Sermon Tone Analysis

1. Introduction

Well I wonder if you’ve ever joined any clubs or societies growing up.

scouts, footy clubs, recently i saw a bloke wearing an anti-social social club shirt.

wonder what that kind of club would be like.

Well when I started university there were lots of clubs and societies you could join.

I reckon I signed up for 5 groups only ever went to one.

The chocolate club, because lets face it, who doesn’t like chocolate.

The FMAA accounting club – no thanks.

The Coffee Appreciation club - should’ve joined that one.

But I joined the CU.

Christian Union at Melbourne University.

It was to mature in my faith, reach Uni friends for Jesus.

And I got to say, it was great.

I look back on it fondly.

I learnt lots about God from his word, that flower example from last week I remember Dave Walter preaching on Ephesians 2 on sin, that has always stuck with me.

It was great.

But here’s the thing, you know, despite how great it was – I always felt a bit like I didn’t belong.

I love the people there now, but back then the people were hard to get along with.

I was ABC.

Australian Born Chinese, but there it was mostly Country folk, nothing against country folk but it was just different.

We had different interests, hobbies, personalities.

Things that i valued.

I felt like I didn’t belong a lot of the time.

Friends, It’s important for us to have the sense that we belong, that we have a place don’t we?

I wanted to belong.

I wanted to fit in.

it’s an important part of life isn’t it?

To have that sense that we belong, that we have a place.

What about at church?

I’ve seen churches with the phrase “a place to belong”.

There are churches called Belong Church.

But what does it mean to belong in God’s family?

Is it the same as a club or a society?

Context/link: Friends like last week, today God shows us another contrast – from another angle.

The passage reads as another before and after structure.

this is how you were, but look what God does.

Last week it about how sin separated us from God.

But God has made us alive in Christ.

God does this by grace.

It’s his undeserved free gift.

This week, we see that we, Gentiles didn’t belong to God or his people.

there was a time when we didn’t belong but God but look at what Christ does.

We’re following the same structure as last week you can find it in your outlines.

2. Remember that you did not belong to God’s people (2:11-12)

Firstly remember that you did not belong to God’s people.

you want to talk about belonging.

There was a time you didn’t even belong.

Come with me to verse 11 – Paul wants the Gentile Christians to take a trip down memory lane.

Eph.

2:11-12

READ THIS —> Therefore remember – this is the first command in this letter, remember.

What are they to 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.

Remember that you didn’t belong to God or to God’s people.

Remember there was a wall that you couldn’t scale.

A wall bigger than the great wall of China.

This wall divided the Jews and Gentiles.

It’s a big theme in Ephesians.

The Jews and the Gentiles and what God has done to unite them.

Let’s be clear here.

The fact is, the Gentiles hated God.

And they hated God’s people.

Don’t think Gentiles were good folk God just happened to overlook.

And on the other side, God did not choose Israel because they were good.

No, God just chose a lowly insignificant people just because.

He just loved them.

That’s why he chose them.

Now that’s clear, back to verse 11, notice the Jews notice there they are called the circumcision.

It’s the procedure yes made in the flesh by hands – that procedure on Jewish baby boys to mark them out as His chosen people.

This is right back in Genesis 17:10.

not circumcised?

you don’t belong.

This visibly separated the Jews from the Gentiles – notice they are called ‘the uncircumcision,’ non Jews.

That’s most of us.

We are gentiles.

He is making a clear distinction between the two.

Listen to what he’s saying.

The Gentiles did not belong to God.

Remember that.

You and I did not belong.

How do we know?

Look how they are described.

there’s no doubt they didn’t belong.

Paul says 4 things in verse 12. Like nailing a hammer hitting nails into a coffin.

Ephesians 2:12 (ESV)

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.

First, you were separated from Christ.

You weren’t in Christ, with Christ, you were separated from Christ.

There was no relationship.

They did not know Christ.

Second nail, you were alienated, you Gentiles were excluded from citizenship.

No benefits, no rights.

Gentiles yes could live in the land with the Israelites, but they could not enjoy full rights, full citizenship as God’s people.

They were unholy and unclean.

Outsiders.

Constantly reminded that you don’t belong.

You weren’t a citizen of Israel.

The third nail – they were strangers to the covenants of promise.

This is important.

Because all the promises made to Abraham, Moses, David – key figures in the Old Testament.

These promises do you remember in Genesis 12 of LOB, land, offspring and blessing, that God will be their God, they will be his people sorry Gentiles, it’s not for you.