The Epistle to the Ephesians

1. The Epistle to the Ephesians Christ the Cornerstone: Ephesians 2:19-22 As an introduction, we learned last week that all are one in the body;and Eph 2:18 - ‘… through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.’ The Trinity truly proclaimed • Ephesians 2:19 – NKJV ‘Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners (ILG - aliens), but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,’ • How’s this for positional truth? • ‘Now, therefore’ – two inferential particles • So then or accordingly therefore – more than a bit conclusive • Gentiles and Jews in the same body. • Jews themselves were also aliens – Eph 2:12, Rom 11:7,8 1 March 22, 2009 Bob Eckel

2. The Epistle to the Ephesians Christ the Cornerstone: Ephesians 2:19-22 • Roman citizenship was extremely important in Biblical times, perhaps even more so than our national citizenship today. • “But God is just GIVING IT AWAY TO BELEIVERS! Not earthly citizenship, or national citizenship, BUT HEAVENLY CITIZENSHIP” - Brad Maston • And this citizenship should be reflected in our walk • 1 John 3:1 ‘Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.’ • Ephesians 2:20 – NKJV ‘having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,’ • Better translated – ‘having been built up upon’ – aorist passive • What foundation is this? • Rev 21:14 ‘Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.’ 2 March 22, 2009 Bob Eckel

3. The Epistle to the Ephesians Christ the Cornerstone: Ephesians 2:19-22 • 1 Peter 1:10,11 ‘Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.’ • cornerstone – a stone of double size at the corner • a part of both walls, and joined them together. • Christ Himself – joined both Jew and Gentile together • Self declaration • Matt 21:42 ‘Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: `The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD'S doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'? • Isaiah 28:16 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.’ • 1 Peter 2:7 ‘Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” 3 March 22, 2009 Bob Eckel

4. The Epistle to the Ephesians Christ the Cornerstone: Ephesians 2:19-22 • Ephesians 2:21 – NKJV ‘in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,’ • ‘In whom (no article) whole building’ – ‘In Christ Himself’ • For instance Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.’ • As the chief cornerstone, He Himself ‘fitly frames’ the whole building together and grows it as a holy temple. • grow, auxanō – in size and/or maturity • Eph 4:16 ‘from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.’ • And with life • 1 Pet 2:5 ‘you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer upspiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.’ • So that God (kyrios – supreme authority) is the workman not only of the foundation, but also of the whole building. • And it is holy, hagios • sacred (physical pure, moral blameless or religious, ceremony consecrated) 4 March 22, 2009 Bob Eckel

5. The Epistle to the Ephesians Christ the Cornerstone: Ephesians 2:19-22 • The application • 2 Cor 6:16 ‘And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.“ • Ephesians 2:22 - NKJV‘in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.’ • The Trinity again! • In whom again the Lord Jesus Christ • ‘being built together’ – present passive • What role do we play here? • Only NT use • Now, for eternity or both? • in the Spirit – we In Christ are His habitation • 1 Cor 6:19 ‘Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?’ 5 March 22, 2009 Bob Eckel

6. The Epistle to the Ephesians Christ the Cornerstone: Ephesians 2:19-22 • John 17:21-23 ‘That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.’ • Rom 8:9-11 ‘But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you. More Identification!! How well are we reflecting this oneness today? 6 March 22, 2009 Bob Eckel