This week, we continue in Ephesians. Specifically, Ephesians 2:11-18
11 Therefore 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— 12 remember 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. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by 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, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
There is a lot in this passage to take in. A couple of beautiful sections that I love. First, v.13
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
As we’ve seen in our study of Ephesians, we were lost and dead in sin, but because of God’s work through the blood of Jesus, we have been brought near. One of our favorite songs to sing, In Tenderness, has a few lines that capture this idea nicely:
Oh the love that sought me / Oh the love that bought me / Oh the grace that brought me to the fold of God
Another beautiful idea that we see in this passage is that Jesus is our Peace and through his work on the cross we have been reconciled to God (v. 16). The last song we will be singing is one that we learned last week, Hail the King, which has a beautiful line about how we are reconciled to the Father through Jesus.
While we were weak he died / Making us reconciled / To God for all eternal days
To prepare to worship in song together, check out these helpful links:
Nothing But The Blood (Listen | Purchase)
How Deep The Father’s Love For Us (Listen | Purchase)
In Tenderness (Listen | Purchase)
Jude Doxology (Listen | Purchase)
Hail the King (Listen | Purchase)
See you on Sunday.