peace – Emmanuel Pentecostal Church Gateshead Resources

MONDAY 18^th – Ephesians 2:11-22

We continue from yesterday and will go to the second ‘but’ in this chapter, in verse 13 ‘But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.’ A similar portion of Scripture is found in Paul’s letter to the Colossians, ‘For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him’

In Ephesians 2 Paul makes a statement about the Gentile, that is the non–Jewish people, that they (which also includes us) were separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth (or family) of Israel, not included in the covenants of God and we were without hope and without God in the world. It is a sweeping statement that sums up that until that time, everything that God seemed to do and be doing was for and involving Israel. They were his special people, they had been given the law, they had been given the covenants or promises. It was an ‘us and ‘you’ kind of programme of events, but thank God again for the ‘but’ found here in verse 13, it all changed at Calvary, for Paul says ‘BUT NOW in Christ you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.’ The cross now meant that God was working not just with the Jew in mind, but also for the Gentile. When Christ died on the cross he was dying for the whosoever, when he became a substitute, dying as the Passover Lamb, he was atoning for the sins of the world and as a result we all, that is Jew and Gentile as we come to believe have access in one Spirit to the Father.

The but in verse 13 leads to a complete change in the situation. There is reconciliation in two ways, first between the Jew and Gentile, the division between both is taken away, so there is no longer an ‘us’ and ‘them’ but through the cross we enjoy the same benefits, the same means of salvation, the same results of salvation and the same blessings that spring from salvation. Instead of the Jew and the Gentile, the cross led to the creation of one new man, that is one new united group or body which is the Church. The second reconciliation is found in verse 16, ‘reconciled us both (Jew and Gentile) to God’. This is good news for in contrast to verses 11-12, verse 19 says that we (the Gentiles) are no longer strangers and aliens but are fellow citizens with or as the saints and members of the household of God.

Yesterday we looked at Gods abundant mercy, great love, and amazing grace. The whole of Ephesians chapter 2 also reminds us of Gods incredible plan. Yes, as Paul puts it in the chapter, it seemed as if everything God was doing up until that point was all toward and for Israel the Jew, but in reality, he had a plan that was purposed even before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:9 says ‘making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ’ This purpose he put into effect immediately after the fall when he pronounced to the serpent, ‘I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel.’ (Genesis 3:15) And time rolled on, various events and characters in the Old Testament pointed toward a coming Saviour, who finally arrived at the God appointed moment (Galatians 4:4 ) and that which had been foreordained happened as he, the one born to be the Saviour, surrendered his life as a substitute at Calvary so that we who were dead in our trespasses and sins might be made alive. Ephesians 1:4 says ‘even as he (God) chose us in him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world,’ our inclusion into the family of God, our becoming members of the family of God, our being fellow citizens in the household of God, our being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit wasn’t an after-thought God had thousands of years after he had been dealing with the Jew, it was decided, purposed and planned even before the foundation of the world.

We will let the apostle Peter have the final word today: 1 Peter 2:9-10 ‘But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.’

Wonderful grace

That gives what I don’t deserve

Pays me what Christ has earned

And lets me go free

Wonderful grace

That gives me the time to change

Washes away the stain

That once covered me

And all that I have

I lay at the feet

Of the Wonderful Saviour who loves me

Wonderful love

That held in the face of death

Breathed, in it’s final breath

Forgiveness for me

Wonderful love

Who’s power can break every chain

Giving us life again

Setting us free

^{John Pantry}^©^{Harper Collins CCLI788682}

Daily Devotion May 2nd

SATURDAY 2nd

Galatians 5 – Fruit of the Spirit (vv23-24)

I did not intend to go to these verses for this week, but it seems to be the way it has happened.

We finished yesterday with the importance of the characteristic of love to be found within the Church. Jesus himself said in John’s gospel; ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.’ (John 15:12) The measure for our love toward one another is the measure of the love that Jesus has toward us! That is a high standard! For his love is an everlasting, sacrificial, perfect love. In an earlier chapter John 13:35 ‘Jesus said ‘By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another.’

In the verses before us today we have what we commonly call the fruit of the Spirit – that is, the evidence of a life that is transformed by the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and which has been and is continuing to be sanctified by the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians defines this person as being one who been set free from a yoke of slavery (the desires of the flesh) Galatians 5:1 and who is walking by the Spirit. (V16)

When we open-up the fruit of the Spirit (I like to picture it like an orange with segments) we find that the first segment is love, second is joy, third is peace, fourth is patience, fifth is kindness, sixth is goodness, seventh is faithfulness, eighth is gentleness, ninth is self-control.

There are if you remember nine gifts of the Holy Spirit, here we see nine segments in the fruit of the Holy Spirit, but which is the most important the gifts or the fruit? My answer would simply be they are both important in the life of the believer and in the Church, but the gifts should only operate out of lives who are displaying the fruit. May God help each of us to be good examples of individuals living and walking according to the Spirit and not of the flesh.

In 2 Peter 1:5-11 we have Peter’s list of qualities he sees has essential in the life of the believer. ‘For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so near-sighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.’

Today I will highlight some other ‘Fruit’ Scriptures and trust as you read the verses you will be blessed and encouraged.

Psalm 1:3 ‘He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.’

Proverbs 11:30 ‘The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.’

In the KJV – ‘The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.’

Matthew 3:8 ‘Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.’

John 15:1-11’I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.’

Romans 7:4 ‘Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.’

Ephesians 5:9 ‘For the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true.’

Philippians 1:9-11 ‘And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.’

Colossians 1:10 ‘So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.’

There’s a sweet, sweet spirit in this place,

And I know that it’s the spirit of the Lord;

Sweet Holy Spirit,

Sweet Heavenly Dove,

Stay right here with us,

Filling us with Your love,

And for these blessings

We lift our hearts in praise,

Without a doubt we’ll know

That we have been revived

When we shall leave this place.

There are sweet expressions on each face,

And I know they feel the presence of the Lord.