Ephesians 2:11-22 (Part 3)

I. Being apart from Christ results in alienation.
a. They were without Christ.
b. They were outside God's community.
c. They had no relation to the covenant promises.
d. They were without hope.
e. They had no relationship with God.
II. Being in Christ results in unity.
a. Christ is our peace, breaking down all barriers.
i. Abolishing the enmity caused by the ordinances.
ii. Making one body through reconciliation.
b. All in Christ are given access to the Father.

III. Being in Christ places us into a new community.
a. We are part of a new nation.
-strangers = xenos = stranger, foreign
-aliens = paroikos = one living alongside
-fellow citizens = sumpolites
-commonwealth (v. 12) politeia = citizenship, state
-Phil. 3:20
b. We are brought together into a new family.
-household = oikeios = one's own household
-Rom. 8:16-17
c. We are being built up into God's temple.
-I Cor 6:19
i. The foundation - The Apostles and prophets
ii. The Cornerstone - Christ Jesus
1. The cornerstone provides strength to support the structure.
2. The cornerstone determines the structure and position of all other stones.
3. The cornerstone is the most important stone in the structure.
-Is. 28:16
iii. The building stones - Believers
-I Pet.2:5
-fitted together = sunarmalogeo = to fit together; Refers to the careful joining of every component part.
-dwelling = katoiketerion = place of dwelling, place of settling down