WEBVTT 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:06.120 And now let's open the Word of God together to 00:00:06.120 --> 00:00:08.439 the book of Ephesians and the second chapter. 00:00:13.000 --> 00:00:17.120 Insectivorous plants are those that gain some 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:21.539 of their nutrition by devouring insects which 00:00:21.539 --> 00:00:25.800 they capture. The most familiar of this sort 00:00:25.800 --> 00:00:30.059 of plant is probably Venus's flytrap, which is 00:00:30.059 --> 00:00:34.399 native to both North and South Carolina. This 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:36.939 plant grows about 12 inches high and is characterized 00:00:36.939 --> 00:00:41.920 with small white flowers. But the most interesting 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:45.920 portion of the plant is the leaf. The outer portion 00:00:45.920 --> 00:00:52.060 of each leaf is designed as an insect trap. It's 00:00:52.060 --> 00:00:54.219 just hard to tell how many eons of evolution 00:00:54.219 --> 00:00:56.820 it took to produce that trap and how many of 00:00:56.820 --> 00:00:59.929 these poor little plants. before evolution gave 00:00:59.929 --> 00:01:04.349 it the ability to get the insects trapped, right? 00:01:06.109 --> 00:01:09.989 God designed this plant so it could capture insects. 00:01:10.750 --> 00:01:15.530 The outer portion of the leaf is divided into 00:01:15.530 --> 00:01:23.189 two halves with long, sharp spines at its margin 00:01:23.189 --> 00:01:29.060 and then small trigger hairs at its center. Those 00:01:29.060 --> 00:01:32.340 serve to spring the trap once the insect has 00:01:32.340 --> 00:01:37.079 entered. Insects are attracted to this plant 00:01:37.079 --> 00:01:41.819 by sweet fluids that are exuded. And once they 00:01:41.819 --> 00:01:46.319 are inside the trap, they cannot escape. The 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:50.799 plant digests the softer portions of the insect 00:01:50.799 --> 00:01:54.879 and then expels the harder portions, opens itself, 00:01:55.159 --> 00:01:59.319 and prepares for another meal. That's something 00:01:59.319 --> 00:02:03.379 like sin. Because you see, sin is attractive 00:02:03.379 --> 00:02:10.759 and deceitful. What it promises, it cannot deliver. 00:02:12.219 --> 00:02:17.419 If alcohol told the truth about the diseased 00:02:17.419 --> 00:02:21.219 minds and bodies it has created, the loss of 00:02:21.219 --> 00:02:25.020 money, character, employment, and family is caused. 00:02:26.090 --> 00:02:30.789 the disgrace and danger to oneself that it brings, 00:02:31.050 --> 00:02:35.210 that only a fool would ever touch it. But alcohol 00:02:35.210 --> 00:02:40.009 doesn't present itself that way. If adultery 00:02:40.009 --> 00:02:42.789 told the truth about the guilt and shame that 00:02:42.789 --> 00:02:47.930 it brings, the possible disease that threatens, 00:02:48.250 --> 00:02:53.069 the loss of honor, the potential loss of family 00:02:53.069 --> 00:02:56.870 and home, If it told the truth, few would pay 00:02:56.870 --> 00:03:00.889 the price. But adultery doesn't present itself 00:03:00.889 --> 00:03:07.030 that way. If abortion told the truth about the 00:03:07.030 --> 00:03:10.930 nagging sense of loss and guilt, the potential 00:03:10.930 --> 00:03:15.530 physical harm to the individual, and the taking 00:03:15.530 --> 00:03:17.909 of an innocent's life, if it told the truth, 00:03:18.069 --> 00:03:23.319 there are many alternatives. That would be quickly 00:03:23.319 --> 00:03:29.419 slapped. But it's not presented that way. You 00:03:29.419 --> 00:03:33.719 see up front, whatever the sin may be, it presents 00:03:33.719 --> 00:03:39.180 itself to appear one way, but the results are 00:03:39.180 --> 00:03:46.280 inevitably the opposite. Sin promises pleasure, 00:03:46.599 --> 00:03:52.699 but it delivers guilt. Sin promises freedom, 00:03:52.939 --> 00:03:58.639 but it delivers bondage. Sin promises increase, 00:03:59.159 --> 00:04:04.759 but it delivers loss. Sin promises fulfillment, 00:04:05.219 --> 00:04:11.460 but it delivers frustration. Sin promises popularity, 00:04:12.039 --> 00:04:18.569 but it delivers loneliness. If you were to sum 00:04:18.569 --> 00:04:22.029 up the results of sin in one word, you might 00:04:22.029 --> 00:04:25.829 choose many, but I think one of the most fitting 00:04:25.829 --> 00:04:31.290 words would be the word separation. For sin separates 00:04:31.290 --> 00:04:40.730 man from God, man from himself, man from man, 00:04:40.949 --> 00:04:46.759 and even man from the creation around him. For 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:49.339 sin has made him a stranger both to the animate 00:04:49.339 --> 00:04:53.480 and inanimate creation over which he was to rule. 00:04:53.639 --> 00:04:57.339 So it separated man from his destiny to be a 00:04:57.339 --> 00:05:03.800 sovereign. Sin separates. It has affected man, 00:05:03.879 --> 00:05:08.660 therefore, spiritually. It has affected him psychologically. 00:05:09.300 --> 00:05:13.199 It has affected him socially and even ecologically. 00:05:14.980 --> 00:05:19.259 Separation is the result of sin in God's universe. 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:24.839 That separation is also manifested in a theological 00:05:24.839 --> 00:05:30.540 way in our text today. It is the division that 00:05:30.540 --> 00:05:35.500 existed and still does exist in some places between 00:05:35.500 --> 00:05:42.129 Jew and Gentile. Although this separation was 00:05:42.129 --> 00:05:44.970 instituted by God in the covenant which he made 00:05:44.970 --> 00:05:49.610 with Abraham and with his seed, it is a separation 00:05:49.610 --> 00:05:55.310 that has been caused to be deep and abiding and 00:05:55.310 --> 00:06:01.089 even distorted because of sin. In order to fulfill 00:06:01.089 --> 00:06:05.930 the covenant, there had to be a separation. But 00:06:05.930 --> 00:06:11.370 sin, both in the Jew and in the Gentile, caused 00:06:11.370 --> 00:06:16.629 that division to be a deep division, one filled 00:06:16.629 --> 00:06:22.529 with enmity. So that the Gentile hated the Jew, 00:06:22.730 --> 00:06:30.350 and the Jew despised the Gentile. That enmity 00:06:30.350 --> 00:06:35.050 is illustrated in the wall which separated the 00:06:35.050 --> 00:06:38.149 court of the Gentiles from the court of the Jews 00:06:38.149 --> 00:06:43.310 in the ancient temple. In fact, at the gate to 00:06:43.310 --> 00:06:47.170 the court of the Jews, there was a sign which 00:06:47.170 --> 00:06:50.250 warned that if any Gentile went beyond that point, 00:06:50.550 --> 00:06:54.850 he was sure to be executed. And the Romans gave 00:06:54.850 --> 00:06:59.230 them the right to execute those Gentiles. There 00:06:59.230 --> 00:07:02.829 is an allusion to that wall in verse 14 in our 00:07:02.829 --> 00:07:07.949 text today. We gain a better perspective of the 00:07:07.949 --> 00:07:11.470 awfulness of sin. when we understand not only 00:07:11.470 --> 00:07:16.949 its fruit, but also what it took to rescue man 00:07:16.949 --> 00:07:22.250 from sin and to restore the unity that sin destroyed 00:07:22.250 --> 00:07:28.389 and the separation which it brought. Paul addressed 00:07:28.389 --> 00:07:31.350 the Ephesian church, which was, by the way, largely 00:07:31.350 --> 00:07:35.370 Gentile, reminding them of what had happened 00:07:35.370 --> 00:07:40.350 to them. Please notice the contrast between verses 00:07:40.350 --> 00:07:43.829 11 and 12, which speaks of Gentiles as they were 00:07:43.829 --> 00:07:49.430 formerly, and verses 13 through 18, which speak 00:07:49.430 --> 00:07:53.110 about Gentiles now, those who are saved, that 00:07:53.110 --> 00:07:59.250 is. Therefore, remember that formerly, you, the 00:07:59.250 --> 00:08:04.009 Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision 00:08:04.009 --> 00:08:07.949 by the so -called circumcision, which is performed 00:08:07.949 --> 00:08:12.509 in the flesh by human hands, remember that you 00:08:12.509 --> 00:08:15.310 were at that time separate from Christ, excluded 00:08:15.310 --> 00:08:18.310 from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers 00:08:18.310 --> 00:08:21.490 to the covenants of promise, having no hope and 00:08:21.490 --> 00:08:26.610 without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, 00:08:26.930 --> 00:08:30.050 you who were formerly far off have been brought 00:08:30.050 --> 00:08:34.190 near by the blood of Christ, for he himself is 00:08:34.190 --> 00:08:37.820 our peace. who made both groups into one and 00:08:37.820 --> 00:08:41.200 broke down the barrier of the dividing wall by 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:44.919 establishing in his flesh, excuse me, by abolishing 00:08:44.919 --> 00:08:49.460 in his flesh the enmity, which is the law of 00:08:49.460 --> 00:08:53.460 commandments contained in ordinances, that in 00:08:53.460 --> 00:08:57.179 himself he might make the two into one new man, 00:08:57.240 --> 00:09:01.220 thus establishing peace, and might reconcile 00:09:01.220 --> 00:09:05.080 them both in one body to God. through the cross, 00:09:05.379 --> 00:09:10.480 by it having put to death the enmity. And he 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:13.519 came and preached peace to you who were far away 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:17.100 and peace to those who were near. For through 00:09:17.100 --> 00:09:22.039 him we both have our access in one spirit to 00:09:22.039 --> 00:09:26.519 the Father. Now it might be helpful at this point 00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:29.200 for us to quickly review our suggested outline 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:33.279 of Ephesians. Chapters 1 through 3 deal with 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:35.879 our calling in Christ. Chapters 4 through 6, 00:09:35.980 --> 00:09:40.059 our conduct in Christ. We have been studying 00:09:40.059 --> 00:09:42.659 about our calling in Christ, the first division 00:09:42.659 --> 00:09:48.379 of the book. First we notice its blessing. The 00:09:48.379 --> 00:09:50.840 blessing of our calling in Christ can be summarized 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:53.940 in the word salvation. It talks about that in 00:09:53.940 --> 00:09:56.779 the early verses of chapter 1, followed by a 00:09:56.779 --> 00:09:58.620 prayer that we might really get a hold of that 00:09:58.620 --> 00:10:02.509 and understand what we have in Christ. Then he 00:10:02.509 --> 00:10:05.690 speaks about its basis, the basis of our calling 00:10:05.690 --> 00:10:10.149 in Christ, which is our identification with him 00:10:10.149 --> 00:10:12.570 in his death, burial, resurrection, ascension, 00:10:12.629 --> 00:10:18.830 and exaltation in the throne of glory. Now we 00:10:18.830 --> 00:10:21.230 begin the final portion of this first division 00:10:21.230 --> 00:10:24.990 of the book as we think about its bond, the bond 00:10:24.990 --> 00:10:28.529 of our calling in Christ, that is, its unification. 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:35.259 There are two truths about you which, if understood, 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:39.259 will make you appreciate the tie that binds the 00:10:39.259 --> 00:10:42.980 church together, the bond that we have in Christ 00:10:42.980 --> 00:10:49.919 Jesus. Two truths about you. I say about you 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:54.879 because 99 % of our church is Gentile. We have 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:59.039 only a very few of us in our local church. who 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:03.200 come from the Jewish race. Most of us by birth 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:06.500 are Gentiles. And so what Paul says in these 00:11:06.500 --> 00:11:10.120 verses is so directly applicable to you and to 00:11:10.120 --> 00:11:13.519 me who come from that background. If you understand 00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:16.879 what he has said here, it will help you appreciate 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:20.159 even more than you do now that bond that has 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:23.419 brought Jew and Gentile together in the church, 00:11:23.620 --> 00:11:28.269 the Lord Jesus Christ. First notice with me this 00:11:28.269 --> 00:11:33.809 line of truth. What was true about you in the 00:11:33.809 --> 00:11:39.049 past, formerly, verses 11 and 12? That is, those 00:11:39.049 --> 00:11:44.169 of you who were Gentiles, non -Jews. He points 00:11:44.169 --> 00:11:48.610 out six facts about us that describe what was 00:11:48.610 --> 00:11:53.549 true. First of all, we were separate from Christ. 00:11:55.690 --> 00:11:58.210 Christ is the anointed one, the Messiah, the 00:11:58.210 --> 00:12:03.090 long -awaited deliverer of Israel. Christ was 00:12:03.090 --> 00:12:06.809 promised to the Jews. He was to come from them. 00:12:07.509 --> 00:12:10.610 Their prophets foretold him. He was the Christ, 00:12:10.710 --> 00:12:15.190 the Messiah of the Jews. Non -Jews had no claim 00:12:15.190 --> 00:12:19.629 on the Christ. Although Christ was sent as a 00:12:19.629 --> 00:12:23.789 light of revelation to the Gentiles also, he 00:12:23.789 --> 00:12:28.309 was certainly the Christ, of the Jews and Gentiles 00:12:28.309 --> 00:12:33.850 were separate from the Christ. A second fact 00:12:33.850 --> 00:12:36.490 about us that was true, we were excluded from 00:12:36.490 --> 00:12:40.330 the commonwealth of Israel. Only the seed of 00:12:40.330 --> 00:12:43.830 Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were a part of the 00:12:43.830 --> 00:12:47.549 commonwealth, the state, the nation of Israel. 00:12:48.549 --> 00:12:51.649 That distinction was made by natural birth. Either 00:12:51.649 --> 00:12:55.210 you were born a Jew, or you were born a Gentile. 00:12:55.629 --> 00:13:00.649 One could be a proselyte Gentile, that is, convert 00:13:00.649 --> 00:13:04.169 to Judaism, but his natural birth was either 00:13:04.169 --> 00:13:06.970 Jew or Gentile, and that could not be changed. 00:13:08.350 --> 00:13:13.070 Israel was a unique nation in the earth. It was 00:13:13.070 --> 00:13:18.750 a people under God. It was designed to be a theocracy. 00:13:20.169 --> 00:13:22.730 although it came far short of fulfilling that 00:13:22.730 --> 00:13:28.409 ideal. But Gentiles were excluded from it, just 00:13:28.409 --> 00:13:32.429 as Gentiles are today, unable to become citizens 00:13:32.429 --> 00:13:39.570 of the political nation of Israel. A third fact 00:13:39.570 --> 00:13:43.330 which describes what we were is found in this 00:13:43.330 --> 00:13:46.730 phrase, strangers to the covenants of promise. 00:13:49.309 --> 00:13:52.769 excluded from Israel who were also strangers 00:13:52.769 --> 00:13:56.529 to their covenants. For you see, following Abraham 00:13:56.529 --> 00:13:59.450 and up to the New Testament days, there was no 00:13:59.450 --> 00:14:02.750 covenant made between God and man except with 00:14:02.750 --> 00:14:05.570 the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 00:14:06.610 --> 00:14:09.590 You can talk about the Abrahamic covenant, the 00:14:09.590 --> 00:14:11.870 Mosaic covenant, the Palestinian covenant, the 00:14:11.870 --> 00:14:15.090 Bavarian covenant, and the New Covenant. All 00:14:15.090 --> 00:14:19.529 of those were between God and Israel. not the 00:14:19.529 --> 00:14:25.649 Gentiles. So Gentiles were strangers to those 00:14:25.649 --> 00:14:28.710 covenants containing the promises of God. And 00:14:28.710 --> 00:14:30.929 therefore, a fourth fact about us, we had no 00:14:30.929 --> 00:14:34.830 hope. Hope was based upon the promises and the 00:14:34.830 --> 00:14:38.549 covenants. We had no hope. We had no covenants. 00:14:39.570 --> 00:14:44.110 Hope is probably life's most powerful, motivating 00:14:44.110 --> 00:14:48.240 force. I think that's true in about every realm. 00:14:48.299 --> 00:14:51.659 It's true economically. That is why capitalism 00:14:51.659 --> 00:14:55.840 is superior to socialism or communism. It is 00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:58.220 because there is hope for the individual to improve 00:14:58.220 --> 00:15:01.759 himself. It provides that motivation within it. 00:15:01.899 --> 00:15:05.419 Of course it can be abused. But you must admit 00:15:05.419 --> 00:15:08.080 that neither socialism nor communism provide 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:13.080 that kind of personal motivation. It is also 00:15:13.080 --> 00:15:17.759 true medically. When one knows that there is 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:19.919 hope, there is a will to fight. When the doctor 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:23.740 says, I'm sorry, there is no hope. Most people 00:15:23.740 --> 00:15:28.620 at that point give up. And it is true spiritually, 00:15:28.759 --> 00:15:31.700 for hope in a spiritual sense gives purpose, 00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:36.379 direction, and meaning to life. But when we were 00:15:36.379 --> 00:15:41.340 Gentiles, we had none of that. And we were without 00:15:41.340 --> 00:15:44.700 God, it says. That's the fifth fact about us. 00:15:45.800 --> 00:15:49.399 Gentiles had many gods, but they did not have 00:15:49.399 --> 00:15:54.100 knowledge of the true God. Man is religious by 00:15:54.100 --> 00:15:59.059 his very nature. Therefore, he will create some 00:15:59.059 --> 00:16:03.899 object to worship, for he must do it. He is made 00:16:03.899 --> 00:16:07.159 to worship, even if he worships pitifully, only 00:16:07.159 --> 00:16:14.710 himself, as does our society. Because man is 00:16:14.710 --> 00:16:20.710 made the way he is, a creation which must worship, 00:16:20.929 --> 00:16:26.450 he will have gods. The Gentiles had not knowledge 00:16:26.450 --> 00:16:29.669 of the God. They were without God. Now we're 00:16:29.669 --> 00:16:33.470 talking about you, and we're talking about your 00:16:33.470 --> 00:16:37.269 ancestors. They may have been barbarians off 00:16:37.269 --> 00:16:39.289 in Scotland somewhere. I don't know where they 00:16:39.289 --> 00:16:45.480 came from. But your ancestors were without God, 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:51.039 and so were you, Gentile. And then a final phrase, 00:16:51.100 --> 00:16:54.139 the last one in verse 12, without God in the 00:16:54.139 --> 00:16:57.559 world. That's more than the fact they lived on 00:16:57.559 --> 00:17:01.159 planet Earth. It's talking about the spiritual 00:17:01.159 --> 00:17:05.619 identity of the Gentiles. They were in the world. 00:17:06.430 --> 00:17:09.210 The Jews have been called out to be God's people, 00:17:09.349 --> 00:17:13.930 the Gentiles in the world. By world, we mean 00:17:13.930 --> 00:17:16.730 that system of things opposed to God. It's the 00:17:16.730 --> 00:17:19.309 organization headed by Satan. It's the mafia 00:17:19.309 --> 00:17:23.950 of mafias. It's the spiritual underworld which 00:17:23.950 --> 00:17:30.230 frames up the world that we see. It's the invisible 00:17:30.230 --> 00:17:35.369 realm headed by Satan. which holds in its captivity 00:17:35.369 --> 00:17:40.730 all of the unregenerate, all Gentiles. Chapter 00:17:40.730 --> 00:17:43.230 2, verse 2 talks about the course of the world 00:17:43.230 --> 00:17:47.869 in which we walked. We were identified with the 00:17:47.869 --> 00:17:50.549 world. And I tell you that people who are described 00:17:50.549 --> 00:17:54.309 by the phrases of these two verses are desperate 00:17:54.309 --> 00:18:01.559 indeed. Desperate. Thank God that there is another 00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:05.059 line of truth that is followed here. For those 00:18:05.059 --> 00:18:06.779 of us who are saved, there is something more 00:18:06.779 --> 00:18:10.359 to be said. Now these verses still today accurately 00:18:10.359 --> 00:18:18.420 describe the Gentiles. But if you are in Jesus 00:18:18.420 --> 00:18:23.960 Christ, you are no longer a Gentile. God has 00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:28.099 made a change. There is another line of truth. 00:18:29.420 --> 00:18:35.140 And that is what is true of you right now. Not 00:18:35.140 --> 00:18:39.160 what was true of you before your salvation, but 00:18:39.160 --> 00:18:43.440 what is true of you now. He begins this line 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:46.819 of truth in verse 13, but now in Christ Jesus. 00:18:47.160 --> 00:18:50.579 And notice that immediately he gives the new 00:18:50.579 --> 00:18:56.730 identity for you. No longer in the world. But 00:18:56.730 --> 00:19:02.170 now in Christ Jesus. God sees you in his son, 00:19:02.349 --> 00:19:06.450 in Christ Jesus. And there are three areas of 00:19:06.450 --> 00:19:10.529 truth that he begins to investigate here about 00:19:10.529 --> 00:19:14.150 what is true of us now. First, what is true of 00:19:14.150 --> 00:19:20.950 us positionally. He says in verse 13, you who 00:19:20.950 --> 00:19:26.509 were firmly far off. Have been brought near. 00:19:27.349 --> 00:19:31.769 That's our new position. Before we were far off 00:19:31.769 --> 00:19:36.150 in every sense you can think of. But now we have 00:19:36.150 --> 00:19:41.109 been brought near. A new position for us. How 00:19:41.109 --> 00:19:45.009 have we been brought near? By the blood of Christ. 00:19:46.369 --> 00:19:51.089 Never allow anyone to suggest to you that the 00:19:51.089 --> 00:19:53.789 blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is unimportant. 00:19:55.279 --> 00:20:00.700 It is absolutely foundational to biblical Christianity. 00:20:02.220 --> 00:20:05.740 There are those denominations and groups of a 00:20:05.740 --> 00:20:10.519 liberal bent of mind which believe that the blood 00:20:10.519 --> 00:20:12.900 of the Lord Jesus Christ is an embarrassment. 00:20:14.579 --> 00:20:18.119 Far from that, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ 00:20:18.119 --> 00:20:24.180 is reason for glorying. It is the boast of those 00:20:24.180 --> 00:20:26.900 who are in heaven worthy as the Lamb who was 00:20:26.900 --> 00:20:30.759 slain, who has purchased us by his blood, it 00:20:30.759 --> 00:20:35.640 says. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is precious, 00:20:35.900 --> 00:20:41.380 not an embarrassment. It is that blood of the 00:20:41.380 --> 00:20:45.480 Lord Jesus shed on the cross of Calvary which 00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:49.859 has changed our position so that we who were 00:20:49.859 --> 00:20:55.950 far off have been brought near. Sin and its separation 00:20:55.950 --> 00:20:59.509 could only be dealt with by the shedding of blood. 00:20:59.609 --> 00:21:02.349 Hebrews 9 .22, Without the shedding of blood, 00:21:02.410 --> 00:21:06.789 there is no forgiveness of sins. That is illustrated 00:21:06.789 --> 00:21:11.950 in the animal that God slew in the garden, whose 00:21:11.950 --> 00:21:14.589 blood was shed so that covering might be made 00:21:14.589 --> 00:21:18.250 for Adam and Eve. Without the shedding of blood, 00:21:18.329 --> 00:21:21.789 there is no forgiveness of sins. It is illustrated 00:21:21.789 --> 00:21:24.329 again in the Passover lamb when the Israelites 00:21:24.329 --> 00:21:27.470 were in bondage in Egypt. A lamb was slain, its 00:21:27.470 --> 00:21:31.269 blood put on the doorpost of the house for the 00:21:31.269 --> 00:21:33.789 redemption of the people of Israel, their deliverance 00:21:33.789 --> 00:21:37.410 from the angel of death. It is illustrated again 00:21:37.410 --> 00:21:39.789 in the goat on the day of atonement in the nation 00:21:39.789 --> 00:21:44.170 of Israel when the goat was slain and its blood 00:21:44.170 --> 00:21:47.210 sprinkled for the atoning of the sins of the 00:21:47.210 --> 00:21:50.619 nation. Without the shedding of blood, there 00:21:50.619 --> 00:21:55.640 is no forgiveness. Now why is that? Because sin 00:21:55.640 --> 00:21:58.980 brings separation from God, which is another 00:21:58.980 --> 00:22:02.839 way of saying death. Death physically, but even 00:22:02.839 --> 00:22:06.900 worse, death spiritually. A state in which one 00:22:06.900 --> 00:22:12.519 can die and thus have to spend eternity separated 00:22:12.519 --> 00:22:14.880 from God in what is called the second death, 00:22:15.079 --> 00:22:20.220 the lake of fire. This separation from God is 00:22:20.220 --> 00:22:26.720 the penalty of justice. In addition to being 00:22:26.720 --> 00:22:32.579 a loving God, God is a just and holy God, and 00:22:32.579 --> 00:22:36.559 in his justice, the sentence for sin is death 00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:40.859 or separation from him. The shedding of Christ's 00:22:40.859 --> 00:22:43.460 blood was essential to rescue sinners from the 00:22:43.460 --> 00:22:47.180 justice of God, and it was God himself who provided. 00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:50.779 for that rescue, in sending his own beloved son 00:22:50.779 --> 00:22:55.900 to bear his justice. When he died on that cross, 00:22:56.039 --> 00:22:58.660 the justice of God was poured out upon his beloved 00:22:58.660 --> 00:23:03.019 son so that he paid that price of justice on 00:23:03.019 --> 00:23:06.440 our behalf, that we might be delivered from that 00:23:06.440 --> 00:23:10.079 justice of God that demanded our death, our separation 00:23:10.079 --> 00:23:14.220 from him who is holy. so that now God justly 00:23:14.220 --> 00:23:17.460 can embrace us, can bring us nearer to himself, 00:23:17.619 --> 00:23:22.839 because our sin has been dealt with by Christ's 00:23:22.839 --> 00:23:27.079 blood. That's what is true of you positionally. 00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:31.400 You who have been far off have been brought near 00:23:31.400 --> 00:23:34.400 by the blood of Christ. But think with me now 00:23:34.400 --> 00:23:38.680 practically. What is true of you pragmatically? 00:23:40.170 --> 00:23:43.869 Well, he tells us in these verses that enmity 00:23:43.869 --> 00:23:49.309 has been abolished and peace has been established. 00:23:49.410 --> 00:23:53.630 By whom? By Christ himself. Notice the emphasis 00:23:53.630 --> 00:23:58.930 on that in verse 14. He himself, he only, he 00:23:58.930 --> 00:24:03.970 alone is our peace. Now, what did he do? Well, 00:24:04.009 --> 00:24:07.349 it says in verse 14 that he made both into one. 00:24:09.200 --> 00:24:14.700 In verse 15, he made the two into one new man. 00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:19.900 Here it speaks about the Lord Jesus Christ making 00:24:19.900 --> 00:24:28.460 peace between Jew and Gentile. How did he do 00:24:28.460 --> 00:24:33.779 that? Well, it tells us in verse 15, he abolished 00:24:33.779 --> 00:24:39.700 in his flesh the enmity The law of commandments 00:24:39.700 --> 00:24:44.700 contain inordinances. Now, the New American Standard 00:24:44.700 --> 00:24:49.319 makes it sound like the law is the enmity. I 00:24:49.319 --> 00:24:51.359 don't think that's a good way to put it. I believe 00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:54.400 what he's saying here is that he abolished the 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:59.480 enmity created by the law. The law was not hateful. 00:24:59.500 --> 00:25:03.019 It was holy and righteous and good. But the law 00:25:03.019 --> 00:25:07.960 created the division, the enmity. It set apart 00:25:07.960 --> 00:25:12.140 the Jews. It gave to them certain privileges. 00:25:13.720 --> 00:25:16.240 Because of the separation that it made between 00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:19.380 Jew and Gentiles, the Gentiles hated the Jews. 00:25:21.420 --> 00:25:23.799 And the Jews, on the other hand, because they 00:25:23.799 --> 00:25:26.160 had been set apart, became arrogant and proud. 00:25:27.299 --> 00:25:30.279 And they looked down upon, they despised the 00:25:30.279 --> 00:25:35.599 uncircumcised Gentiles. And so while the law 00:25:35.599 --> 00:25:39.079 was not the enmity, it created it. So the Lord 00:25:39.079 --> 00:25:45.200 Jesus Christ in his death, in his flesh, fulfilled 00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:48.700 the law with its demands. All of its commandments, 00:25:48.920 --> 00:25:51.759 all of its ordinances were fulfilled in him. 00:25:52.099 --> 00:25:56.799 He took it out of the way so that no longer would 00:25:56.799 --> 00:26:00.559 it create an issue, you see, between Jew and 00:26:00.559 --> 00:26:05.230 Gentile. Thus he abolished, he made null and 00:26:05.230 --> 00:26:09.869 void the enmity between the two groups. Now that 00:26:09.869 --> 00:26:13.250 enmity is still being carried out today among 00:26:13.250 --> 00:26:17.589 the unregenerate. Sadly, there are still those 00:26:17.589 --> 00:26:22.450 Gentiles who are anti -Semitic, who hate the 00:26:22.450 --> 00:26:25.190 Jews. There are even some who call themselves 00:26:25.190 --> 00:26:28.690 Christians who are anti -Semitic. That is a contradiction 00:26:28.690 --> 00:26:33.369 if there ever was one. And then there are Jews 00:26:33.369 --> 00:26:41.750 who despise the goyim, the Gentiles. They look 00:26:41.750 --> 00:26:43.890 down upon them. It's still being carried out 00:26:43.890 --> 00:26:46.029 today, but the point here is this. There's no 00:26:46.029 --> 00:26:51.069 cause for it. Christ has dealt with the law and 00:26:51.069 --> 00:26:54.269 has made possible peace between Jew and Gentile. 00:26:55.190 --> 00:26:58.130 Not only that, but he dealt with the enmity between 00:26:58.130 --> 00:27:04.140 the sinner, Jew or Gentile, and God. You see, 00:27:04.200 --> 00:27:07.640 he made peace this way, and he made peace this 00:27:07.640 --> 00:27:12.059 way. That's emphasized in verse 16. It says, 00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:15.259 and that he might reconcile them both, Jew and 00:27:15.259 --> 00:27:19.559 Gentile, in one body to God through the cross. 00:27:21.180 --> 00:27:23.480 Have you ever noticed the directions which the 00:27:23.480 --> 00:27:27.420 cross pointed? As Jesus hung upon the cross, 00:27:27.559 --> 00:27:31.480 his arms were stretched out this way. embracing 00:27:31.480 --> 00:27:36.819 Jew and Gentile, bringing them together. And 00:27:36.819 --> 00:27:39.880 the cross was upright, pointing to heaven, making 00:27:39.880 --> 00:27:43.480 peace between all sinners, whether Jew or Gentile, 00:27:43.480 --> 00:27:51.099 and a holy God. So he alone is our peace, who 00:27:51.099 --> 00:27:56.480 made peace between Jew and Gentile, between sinners 00:27:56.480 --> 00:28:01.099 and God. He made it through the cross. Through 00:28:01.099 --> 00:28:06.759 his death in his body, the Lord Jesus Christ 00:28:06.759 --> 00:28:11.000 died to bring peace. It's a wonderful thing. 00:28:11.819 --> 00:28:14.619 To bring peace in our relationships, to bring 00:28:14.619 --> 00:28:18.559 peace in the church, to bring peace in the world, 00:28:18.619 --> 00:28:21.000 and that will be fulfilled someday in his kingdom. 00:28:21.500 --> 00:28:27.079 He is the Prince of Peace. And surely those who 00:28:27.079 --> 00:28:30.940 profess him as Lord. must themselves be peacemakers 00:28:30.940 --> 00:28:38.759 and walk in peace. What is true of us practically 00:28:38.759 --> 00:28:41.799 is this, that there is now peace where there 00:28:41.799 --> 00:28:46.900 was once hatred. God forbid that any of us who 00:28:46.900 --> 00:28:50.279 professes to know the Lord Jesus Christ would 00:28:50.279 --> 00:28:57.380 speak in a hateful way toward a Jew. Or for that 00:28:57.380 --> 00:29:01.650 matter, toward other Gentiles. For God has put 00:29:01.650 --> 00:29:08.529 his peace in our hearts. God forbid that we should 00:29:08.529 --> 00:29:13.170 be troublemakers, that we should be known as 00:29:13.170 --> 00:29:21.990 divisive people. For God has put peace into our 00:29:21.990 --> 00:29:26.589 hearts. Christ died to bring peace, to make peace. 00:29:27.559 --> 00:29:34.099 It's a very practical truth about us now. But 00:29:34.099 --> 00:29:36.480 we must go on to a third one, and that is something 00:29:36.480 --> 00:29:39.900 that is true about us prayerfully, with regards 00:29:39.900 --> 00:29:44.559 to prayer. And that's in verse 18. Instead of 00:29:44.559 --> 00:29:50.940 being separate, excluded, and strangers, we Gentiles 00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:53.839 have now, along with the Jews who believe in 00:29:53.839 --> 00:29:58.519 Christ, been received and accepted by God. Now 00:29:58.519 --> 00:30:01.859 that truth is found and contained in that word 00:30:01.859 --> 00:30:05.880 access. It is used again in chapter 3, verse 00:30:05.880 --> 00:30:08.759 12, where it says, In Christ we have boldness 00:30:08.759 --> 00:30:14.000 and confident access through faith in him. In 00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:16.579 Romans 5, 2, it is used one at a time in the 00:30:16.579 --> 00:30:19.200 New Testament, where it speaks of our having 00:30:19.200 --> 00:30:23.740 access by faith into this grace in which we stand. 00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:31.759 What is access? Access is a standing that is 00:30:31.759 --> 00:30:36.839 due to another's introduction. Access is entrance 00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:41.039 that is given to us into the presence of a sovereign 00:30:41.039 --> 00:30:46.960 because of the identity of someone else. It means 00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:49.460 that I can come into the very presence of God 00:30:49.460 --> 00:30:56.009 now because of Christ. and the new identity that 00:30:56.009 --> 00:31:00.690 I have in him. If you or I were to go to the 00:31:00.690 --> 00:31:03.829 head of state in any country, we would likely 00:31:03.829 --> 00:31:08.809 be turned away at the gate of the palace or the 00:31:08.809 --> 00:31:12.329 gate of government. Because who are we that we 00:31:12.329 --> 00:31:14.910 should see that head of state, that president, 00:31:15.009 --> 00:31:18.630 that sovereign? Ah, but let us suppose that we 00:31:18.630 --> 00:31:24.660 came with someone in that government. Let us 00:31:24.660 --> 00:31:27.200 suppose that we went to the White House in Washington 00:31:27.200 --> 00:31:30.220 and we arrived there at the gate of the White 00:31:30.220 --> 00:31:33.160 House. Well, let's just say with the Secretary 00:31:33.160 --> 00:31:39.599 of State. The Secretary of State would then give 00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:43.160 us entrance, you see, into the White House because 00:31:43.160 --> 00:31:48.299 we will be with him in his party. And so it is 00:31:48.299 --> 00:31:53.190 with our Heavenly Father. We have been given 00:31:53.190 --> 00:31:57.690 access to the very presence of God because of 00:31:57.690 --> 00:32:02.869 the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us never take that 00:32:02.869 --> 00:32:05.930 for granted. Because you see, we were strangers. 00:32:06.230 --> 00:32:12.210 We were excluded. We were far off. There was 00:32:12.210 --> 00:32:16.130 a time when our ancestors stood to the side of 00:32:16.130 --> 00:32:19.240 the temple. in the court of the Gentiles, with 00:32:19.240 --> 00:32:24.380 a sign that said, you may go no further without 00:32:24.380 --> 00:32:31.500 suffering death. But now, we who are Gentiles, 00:32:31.500 --> 00:32:35.019 along with those who are Jews, who have believed 00:32:35.019 --> 00:32:38.819 in the Lord Jesus Christ, have access. We both. 00:32:39.859 --> 00:32:42.799 Verse 14, it says, we both have been made one. 00:32:43.700 --> 00:32:47.630 In verse 16, it says, we both, have been reconciled 00:32:47.630 --> 00:32:51.190 to God. And now it says we both have access. 00:32:52.109 --> 00:32:56.950 A 2 ,000 -year -old distinction that began with 00:32:56.950 --> 00:33:00.349 Abraham ended at the cross of the Lord Jesus 00:33:00.349 --> 00:33:05.970 Christ. I want you to notice in verse 18 that 00:33:05.970 --> 00:33:08.630 each person of the Trinity has a role in the 00:33:08.630 --> 00:33:12.730 prayer life of the Christian. In the first place 00:33:12.730 --> 00:33:16.579 it says that this access is through him. whether 00:33:16.579 --> 00:33:19.759 you're Jew or Gentiles, through Christ, who is 00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:23.859 the mediator. He opened the way. His cross, his 00:33:23.859 --> 00:33:28.519 sacrifice, is the basis for it. And then it says 00:33:28.519 --> 00:33:34.380 we both have our access in one spirit, the Holy 00:33:34.380 --> 00:33:39.480 Spirit, who regenerated us and united us to one 00:33:39.480 --> 00:33:43.380 another and to Christ. The Holy Spirit who empowers 00:33:43.380 --> 00:33:47.089 us. who enlightens and teaches us, and who intercedes 00:33:47.089 --> 00:33:52.710 in our behalf, Romans 8 .26. That same Holy Spirit 00:33:52.710 --> 00:33:55.670 is in Jew and Gentile who believe in Christ, 00:33:55.970 --> 00:34:01.930 and he it is who energizes our prayer life. He 00:34:01.930 --> 00:34:04.609 is the one who helps us in our praying to God. 00:34:06.390 --> 00:34:10.670 And then notice it says that our access is to 00:34:10.670 --> 00:34:14.610 the Father. Here we have brought to our attention 00:34:14.610 --> 00:34:19.250 again the general rule regarding prayer. It is 00:34:19.250 --> 00:34:21.869 not wrong or sinful, as far as I can see in the 00:34:21.869 --> 00:34:26.150 Bible, to pray to the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't 00:34:26.150 --> 00:34:28.690 find any restriction against praying to the Holy 00:34:28.690 --> 00:34:32.730 Spirit. But generally speaking, prayer is to 00:34:32.730 --> 00:34:36.530 be addressed to the Father. When Jesus taught 00:34:36.530 --> 00:34:39.409 us to pray, he said, pray this way, our Father 00:34:39.409 --> 00:34:44.099 who art in heaven. Prayer is to be addressed 00:34:44.099 --> 00:34:48.099 to the Father. We can come to him and call him 00:34:48.099 --> 00:34:52.239 Father, just like a Jew, one who was formerly 00:34:52.239 --> 00:34:56.739 a Jew can, because we now have a new identity. 00:34:58.980 --> 00:35:04.539 What is true of you now? It is this, that you 00:35:04.539 --> 00:35:09.079 are a part of the new humanity, the new creation 00:35:09.079 --> 00:35:15.050 of God. You are part of the new man that he speaks 00:35:15.050 --> 00:35:18.769 about in verse 15. That's the church of Jesus 00:35:18.769 --> 00:35:22.170 Christ. The church did not exist before this 00:35:22.170 --> 00:35:24.989 in the Old Testament. It is something new. Not 00:35:24.989 --> 00:35:29.010 new in time. Indeed, it's 2 ,000 years old as 00:35:29.010 --> 00:35:34.570 we measure time. But it's new in quality. It's 00:35:34.570 --> 00:35:37.030 something new that was not here before this. 00:35:38.409 --> 00:35:42.110 The church is a new thing, a new group, a new 00:35:42.110 --> 00:35:48.349 man, a new entity, a new humanity that God is 00:35:48.349 --> 00:35:54.469 calling out in this age. And how does he call 00:35:54.469 --> 00:35:57.110 people out? Through the proclamation of this 00:35:57.110 --> 00:36:00.849 gospel. Notice in verse 17 it says, And he came, 00:36:01.090 --> 00:36:05.409 Christ came, he there refers to Christ, he came 00:36:05.409 --> 00:36:08.860 and preached peace to you. who were far away, 00:36:09.059 --> 00:36:12.980 Gentiles, and peace to those who were near the 00:36:12.980 --> 00:36:17.119 Jews. Now when did the Lord Jesus Christ ever 00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:21.159 go to Ephesus? Paul says he came and preached 00:36:21.159 --> 00:36:26.639 to Gentiles and Jews. When? It's when Paul arrived 00:36:26.639 --> 00:36:30.960 in Ephesus. For the Lord Jesus Christ was preaching 00:36:30.960 --> 00:36:36.170 through Paul this message. Just as the Lord Jesus 00:36:36.170 --> 00:36:40.150 Christ proclaims this message through you in 00:36:40.150 --> 00:36:45.809 that office, in that school classroom, around 00:36:45.809 --> 00:36:49.889 the dinner table, wherever you are, it is he 00:36:49.889 --> 00:36:54.949 who is proclaiming this peace both to Jew and 00:36:54.949 --> 00:36:58.590 to Gentile. We as a church need to be doing that. 00:36:59.210 --> 00:37:01.429 There's one concern I have about our missions 00:37:01.429 --> 00:37:04.960 budget is that we are very, very light. in missions 00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:10.059 to the Jews. We are not doing a very effective 00:37:10.059 --> 00:37:12.239 job reaching the Jews here in the Twin Cities, 00:37:12.320 --> 00:37:16.119 for that matter. There may not be a lot of them 00:37:16.119 --> 00:37:19.179 that live around here. But those that we know 00:37:19.179 --> 00:37:21.400 about, we need to be seeking to reach with the 00:37:21.400 --> 00:37:25.880 gospel. There are pockets of them, large pockets 00:37:25.880 --> 00:37:28.820 in the Twin Cities. I think we need to be designating 00:37:28.820 --> 00:37:31.099 some funds in the future toward Jewish missions. 00:37:32.010 --> 00:37:34.449 Because the gospel is to be preached to the Jews 00:37:34.449 --> 00:37:39.110 as well as to the Gentiles. Let's seek to win 00:37:39.110 --> 00:37:43.869 them. The Lord Jesus Christ is the tie that binds 00:37:43.869 --> 00:37:48.929 us together. He has made peace between Jew and 00:37:48.929 --> 00:37:54.309 Gentile and between God and both Jew and Gentile. 00:37:55.050 --> 00:37:57.809 As God looks at the world today, he basically 00:37:57.809 --> 00:38:02.130 sees three groups of people. According to 1 Corinthians 00:38:02.130 --> 00:38:06.449 10 .32. He sees those who are Jews according 00:38:06.449 --> 00:38:12.269 to the flesh. He sees those who are Gentiles 00:38:12.269 --> 00:38:17.170 according to the flesh. And he sees the church 00:38:17.170 --> 00:38:21.469 of God according to the spirit. Being called 00:38:21.469 --> 00:38:25.170 out of Jew and Gentile to be something new. Where 00:38:25.170 --> 00:38:29.170 do you fit into that, by the way? Are you a Jew? 00:38:30.800 --> 00:38:35.519 Are you a Gentile or are you a part of the church 00:38:35.519 --> 00:38:43.320 through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Sin is 00:38:43.320 --> 00:38:47.159 the great separator, but Christ is the great 00:38:47.159 --> 00:38:51.800 reconciler. You know, that's true in marriages. 00:38:53.380 --> 00:38:56.579 It is sin that separates a husband and wife. 00:38:58.960 --> 00:39:02.960 I mean, you counsel, you investigate it. Down 00:39:02.960 --> 00:39:06.639 there somewhere is sin, if not in action, at 00:39:06.639 --> 00:39:12.179 least in attitude. Sin is the separator. Christ 00:39:12.179 --> 00:39:16.280 is the reconciler. He is able to bring peace 00:39:16.280 --> 00:39:21.920 in troubled marriages if sin is dealt with humbly. 00:39:23.820 --> 00:39:26.239 He's able to bring peace between parents and 00:39:26.239 --> 00:39:32.920 children. What is the separator? It is sin. If 00:39:32.920 --> 00:39:36.820 not in action, in attitude, but the Lord Jesus 00:39:36.820 --> 00:39:39.760 Christ is able to reconcile that. He's able to 00:39:39.760 --> 00:39:45.340 bring peace into that home. He is the one who 00:39:45.340 --> 00:39:47.539 can bring peace in a church that is troubled. 00:39:48.219 --> 00:39:52.159 An interesting question is, if he is our peace, 00:39:53.360 --> 00:39:56.380 And if he has made peace, why is there so much 00:39:56.380 --> 00:40:00.880 warfare in churches? Have you ever wondered about 00:40:00.880 --> 00:40:05.719 that? I thank God for the very little bit of 00:40:05.719 --> 00:40:08.019 it that we've experienced here in these six years. 00:40:08.840 --> 00:40:11.559 But why is there so much warfare in churches 00:40:11.559 --> 00:40:17.780 if he is our peace? Well, it's because of sin. 00:40:18.820 --> 00:40:22.570 Sin is the separator. There's no place in the 00:40:22.570 --> 00:40:26.690 church for dividing up of groups, for choosing 00:40:26.690 --> 00:40:30.590 sides. There's no place for becoming divisive 00:40:30.590 --> 00:40:36.989 because Christ, our Lord, has died that he might 00:40:36.989 --> 00:40:44.269 make peace in this new man, the church. Sin is 00:40:44.269 --> 00:40:47.909 the great separator. Christ is the reconciler. 00:40:49.389 --> 00:40:52.010 wherever there may be separation in your life 00:40:52.010 --> 00:40:58.889 today, will you give that area to the Lord? Will 00:40:58.889 --> 00:41:01.489 you allow him to bring reconciliation in those 00:41:01.489 --> 00:41:06.750 broken relationships? Those walls that you have 00:41:06.750 --> 00:41:11.130 put up between yourself and others, will you 00:41:11.130 --> 00:41:16.610 allow him to abolish them and bring you together? 00:41:18.119 --> 00:41:21.280 That's what he wants to do. Let's pray.