Ephesians 5
It’s time to heal
Ephesians
2:11–18 (NLT)
11Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be
outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud
of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their
hearts.
12In those days you were living apart from
Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you
did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this
world without God and without hope.
13But now you have been united with Christ Jesus.
Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him
through the blood of Christ.
14For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He
united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he
broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.
15He did this by ending the system of law with
its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by
creating in himself one new people from the two groups.
16Together as one body, Christ reconciled both
groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each
other was put to death.
17He brought this Good News of peace to you
Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near.
18Now all of us can come to the Father through
the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
This country is divided more now than ever before. And I
today the scripture we are about to take a look at is about coming together. Putting
past our differences and healing. So let’s dive in and look at these words and
apply them to today!
We all want to be right!
Vs 11Don’t
forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised
heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it
affected only their bodies and not their hearts.
·
In Paul’s day, you were separated by circumcision,
the haves and the have nots
o
Gentiles were looked down on
o
Second class citizens
o
Jews were proud, ran everything
o
Controlled everything
o
And they did not want to give up their privilege,
their status
·
Sound familiar?
o
This election has torn us apart
o
Black Vs white
o
Educated vs un educated
o
Men Vs women
o
Young Vs old
·
And all this is perpetuated my men!
o
The political elite
o
The media
o
The people who think they know best
o
The people who are benefiting from all the
division and ciaos
·
Just like in Paul’s day
o
The powers that be liked the status quo
o
They had it good and the division made them
powerful
We are a country divided, that is need of change! But not
just political change, or program change, we need a fundamental change of the
heart!
We are all lost
and in desperate need of change!
Vs 12In
those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from
citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant
promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without
hope.
·
Too many people are living apart from Christ!
·
To many people are walking in disbelief
·
In confusion
·
They think the next president, or the next
equality bill will fox it all
·
Just like in Paul’s day, to many people are
walking outside the covenant of Gods promise
·
God made a promise to his people, and because so
many people in this country have walked away from Gods promise
o
They live without Hope
o
This live without God grace
o
They live in a state of constant conflict
o
Constant anger
o
Wanting their way, thinking it will fix everything
and in only drives the wedge deeper!
·
Who is president doesn’t matter
·
New rules won’t help
·
This country sent a load message that it’s time
to put God back on the throne, in the prime position of leadership in this
country
o
We need God back in or oval office
o
We need God back in our schools
o
We need God back in the hearts of Men and Women
o
We Jesus back in the lives of all Americans!
It’s time to come
together with one cause and one agenda!
VS
13But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away
from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of
Christ.
·
The church is and should be the greatest example
of people working together
o
With one cause
o
One mission
o
One purpose
o
One focus
o
One leader
·
Look around you
o
We have investment bankers
o
Entrepreneurs
o
Truck drivers
o
Accountants
o
Stay at home moms
o
Day workers
o
Farmers
o
Ranchers
o
Labors
o
Skilled labor
o
Bosses
o
Managers
o
Everyone working toward a common goal, to reach
the lost and be about our fathers work
Philippians 2:13 (NLT)
13For God is working in you, giving you the
desire and the power to do what pleases him.
Philippians 4:13 (NLT)
13For I can do everything through Christ, who
gives me strength.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)
11For I know the plans I have for you,” says
the Lord. “They are plans for good
and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Its Christ work on
the cross that mad it all possible for us to come together!
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT)
21For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be
the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through
Christ.
·
That why we seek his wisdom
·
His strength
·
His guidance in all we do
The only way we will ever have peace
14For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He
united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he
broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.
15He did this by ending the system of law with
its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by
creating in himself one new people from the two groups.
·
Jesus unites people
·
He united the Jews and the Gentiles
o
The only way we will ever come together is
through Jesus
o
Through the work of the cross
o
He can heal the wounds
o
He can end the hostility in this country
o
We are separated, on the verge of a civil war
o
And only Jesus can bring us together again!
·
He ended the need for endless rules
o
He broke down the barriers of rules
o
He eliminated the need for regulations
o
He got rid of countless laws they did nothing
He gave us three
simple rules to live by
·
Love God with all your heart
·
Love your neighbor
·
And love one another, as brother and sister
united in Jesus to show a dark world a better way!!
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