Welcome to the Family

Intro

Refugees and asylum-seekers. We in the west would like to pretend that the world is a civilized place but there are still barbaric practices that continue today.

Read .

Ephesians 2:11–16 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— 12 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. 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 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.

Spiritually, we become part of a new group too. How does Paul describe Gentiles before they became part of this new group (vv. 11-13)?

Gentiles in the flesh

uncircumcison

Apart from Christ (no relationship)

Alienated from the citizenship of Israel (God’s people)

Stranger of the covenants of promise

No hope

without God in the world

The word Paul uses in verse 12 to describe them as having no god is the word from which we get our word atheists. Tis is ironic, because that’s what Gentiles used to call Jews, and then came to call Christians as well, since neighter Jews nor Christians had statues of their gods. Neither, so far as the Gentile eye could see, offered animal sacrifice, consulted oracles or did any of the other things that pagans associated with worship of their gods. Paul, boldly standing on the same ground as Jewish writers of the same period, declares that the pagan gods are actually non-gods. Those who think they worship them are worshiping something that doesn’t really exist.

2. What did Jesus do specifically for Gentiles on the one hand (vv. 12-14) and for Jewish people on the other (vv. 14-15)?

12- that you were at the time that apart from (no relationship) Christ being alienated from the citizenship of Israel and stranger of the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world

13- But now in Christ Jesus you all who once were far off you all became near by the blood of Christ

14- For He is our peace (favorable circumstances) who made both one and broke down the dividing wall (wall that separates one area from another) of partition the enmity (mutual hatred or ill will) in his flesh

Gentiles

Jesus brought Gentiles close by the blood of Christ.

Brought peace

Broke down the dividing wall of partition

abolished enmity (mutual hatred or ill will)

Jewish people

brought down the wall of enmity.

rendered the law of commandments ineffective

created a new man making peace

3. Consider how those receiving this letter from Paul might have reacted to these verses. How easy or difficult do you think it was for them to live out the oneness they were called to as fellow believers in Christ?

The recipients are Gentiles.

I don’t believe it would would have been very hard to live out this oneness unless they came into contact with a super devout Jewish person.

It is hard to believe something to be true your whole life and then find out that it is no longer valid.

Ex. Pluto is no longer a planet. On Aug. 24th 2006 it was reclassified as a dwarf planet.

15- The law of commandments in having abolished (render ineffective) ordinances (prescribing what people must do) so that the two he might create (something that has not existed before) in himself into one new man making peace

4. Why did God do all this (v. 16)?

16- And he reconciled (reestablish proper friendly interpersonal relations) both in one body to God through the cross having killed enmity in it

God reestablished proper friendly interpersonal relations. By creating a new man. The new body doesn’t stand 5’ 11” but is as tall as the history of the body. And will never die!

Today’s church may no longer face the question of the integration of Jew and Gentile into a single family, though there are places where that is still a major issue. But we face, quite urgently, the question which Paul would insist on a as a major priority. If our churches are still divided in any way along racial or cultural lines, he would say that our gospel, our very grasp of the meaning of Jesus’ death, is called into question.

5. What challenges often come up when groups of people who used to be separate come together to form one group?

Culture Graspers emerge!

People want to hold on tightly to what is not worth holding onto.

Fight for power/authority

Fear of change

Sacred Cows

6. How well are different groups in your church or Christian fellowship included in a single body? Explain.

Once every quarter there is an opportunity to eat a meal together.

Chili cook-offs

Ministry opportunities

Lads to Leaders

7. What changes do you need to make to encourage more openness to include others who are different in your church?

Intentional exposure

Having the courage to be in uncomfortable positions

Being willing to die to self.

8. How, in light of (and ahead in 4:17-24), can we tell the difference between the “differences” which we must disregard within the church and the “differences” which are still important?

Ephesians 2:1–3 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Ephesians 4:17–24 ESV

17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

9. Read

Ephesians 2:17–22 ESV

17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 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, 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. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

17- And he came brought good news (Gospel) peace to you all far away and peace to those near

18- because through him we have the access both in one spirit to the Father

How did Jesus’ life and death bring peace for both Jews and Gentiles?

Though there exists differences historically, racially, and in location. We all had the glaring similarity of sin.

To have peace can be defined in a negative sense as “being without trouble” All people have the trouble of sin.

10. In what ways have you experienced this peace?

I go back to this story a lot within ministry. But upon hearing news that our first child needed to undergo a serious and dangerous procedure in order to make sure everything is OK I was more than confident that God would make everything OK. I did not know how but I seriously KNEW 100% that He would come through.

19- Therefore now no longer you are strangers and foreigners but you are fellow citizens of the saints (holy ones/set apart for God’s purposes) and members of the household of God

19- Therefore now no longer you are strangers and foreigners but you are fellow citizens of the saints (holy ones/set apart for God’s purposes) and members of the household of God

20- having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets being (active) the cornerstone himself Christ Jesus

21- in whom all the building being fit together (to fit together in a coherent and compatible manner) grows (active) into a holy temple in the Lord

22- In whom also you all are being built together into a dwelling place of God in spirit

11. Paul describes our equality in Jesus with three images: citizens, family and building. How is each of these three words descriptive of people before and after they become Christians (vv. 19-22)?

Citizens

Before Jesus we are citizens of the world

After Jesus we are all citizens of heaven

Family-

Before Jesus we only belong to our earthly people groups.

After Jesus we belong to the most newly created people, Christians

Building-

Before Jesus our foundation stands on created things which expire

After Jesus he and his apostles make up the foundation of the building structure we are a part of.