Unity in Christ – Ephesians 2

Joy:  You’re listening to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Episode #170.  Today we’ll read Ephesians chapter 2 together:  Paul explains how we go from death to life, and have unity in Christ.

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  I’m your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me as we simply read God’s word together.  Some things require discipline and sometimes that’s just not easy to muster by yourself, no matter how badly you want to do it or how much you know you should.  It’s just easier to do it with a friend.  So refill your coffee or tea, get comfortable in your favorite chair and follow along as I read aloud.  I’m so glad you’re here!

Welcome

Mitch and I live in the country in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.  Our house is on a tall hill and has a commanding view of the surrounding countryside.  Commanding is actually Mitch’s word; I think I prefer captivating.  You have no idea how many times we’ve caught each paralyzed and just staring out the windows.  

We are also fortunate to have a wide variety of wildlife roaming our hill: deer and coyotes and bobcats and families of wild turkeys.  There are magnificent birds as well: red-tailed hawks and golden eagles and scads of turkey vultures.

And then there are woodpeckers, those pesky birds that pound holes in our wooden house in order to hide their acorns.  Mitch says that they are evil, but I think they are just doing the job God assigned to them.  ‘Course, if the deer continue to venture up on the deck and eat our plants, Mitch is going to put them on the evil list too.  

All of it takes my breath away.

Paul says in Romans 1:20: For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made.  As a result, people are without excuse.

I am reminded of this every time I look out the window or step onto the deck – the incredible miracle of life here on earth and our God who created everything in it.  And when I do forget, an iridescent green hummingbird will pop up in my window and jog my memory!

What reminds you that we have an awesome Creator?  Share your thoughts with me at Lifting Her Voice.com, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Ephesians Chapter 2

From Death to Life

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift — not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

Unity in Christ

So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh — called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace.

He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death. He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.

Closing Thoughts

At the beginning of this chapter, Paul lays out a rather good case for how desperate our situation was before we came to Christ.  He goes so far as to call us “…dead in your trespasses and sins…” and completely captive to “…the ruler of the power of the air…” who is Satan.

And then Paul pens two simple words at the beginning of verse 4 that changed everything for us: “But God…”  Because of God’s love for us and His incredible mercy, we were made alive again in Christ.  But what did we do to deserve such an indescribable gift?

Absolutely nothing.  We can never do enough to deserve God’s mercy.  Not even if we lived a million years.  Verses 8-9 tell us, For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift – not from works, so that no one can boast.

We should be humbled by this, forever grateful every day of our lives.  Because of His grace, we have the promise of eternity with God and His son Jesus Christ.  Let’s pray.

Prayer

Precious Father, how can we thank you enough for sending your Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for us?  Help us to be ever mindful that we can do nothing to save ourselves from the punishment we deserve for our sin except to put our faith in Christ and partake of the grace that is so freely given.  Thank you, Lord.  Amen.

Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray God will grow in you what has been planted and watered here.  In this time of unprecedented struggle worldwide, we can look to God for guidance and comfort.  Be sensitive to those in your circle of influence who need a word of encouragement and invite them to join us.  If you like this show, it would be great if you give it a five-star review.  Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you right here tomorrow.  Be well!

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible(r), Copyright (c) 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible(r) and CSB(r) are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.