EIGHTH AND
Sermon Helpers
Sermon
Helpers for
Our
passage for this week is Ephesians 2:11-22
To
really appreciate this passage we need to know something about the
Jewish/Gentile tensions that existed in the time.
Can you
think of an example today that might be similar to the attitudes that existed
between Jews and Gentiles in that time?
Paul
uses terms like “us” and “you” rather frequently in this passage. But then eventually expresses “we” -- 18 Through him [Jesus] we both
have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Our
passage today has another “BEFORE” and “AFTER” section and then follows up with
a “SO WHAT.” Each section is clearly
introduced by…
[BC] “Remember that formerly…” (11)
[AD] “But now…” (13)
[SO WHAT?] “Consequently…” (19)
[B.C.] 11Therefore,
remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called
"uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the
circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)—
12remember that at that time
you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and
foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the
world.
Is Paul engaging in name calling here?
What was life like for the Gentiles before they came to know
Christ?
What was your life like before you knew Christ?
How important do you think it is to remember former
things? How about negative former
things? Does this relate to Paul’s words
in Philippians 3? Phil 3:13 …one
thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the
prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
[A.D.] 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought
near through the blood of Christ. 14 For he
himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier,
the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law
with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one
new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to
reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their
hostility. 17 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 access to the Father by one Spirit.
Can you list the blessings that came into these people’s
lives because of Christ?
Can you list the blessing that have come into your life
because of Christ?
Are there any “dividing walls of hostility” in our world, in
our time?
[SO WHAT?] 19 Consequently, you are no longer
foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of
God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is
joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And
in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives
by his Spirit.
Paul uses several word pictures to describe the “so what” of
the passage. The Gentiles (we) are now…
Fellow Citizens
Members of the
Family
Part of the
Which of these is most meaningful to you? Why?
Are there individuals or groups or cultures that you simply
don’t like?
Are there people from cultures that
you don’t appreciate and/or wouldn’t be willing to worship with? What does God think about that?
For
the week of
Our scripture for this week will be
Ephesians 2:1-10.
It’s a “before,” “after” and “how”
passage. A description of a person’s
life...
1. Before
Christ (can we say our own "BC"?) vv
1-3
2.
After God's work, through Christ (our "AD"--anno domini, in
the year of our Lord) vv 4-7
3. How
it all came about (God's grace through faith.) vv
8-10
= = = =
1. BC = 1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and
sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and
of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those
who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one
time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires
and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
Do
you know anyone who is captivated by the world's culture and values?
Do
you know anyone who is a slave of the Devil?
Do
you know anyone who is unhealthily controlled by "fleshly" or carnal
desires?
Have
you ever thought of someone as being "the object of God's
wrath"?
How
would that make you feel if it was all about you?
2. AD = 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich
in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in
transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with
Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order
that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,
expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
What
are some of the qualities of God that are mentioned in this passage?
Which
of the two descriptions (BC or AD) is more attractive to you?
3. How it all came about: 8For it is by grace you have been
saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not
by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
The
Psalmist prayed I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin
against you. Ephesians 2:8-10 might
be worth treasuring up in your heart.
How many times would you need to repeat the words of vv 8-10 to “hide
them in your heart”? Maybe you'll want to change the "you" and
"we" to "I" and "me" to make it more personal –
For
it is by grace I have been saved, through faith —and
this
not from myself, it is the gift of God
—not
by works, so that no one can boast.
For I am God's workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for me to do.
--Ephesians 2:8-10 (adapted)
Review
Paul begins his letter to the Ephesians with a
seven-fold baruch— “Blessed
be God…, who has blessed us in
Christ with every spiritual blessing”
(1:3 –RSV). We’ve thought about these
for several Sundays. I’ve tried to
summarize them with very brief (and incomplete) words as follows: We are…
1.
2.
Adopted
3.
Redeemed
4.
Forgiven
5.
Saved
6.
Guaranteed
(sealed) by the Holy Spirit
7.
Given “the Bible”
For this Week (March 8-14)
The last part of Ephesians chapter one is a prayer for the church (vv 15-23).
Giving Thanks…
Question: If you were giving thanks to God for some good things
about the church in
Question: What did Paul mention about the church to which he
was writing (vv 15 & 16)?
Text: 15For this
reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for
all the saints, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers.
Question: What
motivated Paul to pray for these people?
Extra Credit Question: Paul has a
triad (three associated words) that he frequently uses to describe some very
basic Christian qualities. He mentions
two of them in this passage. 1) Which
one is missing? 2) Do you think he
simply overlooked it? [Note: If you don’t get the answer after thinking
about it for a while, there are a couple of hints at the bottom of the page]
Praying For…
Question: If you were praying for God to “enlighten the eyes of
our hearts” what things or
areas might you suggest for our improved spiritual vision?
Question: What did Paul pray, for the Ephesians (vv 17-19a)?
Text:
17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that
you may know him better. 18I pray also that the eyes of your heart
may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called
you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his
incomparably great power for us who believe.
Question: How
would you change if you knew someone was praying this prayer for you every day
for one week?
Question: What
is the meaning of , the riches of his glorious inheritance in
the saints (v 18b)? Notice that it
is NOT “our glorious inheritance as saints”
Eruption of Praise:
Paul
concludes this section with another little “fireworks display” of praise (vv
19b – 23).
Text: 19 …That power is
like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in
Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the
heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and
dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but
also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet
and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which
is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Question: How
well do we, as a congregation, respect Christ as head over everything for the church, far above all rule and authority,
power and dominion, and every title that can be given?
Question: How about you
personally? Are there areas of your life
that are not under the dominion, power and authority of Christ?
Hints:
Hint
# 1) See 1
Corinthians 13:13; Colossians 1:5; etc. for examples.
Hint
# 2) Don’t
forget verse 18 of our passage from Ephesians 1.
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