LIVING A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST (Ephesians 2:11-22)

Ephesians 2:11-22

Question:
What are some causes for walls developing between people?
    – Prejudice:
      (I don’t like their looks, so I’m not
      going to have anything to do with them).

    – Pride:
      (They don’t deserve my
      friendship after what they have done).

    – Hurt:
      (They have hurt me to the
      point I can never forgive them).

    – Selfishness:
      (I want things my way and they don’t).

    – Word:
      (What they said offended me).

    – Actions:
      (What they did offended me).

    – Poor communications:
      (we assume what another person
      is thinking and the reasons for their actions)

Question:
How can we tear down the walls?
    – Work toward making things right again.
    – Strive to be at peace with the other person.
    – Learn to accept the other person (with their faults);
      eliminate prejudices (God made us all).
    – Pray and ask for God’s help.
    – Examine ourselves.

Question:
How do our hostilities toward others
affect our relationship with the Lord?
    – If we have hostilities toward others,
      we can miss out on God’s blessings.

Question:
What are some barriers that prevent
us from being reconciled to others?
    – Resentment:
      (After what they did, I can’t stand
      to see them happy or successful).

    – Anger:
      (I am mad at them and want nothing to do with them).

    – Hurt feelings:
      (They have hurt me so deeply
      that I don’t want their friendship).

    – Pride:
      (I could never be friends with someone like that).

    – Bitterness:
      (I’ll never get over what they did).

    – Insecurity:
      (If they treated me this way once, they’ll do it again).
      (If they want a relationship, they
      will have to make the first move).

Question:
How did God reconcile Himself
to a world of alienated people?
    – He provided a reconciliation venue
      through the death of His Son, Jesus on the cross.

      Question:
      What motivated God to do this?
          – His incredible love for us.

Question:
What can we learn from God’s example?
    – If He loves everyone, and He created everyone, then
      if we love Him, shouldn’t we love His creations as well?

      Note:
      We have to rise above our natural feelings and emotions.

EPHESIANS 2
VERSE 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)

Paul reminds the Ephesians
what life was like before they knew Christ.
    Note:
    The Gentiles had no choice over their birth;
    the same is true today.

“uncircumcised”
    – A derogatory nickname when referring to the Gentiles
      used by the Jews (“who called themselves the circumcised”).
      Note:
      We see why the Jews placed so much importance on
      “physical” circumcision. They didn’t seem to understand
      that the scriptures meant circumcising ourselves from the
      worldly desires and influences.
      Note:
      The attitudes of many Jewish leaders
      caused many of the Gentiles to reject their God.

      Question:
      How does our attitude toward certain lost people
      affect their interest in becoming a Christian?
          Note:
          Our attitude should make them want to
          know about God and to be a part of His family.

VERSE 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 without God in
the world.

In describing the Gentiles, Paul paints a picture of all who
have never accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior.

Question:
What do the words “personal savior” mean to you?
    – Having a one-on-one relationship with the Lord?
      Fellowshipping with the Lord?

The Gentiles knew nothing about God; they did not experience
any of the privileges or blessings given to those in His family.

“separate from Christ” – To be without God.
    Note:
    The tragic part is that
    to be “without God” is to be “without hope”.

Question:
I wonder if we are fully experiencing the privileges and
blessings of being a part of God’s family? If not, then why?

VERSE 13.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away
have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

A contrast is made between “far” and “near”.
    – Spiritually, the Gentiles had been
      “far away” from God and His people.
    – Through Christ, they had been
      brought “near” (to the Jews and to God).

    Note:
    No matter how far away from God we think someone
    is (or even ourselves), there is always hope (as a result
    of the reconciliation provided through Christ’s death
    on the cross).
        Note:
        As people are reconciled to God, they
        can in turn be reconciled to each other.

VERSE 14.
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one
and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

It is Jesus Himself who is “our peace”. He is the source
of our peace. Our relationship with Him provides us
with what we need to deal with life’s situations.
    Question:
    Why?
        The reconciliation He provided through His death
        makes it possible to be at peace with God, and with others.

“the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility” between Gentiles
and Jews was symbolized by a wall that separated the Court
of the Gentiles from the rest of the temple.
    An inscription on it contained a warning of death for
    foreigners who dared to go further. It was a constant,
    visible reminder of their separation.

Christ destroyed those barriers between two groups of people.

Question:
How did the world benefit from the removal of those barriers?
    – This was God’s notification to the
      world that we are all equal in His sight.

VERSE 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,

“one new man out of the two”
    – Expresses God’s plan to bring the Jews
      and Gentiles together into one body – the church.

“making peace”
    – This makes sense since one body
      cannot (or should not) war against itself.

Peace is the result of reconciliation (with God and with others).

Question:
Is there someone you need to reconcile with?
Do you need to be reconciled to God?

VERSE 16.
and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God
through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

“in this one body”
    – “One” indicates there should be harmony in the church.

Question:
What are some things that destroy church harmony?
    – Different definitions of sin.
    – Gossip.
    – Rejection of others (based on opinions, prejudices, and emotions).
    – Cliques (not being an inclusive group).

    Question:
    How do you think our church is doing?

Question:
How can harmony be restored in churches?
    – Each member can focus on growing nearer to Christ.
      As we grow closer to Him,
      we will look at things more like He does.
    – Learning to accept others
      (with their faults and differences of opinions).

VERSE 17.
He came and preached peace to you who
were far away and peace to those who were near.

The ministry of Jesus was to all people.
What was His message? (peace)

Question:
Wonder why He preached peace?
    – See VERSES 14-15.
      God wants harmony between His people.
      God wants harmony between His children and Himself.

VERSE 18.
For through him we both have
access to the Father by one Spirit.

Note:
All members of the trinity are mentioned in this verse.

Look at the access we are given (access to the Father) as a result
of the reconciliation provided through Christ’s death on the cross.

VERSE 19.
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens,
but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of
God’s household,

More benefits provided as a result
of the reconciliation provided by Jesus.
    – The Gentile believers became
      “fellow citizens with God’s people”.
    – The Gentile believers became
      “members of God’s household” (a part of God’s family).

Question:
What are some unique characteristics of families?
    – They provide support for each other.
    – They know each other’s faults.
    – If not expressed openly, there is
      at least an underlying love for each other.
    – They usually have similar values and opinions.
    – They have a desire to be with each other.
    – They want the approval of each other.
    – Provides a safe haven.
    – They help each other.
    – They are willing to sacrifice for each other.
    – Parents might have to use “tough love” in order to
      teach their children some important Godly principles.

VERSE 20.
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

Although the Gentiles had been forbidden to enter into
a significant area of the Jews’ most sacred building, they
were now a part of the spiritual building where God lives.

Note:
Why is it important that Jesus is the cornerstone?
    – The cornerstone provided alignment to the walls
      so they would stay straight and joined together.
      He is the benchmark and guide for everything
      good and righteous (He keeps our lives ‘straight’).

VERSE 21.
In him the whole building is joined together
and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.

With Jesus as the cornerstone, we believers are joined together.

Note:
When members of a church are joined together and in
alignment with their focus, the church is staged for growth.
    Note:
    A divided church is rarely an effective church.

VERSE 22.
And in him you too are being built together
to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Paul could be referring to a group (the church), or individuals.
    If the church,
    then we need to be in harmony with our focus,
    so that the Holy Spirit can dwell within the church body.

    If individuals,
    then we need to consider our bodies as
    a temple in which the Holy Spirit can dwell.
    We cannot do that if our bodies are a ‘cesspool’
    of sin. The Holy Spirit does not want to thrive
    in an environment that consists of all that He opposes.

Question:
What might prevent the Holy Spirit
from wanting to dwell within us?
    – Sin.

SUMMARY:
– God cannot fully bless us if we have hostilities toward others.

– We may need to be reconciled with some people we know.

– If we are having a struggle being reconciled to someone,
  then we need to be reconciled with God first.

– Apart from a personal faith in Jesus Christ,
  everyone is alienated from God.

– Alienation from God may be the result of barriers
  that were either knowingly, or unknowingly created;
  it may be a result of our attitudes, words, or actions.

– God loves both us, and the ones we may have hostilities toward;
  Jesus died for us all.

– When we allow Jesus to work in our life,
  we can experience peace and reconciliation with others.

CHALLENGE:
– If you need to be reconciled to someone, make an effort this week.
– If you need to be reconciled to God, make an effort this week.

BLOG: utvolwoody.wordpress.com