Who we are
Adopted sons
Dead in our transgressions, but made alive by Christ alone

You becomes a we
Today we seek to understand the nature of the Church
How are we together?

First hearers:

Roman world
Mix of conquered people
Varying rights bestowed
Equality not a value or an expectation

Jews
Foreigner - hospitality
Suspicion - bringer of idolatry, called to live differently, purity

Dividing walls of hostility
Church hasn’t lost this - Us vs. them
Individual faith…Church optional
Beaten up

Paul…also in the midst of controversy
False teaching

No more dividing wall of hostility
Christ is the cornerstone
Yinz are the temple
Temple
Ephesus
Temple of Artemis
7 wonders of the ancient world
Massive, columns
Such a draw, it eventually served as a bank
Only eunuchs, women priests served at the Temple

Dividing walls
Temple Jerusalem
Gentiles, Women, Men, Priests, Holy of Holies

Paul:

Mystery of God’s plan
Wasn’t revealed
Now is - Paul sent to the nations
Bring to light the manifold wisdom of God, even to the heavenly places
Paul from prison - don’t lose heart as I suffer
Visit the great temple of Artemis
Most of it has fallen over
No one really worships her anymore
First, the Romans took the Greco worship cult
And made it Roman - Artemis became Diana

Then it was just lost to history

Yet, here we are
Another stone in the Temple of God
Church doesn’t fall over
Christ is the sure cornerstone

1)
Even through our failures and suffering
We make known the manifold wisdom of God
It seems foolish!
God has chosen us?
Not in our success but by his spirit

2) We undervalue unity

John 17
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Our love is the beacon

Not forced homogeneous org
Not be silent about your hurt

Baptism
New people
Forever

In Christ that we find our unity
Table