The Sum is Greater than the Parts

—Ephesians 2:11–22

  • Andrew Fountain – May 14, 2023

 
 
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Goal: To see how radical this teaching is,
and understand what it demands from us.

1. The Epic Poem that Opens Ephesians

  • One long sentence, v.3 all the way to v.14!!
  • Exquisitely constructed jewel of a sentence
  • Poetic in its structure
  • Would have been read aloud as a public event

2. Paul’s Prayer —For Us!

  • Paul takes the three core parts of the epic poem and turns them into a prayer
  • 1. Past, 2. Present and 3. Future

The Sum is Greater than the Parts

  1. The Poetry and the Power
  2. The Response Required from the Original Hearers
  3. The Response Required from Us

Ephesians 2:11–22

The Sum is Greater than the Parts

  1. The Poetry and the Power
  2. The Response Required from the Original Hearers
  3. The Response Required from Us

Three Messages

  1. From Foreigners Far Away, to Family Near
  2. The Laws divided, and they are demolished
  3. The new Unity will create something Extraordinary

The Response Required from the Original Hearers

  1. From Foreigners Far Away, to Family Near
    • Encouragement that they belong
  2. The Laws divided, and they are demolished
    • Call to tear down the effects of the wall
  3. The new Unity will create something Extraordinary
    • Directions for building

Galatians 2

  1. But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
  2. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.
  3. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.
  4. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I spoke to Cephas before them all…

The Sum is Greater than the Parts

  1. The Poetry and the Power
  2. The Response Required from the Original Hearers
  3. The Response Required from Us

The Response Required from Us

  1. From Foreigners Far Away, to Family Near
    • Encouragement that we belong as we read the O.T.
  2. The Laws divided, and they are demolished
    • Call to tear down the effects of walls today
  3. The new Unity will create something Extraordinary
    • Directions for building

The Response Required from Us

  1. From Foreigners Far Away, to Family Near
    • Feel how you belong as you read God’s compassion and commitment to his people in the O.T.
  2. The Laws divided, and they are demolished
    • Don’t allow your inner judge to constantly condemn you
  3. Unity will create something Extraordinary
    • God is so pleased when you step out of your comfort zone and connect with someone very different