Ephesians_2

Scripture  

Ephesians 2:19-22 

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Observation-What does it say?  

In this letter, Paul is addressing Christians who would have been Gentiles.  In this time, there was a great amount of segregation between the Jews and the Gentiles by racial, religious, cultural and social barriers.  The Jews understood themselves to be close to God, His chosen people, while the Gentiles were enemies to God.  It was also common for Jewish Christians to impose their traditions and rules upon the Gentiles in order for them to be “real” followers of Christ.  Therefore, Paul is addressing the fact that Christ has reconciled both the Jew and the Gentile through His death on the cross.  

Understanding-What does it mean?  

“A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group - that's teamwork.”-John Wooden

I find it amazing that Jesus is both the most inviting and most polarizing force in the universe.  When we come to Him in humility, realizing that we are in need of His grace, He receives us and wipes away all our inadequacies.  And if we come to Him with pride in what we have done for Him, he turns us away.  Jesus is the great equalizer.  His work on the cross takes the place of anything that we have ever done in an attempt to gain an audience with God.  In Matthew, Jesus said, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”  In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus further explains this in the parable of the sheep and the goats.  He separates those who sought after Him in truth and those who did it in pretense.  

In 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Paul expanded on our corporate reconciliation to God in describing us as a body with many members.  You don’t ever look at your finger and think, “This finger really isn’t as important as my eye. I’m going to cut it off.”  Similarly, in the body of Christ there is no part that is more important than the other.  Thus, we should seek to cut off any attitude of favoritism in ourselves and our congregations, because Jesus came to die for the whole world.

Life Application 

Jesus, help me to seek out opportunities to build bridges to the “least of these.”  Show me areas where I can make those around me feel more connected to you.  Give me opportunities to lift up those that I might have looked down on in the past.

-Tyler Galloway