One Humanity, One Lord, One Worship

We live in a world massively divided in every way possible. And there are dividing lines everywhere we look.

Politics: dividing lines between Republicans and Democrats, Conservatives and Liberals.

Sports: There’s a dividing line between the conferences, there’s the SEC and everyone else. There’s a dividing line between teams. Living in AL I have been told that there is the Crimson Tide and everyone else that doesn’t matter.

Demoninations: We are Baptists. But there are Methodist, Presbyerians, Pentecostals, Assembly of God just to name a few. There are dividing lines over what we believe and how we organize the church and practice our faith.

I remember what an elderly lady in another church I pastored said, “I’m Baptist born, I’m Baptist bred, and when I die I’ll be Baptist dead.

As we get into this text, we see that Paul calls us to:

I. Recognize the dividing lines that matter to God. (vv.11-12)

1. Paul says that God recognizes a dividing line between Jews and Gentiles.

Ephesians 2:11 ESV

11 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—

The physical act of circumcision is what visibly separated the Jews who were in covenant with God through God’s covenant with Abraham and Moses and David. The Jews were God’s covenant people.

The Jews called the Gentiles, the uncircumcision as an insult.

It’s kind of like when we call people from the North, “Yankees.” And when they call us “Rednecks.” Or when a Southerners are talking about someone and they say, “Bless his heart.” or “Bless her heart.” That’s not necessarily words of compassions. It could be. Or it could be, “Bless his heart, he’s as dumb as a box of rocks.”

In the same way, there was a dividing line of hostility between the Jews and the Gentiles. They didn’t generally play together well.

2. God recognizes a dividing line between humanity and God.

Paul sees the Jews as having Christ as a Savior that the entire OT pointed them to. But he points out the dangerous condition the Gentiles where in.

Paul describes what their condition as three ways in v.12, “separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise.”

So the bottom line conclusion was, “they were having no hope and without God in the world.” (v.12b)

Think about this. Just because they were of nations didn’t believe that they weren’t religious people. Many were religious and had devote view of their gods, particularly at this time Roman gods. But even though they were religious and devote, they were still without God.

+It’s very popular today to be called to respect the religion of other people groups from other nations. We are suppose to be culturally sensitive. And we should be. That cultural sensitivity includes respecting their gods. The Hindus have 1000’s of God. Islam has one God, but they ignore Christ as Savior. The culture tells us that we are wrong to say that they are without God and without hope.

+Who are we to say such a thing or make such a judgment? I’m not anybody. But the Bible says that the only hope that anyone has whether Jew or Gentile is Christ. Anyone without Christ is without God and without hope.

+So we must either say we believe the Bible and believe that faith in Christ is the only way to be right with God. Or, just stop saying that you believe the Bible is the inerrant word of God. We can’t have it both ways because the Bible is clear on this issue.

Recognize the dividing line that exists between Jews and Gentiles and everyone and God.

II. Recognize the unifying work of Christ.

Paul says that even though there are these dividing lines, Christ has come to remove the lines and bring perfect unity to them all.

How is this going to happen? Christ is going to work to conquer the spiritual dividing line between God and humanity. And in the process, this is going to remove the dividing line between Jews and Gentiles, and the lines between people from all nations.

Ephesians 2:13–14 ESV

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

Gentiles were considered “far off,” but now have been brought near to God because of the death of Christ on the cross.

In v.14, Paul says that he, Christ, is “our peace.” “Our” the peace of the Jews and the Gentiles. They were made “both one.” Because the cross broke down “the dividing wall of hostility.” The dividing wall of hostility between who? The dividing wall between the Jews and Gentiles.

In the temple there was literally a warning posted for the Gentiles not to go from the outer court for the Gentiles and the inner court that was only for Jewish men. When they were put to death, it was on them.

Also, the dividing wall between both Jews and Gentiles and God.

This was seen in believer’s relationship with the law.

Ephesians 2:15 ESV

15 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,

What does that mean? Jesus said he didn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.

Romans 3:31 ESV

31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

The law was to point out man’s separation from God and give the Jews a means for sacrifice which would be a place saver for Christ who would pay finally for sin.

The law was to point out man’s separation from God and give the Jews a means for sacrifice which would be a place saver for Christ who would pay finally for sin.

Believers still recognize the need for righteousness and evil from God’s broken moral law. But believer are now led by the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:18 ESV

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

Some people relate to God by asking, “How close can I get to the line and without breaking the law. But believers led by the Spirit with our hearts so content on pleasing God that you don’t even ask where they line is. You don’t care because you are never even going to get close to it.

What Paul says next is critical to understanding the big picture of the gospel, what God is doing in the world.

Ephesians 2:15–17 ESV

15 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, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

“that he might create in himself one new man in the place of the two, so making peace.” (v.15)

Who are two that currently exist? Jews and Gentiles. Who is the one new man that will replace them? The Church!

1 Corinthians 10:32 ESV

32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,

Paul recognized 3 groups: the Jews, the Greeks, or the church.

Let me put this in context. God created humanity to carry the image of God as we managed the stewardship of the earth, we would glorify him. But mankind fell, and then no one worshiped the one true God.

So God created the Jewish nation through which he would bring our world a savior. Jesus would live a perfect life and then die in the place of sinners who deserve eternal death. And rose again from the grave. He did this to create a new humanity. The old humanity was in Adam. The new humanity is in Christ.

God is replacing an old humanity with a new humanity. He is bringing people from every tribe, tongue, people group, and nation to be believers in Christ.

Here’s how we are brought together. When you put faith in Christ, your background doesn’t matter because you take on a new identity. You are no longer a Jew. You are no longer a Gentile. You are a saint! You are part of the body of Christ.

Ephesians 2:16–17 ESV

16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

Ephesians 2:16 ESV

16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

“Far off” and “near.”- Christ came to redeem sinners throughout the whole earth.

Now here is the identity change part,

Ephesians 2:9 ESV

9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:17 ESV

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

Ephesians 2:19 ESV

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Strangers and aliens-these were people who didn’t have citizenship who lived among the people who did. They didn’t have any of the privleges afforded the citizens of the city or province.

If you are in Christ, your identity has changed. You are not a Gentile, you are not a Jew. What are you?

Ephesians 2:19 ESV

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

“fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”

No matter where we come from our citizenship is now the same. A part of the new humanity that will one day rule the world and give one praise to one Lord in unison to our God.

+This reality alone should work to crush racism in our hearts. Because there is no longer. Black, White, Asian, European, etc. There is only inside of Christ and outside of Christ. There is only part of the new humanity, as a saint and member of the household of God, or there is old humanity with no hope separated from God.

+I’ll be the first one to admit that this is not easy. Hearing things like bluebirds only mate with bluebirds, and blackbirds only mate black birds. And, the races should never mix. They shouldn’t marry together and they shouldn’t worship together.”

That type of thinking is unbiblical and is in complete contradiction to the gospel.

Recognize the unifying work of Christ in the new humanity.

III. Recognize the opportunity to begin to fulfill this vision today. (vv. 19-22)

How did we get this gospel? God has been working on this story for a long time.

The house of God is built on

Ephesians 2:20–21 ESV

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

Eph. 2:20

Did you notice that believers don’t still go to Jerusalem today in order to worship. In Christ we are the holy temple in the Lord.

John 4:21 ESV

21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.

That hour is now! May all believers allow all the dividing lines that keep us apart fall to the wayside. May we see each other as one man, one humanity, and may we worship our one Lord. When we do, we will get a glimpse of what heaven is really about.

One of the best examples of this is when we go to Honduras. We look different. We speak different languages. We come from different cultures. But God doesn’t see any of that. What unifies is Christ. When Christ unifies you there is no more division.