Ephesians 2:19-

Chad Myhre

Ephesians • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

Ephesians 2:19–22

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Verse by verse study through Ephesians

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Ephesians 2:19–22 ESV

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

WELCOME GUESTS

Intro:

God is continually defining.. who He is to us..

God is continually, re-emphasizing.. what He has done for us..

And.. w/o fail, God does not cease His communication..

God does not hold back His explanations..

God does not quit His definitions..

Of what we have become in Him..

Over and over again.. the Scriptures are telling us..

That we are privileged..

That we are blessed beyond measure..

That this privilege… is beyond our ability to earn or attain. ++

There’s the old story.. of the elderly couple who were beginning to have some break-downs in their marriage..

And finally, after 60 years of marriage.. the wife looked at the husband and said:

You haven’t told me that you love me, but once in the past 60 years..

To which he replied..

“Nothing’s changed. If it had, I would have let you know.” ++

God’s not like that old man..

God knows the way we are..

He knows.. how forgetful we are..

He knows how easily our understandings get warped.. ++

We get distracted by the ideas which appeal to: our logic, our emotion, our experiences and our feelings..

Our thoughts, our ideas, our motivations… they are fluid.. unstable.. ever-changing.. and circumstance dependent.

Pretty soon, our ideas of “who God is to us”..

begin to change.. ++

Pretty soon, our understanding of “what God has done “for” us..

Begins to change..

Pretty soon..

We even begin to think differently..

About.. what we have become.. “in” Him.. ++

For 60 years.. the relationship between that wife and that husband.. faltered..

Why?

Because she continually re-defined her husband’s love for her.. ++

And at times in their marriage.. I’m sure, she might have concluded..

That he didn’t love her.. ++

At times.. he might do something that reinforces.. that yes.. he does love her.. ++

But.. w/o the reminder from him.. w/o the decisive and determined reinforcements from him..

She began to think wrongly about their relationship, because he thought wrongly about the need to reaffirm his love. ++

For many of us.. that’s what we do with God..

We think wrongly about our relationship with Him..

But God is faithful to do His part..

He’s reminding us.. in His word.. over and over again.. ++

But.. if we’re not in the place where those reminders are being made..

If we’re not challenging the wavering elements of our lives..

.. the emotion.. the logic.. the experience..

..with that which is unwavering.. ++

Then this is where we end up…

Thinking wrongly about our relationship.. with God.. ++

These first three chapters of Ephesians..

.. are.. a concentrated focus.. an intensive communication..

..from God to us..

He’s letting us know.. again..

That He loves us..

He’s letting us know..

Who we are.. in Him..

And what it means.. to be in His family.. ++

It’s been a couple weeks, but maybe you remember the challenge.. that we found here in chapter 2..

Paul is, again, letting us know.. “how good we have it in God”

And he’s calling us.. to “remember” ++

Hey church…

Remember…

Recall..

Refresh your understanding..

Renew.. your comprehension..

Of who God is to us..

What He has done.. for us..

And what we have become.. in Him.. ++

In today’s passage.. God is telling us about a foundation..

.. a foundation.. that is built with, and according to.. the Cornerstone..

And it is according to, and upon.. this foundation..

That our lives.. are called to be lived..

It’s not an issue of rules.. or of legalistic adherence.. it’s not an issue of fulfilling a ritual or a tradition.. ++

It’s simply a matter of God..

Letting us know.. who He is.. to us..

And how we can experience.. a life..

That is filled.. with peace, purpose and joy.. ++

Ephesians 2:19 ESV

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

The culture to which Paul was speaking.. was divided..

The Jews were on one side.. and the Gentiles were on the other.. ++

In the previous verses.. Paul defined the uniting power of the gospel..

For Christ.. is our peace..

And He has brought peace..

He has broken down the wall of separation.. ++

Basically.. those things which have divided Jews and Gentiles.. have been disqualified in Christ..

In Christ.. one new man, rises up from the ranks of both camps…

No longer is it just.. Jews and Gentiles..

But now.. it has become.. Jews, Gentiles, and Christians.. ++

Who are the Christians?

Those who have received salvation in Christ..

In Christ, it’s no longer a significant matter.. if your heritage is Jewish or Gentile..

In Christ.. you are in a new place.. ++

Specifically.. it’s defined here in vs. 19..

we are now.. “fellow citizens”.. and.. “members of the household of God” ++

In that.. it speaks of both: country, and family..

our citizenship to the United states.. is secondary.. to our citizenship to the Kingdom of God..

our membership.. to the physical family.. mom, dad, grandma, Uncle Bob..

is secondary.. to our membership..

the family.. .. which is the “household of God”.. ++

One is temporary..

This country.. the bonds of this flesh..

But the other.. is ETERNAL.. ++

After the world suffered the wrath of God for it’s sin.. in the flood..

we saw.. a division..

The 3 sons of Noah.. split up..

The family went three different ways..

And became three different nations..

And ultimately.. over time, as they adapted to the different regions they were living in.. they became.. three different races.. ++

Initially, sin.. divided the world..

But.. in the book of Acts.. we see all three of Noah’s sons.. coming back together.. under one family.. ++

In Acts 8.. a descendant of Ham is saved.. the Ethiopian treasurer

In Acts 9.. Paul is saved.. a descendant of Shem..

And in Acts 10.. Cornelius, a descendant of Japeth was saved.. ++

In fact, in Acts 2… something very cool happened. If we go back to Genesis 10, we get a list of the nations, descendant from the sons of Noah… These are the nations that were dispersed at Babel in chapter 11… (They were commanded to subdue the earth and be fruitful… but instead, they congregated and devoted their efforts to rebellion)… So God dispersed them… But Israel was not in this list, because they didn’t exist yet…

So these nations… these that, as we learn in Deut. 32… were dispersed according to the numbers of the sons of god… these nations that God disinherited, and declared a nation that didn’t exist yet… Israel, as His own portion…

These disinherited, rebellious nations… appear again, in Acts 2. Why? Because God has had a plan to bring them back. So, at Pentecost, a list of people groups is given, from east to west… and these regions listed cover the areas where all the tables of nations from Genesis 10 were dispersed to… all but one. Tarsus.. and God covered this later with a guy named Paul…

Sin had divided mankind..

But Christ brought them back together.. to belong.. to one holy nation.. with citizenship.. as it clearly states in Philipians 3:20.. which is in heaven. ++

There is a greater identity being established..

One greater than Jew.. one greater than Gentile.. one greater than: African, Asian, Latin or European..

There is a definition.. that we claim.. that goes beyond.. that of a free person.. or a slave.

Beyond that.. of man or woman.. ++

Turn back a few pages.. to Galatians 3:26-28

Galatians 3:26–28 ESV

26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

people.. identify with each other, over some pretty trivial things..

skateboarders will link up with.. talk to and befriend, other skateboarders..

musicians do the same thing.. ++

So do photographers.. hunters.. scrapbookers and knitters..

They find connection, and identity.. through the medium of .. a hobby. ++

But there is a greater identity..

We are part.. of a greater nation.. and a greater household now..

In Galatians 6:10.. it says:

Galatians 6:10 ESV

10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

God has called us.. to have a special bond..

God has called the believers.. to preference one another.. in love and in service..

To identify.. with one another, our common nationality.. our common household.. ++

We struggle with it.. we don’t do it well..

But it’s our calling..

Back in Proverbs 18:24.. it says:

Proverbs 18:24 ESV

24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

I think.. that this is the kind of friendship.. that we are to have w/one another..

It’s not fickle.. it’s not.. easily turned sour.. it’s faithful and loving.. ++

How do we get there? How do we walk in this challenging way?

Well.. the next few verses will help us out..

If we want to walk the way we should walk..

We need to stand.. upon the right foundation..

We need to be aligned.. with the right guideline..

We need to hold, to the right standard.. ++

Ephesians 2:20 ESV

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

If Jesus is the “cornerstone”.. then what exactly.. is the “foundation”? What stones have been laid according to the cornerstone?

Well, it’s described here as being.. the foundations of the apostles and prophets..

An apostle.. is one who is sent out.. w/a message..

And that message.. is from God’s Word.. ++

A Prophet is one who speaks forth.. God’s truth.. in an applicable way..

God’s truth.. is in His Word.. ++

In Matt 7 and in Luke 6.. we get the parable of Jesus.. where he speaks of those who are building their house upon the rock..

And when I was a kid in camp.. we’d sing the song..

Build your house on the rock..

And we’d cry out.. “Jesus”

Claiming.. that the rock.. that we are to build our house upon.. is Jesus.. ++

Yes.. He is our rock and we can find supportive text for that..

But specifically, in that parable.. Jesus likens the person who build his house on a rock..

To the one.. who … comes to Jesus, hears His word, and does them.

This is what it means to be built upon the Rock. Before hearing the Word, we come to Jesus, submitting ourselves to His Lordship. Then, when that order is properly established, we hear His Word.. Then, as one committed to the Lordship of Jesus, and as one who has heard His Word… we become those who turn around, and obediently do what we have been told to do.

This is what it means to be build upon a rock.

Our lives need a foundation..

And that foundation.. is His Word.. ++

W/o His Word.. we would not even be able to define Jesus as the cornerstone..

If His Word faltered.. then so would the content..

And if the content faltered.. then so would our faith..

For if our faith is not founded upon something that is solid..

Then it won’t be founded.. ++

Instead.. it will drift about.. pointing randomly to different thoughts.. different ideas.. different philosophies..

Seeking.. eternal comfort and confidence..

In something.. that shaky, and hard to define.. ++

Just ask anyone.. who does not hold to authority of scripture.. Ask those who don’t see God’s Word as being absolute.. but rather.. they see it as being fluid and relative.. ++

They still want to believe in God.. they want to believe in Jesus..

But.. to them.. the authority of the Word.. is relinquished..

Handed over..

To the things we spoke of earlier..

human logic.. emotion, experience and feeling.. ++

If Christ is to be our cornerstone..

Then His Word.. must be our foundation..

The two work.. intimately..

Who is Christ.. to us?

What has He done.. for us?

What have we become.. now that we are “in Him”? ++

For us to understand these principles..

For us.. to think rightly.. about Him..

We must have His inspired Word.. as a foundation.. intimately lined up and defined.. by His cornerstone.. ++

The cornerstone.. comes first..

Everything else.. is built and measured off of that cornerstones..

The entire foundation.. and everything that is built upon it..

Links back.. to the Cornerstone.. ++

The words which we have.. inspired by the H.S. to the prophets..

Are intimately laid.. measured and engineered.. w/consistent accuracy..

To the Cornerstone.. ++

Notice how Paul defines it..

Ephesians 2:21–22 ESV

21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

There is an unmoving anchor.. in Christ.. for us to fall back upon in those times when our logic.. our emotion.. our feeling and our experience.. starts to veer us away from the plumb line of God.. ++

Vs. 21.. says that God intends to be joined together… .

.. that can only happen correctly.. if, it’s in cooperation.. w/the Cornerstone, which is Jesus.. and the foundation, which has been laid by the prophets and the prophets. .. ++

Are we measured and placed.. w/accuracy.. according to the rule?

We are being built together..

That can only happen correctly. If, it’s in cooperation.. w/the Cornerstone.. and the foundation..

Simply stated.. if we are to be built up, as God intends..

We need a solid point of reference.. ++

This is what the Cornerstone.. or Christ.. represents to us..

When a house is built.. it is continually built up, in reference to it’s blueprints..

and in consistent measurement.. to it’s foundation.. ++

every step of the way.. there is a reminder..

an opportunity.. to look back..

When we check our reference..

Every step of the way..

The principles are refreshed.. ++

It’s not a spur of the moment idea..

No.. it’s the blueprint.. it’s the foundation.. ++

If you’re building your house.. you need to think rightly, about the blueprint.. and the foundation..

Every step of the way.. ++

In ancient construction..

Every step.. was taken.. by a new reference to the cornerstone..

Every step.. was taken.. by a new reference.. a new measurement.. a double check..

To the foundation.. ++

They had to think rightly about the plan..

And we are no different..

We are a building.. being built up..

We are being joined together..

And we too.. need to be reminded..

Often.. ++

So that we can think rightly about the plan.

So that we can continue … to think rightly.. about God..

Who He is to us..

What He has done for us..

Who we are .. now.. In Him..

I got a call from my daughter Katie on Friday. She and her husband had just bought a house..

They had determined that their current living situation wasn’t the best… and they needed something better. ++

When they saw this house, they knew that it was good.. it was built well, and it was suitable for their habitation needs and desires.. ++

Many of us have done the same thing..

We’ve looked for the house that was built well.. that suited us rightly..

And we are happy to walk in the front door.. and enjoy our home.. ++

As we look at these last two verses in chapter three..

We see, that God is doing the same thing..

He wants a dwelling place..

He wants a group of people.. in whom He can find good solid habitation.. ++

And He doesn’t want His habitation.. to be shaky and falling apart..

He doesn’t want His habitation.. wasting away into nothing..

He wants us.. to be joined together.. ++

Meaning.. that we are not mutually exclusive..

No way.. in fact.. we are all part of something bigger.. ++

Our greatest impact.. our greatest ability.. our greatest fulfillment..

Is found.. in working together.. for the greater good.. ++

Sometimes we make it such a flippant concept..

That God dwells in us..

Yea, God is dwelling in my life..

Big deal.. ++

But if we could understand the true reality of things..

We would know.. and see, that YES.. it is a big deal..

It’s huge..

God wants to dwell.. in a well built house..

One that is lined up.. with the Cornerstone.. and firmly planted.. ++

It cause me to question myself..

What kind of dwelling place, am I?

As I see the kind of fellowship I have w/other believers.. I continue to ask this question..

What kind of dwelling place.. are we?

Are we founded.. properly.. upon His Word?

Are our lives.. established.. according to the Cornerstone…

Do we live by, and follow the example of Jesus..

Are we standing on the Rock?

Are we hearing His Word.. and heeding it? ++

Conclusion.. ++

I’ve talked to many people.. who feel like they are making a transaction with God..

If they do good deeds.. go to church and try to live a good life..

That God will then reward them, and protect them from the difficulties of this world.. ++

But when this expectation fall through… ..

They falter in their faith..

Because they think.. that God is bringing hardship upon them..

Even after they’ve done so much for God..

Why would God make life so difficult for me..

I went to church.. I read the Bible.. I prayed.. I did good works..

Why is life still hard? ++

This despair … is the result of us.. thinking wrongly ..

We’ve veered from the foundation..

We’re not lined up with the Cornerstone..

We’ve lost sight.. that God has promised to give us eternal life.. and intends to have a day to day relationship with us.. forever.. ++

And yet, in the midst of this promised relationship, we still have to face and endure the corruptions of this world. ++

Whether you are in Christ, or out of Christ.. you will still face difficult times..

In Christ.. you are given the tools.. you are given the heart.. the attitude.. the instruction..

… to face and get through the trials.. in a beneficial way.. ++

Remember.. Who He is to us.. What He has done for us.. and what we have become.. “in Him”

The first three chapters of Ephesians.. is driving this point home..

If we’ve ever had a doubt.. about God being good..

Then these three chapters.. all by themselves.. should drive that doubt away..

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