in Ephesians chapter 2 and our focus this evening is on verse 11 down to the end of the chapter
Ephesians chapter 2 verse 11 down to verse 22 and what we see here is Paul reminding all the
people of God we see here that there is a division as it were in Ephesus where there's
they're speaking of the circumcised and the uncircumcised the Jews and the Gentiles and
there's this sense of hostility between them but he is reminding them that in Christ Jesus
they are all one and that together they are being built into this dwelling place for God by the
spirit as verse 22 says so we're thinking of this passage under that heading the house of the Lord
being built and this is in light of coming away from a time of communion in our congregation
last Wednesday we were looking at chapter one of this letter of Paul to the church at Ephesus
as we were approaching the communion weekend we were looking at it and the sense of praise as we
were approaching the communion season a sense of expectation as we were approaching it in a sense
of joy in the Lord and seeking that we would know him better over the course of the weekend and we
were reminded of all that we have in Christ Jesus over the weekend so now as we are as we're coming away
from the weekend how do we feel coming away from it do we come away still with that sense of praise to God
that sense of expectation of what God is and can do in our midst and a sense of joy that the Lord is with us
and that the Lord is on our side well this passage reminds us that that is how we should come away
we never come away from the Lord he is always with us and he is always building his house bringing his people in
Paul was writing here to the church at Ephesus and in many ways when you think of what Ephesus was like
in that time during the days of Paul we think of our own place today our own world today our own setting
where we live today very different they would be different in so many ways and yet with many similarities
to different in the ways of life different in the ways of employment different in the ways of language and culture
but similar too in that there were many barriers and boundaries many needs in their midst that we see with ourselves today
as well when you think of barriers and boundaries in our world today we see just how similar it is to the setting of Paul's day
whether it was in Ephesus or Corinth or Galatia wherever he was going with the gospel
there were all kinds of differences among people all kinds of hostilities among people
you think of the way Paul was writing here to masters and slaves as they're called
you see that in our day and age we think of the employers and the employee
and you look at the way many were unfairly treated by their masters in Paul's day
and you think of the day we live in today how people are exploited in the workplace
and you think of barriers financially Paul was very aware of people in his day as almost in every day where
there are the rich and the poor there are boundaries and barriers and families and different needs
in families you see it in families you see it in Paul's day you see it in our day broken down families families
with different needs and especially as you think of families where there are those who are saved and those
who are unsaved as yet
but what we see as we look at Paul's day and his writing this letter to the church at Ephesus and what we see
for our own day as well is that something came into Ephesus here something unexpectedly in many ways in the world's eyes
that brought people together then and something that in our own day and age
we long to see breaking down barriers
breaking down hostility and bringing people together in our day and it is the gospel
it was the gospel that came to Ephesus that was breaking down hostilities and barriers and bringing people together
and bringing people as it is being built together into a dwelling place for God by the spirit
as verse 22 says
that is what we need today as well
I was speaking to a man this morning
from America
and he stays not far from one of the big cities in America
a city
maybe not the biggest but a population of over 3 million people
in this city
and he was saying
as he was speaking about this city
he spoke of it in this way
the city
is in darkness
the city
is godless
the city is morally corrupt
and immediately as he started speaking in this way
I thought
you are coming at this from a perspective of the Christian
and surely enough
he says
I am a follower of Jesus
and he says
in our church
it is not a big church
by American standards
he says
it is just a small church
of a hundred people
he says
well that is not bad
when we think of that in Scotland
we would love to see
many small churches of a hundred throughout Scotland
but he was saying
we are praying
for that city
that was a powerful reminder to me
and to ourselves
I hope this evening
that God has his people all over the world
we can often feel a burden to pray for others
as if we were the only ones able to pray for them
whether it's our own islands
our nation
or many many parts of the world
but it was a powerful reminder that God has his people
so that even when we are unable
or we don't know what to pray for cities in America
that there are those who do
that there are those who have a burden
for all different parts of the world
it's a reminder to us
that God is at work
that even though there is darkness
all over the world
in many different ways
and in many different places
that God has his praying people
this passage
looking at it from the beginning
it reminds us of God's power to transform
the opening verses
in this chapter
speak of the very fact
that the people were dead
in trespasses and sin
and this is what we see
all around us in so many places
but then you have these great words
of verse 4
but God
being rich in mercy
because of his great love
with which he loved us
even when we were dead
in our trespasses
made us alive
together with Christ
by grace
you have been saved
and that's what this man said
about the city
it needs the grace
of God
and that is what
our world needs
that is what we need
for hostility
and barriers
to be broken down
but it's the grace
that is available
it is a grace
that God
still offers
to people
this day
as well
in a day
and age
where the gospel
seems
to so many
as a barrier
to inclusiveness
and equality
these words
that we hear
so often
that people
are seeking after
an inclusive world
a world of equality
we actually see
it in the gospel
and people
don't want
to look there
but the gospel
is seen by so many
as a barrier
and almost
as a means
of division
but we are reminded
again and again
that it is the gospel
that transforms
it's the gospel
that brings
equality
that the gospel
brings
inclusiveness
to the world
in which we live
as people
are brought
to be
in Christ
as Paul speaks
of here
the outworking
of that
is not
an exclusive
group
and we should
never see
ourselves
in that way
that we are
an elite group
an exclusive
group
but an
inclusive
group
for anyone
who believes
in Christ
who is
saved
they are
speaking here
of being
built
together
as one
body
and it was
something
marvellous
about sitting
at the Lord's
table together
to just
look around
and see
the variety
of people
there
and we long
to see
where even
more variety
of people
people from
every walk
of life
people from
different parts
of the world
coming together
delighting
and rejoicing
in the salvation
that there is
through Christ
at the cross
there are three
things I want us
just to think
of this evening
from this passage
as we come away
from the weekend
and as we go ahead
in the days
before us
as well
as we look
to God's
blessing
three things
we see
Paul outlined
here for the
church
at Ephesus
reminders
of God's
power
in their midst
the first thing
is the
remembrance
that they
have
and the second
thing is
the reconciliation
that they see
and the third
thing is
the rebuilding
that is going
on
remembrance
reconciliation
and rebuilding
so we begin
with
remembrance
as Paul
has written
in the
beginning
of this
chapter
the fact
that we
were dead
in our
trespasses
and sins
but made
alive
by the
grace
of God
and we
are made
in this
way
as he
says
in verse
10
for
God's
workmanship
created
in Christ
Jesus
for good
works
which God
prepared
beforehand
that we
should walk
in them
that we
have a
purpose
in life
then he
goes on
in verse
11
he says
therefore
remember
that at
one time
you Gentiles
in the
flesh
called
the
uncircumcision
remember
that you
were at
that time
separated
from
Christ
remembering
isn't
always
easy
for us
in the
sense of
looking
back
in life
and
the
mixed
emotions
that we
can
have
in our
memories
and our
remembrances
of times
in the
past
remembering
is a good
thing at
times when we
recollect
happy things
that from
the past
we remember
and celebrate
different occasions
in our
life
but remembering
is sometimes
a painful
thing
for us
too
but here
Paul is
calling the
people
to remember
in the
sense of
rejoicing
it's
remembering
here
the sense
of
thankfulness
and above
all that the
Lord
has remembered
us
and how
do we
see that
well we
see it
in this
way here
where he's
saying remember
that at
one time
remember
in the
past that
you were
at that
time
separated
from Christ
alienated
from the
commonwealth
of Israel
strangers
to the
covenant
of promise
having no
hope
and without
God
in the
world
it's a
grim
picture in
so many
ways
remember
that there
was a
time
when this
was you
because in
so remembering
we remember
too that
in our
day
that when
this is
the case
we think
well what
can change
what can
make a
difference
just like
that man
from America
was saying
you know
he's saying
how godless
that city
was or is
at this
time
but it's
nothing new
to god
it's
nothing
that god
hasn't
seen
already
in this
world
it's
nothing
that god
hasn't
made a
difference
in this
world
with before
Ephesus
Corinth
you go
back
to the
old
testament
you think
of
Jonah
going
to
Nineveh
it was
a
godless
city
and yet
so quickly
the grace
of god
transformed
it
so how
often do
we remember
what god
has done
for us
we are
told as
we were
told as
we took
communion
at the
weekend
do this
in remembrance
of me
how we
gone on
in this
week
continuing
to remember
and to give
thanks
to god
for what
he has
done
for us
in christ
continuing
to remember
the body
and blood
of our
lord jesus
christ
so much
of what
we read
here in
ephesians
continues
to remember
what has
taken place
by christ
at the
cross
you see
it
here as
he speaks
of the
blood
of christ
in verse
it's verse
13 but
but now
in christ
jesus you
who were
once far
off have
been brought
near by
the blood
of christ
it is
something that
has made
such a
difference
for us
that is
what we
remembered
at the
weekend
what we
have in
christ
it's so
important for
us to
take that
time to
stop and
look back
and we
can look
in our
own lives
and see
how alienated
we were
as well
how we
were strangers
to the
covenant
promise
having no
hope and
without god
it's important
for us
to remember
these things
and as we
do it
still reminds
us of the
faithfulness
of god
we were
reminded of
that on
friday night
in the
service
god's
faithfulness
even the
midst of
our own
unfaithfulness
there's a
man called
frederick marsh
he was a
christian writer
in the
19th and
to the
20th century
and he
spoke of
this way
of how the
christian
should always
look back
in a sense
in life
at times
because as
you look
back he
said you
see the
deliverance
that the
lord has
done for
us
you see
the way
that he
has led
us
you see
the blessings
he has
bestowed on
us
you see
the victories
he has
won for
us
you see
the
encouragements
he has
given
us
it's a
good thing
to look
back and
even remember
many of the
hard times
and yet
still see
god's
faithfulness
he said
he went on
to say
we sometimes
forget god's
past faithfulness
we only
see the
detours
and the
dangerous
paths
but look
back and
you will
see also
the joy
of victory
you will
see the
challenge
of the
climb
you will
see the
presence
of your
traveling
companion
who has
promised
never to
leave you
or forsake
you
would you
be here
tonight
if it
were not
for the
grace of
god
would your
hearts
desire to
be here
tonight
be still
there without
the grace
of god
it's the
grace of
god that
brings us
from death
to life
it's the
grace of
god that
gives us
hope
in this
world
it is
the grace
of god
that makes
all the
difference
for us
and we
thank god
for that
in verse
four of
this chapter
it says
but god
there was the
difference
the grace
of god
you notice
the same
word used
in verse
13
but again
but now
in christ
jesus
you who
were once
far off
have been
brought near
by the
blood of
christ
isn't it a
wonderful thing
to be able to
remember
what god has
done
for us
far off
but brought
near
through
his blood
it's
important
for us
to remember
but then
we see
secondly
the
reconciliation
here
paul's day
as we said
was a day
of much
hostility
and that
hostility
ran deep
especially
between jew
and gentile
speaks here
of the
circumcision
and the
uncircumcision
there was a
tension
among these
people
the jews
in many
ways
saw
themselves
better
than the
gentiles
and the
gentiles
they really
hated
the jews
they didn't
want to
mix
but in
verse 16
of this
passage
we are
told there
and might
reconcile us
both to
god in
one body
through
the cross
thereby
killing
the hostility
it is the
cross that
is central
to breaking
down this
hostility
to restoring
relationships
among people
being reconciled
to god
as one
looking to
jesus
as one
people
wherever you
are from
whatever
background you
have we
can come
to the
cross and
see that
christ died
for sinners
of all
kinds
paul in
writing to
the
corinthians
he speaks
of it
in this
way as
they were
ambassadors
for christ
he says
we are
therefore
christ's
ambassadors
as though
god were
making his
appeal
through us
we implore
you on
christ's
behalf
be
reconciled
to god
it is
this great
need of
the world
to be
reconciled
to god
because it's
the only
way
and out
of this
hostility
and this
wickedness
that is in
the world
speaks here
of thereby
killing
the hostility
this tension
that existed
between the
gentiles and
the jew
it is put
to death
through the
cross
because it
brings people
together
he says
then in
verse 17
that he
came and
preached
peace
to you
who were
far off
talking to
the gentiles
they seem
to be
far away
from god
but he
also says
that he
was
preaching
peace
to those
who were
near
those who
were near
to god
the jews
they still
needed this
gospel
because they
weren't there
yet
and the
cross
is the
common
thing
for them
both
the cross
where christ
died
for our
sins
and that
is what he
is offering
to the
people of
ephesus
that's what
the world
needs to
hear today
the gospel
of christ
who came
to break
down these
barriers
to bring
people
together
as one
body
what one
thing
could you
offer today
that would
bring peace
to this
world
we don't
have the
answers
in so
many ways
and yet
we do
we have
the gospel
but people
will not
listen
there was
a welsh
missionary
he was
called
robert
jermaine
thomas
he was
the son
of a
minister
and from
a very
young age
he had a
real burden
for mission
he went
to china
and then
from china
he went
to korea
he was
only in
his mid
twenties
and as
he went
to korea
he went
there to
distribute
bibles
to the
people
there
and he
was on
this ship
going up
a river
in korea
and they
were stopping
in different
places
seeking to
to bring
the bible
to different
people
there
but there
was a fear
as they were
on the ship
going up the
river that the
river was
getting shallower
and that the
ship would
ground but they
kept going
and they were
meeting more
and more
hostility
and eventually
the ship
did ground
and on the
shoreline they
could see a
number of
people a
large number
of people
but what
happened was
through the
orders of
the government
people were
ordered to
kill everyone
on that
ship
there was a
fear of
what they were
bringing to
the korean shores
to the people
there they
were afraid
of what they
were hearing
about this
gospel
but it's
said that
robert
thomas he
managed
to swim
to shore
and he
managed to
take with
him a
number of
bibles
and as he
reached the
shore he
was met
with hostility
and he
was on his
knees before
the man who
was just
about to
shoot him
and instead
of pleading
for his
life
what he
did was
he held
out a
copy of
the bible
and he
pleaded
with him
to receive
it
now it's
said that
that is
how the
word of
god came
into that
area of
korea
it wasn't
wanted by
everyone
but one
copy at
least made
it to
people
and people
started to
see this
word and
take an
interest in
the word
of god
and now
many people
who come
from korea
today they'll
want to
visit wales
and the
village where
robert was
born because
they recognized
the sacrifice
that he made
in bringing
the gospel
to them
is that
what we
would do
is that
what we
are willing
to do
when we
live in a
hostile
world
when we
see all
that's
going on
around us
it doesn't
have to
be a
big city
of millions
in america
that's godless
and needs
the grace
of god
our own
town our
villages
need the
grace of
god
they need
the gospel
they need
this hope
of reconciliation
and that is
what we have
to offer
the reconciliation
that is
found in
christ he
has come
to be
our peace
and destroy
the barrier
the dividing
wall of
hostility
we pray
for
reconciliation
in our
town in our
villages
that the
power of
god and
his word
would bear
fruit
third and
final thing
we see
here though
is the
sense of
rebuilding
that is
going on
in verse
19 and
say so
then you
are no
longer
strangers
and aliens
but you
are fellow
citizens
with the
saints
and members
of the
household
of god
built on
the foundation
of the
apostles and
prophets
christ jesus
himself
being the
cornerstone
we are no
longer
foreigners
and aliens
but fellow
citizens
this breaking
down of
hostility
it brings
people
together
the kingdom
of god
is coming
and the
rebuilding
work is
ongoing
and as
his kingdom
comes in
our midst
we see
it little
by little
bit by
bit the
house is
being built
god is
calling his
people to
himself
not just
here but
all over
the world
god is
the gospel
of god
is bearing
fruit
the lord's
people
there is a
blessing in
belonging as
we see
here and
it's such an
encouragement
and it's
wonderful to
see and to
hear as we've
rejoiced in a
new member
ourselves this
week we
rejoice as we
hear that there
are people who
are longing and
deciding after
christ
rejoice that god
is working
in our midst
and we pray
that the
rebuilding would
go on
that god
would continue
to come
in power
that we
would see
the gospel
bearing so
much fruit
in her
midst
we are
reminded here
of the power
of the gospel
in him
you are also
being built
together
we are all
part of
this
whenever a
major
building work
is going to
be done
it'll go out
to tender
so that
people
or companies
can bid
on it
but it's
interesting when
you look at
the tenders
and the
bids that
come in
which one
is accepted
do they
look at
the quality
do they
look at
how long
it may
last
or do
they look
at the
price
so often
it's a
sense of
the cheapest
offer
wins
no matter
the risks
that there
are
no matter
that it
may be
done
cheaply
that shortcuts
may be
had
it's just
the short
term view
that is
in mind
what is
the cheapest
way for
us to
get the
job done
but we've
heard the
saying so
often
buy cheap
pay dear
but when
you look at
the way the
household of
God is
being built
you recognise
no shortcuts
have been
taken
it's not
about the
cheapest
option
it's not
about a
short term
fix
the greatest
price of
all has
been paid
and the
Lord
himself
is at
the heart
of it
it is
he
that is
the
cornerstone
Christ
himself
being
the
cornerstone
and what
we remembered
at the
weekend
was
the price
that has
been paid
for your
salvation
and mine
the greatest
price of
all has
been paid
Christ
has given
his life
for sinners
the greatest
sacrifice
of love
ever given
no short
term
in mind
but eternity
in mind
for his
kingdom
is one
that will
last
forever
and that
is what
we have
in Christ
that is
our
security
that is
what our
salvation
is built
on
not us
not our
works
but what
Christ
has done
for us
we
were
far
off
we
were
strangers
to the
covenant
of promise
we were
ones
with no
hope
and without
God
in the
world
but now
in Christ
Jesus
you who
were once
far off
have been
brought near
by the
blood
of Christ
he has
paid
the price
for us
that is
what
we rejoice
in
and as
we rejoice
in that
as we
see our
security
in that
our
desire
should be
with Paul
as he
wrote to
the
Corinthians
to making
his
appeal
through us
we implore
you
in Christ
on Christ's
behalf
be
reconciled
to God
the day
in which
we live
is a day
that seems
so dark
and godless
in so
many places
and in
so many
ways
but we
have God
on our
side
and he
is building
his kingdom
we praise
him it's not
just one
here and
there
but he has
many people
who are coming
to salvation
in him
and trusting
in him
and we
pray that
cities
huge cities
throughout the
world
will know
the grace
of God
we pray
that towns
and villages
will know
the grace
of God
we pray
that people
near and
far
will know
the saving
grace
of God
and rejoice
in him
we have
much
to be
thankful
for
we look
back
and we
give thanks
for his
goodness
to us
in so
many ways
but let
us keep
looking forward
with a
sense of
praise
and expectation
and joy
that he is
building
his house
that he is
bringing
people in
and that
Christ
is the
cornerstone
of it
all
may God
bless
his word
to us
we'll sing
to God's
praise