Young People's Group

One Body

by Mitchell Tan
December 18, 2019

THE PEACE THAT THE LORD BRINGS

There was a point of time when the Gentiles were without Christ and without God in this world. There was enmity between God and man, between the Jews and Gentiles. The word “enmity” has the idea of being hostile like an enemy and having hatred between two parties. The Jews despised all Gentiles because of their wrong understanding of the laws of Moses. They called them “uncircumcised” as a derogatory term. When the Lord Jesus came to earth, He sought to change that wrong understanding. He purposefully came to bring peace on earth at Christmas and beyond. He sought to reach out to the Samaritan woman. He commended the Centurion for his great faith. When He died on the cross, He brought about peace in a most marvelous way.

“For He Himself is our peace …”
Ephesians 2:14

Christ Himself and His death on the cross was meant to bring about peace.

1. PEACE WITH GOD

When Christ died for the world, He brought about salvific peace between God and men.

2. PEACE BETWEEN JEW AND GENTILES

The Lord Jesus also brought relational peace between the Jew and Gentiles.

MAKING TWO INTO ONE

“… Who has made both one …”
Ephesians 2:14

The Lord was able to bring both the Jews and Gentiles together as one.

1. HE HAD BROKEN DOWN THE MIDDLE WALL OF SEPARATION

“… And has broken down the middle wall of separation …”
Ephesians 2:14

2. HE HAD ABOLISHED THE ENMITY FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW

“… Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in the ordinances.”
Ephesians 2:15

3. HE HAD PUT TO DEATH THE ENMITY COMPLETELY

“Thereby putting to death the enmity.”
Ephesians 2:16

Once, there was the enmity between the Jews and Gentiles. But now through the work on the cross, Christ has destroyed that enmity. The Jews and Gentiles are now one in Christ.

PURPOSE – ONE BODY

1. CREATING ONE NEW MAN

“So as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace”
Ephesians 2:15

This is a new creation of the Lord. It was Christ’s death and resurrection that resulted in a new entity called the Church. The church is the body of Christ. In Him, there is no Jew or Gentile.

2. RECONCILED BOTH TO GOD IN ONE BODY

“That He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross”
Ephesians 2:16

In Christ, there should be this reconciliation between the two to become one body.

PERSONAL APPLICATION

Young people, it is through Christ coming to earth that we have peace. We can have peace with God. We can have peace with all who are in Christ. There is one body that we all belong to. Let’s all seek to be one in Christ as we celebrate this Christmas time.

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