Ephesians: For His Glory (3)
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Ephesians: For His Glory
Ephesians: For His Glory
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. 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. 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.
Christ makes Peace between Jews and Gentiles to unify both in the church- There is only one unified people of God
We are all Part of one Body of believers in Christ Jesus. There is no discrimination. The categories for us have changed from race/sex to Saved and not yet saved.
We are one body
So why can we discriminate?
So why can we discriminate?
why can’t we say “that person is to messed up for the gospel?”
Why can’t we regulate who gets the right and of fellowship and who we snub and say “there is no room at the table.”
Verses- 11-12: We were once separated fromGod ourselves
at one point we were far away, lost, strangers to God grace and Salvation.
The Circumcision: to be called “uncircumcised” was a mockery or a ridicule and pointed out that one was a Gentile, outside of the promises of God
“Remember that you were Separate from Christ”
Because we were separated we had no hope
We were outside lost with no hope : to look forward with confidence to that which is good and beneficial
We were stuck in our sins “dead” following the rest of the world
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
This is the turning point of this section - Sin separates people from God and only Christ’s sacrifice of atonement can remove the sin barrier
Christ death on the cross was not only for he Jews but for all His sheep-
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
There are others who are coming and this needs to be a place where we remember that we were once far off, but Christ has brought us in.
In Christ- The old divisions of people are no more there is one body of believers, and there is room for all because of the blood of Christ “:
Not because of the choices that people have made in their lives
not because of a social/economical statuse
not because of race or the clothes they wear
The church is the place of the collision of Sinner and Saint
Hopeless and Called with a future
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.
Dividing wall: There was an inscription on the wall of the outer courtyard of the Jerusalem temple warning Gentiles that they would only have themselves to blame for their death if they passed beyond it into the inner courts.
Christ on the Cross-
And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.
Christ brought peace from hostility with each other because we are one in Christ
Christ also brought Peace from hostility with God.
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
Jesus Christ has reconciled us to God and with each other: reconciliation involves bringing fallen humanity out of alienation into a state of peace and harmony with God
Reconciliation is not a process by which we gradually become more acceptable to God but a decisive act (Like a legal Verdict) by which believers are delivered from estrangement to fellowship with God
In this section of Scripture Paul’s brings everything that causes division: circumcision, being without God, the law ( which included many commandments that served to separate Israel from the other nations)
This is the Dividing Wall- Christ has abolished it
For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
The ESV Study Bible Chapter 2
To draw near to God and to enjoy him forever in a new creation is both mankind’s greatest good and the ultimate accomplishment of Christ’s earthly work of redemption
Verse 19- “So Then”
Because fo the Work of Christ we are no longer strangers and foreigners: Paul uses a term that was common to political life in ancient cities like Ephesus. Strangers (also v. 12) were complete foreigners with no rights or privileges (see Acts 16:20–23); aliens were non-citizens who dwelt in the city and were accorded customary privileges as neighbors. Only citizens had full protections and rights in the city
As Christians we need to know and be thoroughly convinced of who we are as saints and members of the household of God
Verse 20- Built on the Foundation: Christ being the Cornerstone:
The Apostles and Prophets: they spoke the things of God- The work of Christ establishing the churh
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
The foundation has been laid and we continue in the building up- with Christ being the most important stone of the structure
in how we build our personal lives
and in our community live “Chruch” (Encounter)
For us: joined together. Christians are the temple of God corporately; belonging to the visible church is not optional for followers of Christ. holy temple. Where God meets with his people in joyful worship and fellowship.
Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 5352 The Boy Crawled Forward
Dr. Marshall Craig, preaching in a southern university, pleaded for young men and women to place their all on God’s altar. They began to come—the president of the student body, football players, beautiful girls, campus leaders—sincerely, honestly giving themselves to Christ. And then Dr. Craig saw a strange thing. Far back toward the rear of the auditorium, he saw a boy start down the aisle toward the front. And that boy was crawling on his hands and knees.
Dr. Craig turned to the president of the university, who said, “It’s all right, sir. That boy is one of our students, but he is a hopeless cripple, and the only way he can get around is on his hands and knees.” Dr. Craig waited until the boy had made his way to the front, then leaned down to greet him.
The young man looked at the great preacher, and said to him, “Sir, you said God had a place for a man. I know God has a place for these athletes with their muscles of steel; I know God has a place for these campus leaders. But tell me, sir, does God have a place for a wreck like me?” And Dr. Craig told him through his tears, “Son, God has just been waiting for a wreck like you.”
—Charles Wellborn