Sermons on Ephesians 2:11-22

Ephesians 2:11-22 Interpretation:

Embodying Peace: Remember, Repair, and Reconnect (Epworth UMC Rehoboth Beach, DE) interprets Ephesians 2:11-22 by focusing on the themes of remembering, repairing, and religion. The sermon emphasizes the importance of remembering past separations and hostilities to foster empathy and understanding. It uses the metaphor of repair to describe reconciliation, viewing broken relationships as wounds needing healing. The sermon also introduces the concept of being "religioned," meaning reconnected or put back together, as a new understanding of religious identity.

Embracing God's Peace: A Call to Action (Graceland Church) interprets Ephesians 2:11-22 by highlighting the peace that God gives individually, relationally, and evangelistically. The sermon uses the metaphor of a plane's seating classes to describe the divisions between Jews and Gentiles, emphasizing that Christ has broken down these barriers. It also discusses the concept of peace as "shalom," the way the world should be, and how Jesus' peace should extend horizontally to others.

Breaking Down Walls: Embracing Unity in Christ (Evolve Church) interprets Ephesians 2:11-22 by focusing on the breaking down of walls and granting access to God's presence. The sermon uses the metaphor of a key fob granting access to illustrate how Christ has granted us access to God. It also emphasizes the idea that we are the temple of God, with the Holy of Holies now residing within us.

Unity in Christ: Building God's Dwelling Together (Crazy Love) interprets Ephesians 2:11-22 as a call to move beyond individualistic faith to a collective understanding of the church as a unified body. The sermon emphasizes that Jesus died to create one new humanity, breaking down the barriers between Jews and Gentiles. The speaker uses the analogy of the Tower of Babel to illustrate how Christ's work on the cross reverses the division caused by human pride, creating a unified temple where God dwells among His people. The sermon also highlights the importance of communal worship and the collective presence of God, rather than focusing solely on personal spirituality.

Unity and Reconciliation in Christ: Breaking Barriers (Rexdale Alliance Church) interprets the passage as a revolutionary message of peace and unity that transcends societal divisions. The sermon uses a visual representation of the temple's layout to explain the historical separation between Jews and Gentiles, emphasizing that Christ's death tore down the "dividing wall of hostility." The speaker uses the metaphor of tearing down walls, akin to HGTV's open-concept renovations, to illustrate how Jesus creates a new, unified humanity without barriers.

Ephesians 2:11-22 Theological Themes:

Embodying Peace: Remember, Repair, and Reconnect (Epworth UMC Rehoboth Beach, DE) presents the theme of "religion" as reconnecting and rebuilding relationships, both with God and with others. It introduces the idea of being "religioned" as a process of becoming a spiritual temple, emphasizing the communal aspect of faith.

Embracing God's Peace: A Call to Action (Graceland Church) introduces the theme of peace as "shalom," a holistic peace that encompasses all aspects of life. It emphasizes that peace with God should lead to peace with others, challenging believers to extend peace horizontally in their relationships.

Breaking Down Walls: Embracing Unity in Christ (Evolve Church) presents the theme of radical inclusivity, emphasizing that Christ has broken down all barriers and granted access to all people. It challenges believers to examine their own hearts for walls that need to be broken down and to embrace their role as the temple of God.

Unity in Christ: Building God's Dwelling Together (Crazy Love) presents the theme of reversing the Tower of Babel through Christ's work, emphasizing the creation of a unified temple where God dwells. The sermon highlights the importance of collective worship and the communal presence of God, challenging the individualistic approach to faith.

Unity and Reconciliation in Christ: Breaking Barriers (Rexdale Alliance Church) introduces the theme of "Just Us," emphasizing the removal of societal divisions and the creation of one unified body in Christ. The sermon highlights the revolutionary nature of the gospel in creating true peace and reconciliation, not just a ceasefire.

Ephesians 2:11-22 Historical and Contextual Insights:

Embodying Peace: Remember, Repair, and Reconnect (Epworth UMC Rehoboth Beach, DE) provides historical context about the rivalry between Jews and Gentiles, referencing the historian Tacitus to illustrate the strong divisions of the time. It explains how the letter to the Ephesians addresses these tensions by emphasizing Christ's role in bringing peace.

Breaking Down Walls: Embracing Unity in Christ (Evolve Church) provides historical context about the Jewish temple's architecture, explaining the four courts and the physical barriers that separated Jews and Gentiles. It highlights the significance of Christ breaking down these walls, both physically and spiritually.

Unity in Christ: Building God's Dwelling Together (Crazy Love) provides historical context about the literal wall in the temple that separated Jews and Gentiles, explaining its significance in the cultural and religious practices of the time. The sermon also references the ongoing historical conflict between Jews and Arabs, tracing its roots back to biblical times.

Unity and Reconciliation in Christ: Breaking Barriers (Rexdale Alliance Church) explains the layout of the temple and the cultural norms that dictated who could approach the Holy of Holies. The sermon references Josephus to describe the physical barrier that separated Gentiles from the inner courts, highlighting the exclusionary practices of the time.

Ephesians 2:11-22 Cross-References in the Bible:

Embracing God's Peace: A Call to Action (Graceland Church) references Philippians 4:5-6 to emphasize the peace of God that surpasses understanding. It also references Romans 12, which encourages believers to be at peace with all men, supporting the sermon's call to extend peace horizontally in relationships.

Breaking Down Walls: Embracing Unity in Christ (Evolve Church) references 2 Corinthians 5 to emphasize the ministry of reconciliation and the call for believers to settle relationships with each other. It highlights the role of believers as Christ's representatives in bringing peace and reconciliation.

Unity in Christ: Building God's Dwelling Together (Crazy Love) references Genesis 1:1, the story of Adam and Eve, the Tower of Babel, and Galatians 5:6 to provide a broader biblical context for understanding Ephesians 2:11-22. These references are used to illustrate the themes of creation, division, and reconciliation.

Unity and Reconciliation in Christ: Breaking Barriers (Rexdale Alliance Church) references Ephesians 2:1-10 as the backdrop for understanding the passage, emphasizing the gospel's power to create unity. The sermon also alludes to the broader biblical narrative of peace and reconciliation through Christ.

Ephesians 2:11-22 Christian References outside the Bible:

Embodying Peace: Remember, Repair, and Reconnect (Epworth UMC Rehoboth Beach, DE) references Dr. Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, a psychologist who served on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa. The sermon uses her work on the reparative quest to illustrate the ongoing process of reconciliation and the importance of seeing perpetrators as human beings.

Breaking Down Walls: Embracing Unity in Christ (Evolve Church) references C.S. Lewis's "Mere Christianity" to illustrate the idea of God rebuilding us as a living house. The sermon uses this metaphor to emphasize the transformative work of sanctification and the process of becoming a holy temple for God.

Advancing God's Kingdom: A Call to Justice and Reconciliation (Tony Evans) references the work of Derrick Bell and the concept of critical race theory to discuss systemic racism and its implications for the church. The sermon emphasizes the need for a kingdom-oriented approach to racial reconciliation, introducing the concept of "Kingdom Race Theology" as a framework for addressing racial issues within a biblical context.

Ephesians 2:11-22 Illustrations from Secular Sources:

Embodying Peace: Remember, Repair, and Reconnect (Epworth UMC Rehoboth Beach, DE) uses the story of Dr. Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela's interactions with Eugene de Kook to illustrate the process of breaking down walls of hostility and seeing others as human beings. The story highlights the power of forgiveness and reconciliation in the aftermath of violence.

Embracing God's Peace: A Call to Action (Graceland Church) uses the metaphor of airplane seating classes to illustrate the divisions between Jews and Gentiles, emphasizing how Christ has broken down these barriers. It also uses the historical example of the Christmas Truce during World War I, where English and German soldiers laid down their weapons to celebrate together, as an illustration of peace and reconciliation.

Breaking Down Walls: Embracing Unity in Christ (Evolve Church) uses the metaphor of a key fob granting access to illustrate how Christ has granted us access to God. It also references the architecture of the Jewish temple to explain the physical and spiritual barriers that Christ has broken down.

Unity in Christ: Building God's Dwelling Together (Crazy Love) uses the analogy of HGTV's open-concept renovations to illustrate the tearing down of walls and the creation of a unified space. The sermon also references the ongoing conflict between Jews and Arabs, using current events to highlight the relevance of the biblical message of peace and reconciliation.

Unity and Reconciliation in Christ: Breaking Barriers (Rexdale Alliance Church) uses the analogy of a church service structured like the temple to illustrate the exclusionary practices of the time. The sermon also references contemporary issues such as political divisions, trade wars, and social injustices to highlight the ongoing relevance of the message of unity in Ephesians 2:11-22.