Ephesians 2:11-22 Man United

Some nights it doesn't pay to go to sleep, other days it doesn't pay to wake up.
Last night was nasty. Nightmares, back pain from bad posture.
And i just couldn't sleep.

You wake up angry at the world.
Scared about all the things you have to face.
But it's such an overcast beautiful day.
And it's a Saturday, I love Saturdays.

It strikes me how mishaps, steal our joy,
And that is something God never intended for us.
It reminds me that there is evil and darkness out there,
And that our battle is against spiritual forces.

We feel our Joy is stolen because it was,
We feel discontent because this was never intended for us.
It is only through the power of Christ exerted in us, that we can find victory.
Only in Christ can we battle the unseen, Only in Christ are we truly free..

^{Ephesians2:11} Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—¹² remember 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. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

I've seen Paul deal with the Jewish custom of circumcision, which was a symbol of submission to God in a lot of His letters. Paul seems to kinda want to remind the Gentiles that there was a time when they were separate from Christ, without hope and without God. But that in Christ, they have been given that Hope in God through the sacrifice of Christ.

It kind of seems to me like Paul was sticking the lives the Gentiles lived in their face. Saying you would not be here if not for Christ, you would have no God, have no hope... But as one who did not know God myself,  I can't blame Paul. I need to be reminded sometimes that I have been called out of darkness, by no other than the son of God.

^{Ephesians2:14} For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵ by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations.His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 

Jesus has a way of reconciling people like no one else can... simply because he died for us all. And in Him we all have access to God. He really is our peace. I guess Paul was dealing with an issue in the church, where there was hostility between the Jews who were circumcised and came to know Christ, and the Gentiles who were uncircumcised and came to know Christ.

I notice Paul is holding onto this idea, that we have all come to know Christ and are "one new Humanity" in Christ. A new race, a new people, a part of God's kingdom. I love the feeling of peace and hope that comes with that though. If Christ has united us what possible reason can there be for division among us?

And yet we see it everywhere and even in our churches, we don't spend time with people from other back grounds, from other classes. They label us or we label them for their doctrine, or some of the decisions or stands they take. We Gossip about their mistakes. We judge them and condemn them without even realizing it. We treat those who are united with us in Christ as objects of slander, and in doing so we demean and cheapen the sacrifice of Christ. I know this because I have been disciplined by God for doing just these things.

Maybe that's why Paul talked about how the gentiles were saved from hopelessness and brought into such a great hope. To remind us that we were all lost without Christ, and have been brought into such a great salvation that can only bring better things and unite us by Christ.

v16 And in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

It always comes back to the cross. In one body, in one action of sacrifice Jesus bore the wrath of God. What I find amazing is that Paul says he put to death not only sin but the hostility between those who know and do not know God. And God himself came and preached peace, he himself came and paid the paid the price for it. He himself came and gave his life for it.

In an MCR song I like (NANANANA) Gerard way sings, "everybody wants to change the world, but no one wants to die." And he's right we all have a knowledge deep inside us that there is something wrong in the world and we wanna change it, we wanna reconcile it. But none of us is willing to pay the ultimate price for it. Jesus was the only exception.

And through Him we all have access to God by the one Holy Spirit. We're no longer foreigners and strangers to God, but we have become foreigners and strangers to the world. Paul says we are members of his household.

His household, and I remember Jesus says in the Gospel that we are no longer servants but friends. Brother and sisters. Being a friend and member of the family of God.

That kinda makes us princes and princesses... WOW!

Built on the foundation laid by our elders, pastors and leaders. Whose foundations can be traced back to the apostles and prophets and Christ. We share in a royal legacy. In him we are built up together and rise to become a holy temple in God, where God lives by his spirit. Sometimes Paul knows just what to say.

How do I fit in?
I think how i can try and live this is pretty simple. I have to let God show me where I am not fitting into the body by judging people, and alienating myself from them. And let him work and change my heart and mind so I can be transformed by his love, and learn to love them.

In
Christ Jesus,
we
are
all
made
Into one church.
One royal priesthood, brothers,
Sisters, neighbours, and relations.
One Kingdom in God's own Holy Nation.
One in His kingdom, united in freedom.
Citizens of heaven strangers and innocents.
On the foundation of the prophets and priests.
United in he who died to ensure death deceased.
Held by the rock of ages and the king of creation.
The only one and no other, the citizens call father.
Cleaned by blood, fed by the Spirit of God.
To return home is our long awaited reward.
One in the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit.
The church is not a building, if you know him,
You're already in it, and in it we rise on the ones who have gone.
The apostles the prophets and their legacy lives on.
Through the saints the martyrs and us.
Held by the corner stone,
The rock of ages.
Christ Jesus.