{As has been previously mentioned, these are my teaching notes for the Mishkan Katan show. So, they are in rough form.}
Once again, we will take up today where we ended last week, with Ephesians 2:11-16 (NET)
11Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh – who are called “uncircumcision” by the so-called “circumcision” that is performed on the body by human hands – 12that you were at that time without the Messiah, alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, 15when he nullified in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace, 16and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed.
In eternity past, God saw all and planned all. Yes, the Jews became manifested as His chosen race from the days of Abraham. Still, he saw the Ephesian Christians, even then. He saw every believer "in Christ", even then. We are all part of the butterfly life cycle. The Jews were the first manifestation of His redemptive grace through faith (Genesis 15:6; Habakkuk 2:4 - - "the just shall live by faith"). However, the Church of Jesus Christ was grafted in, bound up in the cocoon with the Jewish people from the time of Jesus Christ's resurrection onward. At the moment, the Christian Church age is continuing to unfold. But, the end of the story is not yet.
Look, the honest seeker will find that there are hundreds of Old Testament prophecies about Messiah, and that Jesus Christ fulfilled/is fulfilling the ones which predicted the suffering prophet and Melchizedekian priest. He has yet to fulfill the ones about the messianic conquering King. That will occur in the "final stage of the butterfly's development".
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So, now to the central tenet of our text and the central question from parts 1 and 2 of this series: How do we heal the schism? There is only one path to healing, and that is through "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6), Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:14 states "He is our peace" - - - not only the Christian's peace but the Jew's peace as well.
Currently, we are like that ridiculous image posted in yesterday's blog - - that of the 2-headed monster, with one eye in each head. Yet, despite how we act toward one another, in reality, we are all, Jew and Gentile, bound up in the cocoon of God's eternal plan, hatched before the foundations of this world were ever laid.
Through His blood sacrifice, Jesus fulfilled and brought into clearer focus (but did not negate) the Mosaic Law with His law of love and grace. His new commandment pushed the false traditions of the first century pharisaical practice off of their pedestal and re-framed the Torah theology, helping us to more clearly understand its original intent. At the end of the Gentile Age, He will return as conquering King. At that time, the eyes of massive numbers of Jewish people will be opened, and they will embrace Him as their true Mashiach (Messiah). Messianic Jews know this truth and have already embraced Him as their Mashiach.
The reconciliation has already occurred, positionally, in the heavenly realm that exists independent of time and space. God's divine plan is established and sure. Through the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the hostilities between Jew and Christian have been slain.
As God fulfilled the Ezekiel 37 prophecies 77 years ago, He is continuing to unfold His plan in our modern time. As surely as prophecies were fulfilled centuries ago, the remainder will be fulfilled in the centuries to come. Our immutable Elohim has promised. And, His Word can never be undone.
One Body - - Jew and "Greek" - - even so come, Lord Jesus!
If you are like me you have customarily viewed a temple as being a building in which something or someone other than Jesus Christ is worshipped. The most common association is with the historical Jewish temple, although one no longer exists. When traditional Jews gather together for worship, they meet in a building called a synagogue. Then, there's the Yaarab Temple, which is the gathering place for Shriners, the highest order of Masonic worship. Again, not Jesus Christ. Then, around the world there are temples to other false gods of Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, etc.
So, why is the title of this post, "A Christian Temple". Christians don't worship in temples....do they?
My family attends church in a lovely building. It does not resemble a traditional church, which has earned it the nickname in the community "the ski lodge". Is that our "temple"? Not hardly. Architecture does not define the Christian temple. Take a look at what does.
17And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, 18so that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer foreigners and noncitizens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, 20because you have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21In him the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:17-22 (NET)
Try to realize how controversial these statements would have been to Jews of Paul's day, people who had been trained from birth to conceptualize the Temple as a sacred stick-n-stone building, a holy building, a physical place where the presence of God dwelled. You might as well tell a Catholic today that the Vatican has been moved to the bottom of the ocean and is now called Atlantis. It was unheard of, a sort of heresy!
But, the point that Paul was trying to make is that the Christian temple is not a physical building at all. So, what IS it?
1. The Christian Temple is wherever the Holy Spirit of God resides.
Now, don't be confused. God's spirit is omnipresent, which is to say He is "everywhere, all at once". But, being present is not the same as "dwelling". Example: you may attend a business meeting. You are THERE; you are present. But, that meeting place is not your home.
The home of God's Holy Spirit is ever "under construction", because there are always "additions" being built (vs. 22).
God's Holy Spirit's home is in the heart of every believer in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. As more and more people become part of God's family by accepting Christ, God's "home" expands and grows.
2. Temple Features
What is this temple like?
a. Its cornerstone, the stone that holds the hold building together, is Jesus Christ. Without Him, God's Spirit is absent.
b. It's firm and sure foundation are the holy scriptures, those eyewitness accounts, both Old and New Testaments, from the prophets and apostles. Any claim to represent God that is divorced from the written Word of God is heresy.
c. It's building blocks, holy stones, if you will, are WE, God's children...Jesus' disciples. This makes us members of God's home, God's household (vs. 19). HE has built us into His home. And, it is in us He dwells. Our very bodies are His Temple (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
This means that our citizenship is not here. If you are Jesus Christ's own beloved, His own dear child, it doesn't matter where your physical body resides. Your citizenship is not in America or Canada or Ireland or Dubai or in any other earthly geographical locale. You are a "stranger and alien" in this sin-scarred world, on this battleground. Your spiritual country's capital is in Heaven, in another dimension of "reality" altogether.
"I have found a desire within myself, that no experience in this world can satisfy;
the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."
C.S. Lewis
Now, we are going to move on to Ephesians ch. 3.
Ephesians 3:1-13
1Because of this I, Sha’ul, am the prisoner of יהושע Messiah on behalf of you gentiles –
2if indeed you have heard of the administration of the favour of Elohim that was given to me for you,
3that by revelation was made known to me the secret, as I wrote before briefly.
4In reading this, then, you are able to understand my insight into the secret of Messiah,
5which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His set-apart emissaries and prophets:
6The gentiles to be co-heirs, united in the same body, and partakers togethera in the promise in Messiah through the Good News,
7of which I became a servant according to the gift of the favour of Elohim given to me, according to the working of His power.
8To me, the very least of all the set-apart ones, this favour was given, to bring the Good News of the unsearchable riches of Messiah among the gentiles,
9and to make all see how this secret is administered, which for ages past has been hidden in Elohim who created all through יהושע Messiah,a
10so that now, through the assembly, the many-sided wisdom of Elohim might be known to the principalities and authorities in the heavenlies,
11according to the everlasting purpose which He made in Messiah יהושע our Master,
12in whom we have boldness and access, with reliance, through belief in Him.
13I pray therefore, that you do not lose heart at my pressures on your behalf, which is your esteem.
In verse one, Paul makes reference to being Yeshua’s “prisoner”. Have you ever been imprisoned, either literally or figuratively? I think that the worst prisons are not physical, but are spiritual - - bondages that seem to be stronger than iron bars could ever be. If you were born a gentile, don’t you thank almighty God that Paul’s destiny was to minister to non-Jewish people groups? Talk about us being imprisoned....had not our gracious, loving Father Yahweh been willing to include Gentiles in His redemptive plan, we would truly be imprisoned, hopelessly so, in our sins.
In verse two, Paul relates the imprisonment of his calling as the favor of God, who at times leads us along paths that are in the scope of His will, but do NOT seem to be “favorable”, not in our eyes at least, or not at that current time. Only later can we sometimes see that His ways were, and are, perfect.
Verse 5 speaks of the perfect timing of God. It brings me peace in the midst of the world’s turmoil, to realize that I am here and that you are here, “for such a time as this”. God revealed His plan of salvation to the Gentiles, in His own perfect timing and in His own perfect way. He used the believers of the first century to do this. Now, here we are, in this turbulent time, when it seems that WWIII may be on the horizon. Just this morning, I read of a significant change in the American foreign policy approach to the Chamas-Israel war, and it was not a good one.
But, we must not fear. We are required to be faithful, in this time, on this day, and the day after and the day after, fulfilling our own callings as members of Yeshua’s body, “for such a time as this”.
In verse six, Paul reiterates the central tenet of this passage, that Jews and Gentiles who accept the Good News of Yeshua, are joint-heirs, co-heirs together, united in the same spiritual body. This verse is simulataneously so encouraging and yet so discouraging to me. It seems that, today, this concept of “united” has never been further from the truth of what we are living. However, again, we must continue to be faithful, and continue to seek areas of unity, as we testify to the gospel, as we live out Torah in our daily lives, and then we must trust in Father Yahweh’s perfect timing to bring the ultimate unity to pass. May it come speedily, and in our day!
Skipping down to verse 8, we see Paul’s humility. I taught on this concept during the LAMB special event called “Alive in Messiah”, in November of 2023. Humility was and is a hallmark of all followers of God who truly know Him. Paul was no exception. After meeting Mashiach Yeshua on the road to Damascus, when his heart was opened to the transforming gospel, he truly viewed himself as “the lowliest soldier in God’s army”. It is a theme that runs through the stories of other Bible “greats”. Humility is a spiritual trait we should all pursue, because its antithesis is pride, the chief trait of the enemy of our souls, a trait we must continually reject. Pride is the root of all ungodliness, as demonstrated by the negative example of the accuser, the enemy of our souls, haSatan.
In verse 12, Paul reminds the assembly at Ephesus that their boldness in coming to the throne of God, and their access to the same, is through ... their many righteous works? No, this access, this relationship is only through belief in Yeshua HaMashiach. It is important to remember that. Our good works are testimonies to an inward heart transformation, the transformation of belief. The fruit on a tree does not make the tree what variety it is. The tree is its own botanical variety first, before any fruit ever appears. The fruit is merely a testimony to the type of tree. Such it is with our good works. So said our Savior and Lord Jesus in Matthew 7:20-21. “By their fruit you shall know them.”
The French have an expression: "Vivez le vie pleinement!", which basically means, "Live life to the fullest!"
I think it would be an interesting thing to do one of those "man on the street" polls and ask people this question: "What does it mean to live life to the fullest?" Here are a few of the answers I think you'd hear:
Be goal-driven. Only you are responsible for your own success.
"I did it my way!"
Embrace failure, so you can learn from it.
Conquer your fears.
Live to please yourself.
Live to please others.
Have a positive attitude.
Make a bucket list and check it off.
You get the idea. Some would say that Mark Zuckerman lives life to the fullest. He developed a product where there was a need, and that product has become wildly successful. Some would say that Prince lived life to the fullest, but he died relatively young under less-than-ideal circumstances (jury is still out on that one...). Some would say that Mother Theresa lived life to the fullest.
I guess it all depends on your point of view. The world has a very different view of success than does God.
What does the apostle Paul say about a life lived to the fullest? The Bible's answer is totally opposite to the world's prescription for fullness of life.
Let’s move on to Ephesians 3:14-19, from The Message version of the Scriptures.
14-19 My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
20-21 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!
1. Paul emphasizes that, in order to live life to the fullest, we must first reach out and experience the love of Jesus Christ. This begins by opening the door to Him and inviting Him in, to possess you, and to mark you as His by giving you His Holy Spirit.
Many people do not want to surrender themselves in this way. In fact, they go out of their way to avoid what they view as a capitulation. The rocker, Jimi Hendrix, typified this worldly, anti-God worldview when he famously said, "I'm the one who's got to die, when it's time for me to die; so, let me live my life the way I want to."
I maintain that one reason for their resistance is that they have never comprehended the love of Jesus Christ, which is why Paul emphasizes that our feet must be firmly planted ("established") in this great truth. To be able to see oneself honestly, from hopelessly sin-plagued sinner to reborn, redeemed saint, and all this due to the magnificent love of Christ, is treasure indeed. Fullness of life begins here. It can begin nowhere else.
2. Then, Paul goes on to talk about inner strength, something we all need ... to weather the ups and downs of this life. The "downs" can steal away that joy, that fullness, if we aren't watchful. As we open ourselves more and more to Jesus Christ, He works in us fullness, abundance by giving us His glorious, inner strength. His Spirit works deeply and gently within us.
Although it is the world's way, our glory-grabbing never leads to fullness of life. Christians, those who truly know Jesus Christ, recognize that all of our dreams are from Him and all our "accomplishments" are through Him. And, for this reason Paul extols at the end of this chapter, ascribing all the glory - - -all of it - - - to God.
3. The capstone of fullness of life is praising and worshipping our incredible God for the things HE has done. Here is where I tend to fall down and lose some of my joy. I forget to praise Him and thank Him when my tank is running low. Satan sneaks in with discouragement and despondency. The only way to fend that off is to re-frame, re-focus on God's truths and then to praise Him for His magnificent work. Look at Paul here - - - he got down on his knees and not only petitioned God for the Ephesian church, he glorified, praised and thanked God in prayer! What a wonderful example He provides us in the apostle Paul!
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