"13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it."
- Psalm 34:13-14 (ESV)
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Archived Quote of the Week (12/20)
"Many of us suffer from temptations from which we have no business to suffer."
- Oswald ChambersPodcast: Ephesians 2:14-18 (12/20/08)
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Here is the Ephesians 2:14-18 Podcast.
Here is the Ephesians 2:14-18 Podcast.
Ephesians 2:14-18 (12/20/08)
Ephesians 2:14-18 (English Standard Version)
14For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
~
Alienation first began when Eve ate of the forbidden fruit
Paul was well aware of the alienation of the Gentiles from the Jewish temple at Jerusalem
Jewish temple at Jerusalem
Built by Herod the Great
Replaced the temple dating back to Nehemiah
Overlaid w/ gold; was the glory of the city; sat on the temple mount (raised platform)
Surrounded w/ courts:
Court of Priests (Innermost) – only members of Levi tribe
Court of Israel – only male Jews
Court of Women – any Jew, farthest a Jewish woman could go
All the above courts were on the same level
Court of Gentiles – From the Court of Women, descend 5 steps to an area w/ a 5 foot wall that went around the entire temple, another level space, descend 14 more steps
“No foreigner was permitted to enter the Jewish enclosures upon penalty of death” (Boice 83).
Paul visited the temple shortly before this letter to deliver offerings of the Gentile church to the Jewish Christians of that city, he was accused of bringing a Gentile, Trophimus into the temple enclosure. Caused an angry mob to which tried to kill Paul
“In all the ancient world, no wall was so impassable as the wall between Jew and Gentile” (Boice 84).
http://fantasymaps.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/herods_temple.jpg
v. 14 – He himself = Jesus
made the two = Jew and Gentile
The temple courts were designed to discriminate among people, but the greatest barrier was between God and the people.
The Holy Place (any regularly assigned Levi priests could go) and the Holy of Holies (only the high priest could enter, and that only once a year after first making a sacrifice for himself and his family)
Great viel – 6 inches thick sealing off the inner temple
In this area was the Arc of the Covenant, in which on the cover, between the cherubim, God dwelt (symbolically)
The idea behind the temple was to show not just the alienation of the people from one another, but their alienation from God
The cause of this alienation is sin
We are now at enmity with God b/c of our sin and also at enmity with ourselves, one another, and all the world
~
Matthew is preeminently a Jewish Gospel so the Jewish readers knew what this curtain splitting meant.
The curtain wasn’t just ripped, it was torn in two, from top to bottom – graphic!
What does this mean?
Christ’s death removes the sin barrier b/w God and men. Reconciliation has come. With faith in Christ’s work, anyone can approach God
~
Reconciliation
Has 5 meanings:
1. Change from a hostile to a friendly relationship
2. Bringing together again, a reuniting, a re-connecting. Not merely a friendship after an estrangement or doing away with estrangement. Not being on speaking terms again.
3. Completeness of the action. Not a compromise that patches up the issue momentarily. Produces complete amity and concord where there was formerly hostility
4. Not two quarlling partners coming together, but one of the parties takes all the action. Greek word kata – one side bringing the other into this postion of complete amity and accord
5. Restoration of something that was there before.
Where we were once estranged and alienated, we are now in fellowship.
Where we were born into a state of enmity against God, were utterly hopeless, and could not nor did not want to make reconciliation…God made reconciliation through his Son bearing the full punishment.
Now that our fellowship with God is restored, our fellowship to other people is also restored if they too are in Christ.
With the great barrier down, there is no need for lesser barriers.
We are all members of one body and peace has been restored b/w all members in the body
We cannot break fellowship with any believer. The unity you have with them is greater than any bond you have with an unbeliever
It is our duty to live in harmony with all the brothers and sisters in Christ.
The world should see our membership in this one spiritual family. Our witness should reflect this.
Podcast: Ephesians 2:11-13 (12/06/08)
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Here is the Ephesians 2:11-13 Podcast.
Link coming soon...
Here is the Ephesians 2:11-13 Podcast.
Link coming soon...
Ephesians 2:11-13 (12/06/08)
Ephesians 2:11-13 (English Standard Version)
One in Christ
11Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Like Eph 2:1-10, 2:11-22 also speaks of the past, present, and future.
v.1-10 – Speaks of anyone who has become a Christian
v.11-22 – Speaks of the gentile Christian
Although both Jew and Gentile are dead in their sins pre-Christ, the state of a Gentile is worse because they do not have the unique advantages of the Jews.
Paul “makes light” of the labels used by the Jews for distinction (circumcised and uncircumcised)
From Romans 2:29 we see that Paul desires people’s “circumcised of the heart” which is an internal change.
There are real differences between the condition of a lost Jew and a lost Gentile.
Gentiles were at a disadvantage in 5 areas:
1. Separate from Christ
“Christ” “means the anointed one” or “Messiah”, so Paul most likely has a similar thought as in Romans 9:5.
“5To them belong(A) the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ(B) who is God over all,(C) blessed forever. Amen.”
The Messiah came to the Jews and was perceived by Jews. Since Gentiles are not Jews they were cut off from this advantage.
Since Gentile’s religion was completely pagan, they didn’t have a chance to know Christ and didn’t have the expectation of a Savior.
2. Excluded from citizenship in Israel
God had chosen to be know in Israel as he had chosen to be known nowhere else.
An individual had to become a Jew, a member of the commonwealth of Israel to be saved.
See Ruth 1:16
See 2 Kings 5:17
In both stories of Ruth and Naaman they were saved by becoming Jews first. Apart from this prior conversion they were “excluded from citizenship in Israel” and the Jewish blessings
3. Foreigners to the covenants of the promise
This is similar to #2 (citizenship), but Paul takes this point further.
“promise” is singular and refers to the promise from God to Abraham (see below)
The Gentiles didn’t have a share in the promise given by God to Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3
“ 1Now(A) the LORD said[a] to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2(B) And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3(C) I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and(D) in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."[b]“
This idea of being foreigners to God’s covenant is still true of unbelievers
Read D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones quote on page 79
4. Without hope
Without hope = all is lost, there is nothing, beyond useless
In all ways the Gentiles were without hope apart from Christ
“Without the God of Israel none of us can have any real hope that things will be good or get better…Apart from revelation, apart from the resurrection of Jesus Christ, no one can have any true hope of anything beyond this life” – D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
5. Without God in the world
“17(A) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from(B) the Father of lights(C) with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.[a]
If we are without God, we are without everything
Similar to 2:4 “But God…” v. 13 – “13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were(F) far off have been brought near(G) by the blood of Christ.”
We have been brought near to God b/c of Christ’s atonement for sin
Where we were “separate from Christ” (cut off), Now we are united with Christ (1:13)
Where we were excluded from citizenship in Israel, now we are fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household (2:19)
Phil. 3:20-21
Where we were foreigners to the covenants of the promise, now we are heirs together with Israel. (3:6)
Where we were without God, now we are members of God’s household (2:19-20)
Application
Paul uses the word remember twice in this section. We cannot take these things we now have for granted. (v.11-12)
We can easily become insensitive to this great news.
Read John Newton quote on page 81.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Ephesians 2:4-5 (11/15/08)
“4But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—“
~
In the Greek verse four starts with “But God”, while some English translations do not.
Many commentators like this phrasing better than some English translations because it relays the Gospel message better.
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “These two words, in and of themselves, in a sense contain the whole of the gospel.”
“But God” – tell what God has done, how God has intervened in what otherwise was an utterly hopeless situation.
Who is This God?
The nature of God
There are many views of who God is, but many are incorrect. God is the God of the Bible and the God of the Lord Jesus Christ
God is sovereign
Sovereignty means rule, so to say that God is sovereign is to say that God rules his creation.
He made it, and he is in control of it. Noting occurs without his permission. Nothing ever rises up to surprise him. What God ordains, comes to pass.
Thus Paul speaks positively/certainly of the future b/c God is in control of it.
The future is certain b/c the all-powerful, sovereign God determines it.
God is holy
God is a moral God who opposes everything sinful
Sin will be punished; righteousness will be exalted in his universe.
This ties in with God’s holiness
It is the outworking of his holiness against all that is opposed to it.
For this reason, our unsaved state is a scary state, because God is not indifferent to our sin
This is God’s universe. He is the holy God. And our sin has introduced a foul blemish into it. He is opposed to sin and is determined to stamp it out.
In our sinful state, instead of coming to him to find new life and righteousness, we run from him to wickedness and spiritual death.
What Has God Done?
Read quote (Boice 53)
Our pre-salvation state is hopeless for three reasons:
First, we are dead in our transgressions and sins
We can no more help ourselves spiritually than a corpse can improve its condition
Cannot respond to the gospel anymore than the dead can respond to our words
Dead=hopeless
Second, we are enslaved by sin.
Although we are dead in sin, we are alive to perform wickedness
Third, we are under God’s just sentence for our transgressions
We are by nature objects of wrath (v.3)
“But God” intervened sovereignty and righteously in each area
First, in response to us being are dead in our transgressions and sins
Although we were dead in sins…v.5 “even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—“
This reiterates the point made about spiritual death in v.1, though now with reference to Jews and Gentiles alike. (O’Brien 165)
“us” is inclusive
Like Lazarus, we have been raised from the dead.
John 11:43 – “When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out."”
Jesus’ voice brings life into us as well.
This is not bringing us back to life as we knew it, but rather a new life, with a new master, and a new standard of righteous living to pursue.
Second, in response to us being enslaved by sin
v.6 –“ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”
We have been raised, not as slaves, but as free men and women. “
Sin’s shackles have been broken and we are freed to act righteously and serve God effectively in this world.”
“made alive” is implicit of the forgiveness of sins and liberation from the tyrannical forces of the world, the devil, and the flesh.
Third, in response to us being under God’s just sentence for our transgressions
B/c of Jesus, we are no longer objects of God’s wrath because He suffered in our place. Now we are objects of (v.7) - so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
This is a complete reversal or our sinful condition stated earlier (Obrien 164)
Read John R. Stott quote (Boice 54)
Why Did God Do It?
Grace
It pleased God to do it
Paul uses four words to explain why:
Love (v.4) – because of his great love for us
Notice the word “great” here. It emphasizes his love for us.
God’s love for his people in Christ is referenced heavily in Romans (see 5:5, 8; 8:39)
Mercy (v.4) – Mercy flows from love. Mercy has the sense of favor being shown when the opposite is deserved.
We do not receive God’s wrath because he is merciful. Instead of our deserved condemnation, he saved us through Christ.
References to God “abounding in mercy” – Ex. 34:6, Ps. 103:8, Jonah 4:2, & Micah 7:8
Grace (v.5) – v.5 is similar to v.8-9. Grace means that there is no cause in us why God should have acted as he did.
We are not owed something. Thinking that when God doesn’t do something that it is not fair is a misunderstanding of grace. Grace is God’s favor to the utterly undeserving.
Kindness (v.7) – When we sin (daily), no matter how aweful, God doesn’t strike us down or turn on us, but rather, he is kind.
We are protected from the worst of sin’s consequences and we are e drawn back to obedience and virtue.
God acts because he IS love, mercy, grace, and kindness.
It is “his own gracious and merciful character.”
God is not only love, mercy, grace, and kindness, but also sovereign, holy, and full of wrath against sin.
What Must I Do?
We are saved by grace alone.
Since we are saved, “let this great love of God move you to the heights of consecration and activity.”
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
John Calvin quote (Boice 56)
Application
Do the words “But God” encourage you to trust him in all things? If not, why?
Ignorant of God – 1 Cor. 2:9-10
Tempted to Sin – 1 Cor. 10:13
Foolish, weak, ignoble – 1 Cor. 1:27-29
Victim of other people’s ill will (now or in the future) – Gen. 50:20
If you understand those two words – “but God” they will save your soul. If you recall them daily and live by them, they will transform your life completely.
What God has accomplished in Christ, he has accomplished in us (O’Brien 166)
Act accordingly
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