Title: The Living Christ
1The Living Christ
- A Study in the Book of Ephesians
2Review
- In Christ, God ADOPTED US (15)
- In Christ, God MAKES US ALIVE! (25)
- In Christ, God SAVES US (25)
3In Groups
- Read Ephesians 2 11-22
- - What is the CRUX of the content?
4Vs. 11-22
- Vss. 11, 12 EXCLUSIONARY language and reminder
to make a point of emphasis coming in verse 13. - Vss. 14-27 Language of SEPARATION and BARRIERS
to demonstrate the RECONCILING nature of the work
of Christ.
5Means of Peace
- Peace for the INDIVIDUAL
- Peace for the BODY OF CHRIST
- Peace with GOD through Christ
6Verses 11-22
- Vss. 19-22 METAPHORICAL language continuing the
theme and definition of the CHURCH as Christs
body. - - The church is to be a people in whom the HOLY
SPIRIT dwells.
7In Groups
- What things divide us from one-another?
- What things divide us from God?
8I simply argue that the cross he raised again at
the center of the market place as well as on the
steeple of the church...
9 I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not
crucified in a cathedral between two candles
10 But on a cross between two thieves on a town
garbage heap At a crossroad of politics so
cosmopolitan that they had to write His title in
Hebrew and in Latin and in Greek
11 And at the kind of place where cynics talk
smut, and thieves curse and soldiers gamble
12 Because that is where He died, and that is what
He died about. And that is where Christs men
ought to be, and what church people ought to be
about.
George MacLeod
13For he himself is our peace, who has made the two
one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing
wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the
law with its commandments and regulations
14His purpose was to create in himself one new man
out of the two, thus making peace, and in this
one body to reconcile both of them to God through
the cross, by which he put to death their
hostility
15He came and preached peace to you who were far
away and peace to those who were near. For
through him we both have access to the Father by
one Spirit.
The Apostle Paul
16I am Gods Work of Art!