Live_2025-11-02_1120am.docx

Devotional

Day 1: Remembering the Depth of Our Separation and the Wonder of God’s Nearness

Before Christ, we were not simply flawed or in need of improvement—we were utterly separated from God, without hope and without a place in His promises. This honest remembrance is not meant to weigh us down with shame, but to awaken gratitude and humility. When we recall the darkness and distance of our former state, the nearness we now enjoy in Christ becomes all the more precious.
God’s mercy is magnified when we see how far He has brought us. Spiritual growth begins with this honest look back, not to dwell in regret, but to let the memory of our alienation make His grace shine brighter. As we remember, we are kept humble, grateful, and eager to share the hope we have found.

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” (Ephesians 2:1-3, ESV)

Reflection: Take a few minutes to remember a time when you felt far from God. How does recalling that distance make you appreciate the nearness you now have in Christ today?

Day 2: God’s Promise Was Always for Every Nation and Story

From the very beginning, God’s heart was for all peoples. His covenant with Abraham was not meant to be a private blessing, but a promise that through his offspring, every nation would be blessed. The church is the living fulfillment of this ancient plan—a community where every background, race, and story is welcomed and united in Christ.
This truth challenges us to see the church not as a club for the like-minded, but as a living testimony to God’s boundary-breaking love. We are called to welcome those who are different, to celebrate diversity, and to remember that God’s family is bigger than our preferences or comfort zones. In Christ, the walls that once divided are torn down, and we are invited to participate in God’s global story of redemption.

“Is it too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel? I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life or community feels like an outsider? How can you intentionally welcome and include someone who is different from you this week?

Day 3: Resting from Striving—Only Christ Can Bring Us Near

No amount of good works, religious effort, or moral striving can bridge the gap between us and God. Even our best intentions fall short. The futility of self-salvation is a humbling reality, but it points us to the sufficiency of Christ. Only His blood cleanses and brings us near.
This truth invites us to rest from our striving and to trust wholly in the finished work of Jesus. We do not have to earn God’s favor or prove our worth. Instead, we are called to receive His grace, to find peace in His sacrifice, and to let go of the pressure to perform. In Christ, we are enough—not because of what we do, but because of what He has done.

“For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it.” (Romans 3:20-21, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life are you still trying to earn God’s approval? What would it look like to rest in Christ’s finished work instead of your own efforts today?

Day 4: The Cross Levels All Distinctions—A New Family in Christ

At the cross, all the old divisions—Jew and Gentile, insider and outsider, privileged and overlooked—are abolished. The ground is level; no one has a special claim on God. In Christ, we become a new humanity, a family where all are equally welcomed and valued.
This reality should shape how we see ourselves and others. It calls us to humility, unity, and a deep sense of belonging that transcends all earthly distinctions. The church is not defined by background, status, or achievement, but by our shared identity in Jesus. Here, every person matters, and every story is honored as part of God’s new creation.

“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many.” (1 Corinthians 12:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: Is there someone in your church or community you tend to overlook or judge? How can you take a step toward unity and honor their place in God’s family this week?

Day 5: Reconciliation—Receiving and Extending God’s Outstretched Hand

The cross is not just about personal forgiveness; it is about reconciliation. God has taken the initiative to bring us near, uniting us to Himself and to one another through the sacrifice of Jesus. Just as a dying son can unite estranged parents, Christ’s death brings together those who were once far apart.
This reconciliation is both a gift and a calling. We are invited to accept God’s hand in Christ, to be restored to Him, and then to extend that same reconciling grace to others. As we break down walls and build bridges in His name, we become agents of His peace in a divided world.

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19, ESV)

Reflection: Who is one person you need to be reconciled with, or extend grace to, this week? What practical step can you take to move toward peace and unity in Christ?

Sermon Summary

of the Sermon**

Today’s sermon focused on Ephesians 2:11-13, where Paul urges believers to remember their former state—alienated from God, without hope, and outside the covenants of promise. The message emphasized the radical transformation that has taken place through Christ: those who were once far off have been brought near by His blood. The sermon traced God’s plan from Abraham through the Old Testament, showing that God’s intention was always to bless all nations, not just Israel. The dividing wall between Jew and Gentile has been torn down in Christ, creating one new people—the church—united by faith and reconciled to God. The pastor highlighted the futility of self-effort to reach God, the necessity of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, and the invitation for all to be reconciled to God through Jesus.

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Key Takeaways

1. Remembering Our Alienation and God’s Mercy Spiritual growth begins with honest remembrance. We were not just imperfect, but utterly separated from God—by nature, by choice, and by birth. This memory is not meant to shame us, but to magnify the mercy that found us and to keep us humble and grateful. When we recall how far we were, the nearness we now enjoy in Christ becomes all the more precious.
2. God’s Heart for All Peoples From the very beginning, God’s covenant with Abraham was never meant to be exclusive. The promise was that all nations would be blessed through his seed, culminating in Jesus. The church is the fulfillment of this ancient promise—a community where every race, background, and story is welcomed and united in Christ. This challenges us to see the church not as a club for the like-minded, but as a living testimony to God’s global, boundary-breaking love.
3. The Futility of Self-Salvation and the Sufficiency of Christ No amount of good works, religious heritage, or moral effort can bridge the gap between us and God. Even our best deeds are insufficient, like filthy rags. Only the blood of Christ cleanses and brings us near. This truth calls us to rest from striving and to trust wholly in the finished work of Jesus, finding peace with God not in our performance, but in His sacrifice.
4. The Level Ground at the Cross and the New Covenant Community In Christ, all the old divisions—Jew and Gentile, insider and outsider—are abolished. The ground at the cross is level; no one has a special claim on God. The church is a new humanity, a family where all are equally welcomed and valued. This should shape how we view ourselves and others, fostering humility, unity, and a deep sense of belonging that transcends all earthly distinctions.
5. Reconciliation: God’s Outstretched Hand The cross is not just about personal forgiveness, but about reconciliation—God taking our hand and His own, bringing us together over the sacrifice of Jesus. Just as the dying son in the story united his estranged parents, Christ’s death invites us to be reconciled to God and to one another. This is both a gift and a calling: to accept God’s hand in Christ, and to extend that same reconciling grace to those around us, breaking down walls and building bridges in His name.

Bible Study Guide

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: Ephesians 2:11-13 – Brought Near by the Blood of Christ**

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### Bible Reading

**Ephesians 2:11-13 (ESV)**
> Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

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### Observation Questions

According to these verses, what was the spiritual condition of the Gentiles before Christ?
What does Paul say has changed for those who were “far off”?
What is the means by which those who were far off have been brought near?
In the sermon, what Old Testament promises or covenants did the pastor mention as being fulfilled in Christ?

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### Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul urge believers to “remember” their former state of alienation from God? What purpose does this serve in the Christian life?
The sermon emphasized that God’s promise to Abraham was always meant to bless all nations, not just Israel. How does this shape our understanding of who belongs in the church?
The pastor said that no amount of good works or religious effort can bring us near to God—only Christ’s sacrifice can. Why is it so tempting to rely on our own efforts, and what does it look like to rest in Christ’s finished work?
The sermon described the church as a “new humanity” where all are equally welcomed and valued. How does this challenge the way we view ourselves and others, especially those who are different from us?

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### Application Questions

The sermon said that spiritual growth begins with honest remembrance of our alienation from God—not to shame us, but to magnify God’s mercy. When you look back on your life before Christ, what specific things do you remember that make you grateful for God’s mercy? How can you keep that sense of gratitude alive?
The church is described as a community where every race, background, and story is welcomed and united in Christ. Are there people or groups you find it hard to welcome or feel united with? What steps could you take to break down those walls?
The pastor talked about the futility of self-effort and the sufficiency of Christ. Are there areas in your life where you are still trying to “earn” God’s favor or approval? What would it look like to trust more fully in Jesus’ finished work this week?
The ground at the cross is level—no one has a special claim on God. Have you ever felt like an outsider in church, or like someone else was more “qualified” to be close to God? How does this passage speak to those feelings?
The sermon ended with a story about reconciliation—Jesus bringing God’s hand and our hand together at the cross. Is there someone in your life you need to be reconciled with? What would it look like to extend the same grace to them that God has shown you?
The pastor said the invitation to be brought near is open to all. Is there someone you know who feels far from God or from church? How could you reach out to them this week and invite them to experience God’s welcome?
The sermon challenged us to see the church not as a club for the like-minded, but as a living testimony to God’s global, boundary-breaking love. What is one practical way you can help your small group or church reflect that kind of love and unity?

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Sermon Quotes

"We need to remember where we were when the Lord found us—who we were, what we were, and our condition. Everything about us was negative until we came to a person whose name is Jesus."

"Left to himself, left to herself, we will choose wrong every time. Without God's help, we'll choose wrong every time. That's the reason that Jesus had to come—because He knew we could not choose right for ourselves."

"God's covenant with Abraham was never meant to bless Israel alone. In the very first mention of this covenant, every family in the world can receive the blessing from God, not just the Jew."

"Paul sees the church—the Jews and the Gentiles together, joined together in Christ—as the fulfillment of that prophecy way back there in Genesis. He sees the church as the fulfillment of that promise."

"People think, well, I have to go to church where I can meet God. No, sir, not anymore. This is a place where the congregation meets. You're the church. We're the church. We're a living organism."

"If you've never trusted Christ, you're still a foreigner, you're still a stranger. The invitation is open—whosoever will may come and take of the water of life freely."

"There's no way for you to get to God except through Jesus. You can't get a ladder and climb up there. We are separated from God by choice, by nature, and because we're depraved."

"If we're left in that condition, we have no hope. There's no hope of heaven without Jesus. If we're without Jesus, we have no hope. Not only that, we're without God in the world."

"Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, we were afar off, we were foreigners, we were strangers. And God came along in Jesus and He wrapped His arm around us and He brought us near to God."

"When you come to Jesus Christ, there are no great big people and no little bitty people. The ground at the cross is all level. We've been brought near because of the sacrifice of Calvary."

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Devotional

Day 1: Remembering the Depth of Our Separation and the Wonder of God’s Nearness

Day 2: God’s Promise Was Always for Every Nation and Story

Day 3: Resting from Striving—Only Christ Can Bring Us Near

Day 4: The Cross Levels All Distinctions—A New Family in Christ

Day 5: Reconciliation—Receiving and Extending God’s Outstretched Hand

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Quotes

Chatbot

Live_2025-11-02_1120am.docx

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