Calvary Chapel Wenatchee
Sunday Service - Ephesians 2 Pt2
  • I Will Call
  • This Is The Day
  • Rejoice in the Lord Always
  • Sing to the Lord
  • As It Is In Heaven
  • Awesome Is The Lord Most High
  • Faithful One
  • He Is Our Peace
  • I Give You My Heart
  • Intro:
    Last week:
    Paul talked about how we were dead in our trespasses, and our influence was the world, Satan, and the spirit of the sons of disobedience
    Now, because of God being rich in mercy raised us up, made us alive together with Christ
    We saw that we are saved by grace through faith, not of our works, lest any man should boast
    But we finished with seeing we are His workmanship, poema, His masterpiece,
    Today, we get to see that masterpiece take it form, as God has brought two groups of people who are absolute enemies to build something that would be glorious and wonderful
    Illustration:
    In 1997, Dr. Bruce Barritt went on a mission to find an apple that would be full of flavor, crispy, and has a long shelf life. What he took was an enterprise apple, which is known to be highly resistant to apple scab and tolerant of other pathogens, meaning the yield was greater and they retain their quality in storage for 6-8 months, but not as desirable as some other apples out there. He also took a honeycrisp, which has a crunchy, sweet-tart flavor that is desired, but it was prone to disease and loses its crispness quicker than some other apples. Two apples, almost opposites by standard, but after 20 years of reasearch, testing and evaluation, The cosmic crisp apple went to market. An apple that takes the crispiness of the honey crisp, but the longevity and durability of the enterprise, and have made an apple that is full of flavor, crispy, and lasts a long time.
    Two type of apples, brought together to make a Washington State masterpiece that many people get to enjoy.
    Today, we get to see how God has taken two peoples, Jews and Gentiles, and has made them into one new man, a masterpiecethat becomes a spectacle for the world to see.
    The Enmity is Gone (V.11-18)
    V.11
    O: Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands-
    I: Remember where you were before Christ, considered unclean in the flesh
    A: Notice here how Paul is describing things… in the flesh
    Gentiles in the flesh: This is what you were born as, your ethnicity, purely physical
    As opposed to spiritual
    Circumcision: performed in the flesh
    The Jews, who were more concerned about the flesh than they were of the Spirit. We read in Romans 2:29
    Romans 2:29 NASB95
    But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.
    God’s desire is the circumcision of the heart, not the flesh
    Human hands can only do so much, but they cannot circumcise the heart of man, that takes the work of the Spirit
    The Jews had a hate for the Gentiles because of the flesh
    V.12
    O: Remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
    I: As Gentiles, speaking on a spiritual level, we had a lot going against us, not even knowing God
    A: The Gentiles were in a bad positions
    Separate from Christ: We had no saviour, no messiah, no one coming to save us
    Excluded from the commonwealth of Israel: We had no membership, no citizenship with Israel. We had no claim to their blessings.
    Strangers to the covenants of promise: We had no idea of the promises that God made to His people
    Consider the world today, who has no idea what it means to be in Christ. They mock, they laugh, they ridicule those who are in Christ, but remember they are strangers.
    Having no hope: We had no hope, no future
    Without God in the World: We may have had gods, but not God. Trying to find our own truth, trying to please whatever seemed right in our own eyes.
    V.13
    O: But now in Christ Jesus
    I: Not any more because of Jesus
    A: As hopeless as we were before, that has all changed in Jesus Christ
    O: you who were formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ
    I: Those of us who were no where near God, by the sacrifice of Jesus have been drawn close
    A: It follows what Jesus said in John 12:32
    John 12:32 NASB95
    “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”
    This is the heart of God, and what He did, to draw us near by the blood of Christ, by the sacrifice He made
    This is why Jesus says in John 3:14-16
    John 3:14–16 NASB95
    14 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
    This is how we were brought near, by the sacrifice of Jesus.
    How much did this cost?? Absolutley everything
    Why did He do it? That those who were far off, us, would be brought near.
    V.14
    O: For He Himself is our peace who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
    I: Jesus is the peace between Jew and Gentile, making them one, the church
    A: Jesus is our peace!!
    Not some social justice crusade, not our government, not any human effort or institution… He Himself
    There can be no true peace between these groups if there was no Jesus.
    He made both groups into one… or as we know, the church
    We don’t have to worry that we are not Jewish, because of Jesus
    We don’t have to worry if you are Jewish, because of Jesus
    What is the dividing wall?
    V.15
    O: by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,
    I: That Jesus would take away the requirements of the law, so that in Him they would establish their identity, gaining peace through Him
    A: The Law, as good as it was, created division. Why?
    Because God is Holy, and we read in Leviticus 19:2
    Leviticus 19:2 NASB95
    2 “Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
    Holy means “set apart, different”, so the Lord calls His people to be Holy as He is Holy. To be set apart from the nations, to be different from them.
    This caused enmity, this caused a dividing wall from those who were, from those who were not.
    So how do you bring peace among people who are culturally different, to people who were not only against God, but would despise you because of the God you served. How would you bring enemies at the deepest level to have peace?
    By abolishing the law of commandments that brought the enmity. How did Jesus do that? We see it in Matthew 5:17-19
    Matthew 5:17–19 NASB95
    17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
    Wait, isn’t that a contradiction? Take a look at what Paul is saying “so that in Himself He might make the two one new man”
    How does this work? Look at Jeremiah 31:33
    Jeremiah 31:33 NASB95
    33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
    The enmity has been removed because it is no longer the Law that makes holy… the work of Jesus Christ has made us holy, set apart. It is in Him through the Spirit that the law is written on our hearts. No longer through our efforts, but in Him.
    In the flesh: What the Jews couldn’t do in the flesh, to make Holy, Jesus did in His, by offering Himself for our sins.
    V.16
    O: and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity
    I: The cross brought reconciliation
    A: This is what we have gone through already in 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
    2 Corinthians 5:18–19 NASB95
    18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
    This wasn’t just the Gentiles, it wasn’t just the Jews, it was all of us.
    V.17-18
    O: And 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 our access in one Spirit to the Father.
    I: We have all been preached peace, and through Christ have our access in one Spirit to the Father
    A: Not one for the Jew, not one for the Gentile, but through one Spirit
    The Spirit is doing a marvelous work in all of us, and it through Him that we have access to the Father… not the Law, but by the Spirit.
    Jesus explains this truth in John 4:23-24
    John 4:23–24 NASB95
    23 “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
    The Temple of God (V.19-22)
    V.19
    O: So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and are of the household of God
    I: You are no longer separated, but are now members with full access
    A: We are no longer strangers to God, no longer unknown.
    This is such a great reminder, because we read in 1 Corinthians 8:3
    1 Corinthians 8:3 NASB95
    3 but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.
    and then we saw in Galatians 4:9
    Galatians 4:9 NASB95
    9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, …
    We are known by Him… that is the most important thing we can hold onto.
    You aren’t a stranger to Him anymore, you aren’t an alien… you’re status has completely changed
    We are now citizens with the saints.
    Or that word is “Holy ones.”
    There aren’t any second class citizens. It isn’t the disciples and apostles and prophets and then the Gentiles, we have the same status as all of them before the Lord.
    When my wife was an immigrant, she didn’t have all the rights I had. But now, she has every single right as I do, in the eyes of the government, we have the same exact status… and we have rejoiced together for that.
    Now take that and realize that Moses and Elijah, Peter John and Paul… we have the same right and access through one Spirit as they do, no special tier, but one Spirit.
    We are of the household of God
    V.20
    O: having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
    I: The apostles and prophets message is the very foundation, Christ as the cornerstone, the most important piece.
    A: Apostles and prophets:
    Notice that it is both. They all preached the same message, only the prophets weren’t able to see it’s fruition.
    The message has never changed, Jesus was always the piece that was preached
    V.21
    O: in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,
    I: The Jews and Gentiles are being put together to be a temple of the Lord.
    A: This is an echo from Haggai 2:2-9
    Haggai 2:2–9 NASB95
    2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people saying, 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison? 4 ‘But now take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the Lord of hosts. 5 ‘As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!’ 6 “For thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. 7 ‘I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. 8 ‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the Lord of hosts. 9 ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the Lord of hosts.”
    The glory of the temple… speaking of the Church, being built together as a temple to the Lord
    V.22
    O: In whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
    I: You are being built for God to make His dwelling in
    A: Just like the temple was the place that God would dwell, that people would come to seek Him, it is now the church where God dwells.
    Jesus explains in Matthew 18:19-20
    Matthew 18:19–20 NASB95
    19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”
    Who is building this?? Is it the Law, is it our efforts? It is the Spirit who is doing this work.
    Conclusion:
    He is our peace!! He has removed and broken every wall down, all the enmity that use to exist has been destroyed. Because it is not the Law that makes us Holy, nor the Jew, but the work of Jesus and the working of the Holy Spirit that is making us holy, set apart. So we can’t brag, because the work is His, not ours. We are His masterpiece, His workmanship

      • Romans 2:29NASB95

      • John 12:32NASB95

      • John 3:14–16NASB95

      • Leviticus 19:2NASB95

      • Matthew 5:17–19NASB95

      • Jeremiah 31:33NASB95

      • 2 Corinthians 5:18–19NASB95

      • John 4:23–24NASB95

      • 1 Corinthians 8:3NASB95

      • Galatians 4:9NASB95

      • Haggai 2:2–9NASB95

      • Matthew 18:19–20NASB95

Calvary Chapel Wenatchee
office@ccwenatchee.org
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http://ccwenatchee.org
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