Sunday, December 21, 2014 pm
STUDIES IN EPHESIANS (11)
Fellow Citizens
Ephesians 2:19-22
Tonight we continue our study of the book of Ephesians.
Thus far in this chapter we have addressed the grace of God and
our faith responding to that grace.
Following this, Paul sought to emphasize that this salvation is
available to all –both Gentile and Jew.
He did this by noting how the Gentiles were brought near by the
blood of Christ and the wall of separation was broken down. (vs. 11-18)
Paul’s point is to emphasize our need for unity – we are one
body.
In
our text this evening we will see some descriptions that Paul uses to
show this unity.
a.
Strangers and foreigners is a reference to the Gentiles who were once “aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel.” For
our purpose, it is to say that they were without Christ.
ANYONE (of accountable age) who has not obeyed the gospel is a foreigner
to God.
b.
Fellow citizens
– the idea of citizens is to be members of a particular state
(government).
This expression implies:
There was IN EXISTENCE as Paul wrote the kingdom of God.
Col. 1:13 finds Paul saying that we have been conveyed into the
kingdom of Christ.
Christ had given to His apostles “the keys to the kingdom of heaven” and
they had used them to open it up for mankind.
(Matt. 16:19)
They were all equal in this kingdom! “Fellow citizens” is one
word meaning the same or equal citizenship.
c.
Saints are
holy ones or those set apart.
Under the Old Covenant, the Jews were God’s sanctified people,
but not now. ALL can now be
His chosen people – cf. Rom. 2:28-29 – circumcision of the heart.
In the New Testament, “saints” was a reference to all who are saved
-
1 Cor. 1:2 -
“To the church
of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus,
called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of
Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:”;
2 Cor. 1:1, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and
Timothy our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth, with all
the saints who are in all Achaia:”
Phil. 1:1, saints, bishops and deacons.
Within the book of Ephesians they are mentioned some 9 times, eg. Eph.
1:1, “to the saints who are in Ephesus.”
Eph. 4:12, 6:18, etc.
– not a special
beatified class chose by rules that are nowhere found in scripture.
d.
Paul’s point in this
description is they are all one now (cf. Gal. 3:27-29).
a.
Another description
tying them together – they are members of the same family.
b.
NOT second class – such
as slaves and servants or visitors, but FAMILY!
c.
We are all children of
God – John 1:12, Romans 8:16-17 – we are children of God and therefore
heirs.
Phil. 2:15 describes us as “children of God without fault in the midst
of a crooked and perverse generation.”
1 John 3:1 says, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed
on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world
does not know us, because it did not know Him.”
1 John 5:2, how do we know we are children of God? When we keep His
commandments!
d.
We are brethren – Rom.
12:1, Eph. 6:10, Heb. 3:1 – holy brethren
a.
This is not just any
fraternal organization, this is the church!
b.
Built upon Christ
– Matt. 16:18, “upon this rock I will build my Church.”
Eph. 1:22-23 – He is head of His body, the church.
1 Corinthians 3:11 tells us there is no other foundation than Jesus.
Acts 4:12 Peter states that there is no other name under heaven given
among men by which we must be saved.
He is the “chief cornerstone” – a building term describing the stone
laid first in a corner upon which the rest of the house would be built.
EVERYTHING built and measured thereafter used that corner to
erect the structure. In other
passages, Jesus is also described as “The chief cornerstone” – Luke
12:17, Acts 4:11,
1 Peter 2:4-8 – all these are based upon Psalm 118:22 (see also
Isa. 28:16).
c.
Built upon His word –
The foundation of the apostles and prophets is a reference to His word.
The apostles were the ones who opened the kingdom - 1 Cor. 3:9-10
- Paul speaks of himself and others as fellow workers
building with wisdom.
It was the revelation of Jesus Christ that they built with (Gal.
1:11-12, John 14:26, 16:13; Eph. 3:3-5, etc.
The prophets, some during the time of the church (Eph. 4:11, 1 Cor.
12:28, Rom. 12:6) and some from the Old Law (cf. 2 Pet. 1:19-21, 1 Pet.
1:10-12) helped establish that kingdom.
1 Cor. 12:28, Eph. 4:11-12 – notice in these passages how most of what
is described is associated with the revelation of God’s word.
It is HIS word which builds us up (Acts 20:32, “So now,
brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is
able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are
sanctified.”)
d.
Consider also, 2 Peter
3:1–2, “Beloved, I now
write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure
minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which
were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us,
the apostles of the Lord and Savior,”
a.
With Christ as the chief
cornerstone we have this
building - His church
b.
Paul now describes them
as a building – joined together.
Recall the context as one of unity for both Jew and Gentile
alike. In building, the
importance of a blueprint cannot be over emphasized.
IF ALL follow the blue-print, you will get a building that fits
together perfectly.
c.
This is similar to the
analogy of a body – 1 Cor. 12:12-27, Rom. 12:4
d.
The point again is unity
– working together, something that is SO needed!
Paul will emphasize this later in this letter (Eph. 4:1-6).
Unity is also emphasized throughout scripture!
John 13:34-35 (love is about unity); 1 Cor. 1:10, Rom. 12:16,
Phil. 1:27, etc.
a.
WHEN we have unity, it
promotes growth!
b.
Eph. 4:16, “from whom
the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies,
according to the effective working by which every part does its share,
causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
c.
The usage of the term
“temple” seems to imply a place of worship.
Under the Old Law, the temple was where Israel met with God.
IT was where the inner sanctuary that housed the Ark of the
Covenant was permanently located (David & Solomon).
In the psalms it was often referred to as the meeting place of God,
where men worshipped – Psalm 5:7, 11:4, 27:4, 68:29, 138:2, etc.
ONE of the functions of the church is to come together to worship God –
Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 11:17-26,
16:1-2, etc.
We are all priests engaged in this service – 1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-10; Heb.
13:15-16 – we offer sacrifices of praise to Him.
d.
NOTICE that this growth
is “in the Lord” simply meaning it is HIS house or temple.
Let us simply be reminded we must follow His will – Col. 3:17
e.
In whom you also are
being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
WHEN we are united as we ought to be, we have a house where God is
glorified and where He will dwell.
Psalm 133:1 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For
brethren to dwell together in unity!”
in 1 Cor. 3:16-17, Paul says, “Do you not know that you are the
temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone
defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God
is holy, which temple you are.”
When we are NOT what we ought to be, we are in danger of God not being
in our midst (consider the7 churches of Asia)
And
thus we have a picture of what God wants us to be as His church.
There are many applications that could be made based upon these
things. Let us consider our
need to strive to be fellow citizens and members of the household of
God, so that He will gladly dwell in our midst.