Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Friday, 10 November 2017 "Christian Community, God's Habitation" by Rudy Morgan - Ephesians 2:11-22
Ephesians 2:11 Therefore, remember your former state: you Gentiles by birth — called the Uncircumcised by those who, merely because of an operation on their flesh, are called the Circumcised — 12 at that time had no Messiah. You were estranged from the national life of Isra’el. You were foreigners to the covenants embodying God’s promise. You were in this world without hope and without God.
13 But now, you who were once far off have been brought near through the shedding of the Messiah’s blood. 14 For he himself is our shalom — he has made us both one and has broken down the m’chitzah which divided us 15 by destroying in his own body the enmity occasioned by the Torah, with its commands set forth in the form of ordinances. He did this in order to create in union with himself from the two groups a single new humanity and thus make shalom, 16 and in order to reconcile to God both in a single body by being executed on a stake as a criminal and thus in himself killing that enmity.
17 Also, when he came, he announced as Good News shalom to you far off and shalom to those nearby,[Ephesians 2:17 Isaiah 57:19] 18 news that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
19 So then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers. On the contrary, you are fellow-citizens with God’s people and members of God’s family. 20 You have been built on the foundation of the emissaries and the prophets, with the cornerstone being Yeshua the Messiah himself. 21 In union with him the whole building is held together, and it is growing into a holy temple in union with the Lord. 22 Yes, in union with him, you yourselves are being built together into a spiritual dwelling-place for God!
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Paul reminded his readers that their background had been one of hopelessness and sinful lifestyles outside of Christ. However, now they were genuinely united in the body of Christ and near to God, because of the blood of Christ. Both Jews and Gentiles have received reconciliation and peace; the hostility that had been there had come to an end. The believers were now members of God’s household, and He inhabited their lives and faith in Christ.
In the Old Testament, the temple was God’s dwelling place. In contrast, Paul explained that under God’s new covenant, deliverance has come to all who respond to God’s call. The Christian community now has God’s abiding presence. They literally enjoy God’s habitation. This habitation is through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, God's habitation is more than a place or building. “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:19-20).---
Hymn for Today:
"The Solid Rock" by Edward Mote
1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
Refrain: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
Refrain: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
3. His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
Refrain: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him demonstrate it by his good way of life, by actions done in the humility that grows out of wisdom.(James 3:13)
---
Please pray:
For the churches organized as a result of evangelism efforts in Mesoamerica.
---
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
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Ephesians 2:11 Therefore, remember your former state: you Gentiles by birth — called the Uncircumcised by those who, merely because of an operation on their flesh, are called the Circumcised — 12 at that time had no Messiah. You were estranged from the national life of Isra’el. You were foreigners to the covenants embodying God’s promise. You were in this world without hope and without God.
13 But now, you who were once far off have been brought near through the shedding of the Messiah’s blood. 14 For he himself is our shalom — he has made us both one and has broken down the m’chitzah which divided us 15 by destroying in his own body the enmity occasioned by the Torah, with its commands set forth in the form of ordinances. He did this in order to create in union with himself from the two groups a single new humanity and thus make shalom, 16 and in order to reconcile to God both in a single body by being executed on a stake as a criminal and thus in himself killing that enmity.
17 Also, when he came, he announced as Good News shalom to you far off and shalom to those nearby,[Ephesians 2:17 Isaiah 57:19] 18 news that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
19 So then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers. On the contrary, you are fellow-citizens with God’s people and members of God’s family. 20 You have been built on the foundation of the emissaries and the prophets, with the cornerstone being Yeshua the Messiah himself. 21 In union with him the whole building is held together, and it is growing into a holy temple in union with the Lord. 22 Yes, in union with him, you yourselves are being built together into a spiritual dwelling-place for God!
---
Paul reminded his readers that their background had been one of hopelessness and sinful lifestyles outside of Christ. However, now they were genuinely united in the body of Christ and near to God, because of the blood of Christ. Both Jews and Gentiles have received reconciliation and peace; the hostility that had been there had come to an end. The believers were now members of God’s household, and He inhabited their lives and faith in Christ.
In the Old Testament, the temple was God’s dwelling place. In contrast, Paul explained that under God’s new covenant, deliverance has come to all who respond to God’s call. The Christian community now has God’s abiding presence. They literally enjoy God’s habitation. This habitation is through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, God's habitation is more than a place or building. “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:19-20).---
Hymn for Today:
"The Solid Rock" by Edward Mote
1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
Refrain: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
Refrain: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
3. His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
Refrain: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
Refrain: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
---
Thought for Today:All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
---
Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him demonstrate it by his good way of life, by actions done in the humility that grows out of wisdom.(James 3:13)
---
Please pray:
For the churches organized as a result of evangelism efforts in Mesoamerica.
---
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
-------
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