The Once Lost, Broken, and Hopeless

Intro: As we enter this new section of the book of Ephesians, there is a shift in Paul’s focus. In chapter 1, Paul tells the church that they not only are blessed with every spiritual blessing but we are to revere or praise God for this blessing. He tells the church that God planned the formation of the body of Christ/ the church before the foundation of the world. In Christ the church has all it needs!

In chapter 2, Paul tells us how God brought the gave life to the body in His perfect time. He tells the church that they were once spiritually dead and only doing the will of the flesh.

Chapter 1 reveals God’s master plan to save the lost. Chapter 2 tells us how He went about accomplishing that master plan.

God’s plan involves the salvation of sinners by His grace. God’s plan involves the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles through the grace of God. In His grace undeserved favor, God reaches out to dead, deceived, wicked, and doomed sinners. He calls them to Himself, and gives them faith to believe the Gospel. When they respond in faith, He saves them and transforms them from wicked, wretched sinners into masterpieces of His grace for His glory. That is the message of Ephesians 1:1–2:10.1

So this morning we are going to continue in Ephesians 2:11-22 and find out what this means to the gentiles of that time and what it means to us today.

Lets pray!

According to Eph. 1:23, those who are saved become a part of the body of Christ. We are delivered from our lost, sinful condition and placed in Jesus Christ. All the redeemed become members of His body. Regardless of our pasts, there is a common thread that runs through every believer. The Spirit of God unites us in Jesus. We learn of all these truths from His word. When we gather here on any day we are always in this book. He encourages us through His word and he reminds us who we once were and who we are now because of the gift of grace and faith.

1 Cor. 12:12-13

 Unity and Diversity in the Body

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.1

1 The New International Version. (2011).

The Spirit of God takes people from all races, the educated and the simple, the rich and the poor, and He makes them one in Jesus Christ.

Lets read Ephesians 2:11-12

He is writing this to the Gentiles. In this time the gap between the Jew and the Gentile was huge. Gentiles were seen as separated from God and a wicked people. Do you think they forgot who they once were? Are they no longer Gentiles? They are still Gentiles but Paul is wanting them not to become religious like the Jews in their law keeping and the keeping of traditions. The Jewish Christians were still keeping the tradition of circumcision. The Jews and the Gentiles were now have been circumcised of the heart. An inward sign not outward.

Romans 2:28-29

28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God. 1

1 The New International Version. (2011). (Ro 2:28–29).

So the good news comes to both the Jews and Gentiles in this letter.

Ephesians 2:13-14

The gentiles were looked down on and treated poorly by the Jews but now they have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

They were enemies of God and at war with Him doing their own things in the flesh but now they are a peace with God and with the Jews. The wall that was once separating the Jews from the Gentiles is now broken down by God through His son.

Paul is reminding them of the finished work of Christ being sufficient.

For generations the Jews kept the law. They made blood sacrifices to cover their sins, they cut their flesh, and did many things to keep right with God. God saved them by grace and faith but they were more focused on the law and ordinances for God’s approval.

Paul continues in verse 15 and 16

The blood of Christ covers all sin and unifies what once was separated.

Unity among God’s people is pleasing to Him.

Psalm 133:1

  Let’s be honest, there are many things that divide those who claim to know Jesus, those who claim to be the church.

Denominations, various theological viewpoints, cultures, traditions, opinions, preferences, and other things, divide us and dishonor the Lord. If someone doesn’t believe exactly like we do, look exactly like we think they should, think like we do, or act like we do, we refuse to have anything to do with them. Not only is that silly and childish, it is far from the Lord’s will for His people, His chosen people.

  A true mark of spiritual maturity is not that you agree with everyone on everything. A true mark of spiritual maturity is that you can agree to disagree with someone who believes a little differently from you. Someone who calls people names and tries to label others is acting like a selfish, spoiled child.

We as the body of Christ must agree on the essential fundamentals of the faith:

What are they?

• That the Bible is the Word of God

• Jesus was born of a virgin

• He lived a sinless life

• He is the Son of God

• He died as a substitute for sinners on the cross

• He arose in victory three days later

• He ascended back to Heaven to sit on the right hand of the Father

• He is coming back for the church and to judge those who are of the world

• He is the only way for salvation of sinners

We can have fellowship. We can rejoice in the areas in which agree and we can agree to disagree in other areas. Anyone who cannot do that is immature, regardless of how they think about themselves.1

Paul just continues to remind the church about Jesus and His sufficient work on the cross.

Ephesians 2:17-18

Paul wants to remind those reading or hearing this letter that:

  1. He wants them to never forget who they were before they met Christ Jesus.

2. He wants them to never forget who they are in Christ Jesus.

The Holy Spirit is what unites the Jew with the Gentiles in Christ. Like God the father, Jesus the son, and the Holy Spirit are one we are one with them.

And He continue to remind them who were and who they are in Christ. Ephes 2:19-22

They were strangers and did not belong, but now they are fellow citizens, saints, members of the body the church.

What is being made known to them is the foundation on which they are to build. Christ is to always be the cornerstone. Christ is key to their faith.

With Christ being that which unites they will grow together in the Spirit in Christ. The Holy Spirit dwells with those who have grace and faith.

Conclusion: What are we to do with what we just learned about the Jew and the Gentile?

We as Gentiles today we need to remember that we too were once separated from God.

The distance between those who have grace and faith and those who are lost, broken, and hopeless is huge and they can only be brought together in Christ.

Some of us have received this but there are still some in our community who have not. Lets not become proud or religious and forget what Christ has done and how we are to be dependent on Him and find hope in Him alone.

The Jew and the Gentiles were are war with each other and Christ brought them peace. We do not have to be at war with the world but instead we can pray for them and share the good news of Christ with them. We can seek unity in the church with one another because we have the same Spirit that brings us together and not divide us. What a gift in Christ we have received. Let us not quickly forget that in Him we have all we need. Lets value this gift and not keep it to ourselves but share it with those we know.

Let’s pray!