Ephesians - ALL

ALL

Question of the Day:    

Tell us about one of your life-long friends and why they have such an impact on your life.  What made you choose them?

Good morning Class,  I am sorry that I cannot be with you this week.  I have the opportunity to be in Asheville with all my children and Chris's parents and my grandson Nolan!  As you can imagine my heart is bursting and I'm having a happy Sabbath! 

This morning we will be finishing up chapter 2.  This passage is in a way simple, but I don't want you to just brush over it.  Please take some time to really wrestle with life application and specifically why this is so important for us today! 

READ Ephesians 2:11-22

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 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. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 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.

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 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.

What do you know about the Ephesians based on this passage?

What brings them "in"? 

What does he mean when he talks about the circumcised? 

In verses 14-18 are some beautiful thoughts.  

1. He himself is our peace.

What does this mean for us today?

Do you need peace?

Does our church (the world church) need peace?

Does your family need peace?

What is our peace?

I am in the midst of the last few weeks of work and planning before the women's retreat in October and it is an incredibly pressure filled time.  Contemplating this week that He is my peace has given me pause.  

If we need peace what do we do?

2."who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,"

I DON'T want you to get into a political discussion but can you imagine what it would be like if He made the Republican party and the Democratic party one destroying the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility? What would our country look like?  (I know there are reasons to have different parties, I'm specifically asking about how this would change the climate of our country.) 

Let's bring it a little closer to home.  

What about those terms, "conservative and liberal" in terms of our church (Adventist World Church)

What makes the two groups one? 

What destroys the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility?

Does that work in our church?

Maybe the issue is that we need to make sure we keep our focus on what is important.  

"For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit"

Shift gears for a moment....

What is this saying to the church in Ephesus? 

Remember he talks about adopting us.  This is all about belonging.  Belonging is so important!  To belong to a family is part of our humanity.  If you ever doubt that, watch on YouTube the "Forever Family" episodes where kids who are needing to be adopted are asking for and expressing their desire to have a family!

Paul is letting them know they are apart of the family!!!!!

What are some practical takeaways from this passage for us as a church (UCSDA) and as individuals?  (Please take some time to really list some things!)