Sermon Tone Analysis

Subject: Church Unity                                                                        Preaching Portion: Ephesians 2:17-22

Theme:                                                                                                  Sermonic Process: Exposition

!

Intro.:

1. Pop Psychology   – like troubled… group support

 

!!! 2.

 

*1.

Drawn Together                 *A.

*Preaching Peace – A different kind of World* *– v 17*

*17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

*

U       MacArthur Pg 76

U       ~*~*A World messing with their minds – beer ads promoting infidelity (against God’s laws), violence (against God’s law and image)

U        Gentiles – secular people - polytheistic, no-standards (FAR AWAY) – work, neighbourhood, in our families

U       Jews – faith people – law, rites, rituals (NEAR)

U       Peace of a crucified Christ

*Col 3:15*

*15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.

And be thankful.*

B.

*Drawn to the Father **– v 18*

*18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.*

U       We are gathered in Christ brought to the Father, by one Spirit.

U       Trinity involved – IMPORTANT!

(like the Combined board this a.m.)

*John 10:28-30*

*28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.

29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.

30 I and the Father are one."*

* *

*/DRAWN  TO?/*

*2.

United in the Kingdom                                    *

v. 19a Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people

U       ~*~* Ever been to a foreign country or situation (money, values, language)

– Chinese market, Watford (anyone sing a wrong verse?)

*Phil 3:19-20a*

*19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame.

Their mind is on earthly things.

20 But our citizenship is in heaven.*

U       No 2nd class citizens

U       Rights, privileges, duties

U       Priesthood of all Believers

*1 Peter 2:5*

*you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood,**-**/CONSCRIPTION ALL CALLED!/*

U       Constitution, taxes, leadership

o        Citizenship in Christ, obedience to him

* *

*3.

United as God’s Family    *

v 19b and members of God's household.

U       ~*~* Lend your car to your to a guy you bump into?

U       Closer than citizens.

~*~* Watford revisited…

U       Family tables

*1 Tim 5:1-2*

*5:1Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father.

Treat younger men as brothers, 2older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

*

* *

Eph 1:4-6

*For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will- 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.*

* *

U       ~*~*God hand picks his children unlike us….

Though…

U       Privileges as family

U       Care of family

U       Love of family

o        New Babes in Christ, those just baptized, our children

o        ~*~*Brother, sisters, fathers, uncles, moms – Holiday – bond

§         Brothers and Sisters in Christ deeper than blood.

*4.

United as God’s Temple   *

v Eph 2:20-22

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.

U       Priesthood of all believers corporately forming the temple of God.

1 Peter 2:4-5

*4As you come to him, the living Stone-rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him- 5you also, like living stones, are /being built into a spiritual house/ to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.*

U       Duties as Priests

U       Foundation in Christ

 *1 Cor 3:9-11*

*9For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

*

*10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it.

But each one should be careful how he builds.

11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.*

o        Apostle’s teaching

o        Only on Christ

U        Babel Tower to God – Temple… tower of God

U       Dwelling place of God

 

*2 Cor 6:16*

*16What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?

For we are the temple of the living God.

As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."

*

U       *O~/T promise – NT Realization*

U       *Do stones pull away from their duty*

U       *Do stones leap frog themselves*

U       *THEY SUPPORT!!*

 

Application:

1)       Remember co-workers, family and friends who need Christ need the message of Peace – Christ crucified

2)       We are united as citizens – same duty to fight for your countrymen, exercise our privileges and except our duties.

3)       When we think of our families (blood relations) we need to remember that we, as children of Christ, are closer to our fellow believers and need to exercise our family responsibilities

4)       We must maintain our priestly duties as members, both individually and corporately as the Temple of God.