Title: Ephesians– overview of 2:19-22; God’s Temple in Humanity, part 7(fitted together).

Sunda7 July 21, 2019

 

EPH 2:19-22 God’s Temple in Humanity.

 

EPH 4:8Therefore it says,

"When He ascended on high,

He led captive a host of captives,

And He gave gifts to men."

 

EPH 4:9 (Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?

 

EPH 4:10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

 

Conquering enemies, obtaining captives, and distributing plunder implies that there is a war.

 

LUK 11:21 "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own homestead, his possessions are undisturbed;

 

LUK 11:22 but when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied, and distributes his plunder.

 

LUK 11:23 "He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters.

 

Who is the strong man and who is the stronger man? The Pharisees claimed that Jesus cast out demons by the power of the devil.

 

It’s all about power and who has it. The world of politics and business know this by experience, but they are small fish in a small pond, even if they are billionaires. The real power struggle is in the invisible realm and the real prize is the souls of men. If you find that you have not attained much power or wealth in your life, take courage, you only missed out on little fish. If you are born-again and strengthened with the power of the strongest Man, the Lord of glory, then you are blessed and possess the greatest catch.

 

MAT 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.

 

MAT 13:45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls,

 

MAT 13:46 and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

 

EPH 6:10-20

 

Possessing what we do in Christ, being His house, and being able to make our lives the living expression of that home makes us the richest people alive. O that we would see it and be so blessed.

 

EPH 3:8

To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ

 

“The love of God touches the deep and enduring springs of human action. The kingdom of Christ and of God commands an absolute devotion; its service inspires unfaltering courage and invincible patience. There is a grandeur and certainty, of which the noblest secular aims fall short, in the hopes of those who are striving together for the faith of the gospel, and who work to build human life into a dwelling-place for God.” [Dods]

 

The imagery of your body as a house for God’s dwelling as well as the church of believers as His temple should continue into our lifestyles and conduct. Meaning that our lives and our work are also dwelling places.

 

Christ came to destroy the works of the devil, to drive out the strong man armed who held the fortress of man’s soul and who had the power over death.

 

He has to destroy the works of the devil if He is going to set the captives free.

 

HEB 2:14 Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil;

 

HEB 2:15 and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

 

HEB 2:16 For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham.

 

HEB 2:17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

 

HEB 2:18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

 

We would conclude that He comes to our aid in any temptation with truth and power making us able to resist sin, but the temptation directly in this context is fear and slavery to it.

 

When we fear, we must listen to Him. The word, etched and alive on our hearts will speak within, if we listen and have faith, fear will become courage.

 

Back to our main passage:

EPH 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,

 

EPH 2:20 having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets [of the church age], Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,

 

Some are surprised that Paul writes of himself in such a general way, as one of the apostles, but compared with his other letters, this letter is destined for several churches, addressing people with whom he had slight or even no contact, and so it is objective and general in its contemplation of the church.

 

Paul is not the only founder of churches; he is one of a band of colleagues, working in different regions, making up an extensive system of “buildings” that are “fitted together.”

 

He recognizes his fellow laborers in the humble manner of a great man of God, referring to all of them as apostles and prophets.

 

EPH 2:21 in whom the [a] whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord;

 

EPH 2:22 in whom you also [all the churches who receive this letter] are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.