Introduction: 1. What is man’s deepest problem? 2. Ephesians’ purpose-Bring together Jew and Gentile into one body. 3. Just like pictures of before and after that are made of individuals on a diet or using exercise equipment look at our text. 4. Ephesians 2:11-22. I. Before (What the Gentiles were before they were saved) (verses 11, 12). A. Christless-no knowledge of Christ. B. Countryless-nor rights, no one to appeal to. C. Friendless-no one to help, no one to encourage you. D. Hopeless-(Job 7:6), despair, emptiness. E. Godless-had left God (1 Rm. 1:21). F. Application. They were described as being “without”. They were empty, bankrupt>may not have even known it. (Col. 1:21; Rom. 8:5-8.The end result> Rom. 8:13; Col. 3:25). II. Middle (Reconciliation of Jew and Gentile together) (verses 13-18). A. Look at the scene: The Gentiles were considered far off (Acts 2:39) but the Jews were as well at this time. B. There is reconciliation. 1. Lateral-to each other (verse 14). (Rom. 10:12-13; Gal. 3:27, 28). 2. Vertical-to God (Rom. 5:8-10; 2 Cor. 5:18, 19). C. Accomplished by Christ on the cross. His blood is: 1. Atoning (Lk. 19:10; Heb. 2:14, 15; Mt. 20:28). 2. Took away the old law (Gal. 3:25; Col. 2:14). D. Result: 1. Peace (Isa. 9:6; Jn. 14:27). 2. Access to God (Heb. 4:15, 16). E. Application: 1. Christ came to and did give us life (Jn. 10:10; 1 Jn. 2:25). 2. Now we have peace-forgiveness of sins (Heb. 8:12; Rev. 1:5). III. The end (Consequences of our reconciliation) (verses 19-22). We become….. A. Citizens of the kingdom (Col. 1:13, 14; Rev. 1:9)-subjects to the king. B. Children in God’s household family of God (1 Tim. 3:15). C. Part and Parcel of God’s building (1 Cor. 3:9). D. Priests in the temple of God-offer up sacrifice and worship God (1 Pet. 2:5, 9). E. Habitation of God-God dwells in us.
Entered on 8/24/2008
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