Ephesians Lesson 21 of 39 part 1

Before we get into Ephesians chapter 2 please allow me to say this. As I sit back and contemplate the past 66 years and more so in the last 7 I've noticed this. That because of technology, and advancements in science and what appears to be mans wisdom that time seems to have sped up. However that also is due to the fact that technology has made the availability of information almost instantaneous. I mean for many its right at their finger tips now is in it. No more are the days of listing to or awaiting for the evening news programs for they now run 24/7 and everyone seems to be texting their buds, family members and friends. In school, in the car while going here or there, in the store, or just sitting at home, seems no one uses the land-line, you know the old telephone these days. In fact every since Christ left behind the promise that, "greater things shall you do because I go or return to the Father of spirits will you do" things have indeed gotten better at least for some. Other societies don't seem to have advanced much in the last 1790 years from that date, ever wonder why? Might say because of lack of knowledge but that maybe to obvious there maybe a deeper reason for it. That maybe because of superstition and religious ignorance and all has to be tied to mans worst night mare. Yes! You guested it Satan and his fallen co-hearts the demons and devils that populate the world and have their influence all over the place. Those Jesus came to set all mankind free from and indeed did do just that, through the promised Redemption of all the sons of Adam. But you wouldn't notice it much these days because religion has kept man blind and stupid for the most part tied up in this or that but mostly in strife and fear, yes fear of death and what may or may not be beyond. Nationalism, materialism, religion, and a host of other isms have been mans greatest night mare and he is unaware of it all. Man just plunges forward heading to wrath unspeakable and most of it he is building up within himself, oh don't miss understand God and Satan will indeed empty their cups on man and the world but mans greatest enemy is within him, and here's the kicker it does not have to be. Matters not your nationality or religious beliefs they don't really don't have much weight in the matter. Your choices however do.

Ephesians 3:6

"That the Gentiles (nations, Psalm 2:6-8) should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promises in Christ by the (this) gospel."

Up to the writings of Paul this is something totally unknown in Scripture. And more so to the world both then and now. Isaiah didn’t write about it, Zechariah didn’t write about it, Jesus did talk about it, but Peter didn’t talk about it. Why? Because it was something that was totally kept secret in the mind and heart of God, that there would be a period of time where God would go to the pagan Gentile world without the Nation of Israel. When we are empowered to take the blinders off and these blinders are our religious perspectives. Because with their help and why do you suppose that is? Unbelief! All the verses we looked at earlier in the Old Testament and even those few within the New that referred to the Gentiles getting the light, it was to be through the Nation of Israel. They would be the vehicle to accomplish that, but when Israel rejected the Messiah, and refused to accept Him for who He said He was, even with all the wonders as proof then that began to change God’s program. Remember, God never changes, but His programs do. Israel had the chance to be the Light for the Gentiles, this is to say the Nations. They rejected the chance and opportunity at lease seven times, six are recorded in Acts alone.

Even after Peter and the eleven preached their hearts out in those early chapters of Acts, for the most part what did the Nation of Israel doing with it? They’re walking it under foot. They did what their forefathers had done turn their backs towards God. And by so doing said to God, NO thank you, We'll remain in our darkness. In effect they were saying, "We’re not interested, thank you! And we use Acts chapter 7, and the stoning of Stephen, as the crescendo of that rejection. "We’ll not have that man Jesus of Nazareth to rule over us." Remember what the crowd pushed on by the Priest's said to Pilate, "let His blood be on our hands and on our children", if ever there was a curse spoken by them this is one big major one (Matthew 27:25; Exodus 20:5; Ezekiel 18:14-32). And so they stoned Stephen. After the stoning of Stephen the first thing we’re introduced to is Saul of Tarsus, whom God said, "He would send to the Gentile world." Can you see how they insulted the LORD of Peace and Glory and His Father and mine and quite possibly yours. Depending where you sit and upon what you stand.

So the Holy Spirit keeps repeating all of this through the Apostle Paul. None of this was known before, because it was supposed to go through the Nation of Israel. We don’t want to take anything away from the Jewish people because they have given us this Book. They were the chosen ones through whom the promised Redeemer would come, but as one of the titles states He was the "last of days" for a reason. Every word in this Bible was written by a Hebrew! So they were still the vehicle which God used for that purpose. But when it came to this Gospel of Grace going to the nations of the world, they weren't left out. They are now on level ground with everyone else, no favorite status given. So this one little Hebrew almost single-handedly in the early going turned the Roman empire inside out and upside down. The more you think about it, the more we have to be amazed at the tenacity of this little Hebrew-Jew, NO! Hebrew-Christ one. We think he was short in stature, but he was long on energy and toughness. His lawyer training was a stroke of genius by God for he knew how to argue his case and this is what has been a stumbling stone for the nations. More correctly for the Religious and the Orthodox Religious. And as we've said in other areas, in spite of all the suffering and beatings, shipwrecks, and all the other taunts and torments that were thrown at him, he never slowed down. He just continued to preach this Gospel of Grace to the world.

In the last verse we looked at we come to a word that is strictly Pauline. We’ve begged, if you can ever find an Old Testament prophet referring to the Gentile Body of Christ, then you let us know where you found it. If you can find a place where Jesus in His earthly ministry ever referred to the Body of Christ we want you to show it to us. If you ever find Peter in the early chapters of Acts refer to this Body of Christ, show it to us, because we haven’t been able to find it.