Remember Who You Were
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
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Emotion
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Language
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Social
Intro
Intro
When you don’t get a joke.
When you don’t get a joke because it’s an inside joke.
When you are left out of a joke
Experiencing personal alienation
Friends
Family
Coworkers
In the church
The Jews were an odd people in the ancient world
The Jews were an odd people in the ancient world
Sabbath observance
Practice Circumcision
Food restrictions (pork)
Worship of a single deity (non-iconic)
Following of Torah (law)
Torah was as a mark of Jewish national pride that separated them from the gentile nations
In fact, in the Greco-Roman world, it was the Jews who were in conflict with the rest of the world that cause hostility between the Jews and other nations.
Pious Jews in Jesus’ day considered Gentiles (non-Jews) to be unclean—can’t touch them or eat with them.
The Text
Hostility ILL: Jonah—the Jewish people really did not like the other nations and the feeling was mutual.
In our text today, Paul is writing to non-Jewish people, the Gentiles, to encourage them to remember who they were united with the Jews in God’s Kingdom.
Paul wants them to remember the great gift they received.
The Text — 4 things to remember
The Text — 4 things to remember
You were (11-13a) (Keyword: Remember)
I. You were (11-13a)
Gentiles (not Israel) [out of the kingdom] 11a
So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh...
So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands.
ephesians 2:11
Uncircumcised [out of the covenant] 11b
Uncircumcised [out of the covenant] 11b
So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands.
So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands.
Without Christ (YHWH) [out of the family] 12a
Without Christ (YHWH) [out of the family] 12a
Without Christ (YHWH) [out of the family] 12a
At that time you were without Christ…
At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.
Foreigners 12b
Ephesians 212
At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.
Foreigners 12b
Far away [way out…] 13a
At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.
Far away [way out…]
But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
To be a Gentile made you far away from God because
1) They lacked the blessing of the knowledge of God (learning the Bible)
2) They lacked a community context that centered on God (church worship attendance)
Implications—remember so as not to take for granted
Implications—remember so as not to take for granted
THESE 4 THINGS WE NEED TO REMEMBER —
Kingdom: Having a desire for spirituality. (Spiritually Dead)
(CSB)
Circumcision: Desire for deep/covenant or relationships. (Enmity with God)
UNITY IN CHRIST
Circumcision: Desire for deep/covenant or relationships.
11 12 At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Without Christ: Desire for family. (Estranged from God)
Foreigners: It’s just too hard (Far From God)
(Maybe you’re here today and you feel like a foreigner—there’s just too much to change to become a Christian…)
If you believe you’re close to God, you’re actually the furthest away.
Application
Application
No loss of love between competing groups
Hatfields and McCoys
Christians and protestants
Muslims and Coptics
The Jews considered the Gentiles little better than animals.
Gentiles resented the Jews for their smug religious superiority.
But here in Ephesians, Paul told the Gentile Christians to remember what it felt like to be treated that way, to be seen as unworthy outsiders.
The Jews considered the Gentiles little better than animals, and the Gentiles resented the Jews for their smug religious superiority. But here in Ephesians, Paul told the Gentile Christians to remember what it felt like to be treated that way, to be seen as unworthy outsiders … and he told them not to return the favor. He called on them to remember where (and what) they were when God found them: separated from Christ, excluded from his promises, without hope and without God. A bleak picture indeed—but God changed all that by his mercy. Therefore, all Christians (including us) should extend that grace to others, even former antagonists. Think what would happen to conflicts in the church—conflicts over money, race, music, personality, etc.—if we took Paul’s admonition to heart. Let it start with you.
He told them not to return the favor.
He called on them to remember where (and what) they were when God rescued them—separated from Christ, excluded from his promises, without hope and without God.
A bleak picture, but God changed all of that by his mercy.
Therefore, we should extend that grace to others. — We’re not to be like the Jews who saw themselves as superior to others.
Grace for those of other religions
Grace for those who have sexual and gender preferences that we disagree with
Grace for those who have committed…
sexual sins
had abortions
been drug or alcohol abusers
Grace for those who hate Christians, Jesus, and Christianity
Atheists, Agnostics, and so on
We have to remember that God loved us when we were so, when we were in rebellion
we are called to love others no matter how bad we think they are.
Block party October 26th
Bruce B. Barton and Philip Wesley Comfort, Ephesians, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1996), 51.
What are you going to do when the community comes in?
What are you going to do when two men show up as a couple?
What are you going to do with someone who shows up and has been drinking or is on drugs?
What are you going to do with the poor and the homeless who may just be there for a meal?
What are you going to do with those from our community who are spiritually destitute and can only look in from the outside?
Will you remember where you came from?
Will you love them with Christ’s love?
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
I pray you will.