Bible Study 23rd May, 2008

 

Ephesians Ch. 2 vs. 11 to 22

Without Christ – vs. 11-12

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.

Ephesians 2:11-12 (NIV)

Paul writes about two groups of People here. Who are the two groups?

• Jews and Gentiles, circumcised and uncircumcised

What was the attitude of Jews to Gentiles in Paul’s day?

• Great hostility – they were lost, they were pagans,
  separated from Christ
  excluded from citizenship amongst the Jews,
  outside the scope of God’s promises,
  foreigners, aliens, without hope in the world and without God.

What God did – vs. 13-18

¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away
have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
¹⁴For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one
and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
¹⁵by 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, ¹⁶and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,
by which he put to death their hostility.
¹⁷He came and preached peace to you who were far away
and peace to those who were near.
¹⁸For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Ephesians 2:13-18 (NIV)

What has Christ done for the Gentiles, the outsiders?

• Brought them near [v. 13]
• Destroyed the barrier and made the two one [v. 14]
• Abolished the law with its rules, rituals and regulations [v. 15]
• Has made peace with the Gentiles [v. 15]
• Reconciled both Jew and Gentile to God
  and given access to the Father [vs. 16 & 18]
• Brought peace to both Jew and Gentile
  (those far away and those who were near) [v. 17]

From this list what is the key thing that Christ has done?

• He has abolished the law with its rules, rituals and regulations [v. 15]
  The law was the great barrier that Christ destroyed,
  it included circumcision, animal sacrifices, etc.

 

How Has Christ achieved all this?

• The blood of Christ [v. 13]
• By the offering of his body, his flesh [v. 15]
• By the cross [v. 16]
• By his preaching [v. 17]
• By his resurrection and ascension? [v. 18]

What two meanings do you think are possible
                for the word “body” in verse 16?

• Christ’s own body
• The Church – the Body of Believers

What they are in Christ vs. 19-22

¹⁹Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens,
but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household,
²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
²¹In him the whole building is joined together
and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
²²And in him you too are being built together
to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22 (NIV)

What Difference has our Lord Jesus made to Gentile believers?

• Fellow citizens with God’s people [v. 19]
• Members of God’s household [v. 19]
• Built on the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets [v. 20]
• Built on Jesus Christ the chief cornerstone [v. 20]
• Joined together with, and by, Christ
  in the building of a holy Temple [v. 21]
• Built together as one building, one church,
  in which God lives by His Spirit [v. 22]

 

Respond

In paul’s eyes we would be Gentiles.

All that Paul speaks of here is available to us.

Do we rejoice daily in all that Christ has gained for us
                by his death on the cross and the shedding of his precious blood?

 

What is it that binds believers together as the Church?

• The saving sacrifice upon the cross of Calvary
• The holy Spirit who works within us.
• It should not be friendship, fellowship or common doctrinal positions
  as important as these are.

How do we deal with our prejudices
                and accept outsiders into the fellowship of our church?

• We must not be judgmental and critical
• We must be loving and accepting.
• We must not put up barriers when
  Christ is in the business of breaking barriers down

What sort of barriers do we erect?

• Insisting that our traditional style of worship is the only valid one
• Expecting outsiders and visitors to conform to our patterns