etcetera:

Ephesians 2:11–22, taught by Jesse Bankhead.

Paul’s words in Ephesians 2 aren’t just theological statements — they are a dramatic narrative meant to reshape how we see ourselves and others in Christ. The passage unfolds in three acts:

Act I: Transformation – “Then and Now” (vv. 11–13)

Paul begins with a command: “Remember.”

Once, Gentiles were outsiders — separated from Christ, excluded from God’s people, strangers to His promises, without hope, and without God. But now, in Christ, those once far off have been brought near through His blood.

This shift is not just a change in belief, but in location — from outside to inside, from far to near. Our identity is now rooted in where we are: in Christ.

Act II: The New Math – One Plus One Equals One (vv. 14–18)

Christ is not simply the bringer of peace; He is our peace. His work has united Jew and Gentile into a single, new humanity. The “dividing wall” — whether understood as the temple barrier or the Law as a boundary marker — has been torn down.

In Christ, reconciliation happens in two dimensions:

• Horizontally – between people divided by ethnicity, culture, or history.
  
• Vertically – between God and humanity.
  

This unity doesn’t erase difference; it redeems it. Like stones of various shapes and sizes in a temple, our diversity becomes part of God’s design.

Act III: A More Perfect Union (vv. 19–22)

The result is both a shared identity and a shared purpose.

We are:

• No longer strangers and aliens
  
• Fellow citizens with the saints
  
• Members of God’s household
  

But more than that — we are being built into God’s house, a living temple where His Spirit dwells. This is an ongoing process — the verbs “grows” and “are being built” remind us that we are still under construction.

Why This Matters Today

Paul’s vision remains as radical in 2025 as it was in the first century. In a culture of division, Christ’s work calls us to resist building walls — visible or invisible — that divide His people. Our unity is not based on shared politics, preferences, or background, but on our shared life in Christ.

Reflections for Today

1. Identity Check – Is your primary identity found in Christ, or has it shifted toward politics, race, neighborhood, or another affiliation?
   
2. Breaking Down Walls – Who might be “strangers and aliens” in your world today? How can you move toward including them in Christ’s family?
   
3. Hidden Laws – Are there unspoken rules in your church or friendships that subtly mark who “belongs” and who doesn’t?
   
4. Practicing Reconciliation – What’s one small, concrete step you could take this week to dismantle hostility in your relationships or community?
   
5. Living Stones – If we are God’s temple, what would it look like to yield more fully to His ongoing construction in you and among us?
   

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You are our peace. Tear down the walls we build, heal our divisions, and unite us as Your living temple, where Your presence dwells for the good of the world and the glory of God. Amen.

MRB, August 10th, 2025, Jesse Bankhead’s sermon notes.