Sermon Tone Analysis

Open your Bibles if you will to Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter two, and I will begin today at verse 11, because we need to set the stage for what Paul has been speaking about if we are going to fully identify and appreciate the conclusion that Paul sets before us in verses 19-22.

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First slide – quote – what we were – what we are – what we are becoming!

Paul has written to the church of the power of the grace of God, and he commands them to never forget where they once were.

“Remember” he says, “that you were once separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise.

Remember that you had no hope.

Remember you had no God.

And then Paul points to the work of Christ and shows them, that they who have believed by faith, have been brought near.

Paul tells the Jews and the Gentiles, these people who once lived in bitter hatred of one another, that no longer are they to live as they used to live.

It is no longer right to be at odds with one another because Christ has made the two as one.

Christ has made One new man, Christ has made one body, Christ has made a way to the Father that is to be enjoyed – but only by One way.

By the way of Christ Himself.

And so now, Paul draws on all his previous words and instruction, and he begins the summing up of what he has said and the implications of what has been laid out clearly for those who now believe, and Paul says in verses 19-22:

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Paul immediately sets out to show the believers that they are not what they once were.

They are not separated from God, they are not separated from one another.

These people now have a position and privilege, Because NOW, in Christ, they are ONE.

So today I want to show you the power of ONE that Paul sets out before us, in light of the One who has done what He has done to create unity, so that those who are living in this world, and who have experienced this power, may show the world the power of God.

Look with me at vs. 19.

The first thing we see here is that we are now citizens of

ONE Kingdom.

Paul tells the believers that because of the work of Christ they are no longer foreigners and aliens, but that they are fellow citizens with Gods people.

As I thought about what it is like to be a foreigner, I remembered the days that I moved from one school to another and how hard it was.

I remember when I went to Ukraine, and the country of Georgia 4 years ago, and how hard it was to try and understand the people and their ways.

It was hard because I was ignorant.

I didn’t know the language, I didn’t know the customs.

I was traveling with men who did know, and who did call those countries home – but I was certainly not in the place where I come from.

I was ignorant.

Foreigners, or strangers as some translations use, are people who do not have intimate fellowship with another because they are ignorant of the company they are in.

There is nothing that unites them – and you might remember that as a child, you were told “never talk to strangers.”

Paul also writes about the alien – and he says – you are no longer an “alien.”

In Paul’s day they had what was known as par'-oy-kos.

These were people who were known as someone living close to others as a temporary dweller, or they lived in a specific locale as a non-citizen.

And they usually paid a small tax to be where the citizens lived – but they were limited to what rights they would have.

And at anytime they could be kicked out of the country, for any or no reason.

But now, says Paul, because of Christ – you are fellow citizens with the all the saints.

We need to understand this power of One if we are to live the life before us because Paul encourages those suffering in Philippi that their citizenship is no longer of this world, but that it is in heaven and that the people of Gods Kingdom should live with a great expectation because He has the power to bring all things under His control!

We are fellow citizens of One Kingdom.

This means we are subjects under the Lordship of

ONE KING.

We do not have to live as we lived under the old ruler.

We do not have to abide by the confines and constrictions of the old country.

We are now a royal citizen of a Royal King.

This is the Good news for those who are not what they once were!

No matter where you once called home - and what you once did - and who once ruled you – you are no longer there.

Paul went to great lengths to show us our miserable state in versus one through three, when we lived our lives, dead in sin, and under the power of the prince of the air and as a slave to the desires of the flesh!

But now – we who believe, are under the rule of the One True King.

That means that we have all the privileges, rights, and protections of the King!

Think about this.

Paul was a man who understood how powerful citizenship was.

He was a Jew first and foremost, and he spent most of his life studying in Jerusalem under Gamaliel – a name that was well known among the people.

But Paul was also a Roman citizen!

In Acts chapter 26 we read that Paul was being beaten by the Jewish people and a Roman Centurion comes and saves him – but in trying to find out what all the commotion was about - the Centurion orders that Paul be beaten until the truth comes out.

And once Paul has been restrained, and the soldiers prepare to give him a good lashing, Paul asks them – is this right - that you would beat a citizen?

All at once everything changes!

Even the Leader of the soldiers now gives Paul a new respect.

And the next day – when the centurion learns that Paul’s life was in jeopardy from a mob who had taken an oath to not eat until he was killed, it is the Roman centurion who arranges to have Paul taken from town with 200 men – 70 of them on horseback – and even Paul gets a horse to ride!

The Bible tells us that The Lord is my refuge and my strength – a very present help in my trouble.

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This is the privilege and rights of a citizen!

The people have access to things of their homeland that no one else does!

We who believe, by God’s grace, are no longer ignorant to the things of God!

We are not unaware of His blessings and His Love.

We no longer live on a passport – But as men and women who have been born again by the Spirit of God, we now live under a birth certificate - we really do belong (Stott).

But Paul doesn’t stop there.

Look again at verse 19.

Paul goes on and he says – not only are you citizens of One country and One King – but you are members of

ONE HOUSEHOLD I will come back to this picture Paul draws for us – but first I want you to see that if you are of One Household, then you are thereby of

One Father.

Get this.

tells us that we have access to the throne room of Grace and that we can approach it with great confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Nothing should give us greater comfort than knowing that the King who sits on that Throne is not just the ruler of the land I live in – but He is the Father – the Daddy of the home where I reside!

A Further picture of the power of One is seen when we see we are under -

One Father in One Family

We have Father who knows what we need before we ask.

He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am His own.

His greatest care is my greatest need in the moment in which I live.

His greatest desire is to have me call upon Him, and to pour my heart out, and to sit with Him in the quiet of the day and hear His voice.

He loves me as His very own, and all that He has is mine.

He loves me as a Father, and He disciplines me for my own sake.

He gives me gifts I cannot earn and does not hold against me the many times I have forsaken Him, when I run to Him and turn from my foolish ways.

As a Father – He has done more than I can imagine, and He has loved me without limits.

When I ran off into a far country - He sat and waited patiently, and when I came to my senses – He ran out to meet me and to walk me home by His very own Hand.

And He threw a party in Heaven where even the angels proclaimed praise to His Name.

In we are told “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!

And that is what we are!

I am not merely a citizen of One country, with One king – but I am the Royal Prince of a Royal Father and I can go to my Daddy any time I want.

And it is in this One father that I am part of

ONE Household or the one family.

And it is in this One family that we are told in that 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ!

In this One family I am a co heir with Christ – and all that is His, is mine.

All that I need has been provided in this family.

There are in my family, those who pray for me and intercede on my behalf ().

There is in my family One who continues to make a way for me and who has lighted my path and protects me when I am tempted.

And in this family a place has been prepared for me and I will never walk alone.

And in this family, I have the assurance that there is a great crowd of witnesses who have gone before me.

And they stand and sing praises to the name of the Father.

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And then Paul tells us in verse 20 some great words when he tells us that this One household, this One family, is built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone.”

So let me break this down for us so that we can continue to be uplifted by the theme of the power of One that Paul continues in.

First Paul says that this household, this family, is built on:

The foundation of the Apostles and Prophets.