One Kingdom, One Christ

Good morning Ambassadors! I’m grateful to be with you this week once again going through the book of Ephesians. Just as I did last week, I’d like to begin our time by recapping something from the previous message. Last week, I brought up questions regarding our gratitude - our gratitude in relationships, in our prayer life, and in our daily walk with God. This morning, I’d like to remind us of the final part of our Salvation journey - God’s New Creation. We observed how God made us for good works in our salvation; that we have not just been saved from punishment, but saved to good works. I mentioned that there are basic steps to walk in as God’s workmanship - baptism, communion, church community, and discipleship.

How this week have you sought to be the Lord’s workmanship? How have you sought to walk in the steps of obedience in good works? This is important, especially as we consider that we are walking through this letter consecutively for these three weeks. I want us to read through this together like we are in Ephesus, reading this from a dear friend and pastoral figure.

Our series is entitled “All Under Him,” and the sermon today is entitled “One Kingdom, One Christ.” Let’s dive in!

Ephesians 2:11–12 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.

Here we see Paul recounting the shift in approach and the effect of the New Covenant in Jesus’ blood on the application of the gospel to all people. The picture before was, as Paul explains, “hopeless.” When we think of the gospel, we don’t really think hopeless. But really we are hopeless without it. Before Jesus came, the world outside of the commonwealth of Israel was largely unexposed to God, with some exceptions. For thousands of years

What: God’s purposes and plans aren’t always easy to follow/understand, but they are always best.

The Old Testament is a beautiful story of how God interacted with His covenant people. It’s the history of the world before and after the founding of Israel. This story is revealed to us in different covenants; the Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Palestinian, and Davidic covenants . These different covenants/agreements existed for the same reason that Jesus came. To show that the impossible (sinful people having a relationship with a holy God) is possible with the grace of God. All of these covenants (and we are not going to go into each one like a class, of course), point to Jesus. Jesus Himself is the New Covenant and is the fulfillment of all the other covenants. Jesus was always the plan and always the purpose.

We’ll restart with verse 12 and read 12 and 13

Ephesians 2:12–13 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. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

You who were once far off have been brought near...

Do you ever feel far from God? Have you ever experienced the dark night of the soul? Being far from God isn’t because He’s run away or because He’s hiding. He has called and drawn all peoples to himself. He’s the Father of the Prodigal Son/Daughter and the Father to the Son/Daughter that never left.

So What: God’s plan was always that all peoples are welcomed into His family

This is another point that is just another way of pointing out the beauty of being in God’s family. There are 7, nearly 8 billion people in the world, but each one especially designed by God. There are thousands of different people groups, all with cultures and customs that reflect a creative God. Let’s look at the text starting in verse 14

Ephesians 2:14–18 ESV

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.

Verse 14

Verse 15

Verse 16

Verse 17

Verse 18

Now What: We prioritize the Church and our identity in Christ as members of His body.

Ephesians 2:19–22 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, 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.

How do we prioritize?

Prioritize the gathering

Share from Bill Kynes’ article

Prioritize serving the body

Needs of our church

Hospitality, Connections, Video, Slides, Graceland