At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow,
every tongue confess Him King of glory now.
'Tis the Father's pleasure we should call Him Lord,
who from the beginning was the mighty Word.
Caroline Noel (1817-77)
Hopefully you have spent some time this week continuing to look at Ephesians Chapter 1 and been encouraged that ‘In Christ’ we have been given all spiritual blessings – we have been chosen for adoption by the Father, redeemed by the Son, and given the Spirit as a guarantee of our inheritance. Respond in Prayer by thanking Him!
Today we move into Chapter 2 and it starts by continuing the theme of the blessings we receive through being ‘in Christ’ – it highlights that God shows us abundant love, mercy, grace and kindness. We will look a bit more closely at those verses in Wednesday’s study material, today we focus on the second half of the chapter. Read Ephesians 2: 11-18
Whether the Christians in Ephesus were Jews who had worshipped in the temple in Jerusalem, or were from a pagan background and had worshipped in the temple of Artemis there in Ephesus, they were all familiar with the concept that they were separated from their god by a barrier caused through not doing what pleases their god (they sin). Paul in this letter to these Christians in Ephesus declares that Christ came to remove all barriers (verses 13 & 14) and give us free access to God.
In Ephesus there were Christians who were rich, and Christians who were poor. Christians who were slaves, and Christians who were free people (and perhaps owned slaves). Some Christians were Jews and others not Jews (Gentiles) and it is this last distinction which Paul is particularly addressing in our bible reading. Paul says it doesn’t matter who you are and what you have or haven’t done, every barrier which was an obstacle to knowing God has been broke down so that nothing needs separate us from knowing the love of God revealed to us through Jesus Christ.
Imagine the frustration of these Christians as everyone else in Ephesus describes them as Godless! The word they used is the word from which we get the word Atheist! I guess that while you might have been called some choice words because of your faith in Jesus Christ, you won’t have been called an atheist – ‘without God’ - separated from God.
Why did their neighbours call them this? Because Christians don’t go to a temple and don’t make sacrifices, so their neighbours decided that Christians can’t possibly know God. The people of Ephesus knew of no other way to break through the barrier between them and their god. Paul goes on to write about the only sacrifice we need and the temple where we can come into the presence of God. Read Ephesians 2: 19-22
Paul is explaining that we do have a temple and have offered a sacrifice – we are hopefully familiar with the fact that Jesus is the only sacrifice needed – he is our perfect, sinless sacrifice, but perhaps we think less often about the various bible passages which describes each of us as a temple. Every believer forms part of a living temple. This temple (us) enables us to encounter God and other people to see him. Paul is saying something very similar to an old saying which says: ‘You are the only bible - some people will read.’
As we share together bread and wine, we are not only remembering that the only sacrifice we need to bring us to God has been made when Jesus died for our sins, but we also remember that Jesus’ death has broken down the barrier uniting us together into one living temple which reveals God to other people.
We usually refer to the taking of bread & wine as communion - being in union with God through the way opened up to us by Jesus Christ, but also being in union with each other, united through our faith in Jesus Christ. As we share communion, we show that we are ‘in Christ.’
Use these lyrics to as a prayer before sharing in Communion.
Thank you for the cross, Lord, thank You for the price you paid.
Bearing all my sin and shame,
in love you came and gave amazing grace.
Thank you for the love, Lord, thank You for the nail pierced hands.
Washed me in your cleansing flow,
now all I know, Your forgiveness and embrace.
Darlene Zschech © 2000 Wondrous Worship
On Wednesday I will publish some bible study questions on Ephesians chapter 2, and on Friday we have a guest writer - Stephen