Ephesians 2:11-22 (NIV)
Read by: Scotty Hollins
In today’s passage, Paul is continuing to remind the Ephesians of the bigger story of God, how Jesus is the climax of that story, and how his life, death and resurrection has changed everything. The calling of Abraham’s family to show the world who God is was carried forward and radically accomplished in Jesus. The temple--that utterly important place where heaven and earth met--was reconstituted in Jesus’ own body. The barrier between Jews and Gentiles was broken down, a new temple is being built with each person who’s added to this new multi-ethnic family of Jesus followers.
----------REFLECT----------
1. What word or phrase stood out to you in the passage?
2. The Gentiles were actually very religious, worshiped many gods, made lots of sacrifices… yet Paul says that they were “without hope and without God in the world.” Do you know people who are very religious yet seem hopeless? Have you ever felt that way?
3. This is one of the many places where Paul presses this new family of believers who are prone towards prejudice to believe that they belong to each other. And this challenge is just as needed today. What are the ways that you struggle to believe that you belong to believers who might be different in culture or ethnicity? What’s one step you can take today to lay down prejudice and live into the peace Jesus has made between you and his followers who are different from you?
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Bible Project Podcast: New Testament Letters >>
Bible Project Video: New Testament Letters: Historical Context >>
Bible Project Video: New Testament Letters: Literary Context >>
Bible Project Video: Ephesians >>
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