sharing the life of god with others through fellowship - one identity

8/9/2019 Sharing the Life of God With Others Through Fellowship - One Identity

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Sharing the Life of God

With Others

Through Fellowship Andre P. Llewellyn©2010



Through Fellowship

ONEIDENTITYEPHESIANS. 2;11-21



THE TEMPLE & FELLOWSHIP



The TempleThe Temple was crucial to Jewish identity

and practice. For the Jews it was thefocal centre of their national andreligious life.



God’s Presence

The Temple represented the presence ofGod among his people. God‟s presenceresided in the Most Holy Place where aveil or curtain separated it from the restof the temple. As such only the High

priests (after cleansing) could enter.



Restricted AccessAlthough people could worship there,areas in the temple were restricted. There

were courtyards; the Gentiles courtyard,the Women‟s courtyard, the Priestscourtyard.


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/sharing-the-life-of-god-with-others-through-fellowship-one-identity 7/37THE GENTILE COURTYARD



The dividing wall or barrier prohibiting the

foreigners/Gentiles from going further.



“The foreigner who passesthis boundary will bear theresponsibility for his

resulting death.”



The Temple System Failed

While the people were devoted to the

tradition of the Temple they weredisconnect from the God of the temple.



The Temple System FailedThe self interests of temple/religious leaders,the temple tax abuses, and the legalisticsocial and religious traditions perpetuateddis-fellowship among Jews themselves andbetween Jews and the other nations.



The Temple System LimitedThe Temple and it‟s sacrifices foreshadowedsomething greater that was to come.Though it represented Jehovah‟s presencewith His people, it could not fully establishthe scope of God‟s revelatory, redemptive

and relationship plan for all humanity.



“I tell you that one greater than the

temple is here.”



“Jesus answered them, "Destroy this

temple, and I will raise it again in three

days.” John 2;19



Jesus‟ mission was to lay down his life and raise it up again to establish God‟s Kingdom

in a way that the temple system could not do.By his death and resurrection He becomesthe best Temple substitute establishing God‟s

full plan of redemption and fellowship.



ONEIDENTITYEPHESIANS. 2;11-21

SHARES

NOW IN

CHRISTGOD‟S NEW CHURCH



“For he himself is our peace, who hasmade the two one and has destroyed thebarrier, the dividing wall of hostility… For

through him we both have access to theFather by one Spirit.”

Eph. 2;14,18



The death and resurrection of Jesusdestroyed the physical and spiritual wallsthat once separated the Jews fromGentiles. Despite ethnicity, every believernow partakes of God‟s presence andpromises fully.



Paul uses major building metaphors toemphasize the new type of fellowshipthat we share in God. Sharing the life of

God with other believers means that …

We are Fitted together as ONE



Fitted together asONE FAMILY

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners

and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's

people and members of God's household”

v19



We are a spiritual family. The Jews andGentiles become a new family united infellowship by faith in Jesus - not the

religious or ceremonial laws. The bar isChrist. Jesus' shed blood has adoptedus into God's household.



Though we were once visitors our birthpapers now say that we have therelational and legal right to be called

sons and daughters of God. In Christ weshare ONE spiritual DNA and aretherefore, joint heirs with each other.



FAMILY ISSUES…

•Charisma

•Credentials•„Christianeeze‟ Language•Christian lifestyle



We are spiritual architecture. As a spiritualbuilding we are constructed on Jesus thechief corner stone.

The chief corner stone is the "primary

foundation-stone at the angle of the structure

by which the architect fixes a standard for the

bearings of the walls and cross-walls

throughout” W. W. Lloyd



Despite out building projects, programsand money, we must understand that thesource, scope and sustenance of ourfellowship with each other is rooted in,and dependent on Jesus Christ.



„FOUNDATIONAL‟ ISSUES…

• Self Interest

• Sensationalism



Fitted together asONE FRAME

“In him the whole building is joinedtogether and rises to become a holy

temple in the Lord.” v21



The church is being fitted together in Christas ONE whole in the same way variousbuilding materials are used to construct

one building. We are chosen by Christ andharmoniously fitted with each other tocontribute to the growth of God's Kingdom„building‟.



As a part of the building frame you shouldsee yourself as a key component to thechurch community. Your role and

involvement in the affairs of the church is apart of God‟s blueprint drawn up before thefoundations of the world.



Fitted together forONE FELLOWSHIP

“And in him you too are being builttogether to become a dwelling in which

God lives by his Spirit.” v22



God is fitting us as a spiritual Temple so wecan share intimate fellowship with Him as aONE community. Again, it was only the High

Priest who could enter the Most Holy Placeonce every year and thought to have trulybeen in the presence of God.



Fellowship with God

But the tearing of the veil when Jesus died(Matt. 27;51) signifies that through Christ

(the spiritual Veil and High Priest) allbelievers have the liberty to experienceintimate communion with God.



“Therefore, brothers, since we have

confidence to enter the Most Holy Placeby the blood of Jesus, by a new and livingway opened for us through the curtain, that

is, his body, and since we have a greatpriest over the house of God, let us drawnear to God with a sincere heart in full

assurance of faith…” Heb. 10;19-22



As believers, we now have the opportunityof unveiled fellowship with God by hispresence indwelling us.



ONEIDENTITYEPHESIANS 2 11 21

sharing the life of god with others through fellowship - one identity

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