Ephesians: A Worthy Walk
Background: For the next month, we will be studying the Book of Ephesians, a letter Paul wrote while he was in jail in Rome, awaiting his first trial. Ephesus was one of his best churches, and he spent a lot of time there on his missionary journeys. The church likely planted the other churches of Asia Minor that Jesus referenced in Revelation 2-3.
Ephesians is easily outlined. Chapters 1-3 speak of the great salvation we have in Christ, which comes by grace through faith alone. Then, 4:1 is the turning point, where Paul admonishes them to "walk worthy of the calling you have received." We cannot be worthy of Christ's salvation - it is a gift of grace. But having received it, we can then, by the Spirit's power, WALK worthy. Chapters 4-6 describe the worthy walk. This is a favorite template for Paul. He develops a doctrine then applies it practically.
As often as time allows, the reader is encouraged to read the entire book - it will not take more than a few minutes. Each day we will work our way through the book passage by passage.
Today's Reading: Ephesians 1-6 Focus Passage - Ephesians 2:11-17
11 So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. 12 At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, 15 he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace. 16 He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death. 17 He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
Through the Bible Readings: Isaiah27-28, 1 Corinthians 10:23–11:16, Psalm 105:9–15, Proverbs 22:13–14
If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.
Devotional: Tear Down Those Walls
Racial issues are nothing new in the church of Jesus Christ. In fact, the early church's key conflict came over racial matters. It was not black and white that was the problem in that day, but Jew and Gentile. The animus between the Jews and Gentiles in the Fist Century matched anything we see today.
When the church was born, it was considered a sect of Judaism. The people saved on Pentecost were all Jewish and the church seemed to be in no hurry to move past its Jewish identity. For several years, it seemed that the only part of Acts 1:8 the Apostles heard was about being witnesses in Jerusalem. It took persecution driving them out of that city to begin worldwide mission. Peter was reluctant to go to the home of a Gentile until he received a vision and in Acts 11:19 we see that the Jews who were scattered preached the Gospel everywhere they went, but only to other Jews.
It seems they were comfortable confining the Gospel to THEIR kind of people, having the church be a Jewish thing for Jewish people. They were God's chosen after all.
Then, Saul of Tarsus happened. God called him as an Apostle to the Gentiles and he preached the Gospel to everyone - as God intended. The Gentiles responded in droves and pretty soon, in the cities where Paul went, the church was no longer a Jewish conclave. This made some Jews angry or uncomfortable and a huge controversy arose. The circumcision party rose up, causing division everywhere. They demanded that people observe Jewish law and rituals to be Christians - Jew first, then a Christian. Paul's first letter, Galatians, was written to confront these issues, and Acts 15 tells of the resultant church council to settle the conflict.
Even years later, when he wrote this letter to Ephesus during his imprisonment, the conflict was still raging. Paul dealt with it directly, stating that Jesus came not only to die for our sins but to knock down the human walls of hostility and create one people where there had been two. He did not want Jewish churches and Gentile churches, but he wanted the church to lay down those cultural things that separated them and embrace the Gospel fully.
We are a divided people today - Black and White, rich and poor, left and right. We have let human things divide the church of Jesus Christ. God does not want his church divided by human hostilities. His goal is to create One Worshiping People from every tribe and language on earth and the Gospel requires us to lay down racial, ethnic, and social hostilities for the sake of Christ.
Father, may I never hold on to those things that separate me from others on human terms. May I be a man of unity, an agent of building the One Worship People you seek.
Think and Pray:
Do you allow earthly divisions to control you or are you an agent of unity?
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