Eph2:11-22, One Body in Christ

# One Body in Christ
## Ephesians 2:11-22

---

# Where is my **home**?
# How do I find **peace**?

[###](#/outline "secret")

>>>
+ Eph: past **grace** + future **hope** ⇒ present **walk**
  + ch1-3: to **know** God
  + ch4-6: to **obey** God
+ ch2a: reconciled to **God**
+ ch2b: reconciled to **each other**

---
[11](# "ref")
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)

[Ephesians 2:11 (NIV) (p.1/8)](# "ref")

---
[12](# "ref")
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.

[Ephesians 2:12 (NIV) (p.2/8)](# "ref")

---
[13](# "ref")
But now in Christ Jesus 
you who once were far away 
have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

[Ephesians 2:13 (NIV) (p.3/8)](# "ref")

---
[14](# "ref")
For he himself is our peace,  
who has made the two groups one

and has destroyed the barrier, 
the dividing wall of hostility,

[15](# "ref")
by setting aside in his flesh  
the law with its commands and regulations.

[Ephesians 2:14-15 (NIV) (p.4/8)](# "ref")

---
His purpose was to create in himself 
one new humanity out of the two, 
thus making peace,

[16](# "ref")
and in one body to reconcile both of them 
to God through the cross,  
by which he put to death their hostility.

[Ephesians 2:15-16 (NIV) (p.5/8)](# "ref")

---
[17](# "ref")
He came and preached 
peace to you who were far away 
and peace to those who were near.

[18](# "ref")
For through him we both have 
access to the Father by one Spirit.

[Ephesians 2:17-18 (NIV) (p.6/8)](# "ref")

---
[19](# "ref")
Consequently, you are no longer 
foreigners and strangers,

but fellow citizens with God’s people 
and also members of his household,

[20](# "ref")
built on the foundation 
of the apostles and prophets,  
with Christ Jesus himself 
as the chief cornerstone.

[Ephesians 2:19-20 (NIV) (p.7/8)](# "ref")

---
[21](# "ref")
In him the whole building is joined together 
and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.

[22](# "ref")
And in him you too are being built together 
to become a dwelling 
in which God lives by his Spirit.

[Ephesians 2:21-22 (NIV) (p.8/8)](# "ref")

---

## One Body in Christ [(Eph2)](# "ref")
+ *Without* Christ: **Former Enemies** [(v11-13)](# "ref")
+ What Christ *did*: **Made at Peace** [(v14-18)](# "ref")
+ *Life* in Christ: **Growing Together** [(v19-22)](# "ref")

>>>
+ e.g., 3-part **baptism** testimony

---

**Remember** that at that time 
you were **separate** from Christ

[Ephesians 2:12 (NIV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ **remember** our original state
+ What would I be like **today** w/o Christ?
+ JJ "perfect" angel:
  + but **sinful** nature

---

**foreigners** to the **covenants** of the promise

[Ephesians 2:12 (NIV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ w/o **community**: Gentile
	+ the "other": 中 vs 外
	+ citizenship, belong, ID
+ how feel to be the **other**?
+ w/o **covenant**: stranger
	+ relationship, **promise**
+ e.g., **engaged** vs left over

---

without **hope** and without **God** in the world

[Ephesians 2:12 (NIV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ w/o **Christ**: hopeless, godless
	+ non-Chr loved ones:
      frustrated by diff **values**?
    + We were same

---

Among them **we too** all formerly lived 
in the **lusts** of our flesh,

indulging the desires 
of the **flesh** and of the **mind**,

and were by nature **children of wrath**, 
even as the rest.

[Ephesians 2:3 (NASB)](# "ref")

>>>
+ lust, envy, hatred, selfishness
  + want to **decide** what is best
+ the **rest** of the world thinks this **normal**

---

# What has Christ **saved** me from?

>>>
+ what's so amazing about His **grace**?
+ what's so **wretched** about my sin?
+ how unattainable is God's **holiness**?
+ put us at **odds** w/God + his people

---

## One Body in Christ [(Eph2)](# "ref")
+ Without Christ: Former Enemies [(v11-13)](# "ref")
+ **What Christ did: Made at Peace** [(v14-18)](# "ref")
+ Life in Christ: Growing Together [(v19-22)](# "ref")

---

He **himself** is our **peace**

[Ephesians 2:14 (NIV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ Not that Jesus **gives** us peace
  + He himself **is** our peace
+ not just saying "peace, peace"
	+ gr8 boys: "peace, be still"
	+ Jer 8:8-11 heal superficial
+ God **does** what we **can't**:
  + **creation** + **destruction**

---

has made the two groups **one**

[Ephesians 2:14 (NIV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ Christ **did** this:
+ **made** both one
+ **broke** mid-wall of barrier, enmity
  + in his flesh (c.f. curtain)

---

For all of you who were **baptized** into Christ 
have **clothed** yourselves with Christ.

[Galatians 3:27 (NIV) (p.1/2)](# "ref")

---

There is neither **Jew** nor **Greek**, 
there is neither **slave** nor **free** man, 
there is neither **male** nor **female**;

for you are all **one** in Christ Jesus.

[Galatians 3:28 (NIV) (p.2/2)](# "ref")

>>>
+ **nullified** law
  + of commands in dogma
  + emptied it of **power**
  + (Ro3:31 faith null law?)
+ (Gal3:16-17 promises to seed)
	+ (:22-25 Law → Christ)
	+ (:26-29 no Jew/Greek: heirs)

---

in **one body** to reconcile **both** of them 
to **God** through the cross

[Ephesians 2:16 (NIV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ **so that** He may:
+ **create** one new person
  + (c.f. marriage)
  + **making** peace
+ **reconcile** both to God
  + **killing** the enmity

---

I live in a **high** and **holy** place, 
but also with the **contrite** 
and **lowly** in spirit,

to **revive the spirit** of the lowly 
and to **revive the heart** of the contrite.

[Isaiah 57:15 (NIV) (p.1/3)](# "ref")

---

**Peace, peace**, to those far and near,” 
says the Lord.

“And I will **heal** them.”

[Isaiah 57:19 (NIV) (p.2/3)](# "ref")

>>>
+ both **far** and **near**
+ **access**/approach in one spirit
+ but peace **not** for everyone!

---

"There is **no peace**,” says my God, 
“for the **wicked**.”

[Isaiah 57:21 (NIV) (p.3/3)](# "ref")

>>>
+ God makes a **distinction**:
+ peace **only** to the **contrite**
+ must **repent**, ask for healing

---

# Am I at **peace**?
# With **others**, **self**, and **God**?

>>>
+ How do you **obtain** peace?

---

## One Body in Christ [(Eph2)](# "ref")
+ Without Christ: Former Enemies [(v11-13)](# "ref")
+ What Christ did: Made at Peace [(v14-18)](# "ref")
+ **Life in Christ: Growing Together** [(v19-22)](# "ref")

---

You are no longer **foreigners and strangers**, 
but **fellow citizens** with God’s people

[Ephesians 2:19 (NIV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ **aliens** → fellow **citizens**
+ **not** of household → **household**
+ Ro9:25-26 (q. Ho1,2) *Lo-Ammi*

---

built on the **foundation** 
of the apostles and prophets,

with Christ Jesus himself 
as the **chief cornerstone**.

[Ephesians 2:20 (NIV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ *foundation*: **laid** by apostles
  + (1Co3:9-11 foundation is Christ)
+ **capstone** is Christ *(Ro9:30-33)*
	+ 1Pe2:4-6 Living stone
	+ :9-10 people of God

---

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

[Ephesians 2:20 (NIV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ "building": **house**, construction, planning
+ "joined": **harmony**, distinct but fitting
+ "rises": **horticulture**, growth, organic

---

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

[Ephesians 2:22 (NIV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ What good is it to have
  + church **programs**
  + but no **Christ**?
+ **unity** in Christ ⇒
  + where Christ **dwells**
+ ⇒ **Bethel**: house of God

---

# Are **we** growing into a **Bethel**?

>>>
+ Former **Enemies**
+ Made at **Peace** in Christ
+ **Growing** Together into a House of God
+ close by reading v21-22:

---

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

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

[Ephesians 2:21-22 (NIV)](# "ref")

---