Joshua Shetter - Ephesians 2

Therefore remember that formerly you the Gentiles In the Flesh who are called uncircumcision by the so-called circumcision, which is performed in the flesh by human hands. Remember that you were at that time separate from Christ excluded from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ, Jesus. You who formerly were far off have been brought near by, the blood of Christ. for he himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall. By abolishing in his flesh, the enmity, which is the law of Commandments contained in ordinances. So that in himself. He might make the two into one New man, thus establishing Peace. And might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it, having to put to death the enmity. And he came and preached peace to you who are far away and peace to those who are near. for through him We both have our access in one Spirit to the father. So then you are no longer strangers and Aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the Saints, in our God's household, having been built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus himself, being the Cornerstone.

In whom the whole building being fitted together is growing into a holy Temple in the Lord and him, you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the spirit.

when I was thinking about the sermon and thinking about the passages that we've been looking at, in the beginning of chapter 2, and of course, chapter 1, The image that kept popping in my mind, to some extent it was irritating but after a while. Okay. Beverly Hillbillies anybody ever watch that show. That's a deep well of theological truth there. But if you remember that they were, I think it was in Tennessee or out in the sticks, you know, and, and he shot the ground and oil came up. I guess it happens. I don't know. And they ended up in Beverly Hills with a beautiful big house and they had money, right? But they were still Hillbillies. And so the point of the show is this contrast between these rednecks, I guess and Hillbillies and this Posh Rich area and how they were Fish Out of Water, you know. I didn't see a lot of episodes but that's the basic premise and so Paul over and over. I think keeps reminding us of our hillbilly ness You have been ushered into the kingdom. You have been brought nearby Christ. But remember what you were and we talked about before that that's important . I think sometimes we come to Christ and we come to church like I want to forget what I was. just forget. It is, it's depressing, but Paul keeps bringing it up. Paul, What are you doing? He does it here again verse 12, remember he says in verse 11. Remember then verse 12, remember, that you were at that time separate from Christ excluded from the Commonwealth of Israel. Strangers to the Covenant of promise having no hope. And without God in the world. Well thanks Paul for bringing it up again. I was trying to forget my hillbilly ness right? I am a posh. Beverly Hills rich person Now, I am no longer a hillbilly. So, why does Paul keep bringing it up? Well, first he says, in verse 11. If you learned something about, if you remember something about biblical interpretation, I hope you remember this. If you see the word, therefore, that's a connection to what was before it. So as they said in seminary, if you see a " there for" look to see what it's therefore, right? So in verse 11 it's a grounding statement. So he says because of what I just said. I'm saying this, so because of verse 10 and before that, here's verse 11. So that's usually what the word "Therefore" means. So he's building on what he says earlier. So when we go to verse 10, we see this. We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus. And as we talked about last week, you are built and you are created for good works. So in verse 11 he says therefore because you are built and you were created and I think that the main things he's pointing at in verse 10 is "created in Christ Jesus." So because you were created in Christ, Jesus verse, 11, remember that formerly you the Gentiles In the Flesh are called uncircumcision by the so-called circumcision, which was formed in the flesh by human hands. Remember you un circumcised that you were at that time separate from Christ excluded from the Commonwealth of Israel strangers to the covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world and verse 13, but now in Christ Jesus you who were formerly far-off have been brought near That's why I think that "therefore" is connecting to the "created in Christ Jesus" in verse 10, because he comes back to it in verse 13. But now in Christ, Jesus. So now you were created in Christ Jesus and what that means is you are brought near by the blood of Christ. You've been created. You've been Reborn. And we seen in chapter 1, in the beginning of chapter 2, that you were dead, and that your rebirth is rooted in God's choice of you before the foundation of the world in the heavenlies. So this is all of Grace upon Grace, upon Grace. So he says remember this. And we're going to talk in a second Why. there's different reasons that Paul wants us to remember, as we saw in the beginning of chapter 2. He wants us to Remember there because it's Grace. Remember that you're dead. Remember that because you're dead in sins that salvation is wholly a work of God because dead men can't choose dead Men Can't believe, unless God raised him from the dead and gives them the ability to believe. That's why he wanted us to remember here. So why does he want us to remember here? And it's a different reason. But first let's handle verse 11,

you the Gentiles In the Flesh, who were called uncircumcision by the so-called circumcision. What he saying There is the Jews use that term uncircumcised as a derisive term as an insult. We don't want to hang out with those uncircumcised gentiles. And really, they saw themselves as as special people. Wish they were in a sense, separated from the world and the sign of Separation that God put in place was circumcision. So they're proud that They're different from the world, they're proud of their circumcision. We are separate. We are God's people. The Gentiles, you know. They're gross. Remember, they had all these rules if they touch something they had to wash it, and they had a Gentiles court in the temple that they couldn't go past a certain point unless you were a Jew. So Gentiles were separate. We see allusion to that in a second When he talks about a wall, the Gentiles were separate and so he's bringing up in verse 11, this derisive term. you who are called uncircumcised by the circumsized. Remember. That you were separate from Christ that you are not included in the people of God and Israel, verse 12. You're strangers to the covenants of promised , when Jesus came He said that the promise comes through the Jews. So, you Gentiles didn't understand the promise cuz you were not a part of the people of Israel. You didn't have these covenants of promise given to you. Although, in a sense, if you remember the promise to Abraham, "In you all the nations of the world will be blessed." So there is an application to Gentiles there. For the law was given to Jews. And then he says, you had no hope and you were without God in the world. Because God was speaking through the law to the Jews. Promising a day when he would send a messiah, which would save the whole world. But the Gentiles up to that point had not had that. so, Paul is saying, Now in Christ Jesus, all that separation is gone. And we see how he did it. In Christ Jesus. You were formally far off have been brought near, How? by his blood by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier, the dividing wall. What's the dividing wall? Verse 15. The enmity, which is the law of Commandments contained in ordinances, so that he himself might make the two into one New man thus establishing Peace. Before Christ came the Jews understood salvation in the sense of the law. Well, they understood it in a sense of, I'm a Jew number one. Number two. I keep the law, there for I'm saved. But Paul says Jesus came and he abolish the law. Now. probably a better translation would be "he rendered the law inoperable" because we see other places where Paul says the law is good. So, is he contradicting himself? What he's saying is Jesus himself ful filled the law and became in himself salvation, both to Gentiles and to Jews. So it was no longer was a matter of. Are you a Jew? And are you are you keeping the law following your God? It was. Are you in Christ? That's the question. That's the answer. Your salvation is wholly found in Jesus Christ. And that's why it is open to Gentiles as well. They can believe in Jesus as well. Jesus was not only sent to Jews. He was sent to the world.

go to verse 13. There's a key phrase I want you to zero in on. "In Christ, Jesus." This is something that is easy to miss and we see him over and over look at verse 14. He himself is our peace, verse 15, He abolished the law, so that in himself He might make the two into one New man. verse sixteen "in one body to God through the cross," then go down to vs. 21. vs. 20, Jesus Christ himself, being the Cornerstone verse 21 in whom the whole building being fitted Together is growing into a holy Temple in the Lord verse 22. In whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the spirit. So what's the point? Salvation is essentially Union with Christ. Salvation is essentially being in Christ Jesus. Why is that important? If you're not careful, you will see salvation as some sort of transaction between you and Jesus Christ. Like Jesus runs a pharmacy, you know, and you drive over there and you're like Jesus, can I get a Salvation prescription? Jesus says Here you go. He hands it to you across the counter. Thanks Jesus. I'll see you when I'm dead. And then we think oh the people who are really Holy are the ones who go to the pharmacy every day. Those are the holy ones. The really, really holy ones Are the ones who work at the pharmacy with Jesus. That's not right. Did you know that scripture in the New Testament, especially in Paul's letters, the most common way he describes Believers is not in What I just said, Believers, or Christians. you know, what, the most common way he describes us? In Christ, Jesus. It's easy for us to separate the benefits of Salvation From Christ. We do not obtain salvation Apart from him. And we did not obtain salvation as if he just hands it to us. And says, all right, you're good. Our Salvation is Jesus Christ. As Paul puts it in Colossians " when Christ, who is your life?" Christ, who is your life.

And so if we are going to do what in a second, we're going to talk about or if we're going to do what verse 10 says and to do good works and to walk in them that God prepared for us to do. The only way we can do it is if we understand that fundamental profound deep beautiful biblical truth. And that is Union with Christ. Now of course you can take that into strange areas. I was watching a video and became kind of fascinated I think I told you there's Apparently there's a calvinist cult in Texas near where I lived. And I'm glad I think the Lord protected me cuz I would have just drove down there and been Like, what y'all doing? you know, and probably got into trouble, but I was watching some videos and one of their Elders was confronted on the street. And the guy that was videoing said, I don't like it when men, (cuz he said, you're yelling at my kids or something about they're going to hell) and he said when men yell at my kids and the guy interupted and said, I'm not a man. I'm Christ. And then he had this whole thing like, wait a minute. He's claiming to be the Messiah. But I Looked at some of the other things and This is what they're taking the union of Christ into an odd area. So, let me warn you don't take the union with Christ into, " I'm Christ." Now. But here's what's weird. I think as Christians We are meant to live as if we are Christ, not that we're God, or that we are perfect or sinless or anything, but I have been crucified with Christ Galatians 2: 20 it is no longer I that live, but Christ who lives in me. the life I live in the flesh I Live Now by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me.

So that's what Paul talks about in Romans 6. We keep coming back to that. you died with him, you're raised with him. Then he says therefore consider yourselves dead to sin. So that's a distinction. You're not Christ. But consider yourselves as living in Christ, right? So you see the distinction? So this is one reason. I'm not a big fan of quiet times. Some of y'all may jump me after the service. Not a big fan of quiet time. Do y'all use the same term up here? Devotionals daily devotionals. The reason I'm not a big fan of them is because imagine if you lived your married life that way. Hey, I'll give you 10 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes at night high five. Got a good marriage going on, right? And then the rest of the day, I'll just casually mention I'm married or whatever, but I'm going to live my life is normal, but I'll give you those 10 minutes in the morning. While I'm eating, my cereal we'll talk. And then at night, I'll say a few words to you before I go to bed, but the rest of my life is my own, okay? I think it's sometimes how we treat Jesus. Imagine a marriage like that. It wouldn't work. There needs to be communication, right? More than 10 minutes in the morning at 5 at night and during the day you need to act like you're married. So no flirting with other people, you know, no Going on a one-on-one dates or whatever with other people, right. you have to live like you're married

Don't make sexual jokes or anything like that. your life has to reflect the reality that you're married. Right? So it's the same with Christ. Do we just give him 10 minutes in the morning and 5 at night? And in the morning, we'll say "Jesus help me throughout the day" and then the rest of the day, you don't really talk to him. That's not living a life in Christ Jesus. That's living a life where the benefits of Salvation are separate from him. You're not going to see any Victory. You're not going to be able to do verse 10 and walk in Good Works. This is how it will look, say " Jesus help me, help me do good works. All right. Catch you later." Oh why can't I do good works? Cause Jesus is over here. In essence, he does the good works in You by his spirit because his Spirit dwells in you. The good works come because you are in Christ, not because you were in Salvation. Salvation is Christ. That's an important important. thing to remember. So there's why it's important.

Go to verse 19.

Or one reason why it's important. So then you are no longer strangers and Aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the Saints and are God's household.

If you understood the first century, Jewish mind, that sentence right there would be inflammatory. You're telling me that uncircumcised

are fellow citizens with us and that they're of God's household. These people are dirty, they're pagan. They don't know anything about the law. They don't have this Rich history that we draw from and how God let us through the Wilderness. They don't understand. What are they missing? Verse 15. In himself, he might make the two into one New man. Verse 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God.

I heard someone say once. I can't find a girlfriend because I can't find a girl who is as into me as I am into myself. I didn't say that. That wasn't me. But you see his problem. Right? you see his problem. He doesn't want a girlfriend. He wants a disciple or a sycophant, you know a fan , he wants Someone to be the president of his fan club. If you have a marriage based on Interest in each other, then it becomes harder and especially in Christian circles because the person of Jesus Christ is supposed to be the center of your marriage, the best way, for two people to get along even outside of marriage just as friends is to have a third thing. There's you there's me and there's that third thing right? Like me and Leigh can talk about the NFL. That's our third thing. Well, I wont talk to Tom about the Patriots. But anyway, you can have a third thing this is where we both look at. We both enjoy it and we Bond over this common Third thing, right? Then it becomes less about our differences. If you're focusing on you and the other person the differences can keep coming up. Keep coming up. Coming up. Why you do it that way? Why don't you talk like this? Why don't you act more like me? is basically what you're saying, but if both of you are looking to Jesus Christ as the third thing, then what happens? Unity and love. You're both passionate about the same thing. That's what he's saying . He's not saying that the Gentiles become more Jewish or the Jewish become more like Gentiles. What he's saying is both of them, become a third thing. What's the third thing? Jesus Christ. That is the secret to how we As Believers in the Church of God are to get along. It's not. Well, I have Baptist ways of doing things and so let me get all the baptists together and we'll all do that. No. Well I have e piscopalian ways of doing things a Presbyterian ways of doing things. No. our commonality is Jesus Christ. That's who we love. That's who we cherish. So we may have differences but we can say, yeah, I don't understand what you're saying. But how great is Jesus, oh I know right? Let's talk about Jesus . Let's talk about as he is revealed in the word of God, so that's what he's saying, here, the two became one because they became one in Jesus Christ. So that's where the union With Christ in Salvation matters in the sense of dividing lines between men and women.

Now let me step on some toes.

When I came here. One of the heartbreaking things that I was told. Is that there is a sense of social hierarchy here. In this area. It's where I am too, where I'm from. Right? in every society There is that. And I wasn't told in the sense that, we all agree with it, but I was told it is it's kind of a cultural thing. And you all may not agree with what what I was told so bear with me, but I was told that on the bottom are Mexican Mennonites and natives.

That's how people are seen here. That breaks my heart.

Matt Chandler says that anytime he talks about race in his church. They call him a liberal. But I think it denies The very Gospel of Jesus Christ When we are racist. It denies the Gospel of Jesus Christ, when we have dividing lines between us. Because if anybody had reason to hate each other to be separate. It was the Gentiles and the Jews. The Jews They hated the Gentiles. And we see that in the new testament, the way they treat the Samaritans and y'all know, the Samaritans were even half Jewish, they were part Jewish and they said I want nothing to do with the Samaritans. Paul's Point here is that this line was destroyed by Jesus Christ. Because both groups had come into one. Jesus Christ. So can we as a body of Christ? Knock down, all these lines, racial gender, anything socio-economic and say we are one. So we love everybody. And I'm not saying that y'all agree with this hierarchy. I'm just saying that it may be an influence on you. That you may not understand. You may not realize.

But in Christ, do you love people who are not like you? That's the point. and you say well I don't like them because they're not like me. Are they in Jesus? And are you in Jesus? That's something to love, isn't it? To look at somebody and say I see Jesus in that person. They have different ways about them. They have different cultural background, but I see Jesus in them and I love Jesus. So, I can Overlook these differences. They were just Products of culture and upbringing but Jesus is my treasure.

In Galatians chapter 3.

Paul puts it this way.

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. There is neither Jew. Nor Greek. There is neither slave. Nor free man. There is neither male nor female for you Are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's Descendants heirs, According to the promise. So the Jews are saying, we are the heirs of Abraham. We are the privileged ones. Paul is saying there is neither Jew. Nor Greek. There's neither slave nor free. There's neither black nor white, you can put into a modern context. That's the situation in the south. American South. Racial tension. There is neither male nor female. You're all one in Jesus Christ. He is your unifying principle. And then in Colossians chapter 3.

Listen to what he begins with. Colossians 3:3. For you have died. And your life is hidden with Christ in God. And this is the verse I Alluded to earlier. “ when Christ. Who is your life is revealed. Then you also will be revealed with him in glory.” go down To verse nine. And he bases verses 5 through all the way to basically the end of the chapter. He bases all his admonitions and how you live your life, because of this - Christ is your life and you have died with him and you Are hidden with him. So verse nine, do not lie to one another since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices and have put on the new self, who is being renewed to a true knowledge, according to the image of the one who created him. a renewal in which there is no distinction, between Greek and Jew, circumcised, and uncircumcised Barbarian scythian, slave and free, man, but Christ is all and in all . You see Paul’s not saying he's not just saying “Oh Christ is all and in all... you know what I mean by That is Christ is amazing.” No He's saying something very particular here that the distinctions have been broken down because Jesus is your life. He's your focus. He's your all. And that person who was separated from you for different reasons before, he is also in Christ. So, you both are focused on Jesus Christ. He has abolished the old ways as a child of God Do you reflect the unifying character of being in Christ? If you do not, you ‘Ve missed it. Missed it. That's why I have. Dreams. Of a multicultural multi-racial Church. Not with quotas. We need to have a certain none of that. But because it's founded on love, and On Jesus Christ. We celebrate him. We exalt him. We're not going to exalt all these different races were gonna exalt Jesus Christ. That's our unifying principle.

I think it's sometimes what some of the liberal people in America Miss. We need to focus on all these different races. No. We Need to focus on Jesus Christ. And that is what we unify people who are disparate separate. and it goes on to say, So As those who have been chosen of God, Echo Ephesians 1, holy and beloved put on a heart of compassion. Kindness humility gentleness and patience bearing with one another and forgiving each other. Whoever has a complaint against anyone just as the Lord forgave you, So also should you. beyond all these things put on love which is the perfect Bond of unity. Let the Peace of Christ rule in your hearts to which indeed you were called in one body. There it is again. And whose body?

Christ's body.

And be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with Psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God, whatever you do in word, or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect Bond of unity. Remember what we write in first John. We know love because God first loved us. In this is love that he gave his son to be the propitiation for our sins. So If our idea of love and our idea of unity is founded in the holy God.

Then. How will we understand Unity between people apart from that? How will we accomplish Unity apart from that?

If we are all gathered around as different people as different personalities, as different amounts of money, a different upbringing, all these things. How will we get along? If we do not love each other in Christ. I think what happens again, as you say, we have all been saved, we've all made Our visits to the pharmacy. But then we stepped away. We went on about our lives. And then we wonder why we can't get along because the only place that you can get along, is to live at the pharmacy is to live in Christ . Is to Not step away from him, because when that happens, all these biases, all these prejudices come to the fore, because maybe from an early age, you were taught them or maybe from the culture that you were in. It's only by being overwhelmed with the glory of Jesus Christ. Seeing him, as you're all surpassing treasure than that blows, all these differences away. So then the question is, how do you live in Christ? Well, as we said before the other day in Sunday School, you live in Christ by realizing that you need him Every second, every millisecond, you live by the well, you live on your knees. You live broken-hearted. You live, humble. I need Jesus, every second. apart from him, I will be mean and separate myself from people. The only way I can love people is to do it in him, therefore I Will cling to him.

Because he is love. And is that that is the perfect Bond of unity. So Remember we talked about Paul saying “ Remember remember remember,” this is one way to do it. You say, how am I going to live by the well, how am I going to live in Christ? How am I going to keep this humble State about myself? Because I’m going to keep raising myself up. How do I do that? Paul says, I'll tell you how you do it. Remember what you once were. That you are saved by no virtue of yourselves that you didn't have merrit that you didn't earn it. It wasn't really at transaction , you didn't come up and pay God something. And then he gave you salvation. What happens is, from before you were even born Ephesians one. He chose you for salvation. And then when you were born, you were born dead, in sin and transgressions. But he still raised you and made you alive together with Christ. So, that's why you remember. Because it keeps you relying on Jesus Christ. And his grace. you have a sense of your true self falling around for the rest of your days and Let me be clear, that mean that you go around, moping like “oh, Paul’s right. Whaa whaa”

Because the next thing there is Jesus, raising your head. You lower your head and your sin Jesus comes and says, I make you mine. Now raise your head and look at me and live your life with your eyes. Fixed on me and I will raise you up. That's the beauty of the Gospel. And that's the only way that we can live in harmony across lines.

This is what Paul is saying. You Gentiles, you were built on the foundation, Of the apostles, ( In verse 20) The apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the Cornerstone. in him. The whole building being fitted together Is growing into a holy Temple in the Lord says Universe 21. Paul says it twice. This building is in Christ Jesus in whom the whole building is being fitted together. Then he says it again, it is growing into a holy Temple. Where? in the Lord. And then Verse 22 in whom (you're in Christ) You are also being built together into a dwelling of God in the spirit. So this is a beautiful truth of the New Testament. Not only are you in Christ, but by his Spirit, he is in you. I am my beloved's and he is mine. I'm in Christ, and he is in me.

If we can understand this, if we can have a profound sense of this, in our lives, we meditate on this as John Piper, says “preach these truths to ourselves.” Then we can walk in these good works (verse 10) and we can love each other. But if we forget this, And we treat Jesus as something separate from salvation. We cannot love each other. We cannot walk in Good Works. Let's pray.

Lord give us that profound sense of our Unity with your son.

Apart from him, we can do nothing. Don't let us separate salvation from him. Don't let us separate the benefits that we receive in election and adoption in justification and sanctification. Don't let us separate it from him. Everything that we have been given. By you from you, is in your son, Jesus, Lord, help us to apply this. Especially as Paul talks about when it comes to divisions between people between races.

Between different people of socioeconomic status. Lord, give us deep profound humility.

Help us see that. We are unified in Christ Jesus. Not in some organization. Not in the church. Or the local church, but only in the body of Christ, The Big C Church. Fitted together as a building. That Those whom you have called to yourselves before the foundation of the world. They are not extra. They're not Superfluous. They're not unnecessary. But as men and women called by yourself to be in your son. They have been chosen by your perfect Will, so Lord How can we reject them?

How can we treat them as lesser people?

Break our hearts Lord. If we have Harboured racism, Or classism , or any isms Whereby, we separate ourselves from people. Break our hearts, Lord. give us a deep and profound humility. Remembering where we were Where We Are. Still Still Still in need of your grace.

So that we are open hearted and we open our arms and we embrace your children no matter what they look like for your glory Lord help us to glorify your name by being a people who are truly loving. As You Are. That's cuz that's what we want your glory Lord now and forever. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

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