One in Christ
Paula’s Blog for June 27, 2011---Ephesians 2:11-22
Have you ever been somewhere—a party, another country, college or someplace where folks were familiar with one another and their surroundings and you were not familiar with either? You could feel very out of place, separated, and estranged from the mutual interests of the group. I have heard from those who have had to move to another city or town that fitting in and making new friends was difficult, even uncomfortable and painful.
Exclusions and alienations are problems we will never have to encounter as Christians, as believers in Christ. Jesus through His blood has broken down and destroyed the dividing wall and reconciled us both Jew and Gentile and made us one body in Jesus by means of his Cross.
Once we were alienated, estranged, and separated from God living apart from Him with no hope and no citizen rights. This Scripture reading tells us that we were once Gentiles (heathen) separated, strangers with no share in the sacred compact, excluded from all part in Him, outlawed from the rights of Israel. We were in the world without God. (That’s the worst thing I can think of! I want to say, “Heaven forbid!”)
No matter who we are-male, female, Jew, Gentile or what our past has been-- a visible sinner or an invisible sinner (Don’t try to find that description in the Bible!), we now share citizenship with the saints of God and belong fully to the household of God. ( I thank Him, I thank Him and I thank Him.) This household is built upon the foundation with Jesus Himself as the chief Cornerstone. We have been given a unique, special, harmonious, and peaceful place in this big world as one of His own. I am deeply grateful and appreciative that He made a way to bring me near to Him and made me apart of His household and made me one of His.
God once lived in the Holy of Holies in the temple in Jerusalem. Because of what Christ did on Calvary, he now lives through the Spirit in the temple of the hearts of his people. Our bodies are the Holy Temple of God. The church in Ephesus now is a place where God's people gather and were God resides in the hearts of his people. (Eph. 2:21-22)
ReplyDeleteBro Stan, I also love the vision of the Temple Curtain that separated worshipers from the Holy of Holies being torn open from top to bottom, letting us go in and the Spirit of God come out. What a thought to hold dear as we go throughout our daily responsibilities and activities! Praise be to God!
ReplyDeleteActually, I do have alot of experience moving to new places and needing to find my niche to "fit it." It is a great assurance that God always goes with me and I am a part of His family just as I am.
ReplyDeleteI have to second the last comment as I have lived in this community all my life and have a fear of the unknown. I am comforted by this passage in knowing that God will always be what is familiar and comfortable to me no matter where I am.
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