Ephesians # 9 Eph 2-14b thru 2-18
We’re still on the book of Ephesians, and we’ll probably be on it for a number of weeks. Last time we we’re on (Eph 2:14), but we didn’t finish with that V, so let’s pick up from there.
I. EPH 2:14
A. 1st of all he says that “He is our peace.”
1. The meaning there is that we are at peace with God.
a. The only way that we could be a peace with God is for us to become righteous.
2. (Isaiah 64:6) Says, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” KJV
a. We couldn’t become righteous.
b. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Says, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” KJV
i. Jesus took our place and we took on His righteousness.
3. Last week we mentioned there was a great Barrier between God and man. You could call it a great wall separating us from God.
a. (Ephesians 2:14) says, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.” KJV
b. Now we can come boldly unto the throne of grace, and find help in a time of need.
B. EPH 2:15
1. In the 1st part of that V where he says, “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity.”
a. The word “Enmity” means “hatred.”
b. There was such tension between us and God.
i. Not that God hated us.
ii. “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in His should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
iii. God loved us, but hated the sin in us.
2. But Jesus abolished or destroyed the sin that was in us.
a. This same V even begins to tell us how Jesus went about to destroyed the sin that were in us.
i. It says that He did it “In the flesh.”
ii. Jesus went to that cross “In the flesh,” in his humanity and paid that price for our sins.
3. In the middle part of (V 15) he says, “Even the law of commandments contained in ordinances.”
a. The “Commandments” spoken here refers to the 10 commandments, and the “Ordinances” here refers to anything from Sacrifices and Sabbaths Days to Hygiene and Feasts.
b. In the book of Colossians we have a V that is very similar to this 1. It also talks about “Ordinances.”
c. Let’s turn there, COL 2:14
i. The “Ordinances” pointed to our sins which were contrary to us, but Jesus took them out of the way.
ii. Our sins were nailed to the cross in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
4. In the end of this V he says, “For to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.”
a. The “Of twain one new man,” refers back to (Vs 11 and 12.)
b. The “Twine” refers to the Jews and the Gentiles.
i. The “1 New Man” refers to the born again man.
ii. Both Jews and Gentiles were in need of salvation, and Jesus did it.
iii. We now have peace with God.
II. EPH 2:16
A. The word “Reconcile” means “To reconcile back again, bring back a former state of harmony.”
1. At 1 time we were spiritually alive unto God, but the time came at a certain age when we knew that something was wrong and we did it any ways.
a. At that time we died spiritually.
b. But this V says that Jesus brought us back again to a place of harmony with God, both Jew and Gentile.
2. Paul uses the phrase, “Having slain the enmity thereby.”
a. The word “Slain” means “To destroy.”
b. The enmity was the sin in our lives that we could not get rid of.
i. Jesus destroyed that sin in our lives and the power that the sin had over us.
B. EPH 2:17-18
1. In (V 17) it says that Jesus “Came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.”
a. When did Jesus come and preach to them? He didn’t.
b. It was 1 of His apostles.
2. With the Jews at this time when you would send someone in your name, it was as good as you doing it.
a. Much more than the way it is now.
i. In Paul’s time, if you sent a servant out to do something for you, people would refer to it as you doing it.
ii. Like building a garage. My servant would be doing it in my name, just as if I was doing it.
b. When we come up to a devil and demand him to go in the name of Jesus, It’s as if Jesus was doing it.
WOLCC Thurs. 4/11/96