2. TITLE: Getting Connected to God’s Network
TEXT: Ephesians 2:11-22
THEME: God connects us to His church to benefit us.

4. The Great Divide
The Jews grew up believing they were the chosen people of God. Scriptures and tradition confirmed their belief. The Gentiles were perceived as “dogs” and were despised by the Jews. Now Christ comes and sets up a new covenant and the Gentiles have direct access to God. It was a huge paradigm shift for the Jews. Resistance to the changes was overwhelming. Even Peter himself struggled with its implications. Yet there is much we can learn about ourselves and our times from this shift.

5. Question
Reflecting on this issue should cause us to ask the question, “How does one grow in and remain faithful to Christ while living in a changing and at times hostile world?”

6. Two Truths
The church is God's inheritance [2:18].

7. Two Truths The church is God's inheritance [2:18].
The power of Christ exists for the benefit of the church [2:22].

9. 1. We are connected to one another.

10. Ephesians 2:11-13
Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—

11. Ephesians 2:11-13
12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

12. Another translation
(v. 13)But now you belong to Christ Jesus...

13. Since we belong to Christ, we also belong to each other. Paul said,
(v. 21) We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.

14. Being connected has some advantages.

15. 1. We are connected to one another.
A. Being connected increases our effectiveness.

16. 1. We are connected to one another.
A. Being connected increases our effectiveness.
B. Being connected increases our strength.

17. Reader's Digest
By being linked together, each tree can draw from the resources of every other tree in the entire forest. The tree furthest from the water can draw from the trees that are closest; the trees lacking nutrients can draw from the trees with an abundance. Each tree has access to all the resources of the forest. (Speaker's Quote Book, p. 71)

18. 1. We are connected to one another.
A. Being connected increases our effectiveness.
B. Being connected increases our strength.
C. Being connected increases our worth.

20. Question
“How does one grow in and remain faithful to Christ while living in a changing and at times hostile world?”

21. II. We all stand on level ground.

22. II. We all stand on level ground.
A. There is no room for elitism in God's church.

23. II. We all stand on level ground.
A. There is no room for elitism in God's church.
B. It would be wrong for us to be condescending toward the others.

24. Ephesian 2
(v. 13) But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ

25. Ephesian 2
(v ) He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we have both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household...

26. II. We all stand on level ground.
A. There is no room for elitism in God's church.
B. It would be wrong for us to be condescending toward the others.
C. You have something to offer this church.

28. Question
“How does one grow in and remain faithful to Christ while living in a changing and at times hostile world?”

29. III. We are responsible for reconciliation.

30. How does the church accomplish this?

31. Ephesians 2:14-15
For Christ himself has made peace between us Jews and you Gentiles by making us all one people. He has broken down the wall of hostility that used to separate us...His purpose was to make peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new person from the two groups. (v. 16) Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.

32. Examples of Racism
Jewish men commonly prayed, "Lord, I thank you that I was not born a Gentile or a woman."

33. Examples of Racism
Jewish men commonly prayed, "Lord, I thank you that I was not born a Gentile or a woman."
Cicero wrote, "As the Greeks say, All men are divided into two classes—Greeks and barbarians."

34. Examples of Racism
Jewish men commonly prayed, "Lord, I thank you that I was not born a Gentile or a woman."
Cicero wrote, "As the Greeks say, All men are divided into two classes—Greeks and barbarians."
Plato said that the barbarians were, by their very nature, "our enemies."

35. How does the church accomplish this?

36. How does the church accomplish this?
A. We open the doors to everyone.

37. How does the church accomplish this?
A. We open the doors to everyone.
B. We need to make a directed effort to live in reconciliation with one another.

38. Richard Halverson
"Why should the world believe in reconciliation when it doesn't see the church reconciled?"

39. Jesus
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:35