Once seperated, now reconciled, forever united

Recap last week

For Jews and Gentiles the wall of hostility that stood between us and God has been satisfied by Christ death on the cross

But not only has Christ work on the cross sufficient to handle all of our heavenly debt but it also is sufficient to handle our debts between each other

Christ humbly lays down his life for his those who hated and despised him

For those who didn’t deserve grace

But Christ also says

Luke 9:23 ESV

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

The pursuit of Christian Jew and Greek is now Christ example

The social and religious issues/preference die at the cross as all people fix their eyes on Jesus

So today we will at just 4 verses today- You are welcome- dont laugh, dont even smile

Vs 19- Paul begins once again reminding them that they are no longer where they used to be before Christ

-these people who didnt belong to the body of Christ before

-There is a cover charge at the door of the Salvation and it had not been applied to them by grace through faith before

-But know, because of Gods call and their faith- no longer strangers but united in a new relationship with the rest of Gods people

What ways are the Ephesians united? Vs 19-21

They are in the Kingdom of God

-Paul describes this as Fellow citizens with the saints

-citizenship is attached to the place of which you live

-before the Ephesians were not citizens in the kingdom

-but now they are

We saw last week, how that was possible not just for the believing Greek but the Jew as well

Jesus keeps the law perfectly, fullfilling all that the law required and died in the place of sinners

So when Adam sinned in the garden, the curse fell on every person- So Jesus breaks the curse by living sinlessly and giving himself as ransom for his people

Paul writing to another predominately Greek church in

Philippians 3:20 ESV

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

But they are also

2. Adopted in the Family of God

-Its one thing to be an American citizen- 330 million or so people enjoy that benefit but its another thing to be in a family

-I can be a citizen of a country and have no real affiliation with the majority of its people

-But in my family, I am known and loved

in the end of verse 19- the once seperated, no reconciled are forever united because they are members of the household of God

They have been grafted into the family or adopted into the family

Here- they are no longer able to just run wild or live solo

They are known by God and by the church

Their is accountability present- we shouldnt let people continue in reckless sin without some warning and trying to turn them back

Im sure you have heard it before from your parents- when you went somewhere without them- “Remember who you are”

The Ephesians are now children of God and are to live like it

the questions falls heavy on us today

Whose are you?

Many here may have your name on the membership role of this church or another church but it may not be in the Lambs book in heaven

Because the life your living is proving that your not really in the family of God

You may have a baptism certificate, membership recorded and still dead in your sins and trespasses

So how can I know? Great questions

Thankfully God has not left us ignorant on this

The entire book of 1 John is written for this purpose-

1 John 5:13 ESV

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

Same author says thats the purpose of the Gospel of John

John 20:31 ESV

but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John MacArthur has little booklet that I read many years ago but it is called “Is it real”

He listed 11 proofs to see if your faith is genuine all of which can be tracked to 1 John

Do you enjoy your relationship with the Father and Jesus?

Are you sensitive to sin(yours)?

Do you obey Gods word?

Do reject the evil of this world?

Do you eagerly await Christ return?

Do you see a decreasing pattern of sin in your life?

Do you love other Christians?

Do you experience answered prayer?

Do experience the work of the HS in your life?

Can you discern truth from error?

Have you suffered rejection because of your faith?

I did list these so when start just checking off the boxes- but so see the difference between a false profession and genuine conversion

To be in the family of God means to be like God

Thats why in Antioch Christians got their name- meaning little Christ

Whose are you?

Ill give you the simplest test?

John 15:8 ESV

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

There would be no better day than today for you repent of sin and come to Jesus

I dont care if your name is on roll, I dont care if your a church leader, or if you have been in this church all your life- pride has sent a many of people to hell

Whose are you?

3. They are building built into the church- Vs 20-21

-the very disciples and apostles that brought the message of Gospel of Jesus are the foundation that the church is built upon

-I think it is very interesting that Paul didnt say that they were becoming the apostles and prophets

-Those offices has ceased with the apostles and the prophets already

-but the church, even the first century church- was being built upon foundational teaching and the very lives lived out by the apostles

Paul tells the church to endure and persevere while he sat in prisoners chains not in my La-z-boy

But what Paul does say is- every person who is a citizen in the kingdom, adopted in the family, is being built into the church- permanently fastened and sovereignly placed

As we made mention the message of Jesus is what the disciples took to the ends of the world and is that very message of Jesus who is the cornerstone for the church

Ephesians 5 will says Christ is the head of church

He is the stone of testing- the cornerstone-the one that all other stone must fall in line with

I worked for a brick mason for a very short time one summer-

As I was the grunt man, I would watch them work very diligent to set the cornerstone and make sure everything was square and plumb because it was a shame to get half a day in only to realize you were out of square and have to start over

I watched them start over a couple times

Beloved if we get Christ wrong then we get it all wrong

But if our hearts our lives being built on the gospel once and for all given to the saints by the apostles- we will get Christ right and in so have great confidence in this life and the next

Jesus it this way in

Matthew 7:24–27 ESV

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Great hope in the chaos of life when you feet are firm upon the rock of salvation

Vs 21-22 Pauls continues with unifying work that is taking place

-All believers of eternity past, to the present and ones to be added as long as God so calls and waits are being joined together

The Ephesains is Abrahams hope- the same way he was counted righteous was the same the Ephesians and you too if you here are a genuine follower today

But whats better is that the Lord doesnt live in a temple made with human hands

The very promise to the woman at well has come true

John 4:20–24 ESV

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

There was a barrier for the Samaritan and the Greek- The court of the Gentiles was as close at it got

But in Christ- the dwelling place with God is with man

There will be a day as Rev tells us that the all of Gods people will be forever united with for all eternity

Revelation 21:3 ESV

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

So the question remains, “Whose are you?”

Friend, the very Jesus we have spoken off today is able to redeem and restore your life!!!

Here me today, stop running--- Repent, find restoration in Christ, join the family and go and sin no more.

Let’s pray