Ephesians 2:14-16: Reconciled in Jesus

Last week we looked at what it meant to be strangers to the covenants of promise. I pray your eyes were opened to new truth. This week our focus will be Ephesians 2:14-16. 

Let's begin by reading Ephesians 2 (yes the whole chapter). Now go back and read Ephesians 2:11-22 and mark references to Jesus. I like to mark Jesus with a red cross. Now get out your journal and write down everything you learn about Jesus in these verses. Do you notice any other key words in this passage? Go back and look for any other key words and mark them. As we focus on 14-16 what do we see in these verses that Jesus did and is? 

We see that Jesus abolished in His flesh the enmity which is the Law of the commandments. Look up the greek word "enmity" using Blue Letter Bible. Write down what you learn in your journal. What two groups are being made into one new man because of what Jesus abolished? Write down your observation in your journal. What does it mean that Jesus made the two groups into one new man? Let's look up the word "new" using Blue Letter Bible. Write down what you learn in your journal. What do you think caused this enmity between these two groups? Let's look up some cross references and write down what we learn:

• Leviticus 20:22-26
• Acts 11:1-18 (Note who is taking issue with whom and why. How is the behavior validated? How does this verse support the enmity Christ takes away?)
• Colossians 2:16-17 (What is the issue here?)

Let's consider...who were the two groups that God was bringing together? Why were they separated? How was the enmity abolished? Write down your answers.

Another thing we see is that Jesus is our peace (vs 14). Peace is a key word in this section. Was it one of the words you marked? If not, go back and mark peace. Write down what you learn about peace in verses 14-16. What does that word peace mean? Let's look up the word "peace" using Blue Letter Bible. Look up Isaiah 9:6-7 and write down what you learn about Jesus and peace. 

Did you notice the word reconcile in Ephesians 2:16? The jews and gentiles were reconciled to God through the death of Jesus. Look up the definition for "reconcile" and write it down in your journal. Now let's look at other places in scripture that talk about this reconciliation. Look up Romans 5:6-10, Colossians 1:18-21, and 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (Or use the handouts attached to the end of this lesson). Mark the word reconcile in each passage. Make a list in your journal about what you learn about reconciliation. Now ask yourself how can we who are dead in our transgressions and sins, living under the power of the prince of the power of the air, be reconciled to God? Write down your answer in your journal. 

As you end this week of study I want your to go back and look at Ephesians 2:11-16. Read it. Remember the context. Why does reconciliation matter? How then should we live? Write down your thoughts in your journal. Be ready to share what God is teaching you! 

Ephesians 2:11-12 - Strangers to the Covenants of Promise

Have you ever been a stranger? Walked into a place where you did not belong? Felt cut out or separated from a group of people? Welcome to the world of a Gentile. This week we will look at the Jews, the Gentiles, and the Covenants of Promise. I know I say this every week, but this week's study will blow your mind!! I pray you are excited each week to approach Scripture on your own, to see it for yourself. I pray you gain confidence that you can study scripture on your own! 

Begin each day of study this week with prayer. Ask the Lord to open up your eyes. Ask Him to help you understand anything that is difficult for you to get. Ask Him to be your teacher. Ask Him to illuminate your mind with His awesome truths!! 

Start by reading Ephesians 2 (yes the whole chapter). I want you to remember where we have been so that it connects to what we will study this week. As you read, slow down, and actually read through the text. Don't rush through just to mark words. This is the Word of God, we want to cherish it's words and soak them them. We want to truly understand them, not just breeze over them to complete a task. Now get out your colored pens or pencils and mark these key words in 2:11-12: remember & time. Notice how Paul begins verse 11, he says "remember." Paul wants the Ephesians to remember something. In your journal write down what Paul wants them to remember from verses 11&12. 

One of the things Paul wants them to remember is that they were called "uncircumcision." Let's dive a little deeper and figure out what the text means when it says this. To do so, we must go all the way back to Genesis. Find Genesis Chapter 17:1-14 (in your Bible or on the worksheet attached at the end of this lesson). Read and mark the words covenant and circumcision. Now make a list in your journal about what you learn about covenant and circumcision. Ask yourself this question and write the answer in your journal: How does what you learned in Genesis 17 relate to the place of the Gentiles before they were saved by grace? 

Ephesians 2:12 tells us that the Ephesians were strangers to the covenants of promise. Notice that word covenant is plural meaning multiple covenants. Don't you think we need to explore what these covenants were? Let's explore these covenants by diving into some scripture. Read the passages below and write down what you learn about each covenant:

• Abrahamic Covenant
• Genesis 12:1-3 & 15:1-18 (How does Gd plan to make Abraham a father of many nations? How does Abraham respond?)
• Galatians 3:5-9 (Look for how this passage relates to Abraham)
• The New Covenant
• Jeremiah 31:31-34 & Ezekiel 36:26-27
• Hebrews 10:10-18
• Luke 22:14, 19-20
• The Davidic Covenant
• 2 Samuel 7:12-13,16 & 2 Chronicles 21:7
• Romans 1:1-5 & Revelation 19:11-16; 20:4

I realize at this point you may be wondering, what does any of this have to do with Ephesians? Well, let's look at it. Go back and read Ephesians 2:11-12. Ask yourself how do these covenants relate to the Ephesians and where they were without Christ? Be ready to discuss everything you learned in class on Thursday! 

Ephesians 2:8-10: Saved by Grace

I am so excited for our study this week! I pray that this week you will be amazed by the grace of Jesus! I pray that through your diligent study God will reveal Himself to you and the way He calls you to live! 

I want to start this week with a review of the Inductive Study Method (ISM). The ISM is the way we study the Bible. You have probably walked the aisles of several Christians book stores and seen lots of Bible studies written by great Christian Authors. I know we have all listened to a sermon on a Sunday morning. Both using a a study written by someone else and listening to a sermon are called deductive learning. We are getting the information through someone else's way of thinking. Inductive Bible Study is getting the information from the primary source...the Bible. We are not listening to what someone else thinks about it, but discovering it on our own. 

The Inductive Study Method has three main components:

Observation
Observation is when we ask the question "What does the text say?" We are looking not to figure out what it means or what it means to me, but just what it says. We do several things to help us learn what the text says. We read with a purpose, not just skimming the text but trying to understand it as we read. We mark key words. Key words are words that are repeated and help us unlock the meaning of the text. We ask questions. Questions like "who is writing, who are they writing to, what are they asking, why are they asking that...."We also make lists and make note of contrasts, comparisons, and terms of conclusion. Remember in observation we are looking to find out what the text says and only what the text says. We often have to keep ourselves from rushing forward, so many of us cannot wait to get to the next step. Proper observation is essential because it builds the foundation of our interpretation!!! So don't miss out here! 

Interpretation
Interpretation is when we ask the question "What does the text mean?" The biggest thing we must remember in interpretation is CONTEXT. Context is the setting in which something dwells. As we study any passage we want to remember what the book as a whole is talking about along with the chapter we are studying. The meaning is always connected to the chapter and the book as a whole. Interpretation is where we focus on key word studies and cross references. We are digging deeper to understand the meaning. 

Application
Application is when we ask the question "How does the meaning of the text apply to me?" In application we must determine how what we have learned changes our belief about something or our behavior. Application is our ultimate goal in Bible Study. We do not just want to gain knowledge, we want our lives to be transformed by the living and breathing Word of God!

Okay, now let's look at our homework for this week. I am going to break the homework up this week into the three steps so you can see them for yourself. 

Observation
Start by praying and asking the Lord for His wisdom and discernment. Ask Him to teach you as your study. Now let's read Ephesians 2:1-10. Now I want you to read it again, this time I want you to mark every reference to grace.  Go back through verses 1-10 and mark any reference to time. I mark time with a green clock. Get out your journal. I want you to write the following questions in your journal along with your answers. Remember look for the answers in the text:

• What do you learn about grace in these verses?
• How are the Ephesians saved?
• Through what are they saved?
• What is it not of?
• Why?
• What does verse 10 say about the Ephesians?
• How are they described?
• When were their works prepared?
• What were they prepared for?

Interpretation

Let's do some word studies and cross references. Let's start with the word grace. You may have looked it up last week. Let's look it up again, write it down, and allow it to sink in. Now I want you to look up the word faith. Write down what you learn in your journal. Now we are going to do some cross references. Look up these verses and write down what you learn about grace, faith, and works.

• Romans 3:22-28
• Romans 4:13-24
• Galatians 2:16
• Galatians 3:22-24
• Acts 26:15-18
• Hebrews 11:1-2

Now let's dig deeper into verse 10. We must ask ourselves, What does it mean to be God's workmanship? Look up these verses and write down what you learn: 

• 2 Cor 5:15
• James 2:14-26

Application

How does what you have learned this week about grace, faith, works change the way you believe or the way you act? What in your life needs to be transformed by God's Word?