She Reads Truth: EphesiansSample

Ephesians 2:11-22 | God’s People: Separated but Brought Near by the Blood

We live in a world of separation. Money, race, gender, religion, nationality, education, socioeconomic status..... I could go on and on. When Paul wrote Ephesians, one of the big separating wall of that time was religion: Jews and Gentiles. He lays out the facts for the Gentiles, prior to Christ, when bound by the exclusion, set forth by Jewish law.

The facts: (v. 12)
separate from Christ
excluded from citizenship in Israel
foreigners to the covenants of the promise
without hope and without God in the world

Separate. Excluded. Foreigner. Without hope + without God.

These words are harsh, and they are true if were not for the redeeming blood of Christ.

It is through Christ that these groups that define us, define us no more. (v. 14)
It is through Christ that the walls are removed. (v. 14)
It is through Christ, hostility is removed and replaced with peace. (v. 16-17)
It is through Christ that we are no longer separated from God: we have access to the Father. (v. 18)

Remember His promise: through Christ, you are no longer a stranger, no longer a foreigner, but a member of His household. Christ has paid the price, so that you could be made new.

• Write down walls that you see and perhaps abide by in your life?
  
• 1 Samuel 16:7b says: The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." [NIV]
  
• In what ways can we exercise the discipline of looking at the heart instead of appearances?
  
• Take time to ask God to tear down the walls our culture has built. Ask Him to show you ways that you can bring these walls of separation down, and replaced by His peace and unity.
  
• We are easily bound by the lies of our past. Remember to cling to His promises: He is using you, regardless, in spite of, and through your past!
  

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