Ephesians 2:11-2:13

Ephesians 2:11–3:13 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. 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. 1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

Social who study spirituality/religion in the western world say there are 2 things that are true about americans and europeans in our day in age

1. there is an enormous spiritual hunger, at least in the united states its at an all time high.

2. but simultaneously there is a move away from institutional religion.

Do you believe that you can be a very good christian without attending the church?

81% of north americans said “YES” So that makes what Paul writes at the end of and beginning of very challenging and important for our time. because in it Paul talks about the why of the church

Is it a big deal or is it just for a certain time and certain people. So lets walk thru this passage first, then lets use that passage to answer three questions they are

1 how involved should we be in the church and then

2 what does a healthy Church look like on the inside

3 what type of things will a healthy Church be engaged with on the outside

lets will start in verse 11 of chapter 2 therefore remember Paul says

Ephesians 2:12 ESV

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.

now the thing to notice number 12 is that in the old testament to be separated from Israel was to be separated from God. if other nations wanted to know God they had to join up with Israel so Paul is saying the same thing as true now about the church if you are going to be connected to god it has to be through the new isreal the church. there is no such thing as a mature christian who is not deeply connected to the church. Paul then reminds those chiristians that they were once part of those separated alien nation he says in verse

Ephesians 2:12 ESV

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.

for You Were Strangers You Were Strangers to the Covenants of promise having no hope and without god in the world. and this perspective should change, how you see people on the outside of the covenant. think about when jesus told the apostles to take the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth.

people on the outside. think about, it when Jesus told the apostles in to take the gospel to the outermost parts of the earth he was talking about in some ways right here where I'm standing in North America you could not get more uttermost part of the earth in the continent of North America during that day first

paul is point to something we all know to be true and something that we probably are more aware of now they've been at any point in history there are Dividing Walls between different groups of people, between different races. graveyard that has a lot of graves of people who fought in the Civil War which is a time in our country came to a head. the Jews had a literal wall the outside of their temple with a little sign on it that said no Gentiles May ever enter here and it went on to explain to sign that any Gentile to try the inner would be responsible for his own death this wall separated in the Jewish mind the good from the bad the clean from the unclean but most of us have things in our minds that separate Frost the good people from the bad people the accepted from the not accepted maybe for you it's the religious of people from the non-religious maybe it's those who are Republican or those who are Democrat or vice versa maybe it's the educated and successful versus the illiterate or the unsuccessful and we tend to see ourselves on inside of a wall of acceptability the inside of the wall of good people in it others on the outside Paul says to all these categories know there's really only one category of people sinners everyone the outside of God Circle there are no good people and bad people there's no winners and losers there's no people who have it together and dysfunctional people there's only bad dead dysfunctional Rebels who desperately need the salvation of Jesus in Jesus's blood Paul says worth 14 cleanses us all alight furthermore verse 15 in Jesus's resurrection he is created a whole new race of humanity see how it says he made one new man out of the two you see Jesus wasn't raised from the dead as a Jew or a gentile or white man or black man or Hispanic or Asian he was raised completely new man in the church fall says God is building a new race of people whole new race of people who have in common Jesus's blood in Jesus's spirit. and majoring on that is going to be the key to our Unity because the unity find in that salvation should be greater than any of the cultural preferences or experiences or ethnicities that divide us. we are one race humans with one problem sent one solution Jesus and one hope the resurrection of Jesus from the dead

Ephesians 2:13 ESV

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

paul is point to something we all know to be true and something that we probably are more aware of now they've been at any point in history there are Dividing Walls between different groups of people, between different races. graveyard that has a lot of graves of people who fought in the Civil War which is a time in our country came to a head. the Jews had a literal wall the outside of their temple with a little sign on it that said no Gentiles May ever enter here and it went on to explain to sign that any Gentile to try the inner would be responsible for his own death this wall separated in the Jewish mind the good from the bad the clean from the unclean but most of us have things in our minds that separate Frost the good people from the bad people the accepted from the not accepted maybe for you it's the religious of people from the non-religious maybe it's those who are Republican or those who are Democrat or vice versa maybe it's the educated and successful versus the illiterate or the unsuccessful and we tend to see ourselves on inside of a wall of acceptability the inside of the wall of good people in it others on the outside Paul says to all these categories know there's really only one category of people sinners everyone the outside of God Circle there are no good people and bad people there's no winners and losers there's no people who have it together and dysfunctional people there's only bad dead dysfunctional Rebels who desperately need the salvation of Jesus in Jesus's blood Paul says worth 14 cleanses us all alight furthermore verse 15 in Jesus's resurrection he is created a whole new race of humanity

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,

see how it says he made one new man out of the two you see Jesus wasn't raised from the dead as a Jew or a gentile or white man or black man or Hispanic or Asian he was raised completely new man in the church fall says God is building a new race of people whole new race of people who have in common Jesus's blood in Jesus's spirit. and majoring on that is going to be the key to our Unity because the unity find in that salvation should be greater than any of the cultural preferences or experiences or ethnicities that divide us. we are one race humans with one problem sent one solution Jesus and one hope the resurrection of Jesus from the dead

Ephesians 2:18–22 ESV

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.

Ephesians 2:18–20 ESV

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,