RECONCILIATION ACCOMPLISHED BY JESUS CHRIST REPLACES ALIENATION WITH PEACE AND UNITY
1. Remember Your Former Position of Alienation (:11-12)
a. Identification -- setting forth the two camps
b. Exclusion from Spiritual Privileges
2. Understand the Reconciliation Accomplished by Jesus Christ (:13-18)
a. Summary (:13-14)
1) former condition -- far off -- alienation
2) present condition -- have been brought near -- peace, unity
3) the means -- How was this accomplished?
a) by the blood of Christ -- His sacrificial death
b) in Christ Jesus -- personal union and incorporation into Him
4) the result -- He Himself is our peace
b. How Did He do This?
1) the abolition of the law of commandments
He abolished both the regulations of the ceremonial law and the condemnation of the moral law
2) the creation of a single new humanity
3) the reconciliation of Jew and Gentile to God
4) the preaching of peace
c. The result (:18) -- "for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father"
3. Appreciate the Peace and Unity we have Together in Jesus Christ (:19-22)
Both Jew and Gentile are now equal participants in God's fellowship of the church -- described in 3 figures:
a. God's kingdom
b. God's family
c. God's temple
