooked, or forgotten today

Lord Jesus, You are near to the brokenhearted. Remind them that their identity is not found in what they have lost or lacked, but in being brought near to You through Christ. Surround them with Your peace, comfort, and presence.

Prayer for the Church as the Household of God

Father, thank You that in Christ we are one family.

Help our church to:

Honor and care for women of every season and circumstance

Bear one another’s burdens with tenderness and compassion

Encourage spiritual motherhood and discipleship

Welcome the lonely and hurting into genuine community

Reflect the unity and peace Jesus purchased through His blood

Make us a household marked by grace, truth, and love.

Prayer for Future Generations

Lord, raise up women who love You deeply and walk faithfully with Christ.

Strengthen mothers and mother-figures to:

Teach the gospel boldly

Model repentance, humility, and faith

Persevere in prayer for the next generation

Point children and students toward Jesus

And may the next generation grow up knowing they are not far off from God, but can be brought near through the gospel.

Closing Thanksgiving

Father, thank You that through Jesus we have access to You.

Thank You that we are no longer outsiders, but sons and daughters in Your household. May every home represented here increasingly reflect the peace, welcome, and love of Christ.

We ask all of this in the name of Jesus, our peace and our Savior. Amen.

Responsive Reading

Ephesians 2:11–22 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—

Ephesians 2:11–22 ESV

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.

Ephesians 2:11–22 ESV

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

Ephesians 2:11–22 ESV

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

Ephesians 2:11–22 ESV

by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances,

Ephesians 2:11–22 ESV

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.

Ephesians 2:11–22 ESV

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

Ephesians 2:11–22 ESV

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Ephesians 2:11–22 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,

Ephesians 2:11–22 ESV

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

Ephesians 2:11–22 ESV

in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

Ephesians 2:11–22 ESV

In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.