Identity in Ephesians: You are Reconciled
Ephesians 2:11-22
Connect:
Share how you have seen God in the Highs and Lows of your week.
Discuss how resolutions made last week in “growing more like Jesus” worked themselves out— what did God do in and through you (Phil 2:13)? Celebrate those together!
Prayer:
Pray that God would lead your discussion time and bring fresh insight, conviction, and hope through your time together.
Review:
We are launching into a new series on our identity in Christ as presented in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. There are 14 things that God says we are. Last week we looked at how we are “blessed” and this week the focus is on being “rooted”.
The Grand Tour of the message: Thinking back on what you heard this Sunday…
o What did you learn about God?
o What did you learn about people?
o What did you learn about yourself?
o What do you want to commit to putting into practice?
Reflect:
Worldwide, independent of culture, ethnicity or environment, we as human beings seem to be programmed to create boundaries around who is “Us” and who is “Not Us”. Why are we so prone to polarize?
Read Ephesians 2:11-12
A Gentile is “anyone not a Jew”! Paul’s point here is that they were totally foreign in relation to Israel and Israel’s God. His covenant, His hope, His power, His presence… Discuss that:
o This division between “children of Abraham through Isaac” and …everyone else on earth… was something God Himself created! Why did He do that?
o A pious Jew would thank God daily he was not a Gentile (‘dog’)! Where did that sense of distinction come from?
o Scott said, Instead of looking down on others, we need to look back on ourselves.” How does that help us to apply Paul’s reminder to the Gentiles of their past before they met Jesus?
o How are “humility” and “unity” related?
Read Ephesians 2:13-18
o How do you think it felt for a Gentile to hear that he was “Reconciled” to God? What do you think would have been initial gaps in the understanding of an average, idol-worshipping Ephesian when they first heard that?
o Paul says, “…His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace…” How would you articulate that idea to a co-worker or neighbor today? If there are places they are going to have gaps in understanding, bring that out!
o Paul talks about the “Dividing wall of hostility” and the “Law with its commandments and regulations”. How did these two things both get resolved in the death of Jesus Christ for our sins?
Read Eph 2:19-22
o The difference between “foreigners to the promises” and “fellow citizens with God’s people” seems so stark, so absolute. How does that apply to unity within the church and witness beyond the church?
o Read John 17:20-21. Why would our unity affect the beliefs of a watching world?
Respond:
o In the message this weekend, Scott asked, “Who is my ‘Jew"‘"?” (meaning who is the person I am most prone to think of as “Not my group”? Take some time a the end here and pray for those people!
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