INTRODUCTION
• PC VIDEO- Berlin Wall.
• SLIDE #1
• Can you imagine living in a place where there was a dividing wall that you would be shot if you tried to get to the other side?
• I cannot imagine living under such circumstances.
• On June 12, 1987, when President Reagan encouraged Soviet leader Gorbachev to tear down that wall, I think many people thought President Reagan was crazy.
• I bet the people of Germany thought the wall would never come down, that their country would stay divided.
• That barrier had been there since 1961, I am sure it looked hopeless. In June of 1982, President Reagan said he would like to ask the Soviet leaders why the wall was there.
• November 9, 1989, the wall was torn down.
• This event was a time to celebrate for both Germany and the whole world.
• Today we are going to talk about a barrier that had lasted longer than 28 years, it was a barrier that lasted for centuries.
• This barrier was not really a physical barrier as much as it was a spiritual barrier, a barrier between Jew and Gentile, and between man and God.
• In the same vein as last week’s message, we will see this tension between Jew and Gentile, as when you first engage in the text it may be tempting to think that what Paul has to share with us has little to no impact on you today.
• As we follow the text, you will see that what Paul speaks of in this passage has a tremendous impact on all of us to this day.
• Let’s turn to Ephesians 2:11-22 together this morning as we that God reconciles people to each other through Jesus.
• And when we are walking in fellowship with God, we can walk in fellowship with other believers in spite of our differences.
• SLIDE #2
• Ephesians 2:11–12 (CSB) — 11 So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. 12 At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
I. Our former collective condition apart from Christ. (11-12)
• Once again, we see that YOU and WE language in this part of chapter 2.
• Verse 11 starts with the phrase SO THEN, or THEREFORE.
• This tells us what is being stated, ties back to the previous verses we examined last week.
• The fact that we are made alive in Christ.
• YOU represent Christians who came from a gentile background and the WE to those like Paul who had come from a Jewish heritage.
• The first barrier that Paul shares with us is a physical barrier that separated Jew and Gentile, circumcision.
• At the time of the writing of this letter, most of the Christians in and around Ephesus were by birth or physical descent, gentiles.
• Baby boys were circumcised when they were eight days old.
• Circumcision was a sign, a seal of the covenant first made by God with Abraham (Genesis 17:10-27) and later it was incorporated into the Law of Moses (Leviticus 12:3).
• In verse 12, Paul reminds the Gentile Christians how poorly they were treated by their Jewish counterparts.
• The Jews were quick to tell gentiles they were not God’s chosen people.
• The Jews labeled the gentiles with the derogatory term “the uncircumcision” while they proudly labeled themselves “the circumcision.”
• Paul was not condemning the practice of circumcision, but rather the attitude the Jews had concerning the issue.
• Paul pointed out this act was done by human hands and by pointing this out, he inferred that to many Jews, this act had no spiritual significance spiritually for them.
• It was merely a religious act. (Romans 2:28-29).
• This physical barrier was also a spiritual barrier since the Gentiles were not a part of the citizenship of Israel.
• 12 At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.
• Verse 12 says at the time before their conversion, they were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God!
• These folks had no expectation of a Messiah, no forgiveness of sin, nothing.
• Before their conversion, they were as hopeless as hopeless could be.
• They were excluded from the citizenship of Israel. Since they were not citizens, they had no claim to the rights the citizens of Israel enjoyed.
• All the promises for the future Messiah and kingdom flowed through the nation of Israel, the gentiles were foreigners to those promises.
• All this points to the ultimate loss, WITHOUT HOPE AND WITHOUT GOD in the WORLD.
• They were living life with no hope and no purpose!
• Imagine living life with no hope for a better future in this world and the world to come.
• The Gentiles had many idols but were never close to the true God.
• This was the condition before Jesus. Let's examine some good news.
• Let’s turn to verse 13-18
• SLIDE #4
• Ephesians 2:13–18 (CSB) — 13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, 15 he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace. 16 He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death. 17 He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
• SLIDE #5
II. Our collective reconciliation in Christ. (13-18)
• Since Jesus, when one is baptized into Him, we ALL can be a part of God’s Family!
• The phrase in verse 13, you who were FAR referred to the Gentiles, now because of Jesus, we can all be a part of His family!
• Jesus unites us with God, and He unites us with each other!
• Jesus is our peace!
• Verse 14 tells us he tore down the dividing wall of hostility.
• Just as the Berlin wall was torn down, a wall that separated the East from the West, the dividing wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles was torn down by Calvary!
• Verse 14-18 places the focus on what Jesus has done to bring about reconciliation of the Jews and Gentiles, making ALL those who are baptized into Jesus, united in Christ!
• The word PEACE means to join together that which is separated, that which is friendly and free from anger.
• The word speaks of a harmonious relationship where harmony did not exist.
• The dividing wall that Paul refers to is found in verse 15
• In his flesh, 15 he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace.
• The Law and its promises were for God’s chosen people. Jesus nailed the Law to the cross; it was fulfilled in Him.
• SLIDE #6
• Colossians 2:13–14 (CSB) — 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.
• One of the purposes behind Christ's death on the cross was to do away with the Law to make the Jews and Gentiles into one new body on Christ.
• A second purpose behind His death was to reconcile us in Him.
• 16 He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.
• This is how the hostility was removed, through the cross! Without the cross, we would still be Jew and Gentile, instead of one in Christ!
• 17 He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
• The good news of peace was proclaimed to both Gentile (those far away) and Jew (those who were near)!
• In fulfillment of the ancient promise of Isaiah (57:19) the Messiah came and proclaimed peace.
• And as Isaiah had earlier exclaimed, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace” (52:7).
• Though Israel probably did not realize it at the time, when this peace was preached to those “who were far away,” it would not be just to the exiled Jews, but also to the Gentiles!
• Therefore when Paul makes allusion to the prophecy, he sees it as fulfilled in “you,” the far away Gentiles of Asia Minor. Boles, K. L. (1993). Galatians & Ephesians (Eph 2:17). Joplin, MO: College Press.
• Verse 18 tells we have access.
• Access was a technical term that was used for being presented to a king in an Oriental Court. The one who introduced you to the king was called by this term.
• Jesus introduces us to God! You cannot approach God without having access through Jesus!
• SLIDE #7
• Ephesians 2:19–22 (CSB) — 19 So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.
• SLIDE #8
III. Our collective fellowship in Christ. (19-22)
• Strangers are transients, those with no rights of citizenship. It denotes inferiority when contrasted to the status of a fellow citizen.
• If I am in Italy, I am not a citizen, I do not have the same rights as Italian citizens do.
• An alien is a temporary resident who might stay in a particular place or pay a tax for the privilege of living in a land that was not their own.
• IN CHRIST WE ARE FELLOW CITIZENS WITH THE SAINTS!
• Members of God’s household!
• The household which was built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, with Jesus as the cornerstone!
• A cornerstone was a massive stone placed where two walls of a building came together forming a part of the wall and determining the direction the walls would run.
• When we are in Christ, we are all called to find a place in the building that God is constructing! We all have a place in God’s kingdom as well as a job to do!
• The building that we are a part of is supposed to be growing all of the time!
• When we are walking in fellowship with God, we can walk in fellowship with other believers in spite of our differences.
• “Because of the cross, Christians know where we’re headed, and because of the cross, we are guaranteed citizenship. It is the country we belong in, the home and land we’ve been looking for all our lives. The color of our passport is blood red, and our eternal visa has already been irrevocably stamped in" (Rachel Pieh Jones, “Citizens of Heaven,” Desiring God, February 21, 2013, http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/citizens-of-heaven).
CONCLUSION
• In Christ, we are one, in Christ, we have fellowship with God and fellowship with one another.
• In Christ, we have a blessed present and a glorious future!
• One of the reasons we need Jesus and others need Jesus is so we can have access to God!
• There are no second-class citizens in the household of God!
• Since Jesus gives us peace with God and, therefore, with other Christians (vv. 14–17). We share the same Spirit of God within us (vv. 18, 22), so we should be able to live peacefully with one another.
• Let’s all work together to reach as many people as we can for Jesus!
