Faith

Immeasurably More // The Book of Ephesians: God’s Dwelling

Ephesians 2:11-22 (NLT)

“Don’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 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. But 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. For 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. He 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. Together 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. He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.”

1. Jesus is Our Unifying Center Point

Ephesians 2:14 (AMP)

“For He Himself is our peace and our bond of unity. He who made both groups — [Jews and Gentiles]— into one body and broke down the barrier, the dividing wall of spiritual antagonism between us.”

2. You’ve Been Reconciled to be a Reconciler

2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (ESV)

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

3. When We’re Unified, God’s Character and Nature is Declared to the Whole World

1 Peter 2:4-5,9-10 (ESV)

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and

precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a

holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. But

you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own

possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of

darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s

people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Psalm 133:1-3 (ESV)

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.

We are called to declare the Goodness of God’s character to the whole world through our unity and love for one another.

Question: In what ways can you actively live out your calling as a reconciler and ambassador for Christ in our daily lives, so that our unity declares God's goodness to the world?