Raised, Reconciled, Included
You can listen to Ephesians 2 below and read the passage in the New Living Translation here.
“Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.
He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.”
Thank you for joining us in listening to Ephesians 2! You can also access a written copy of Ephesians 2 in the New Living Translation (NLT) here.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this passage of scripture. Below are some questions that made us think. Feel free to answer one or all of them! You can also comment with any other questions or thoughts about the chapter.
All scripture quoted is in the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.
Discussion Questions
1. In the beginning of Ephesians 2, Paul describes how all of us were dead in our sins until Jesus raised us to life.
-In what ways has God made you “alive” instead of “dead”?
-How have you experienced God’s kindness and grace?
2. In Ephesians 2:11-22, Paul writes that Gentiles (non-Jews) are included in the family of God. All believers are united through Jesus!
-Why do you think it can be hard for believers to be united?
-What does it look like to be united with other believers?
3. Ephesians 2:19 says that we are “citizens along with all of God’s holy people” and Philippians 3:20-21 says that “we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior."
-How can remembering that our home is heaven change the way we live?
