DON’T TAKE FOR GRANITE THE GRACE OF GOD
Ephesians 2:11-22
GRATEFULNESS FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE
V:11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called \”uncircumcised\” by those who call themselves \”the circumcision\” (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
Don’t forget where you came from. Don’t forget what God did for you to get you
to the present times. Don’t believe that you arrived at this point in time by any
effort of your own. You are here today because God loved on you to allow your
presence.
God has worked a change on you. The text says you formerly were a Gentile. You
formerly were different from the people He called first to be His people. The nation
of Israel was called first to be His people. He gave the nation of Israel His divine
law. His divine directions were given to the Nation of Israel first. He gave wisdom, Knowledge, the divine Word, and the fear of Him to the Nation of Israel first.
You, we were called the uncircumcised, that is without the righteousness of God
by those who called themselves the circumcised not by the righteousness of God, but by their own hands. People put on an outward mask to make them appear to
be something that they are not. We all do it. You can put makeup on the face to
cover blemishes to make it appear to be perfect skin. You may never know the
real person you are looking at.
Without the Word of God, we live in darkness. But God had a plan before
the Nation of Israel was formed, before the divine Word was given to include
us, Gentiles in the body of Christ. God promised Abraham recorded in Genesis 17:3
that he would be the father of many nations. From Abraham, He grew the
nation of Israel during 400 years of slavery in Egypt.
At the right time, God bore Jesus in the flesh, His only begotten Son to die
on the cross for the atonement of sins, making salvation available to all
who would believe in Him. Notice the text says, we, the Gentiles were
excluded from citizenship of Israel, thus excluded from the promise of
hope. Jesus was born in the tribe of Judah and made way for Jews and Gentiles to become one, all sons and daughters of the living God.
THE WORK OF CHRIST IN THE UNITY OF MANKIND
V:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
As long as men live on earth there will be hostility among men. The hostility
originated between God and Satan but played out between men. God gave Israel
His law became a dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles.
The Gentiles without the law were seen as unclean and separated from God.
The law was a legal document, which included divinely designed sacrifices
performed out of obedience that would lead the Jews to total dependence on God
the Father in love. Love fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.
Jesus, the single, sinless, and unblemished sacrifice abolished the dividing wall between
Jews and Gentiles with His blood shed on the cross. It was His love for obedience to
the will of the Father that split the curtain to the Holy of Holies in the temple
opening the way to the peace of God.
The angels said it best to the shepherds on the night of Jesus birth,
Luke 2:14
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.
It was Jesus\’ sacrificial death that dissolved the hostility between Jews and Gentiles
making one nation of believers under God.
THE PEACE OF GOD
V:17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
The Holy Spirit was active in creation and active throughout the Old Testament
times. The Holy Spirit was only given to specific people to do specific jobs.
Most often the Spirit was given to God\’s judges, prophets, and certain kings.
The Spirit was placed on them to empower them for a time but not in them.
After Jesus\’ death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit indwells all who believe
in Him. The blood of Jesus shed on the cross dissolved the hostility between
man and God. Those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, Jews and Gentiles
have peace with God the Father.
The forgiveness of our sins brings us near to God. We now have access to
the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit our teacher
guides us to an understanding of all scripture allowing us to live in peace
with God.
YOUR CITIZENSHIP IN HEAVEN
V:19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God\’s people and members of God\’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
God created a new man, a new humanity in Jesus Christ. We, the believing
Gentiles are now part of the new humanity along with believing Jews. Our faith
in Jesus Christ makes us citizens of heaven, and members of God\’s household.
The Word of God, both Old Testament and New Testament is our guide to
character development in God’s righteousness and the promises of God
made to all believers in Jesus Christ.
ONE NATION IN JESUS
V:21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
The Church of Jesus Christ, the body of Christ includes all believers, past, present
, and future. Our bodies are the temple of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
16 Don\’t you know that you yourselves are God\’s temple and that God\’s Spirit lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys God\’s temple, God will destroy him; for God\’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple
Each believer is a building block of the temple in which Jesus is the chief cornerstone.
The Church has many members, but one body, one Spirit, and one Lord.
We are the Church of Jesus Christ. The light of the world and the salt of the earth.
Our job is to lift up Jesus and draw all to Him in peace and unity.
Rev. M. Mitchell
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