i’m comfortable in my own skin (color) thy kingdom come – p.7 ephesians 2:11-18

I’m Comfortable in My I’m Comfortable in My Own Skin (Color)Own Skin (Color)

Thy Kingdom Come – p.7Thy Kingdom Come – p.7

Ephesians 2:11-18Ephesians 2:11-18

Leviticus 19:32-34 (ESV)Leviticus 19:32-34 (ESV)

"You shall stand up before the "You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the LORD. your God: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19:32-34 (ESV)Leviticus 19:32-34 (ESV)

"When a stranger sojourns with "When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.your God.

Jeremiah 22:3 (ESV)Jeremiah 22:3 (ESV)

Thus says the LORD: Do justice Thus says the LORD: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place. innocent blood in this place.

EthnicEthnic and Other and Other SeparationsSeparations of the Early of the Early

ChurchChurch


ChurchChurch• A curtain A curtain

separates separates the the highhigh priestpriest from from the rest of the rest of the the priestspriests..


ChurchChurch• There is a There is a

room for room for the the priestspriests and a wall and a wall separates separates them from them from the the JewishJewish menmen..


ChurchChurch• There is a There is a

place for place for the Jewish the Jewish menmen to to gather gather and a wall and a wall separates separates them from them from Jewish Jewish womenwomen..


ChurchChurch• There is a place for There is a place for JewishJewish

women to gather and a wall women to gather and a wall separates them from the separates them from the GentilesGentiles..


ChurchChurch

What it means to be an What it means to be an “outsider” “outsider”

Therefore remember that at one Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by which is made in the flesh by hands— hands—

What it means to be an What it means to be an “outsider”“outsider”

remember that remember that you were at that you were at that time separated from Christtime separated from Christ, , alienated from the alienated from the commonwealth of Israelcommonwealth of Israel and and strangersstrangers to the covenants of to the covenants of promise, promise, having no hopehaving no hope and and without Godwithout God in the world. in the world.

(Eph 2:11-12 ESV)(Eph 2:11-12 ESV)

The reality of an outsiderThe reality of an outsider

• ChristChristless – just like many of us less – just like many of us they used to live without Christthey used to live without Christ

• StateStateless – they could not gain less – they could not gain citizenshipcitizenship

• FriendFriendless – foreignersless – foreigners


• HopeHopelessless

• GodGodless – they worshipped their less – they worshipped their gods – but they did not know gods – but they did not know about Jehovah God – their about Jehovah God – their creator.creator.


• now in Christ Jesus you who once now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ near by the blood of Christ (Eph. 2:13 ESV)(Eph. 2:13 ESV)

• God has intervened – God desires God has intervened – God desires to bring to bring outsidersoutsiders insideinside. – vv.13. – vv.13

We fight racism because it We fight racism because it is the is the

DNA of a Christ followerDNA of a Christ follower• We make much of Jesus when we We make much of Jesus when we

acknowledge His death on the acknowledge His death on the cross as cross as allall that is necessary for that is necessary for our our peacepeace with with GodGod..


DNA of a Christ followerDNA of a Christ followerFor he himself is our peace, who For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of abolishing the law of commandments expressed in commandments expressed in ordinances, ordinances,


DNA of a Christ followerDNA of a Christ followerthat he might create in himself that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. (Eph killing the hostility. (Eph 2:14-16 ESV)2:14-16 ESV)

We fight racism because it We fight racism because it is the DNA of a Christ is the DNA of a Christ

followerfollowerAnd you, who were dead in your And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our having forgiven us all our trespasses,trespasses,


followerfollowerby canceling the record of debt by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.nailing it to the cross. ((Colossians 2:13-14 ESV)Colossians 2:13-14 ESV)


followerfollower• Major purpose of God’s law is to Major purpose of God’s law is to

show us how show us how sinfulsinful and and incapableincapable we are. we are.

• The cross compels us to live in The cross compels us to live in unityunity with other with other ethnicethnic groupsgroups


followerfollowerYou are all sons of God through You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:26-28 ESV)(Gal. 3:26-28 ESV)


followerfollower• He came and preached peace to He came and preached peace to

you who were far away and you who were far away and peace to those who were near. peace to those who were near. (Eph. 2:17 ESV)(Eph. 2:17 ESV)

• “…“…through him we both have through him we both have access in one Spirit to the access in one Spirit to the Father”Father” (Eph. 2:18 ESV) (Eph. 2:18 ESV)

Bottom Line:Bottom Line:

• Making God famous means I Making God famous means I welcome people into my life welcome people into my life regardless of their ethnic regardless of their ethnic background. background.

• There is neither Jew nor Greek, There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ for you are all one in Christ Jesus.Jesus. (Gal. 3:28 ESV) (Gal. 3:28 ESV)

A word of hope for those A word of hope for those who see themselves as who see themselves as

“outsiders”“outsiders”• All the All the divisionsdivisions and and prejudicesprejudices

that matter so much in the world that matter so much in the world are abolished in Christ. are abolished in Christ.

I mean that the heir, as long as he I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under everything, but he is under guardians and managers guardians and managers

until the date set by his until the date set by his

father. father. (Gal. 4:1-2 ESV)(Gal. 4:1-2 ESV)

Know what you have in Know what you have in Christ Jesus:Christ Jesus:

• You have the freedom to live You have the freedom to live with a different with a different statusstatus – v.25 – v.25

Now that faith has come, we are Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision no longer under the supervision of the law. (Gal. 3:25 ESV)of the law. (Gal. 3:25 ESV)


• You have the same You have the same heritageheritage

You are all sons of God through You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, faith in Christ Jesus, (Gal.3:26 (Gal.3:26 ESV)ESV)


• You have the same You have the same familyfamily roberobe

for all of you who were baptized for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.yourselves with Christ. (Gal. (Gal. 3:37 ESV)3:37 ESV)


• You have the same You have the same opportunityopportunity – – to live as servants to one to live as servants to one another. another.

If you belong to Christ, then you If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. according to the promise. (Gal. (Gal. 3:29 ESV)3:29 ESV)


• There is neither Jew nor Greek, There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:28 ESV)Jesus. (Gal. 3:28 ESV)

Three cautions for Three cautions for “insiders”“insiders”

• Guard your heart against Guard your heart against pridepride

There is neither Jew nor Greek… There is neither Jew nor Greek… (Gal. 3:28 ESV) (Gal. 3:28 ESV)


• Don’t abuseDon’t abuse power power

There is neither…slave nor free… There is neither…slave nor free… (Gal. 3:28 ESV) (Gal. 3:28 ESV)


• See people without See people without llabelsabels

There is neither…male nor There is neither…male nor female…female… (Gal. 3:28 ESV) (Gal. 3:28 ESV)

i’m comfortable in my own skin (color) thy kingdom come – p.7 ephesians 2:11-18

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