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Advent 2017: Peace - Ephesians 2:11-22 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Nathan, I remember now.
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Fourteen children, sixteen altogether.
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!
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Ephesians 2, verse 11.
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Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh called uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands.
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Remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
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But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
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For he himself is our peace, who has made both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.
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By abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two.
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So making peace.
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And might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
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And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
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For through him we both have access in one spirit to the Father.
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So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.
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Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.
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In whom the whole structure being built or joined together grows in a holy temple or into a holy temple in the Lord.
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In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
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Father, we thank you for your word.
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That it is the revelation of you.
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That it is our souls meet.
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That it is light for our lives.
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We ask God that by your Spirit you would illumine us today.
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And enable us to gain from your word that we might live more faithfully to you.
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In Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Today's Advent focus is on peace.
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Peace is a significant part of the gospel.
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And it is not surprising then that it is a major part of the Christmas story.
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In fact, it was the only benefit mentioned by that great angelic host when they announced to the shepherds,
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Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.
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That being so, it is surprising that we do not hear more about peace.
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I try to think back of all the sermons I heard about peace.
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I can't remember that many.
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Maybe once or twice during Christmas.
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For the most part, our understanding of words, specifically peace, comes from our culture.
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When I was young, I heard a lot about peace.
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It was during the Vietnam War and the peace movement that surrounded that, that I was a young teenager.
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And to my mind at that time, peace was cool.
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We had our own peace sign, you know, and then the circle with the upside down cross.
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We had our own peace songs, peace train, imagine.
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And for me, peace was simply an end to the war.
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Later on, when my family and I lived in Israel, peace took on a different concept.
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It was primarily associated with a process to bring some kind of coexistence,
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compromised coexistence between the Arabs and Israel.
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And today, when I hear the word peace, it's usually in reference to a state of mind, tranquility, a calmness.
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I asked my children this week what they think when they hear the word peace.
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And most of them had the same answer.
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One of them even reminded me of an illustration I used in a sermon once,
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called Depicting a Dove Sound Asleep in the Midst of a Storm.
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Peace is one of those words that has a wide range of meaning.
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It can refer to the absence of war, treaty between countries, civil order, and tranquility.
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And if you look through the scriptures, you'll see that the Bible uses the term in all those various ways as well.
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But I'd like us to focus this morning on one aspect, the one that's mentioned here in Ephesians chapter 2.
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And I think this passage is significant because it's perhaps the only place in scripture where peace is developed
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in this gospel sense the way it is.
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When this passage of scripture regarding peace is understood,
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I think it sets a foundation for the rest of those aspects of peace.
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And so this really is a foundational passage when wanting to understand Christmas peace.
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And I think it's God's will for us to experience this peace in a greater way.
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I'd like to suggest this morning that these verses in Ephesians reveal the true peace of Christmas.
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It's not a typical Christmas passage, but it is a gospel passage.
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It's the shalom of the Old Testament.
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It's the wholesome unity between people and with God that's provided by the sacrifice of Christ.
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I believe one of the main reasons we have this passage here in Ephesians is because
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God wants us to more fully appreciate peace.
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And to make every effort to maintain that peace, to keep that peace in the church,
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in our relationships with one another.
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Now, the concept of peace is the focus specifically of verses 13 through 18.
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But to better understand what the apostle says about it,
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we need to consider the context before and after those verses.
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And that's why I've read from verses 11 to 22 this morning.
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Each of those sections has something to contribute to this idea of the peace of Christmas.
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And so first, we'll look at verses 11 and 12 again.
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And from these verses, I'd like to suggest that in order to appreciate
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and maintain the peace of Christmas,
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you must remind yourself of why you needed it.
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Look at verses 11 again.
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Begin with verse 11.
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It begins,
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Therefore remember that at one time,
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you Gentiles in the flesh,
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called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision,
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which is made in the flesh by hands.
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Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ,
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alienated from the commonwealth of Israel,
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and strangers to the covenants of promise,
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having no hope and without God in the world.
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Now, this verse 11 contains really
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what is the first directive in this amazing letter.
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It's the first directive.
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And all it's asking us to do here is remember something.
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It's a challenge to remind yourself of your life
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before you believed in Christ.
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Now, that challenge follows an important theme
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that begins in chapter 1,
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and I'd like to just give a brief survey
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or summary of what we find there.
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Paul introduces the letter in chapter 1
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by giving praise to God
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for everything that's involved
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in His including us in His great plan,
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His plan to bring unity
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to all of His creation.
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That's verses 3 through 14 in chapter 1.
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The apostle calls it in verse 10,
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God's plan for the fullness of time
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to unite all things in Him,
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in heaven and on earth.
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Then in verse 15,
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he begins to pray for his readers
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that God would enable them
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to gain a better understanding of God
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and His plan
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and God's ability to carry out that plan.
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Specifically, he wants believers in Jesus
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to understand their hope,
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verses 17 and 18,
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to understand the importance God places
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on their or our part in His plan,
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verse 18,
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and then to understand the significance
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of the power that He provides
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on our behalf,
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in verse 19.
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And beginning with verse 20,
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all the way through verse 10
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of the next chapter,
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we have an elaboration
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of that prayer
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and of that power.
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It's the same power
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that raised Christ from the dead
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and lifted Him
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to the supreme position
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over all authority
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in heaven and on earth.
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And it's the same power
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that raised you and I
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from the dead,
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spiritual death.
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In chapter 2,
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verses 1 through 3,
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freeing us
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from the servitude
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of the devil
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and the world
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and our own fleshly passions.
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And He did all of that
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by grace.
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By grace alone
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bringing about
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this powerful deliverance.
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Now that's the brief introduction
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to the next section then,
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verses 11 through 22.
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And here then,
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He begins by inviting
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His Gentile readers
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to remember something significant
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about their relationship
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to God's plan.
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And that is,
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at one time,
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they were excluded from it.
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Now He describes
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this exclusion
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in very careful,
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systematic,
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evocative language.
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He says
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that
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they were
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derogatorily
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called
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the uncircumcision
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by those who were
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the circumcision.
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That was
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not a friendly term
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that
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was used
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about the Gentiles.
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He says
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they were separated.
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He calls them
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alienated
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and strangers
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in these terms
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specifically
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in reference
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to the Messiah
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and the community
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of Israel
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and the covenants
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that God had promised
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to them.
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And then
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more generally
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they were
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therefore
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because they were
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excluded from
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God's people
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they were hopeless.
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and godless
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in the world.
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Now that was
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a big deal
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for the Apostle Paul.
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There was no
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greater distinction
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between the Jew
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and the Gentile.
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The Gentiles
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might have tolerated
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been tolerated
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by the Jewish people
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but the distinction
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was clearly
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maintained.
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To the religious Jew
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the Gentile
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was a dog.
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And there was
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a wall of partition
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in the temple
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courtyard
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that kept
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the Gentiles
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out of
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the more
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holy areas
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with a dire
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warning
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that if they
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would cross
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they would cross
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at the expense
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of their life.
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Hostility
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was always
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under the surface
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and there was
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such a strong
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division
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that
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when the
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Gentiles
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first received
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the gospel
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it became
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a major
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controversy
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in the church.
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How can
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they
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be a part
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of the church?
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They must
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be circumcised
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or
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can they even
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be a part
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of the church?
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But to the Gentile
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there was a huge
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gap as well
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because they
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experienced
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a growing
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hatred
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because of
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what they
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considered
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this Jewish
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arrogance
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that they
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were the
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people of
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God.
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And that
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hostility
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has continued
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to this day
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with many
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still alive
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who witnessed
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the most
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greatest
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act of
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genocide
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in all
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of human
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history.
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but the
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scriptures
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instruction
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to remember
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doesn't
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seem that
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relevant
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to us
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today.
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It's
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been almost
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2,000 years
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since Paul
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wrote this
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passage
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and gave
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this directive
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to remember
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and a lot
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has changed.
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We
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haven't
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really
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experienced
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this animosity
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between
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Jews
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and Gentiles.
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We
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don't
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really
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know
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it
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that
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well.
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In
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fact,
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we even
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live in
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a culture
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where
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tolerance
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is
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heralded
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as a
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good
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thing.
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But we
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should
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still
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try to
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see
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ourselves
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in that
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situation
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because I
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think it's
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important
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for
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appreciating
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the
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change
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that
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took
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place.
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From
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the time
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of Abraham
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to the
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time of
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Christ,
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almost
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exclusively
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God's
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plan
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focused
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on the
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Jewish
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people,
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on the
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people of
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Israel.
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And those
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during that
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entire period
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who died
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outside the
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Jewish
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community
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and faith
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died
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lost.
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Their
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exclusion
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was our
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exclusion.
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Outside
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of Christ,
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outside of
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God.
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Christ,
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now the
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peace of
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Christmas
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was needed
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because we
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were all
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outsiders.
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We were
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hopeless.
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We were
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objects of
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God's
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wrath.
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And I
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think knowing
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this is
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essential
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to
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anticipating
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or appreciating
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and holding
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on to the
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peace
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of Christmas.
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Christmas.
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Now the
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second part
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of the
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passage,
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the heart
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of this
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passage this
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morning is
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verses 13
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through 18.
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That section
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is really the
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core of
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Paul's
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message here.
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And as
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such, I
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believe it
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encourages us
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that in
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order to
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appreciate and
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maintain the
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peace of
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Christmas,
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you must
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embrace the
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central role of
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Christ in
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that peace.
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In order to
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maintain, to
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appreciate the
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peace of
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Christmas, you
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must embrace
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the central
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role of
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Christ in
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that peace.
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Verse 13
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begins with a
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wonderful contrast.
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But now, in
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Christ Jesus,
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you who once
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were far off
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have been
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brought near
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by the
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blood of
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Christ.
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See, Christ
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changes
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everything,
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doesn't he?
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but it's
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not just
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his birth,
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his life,
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that makes
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the change.
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It's by the
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blood of
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Christ, we're
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told, that
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we are brought
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near.
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Once we were
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separated,
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alienated,
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outside,
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hopeless,
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godless, but
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now in
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Christ, and
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specifically
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because of
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his death,
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we are
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included.
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you like to
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belong, to
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feel that you
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belong.
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Wouldn't it
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be a lonely
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life, just
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being outside?
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Well, this
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is belonging
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to the
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ultimate
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degree.
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This is what
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God has
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provided in
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Christ.
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Each one of
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us can be
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included.
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God has
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wanted to
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included.
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Now, there
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are many
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ways that
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we benefit
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from Christ's
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life, from
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his death
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and resurrection,
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but the
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benefit that's
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emphasized in
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this passage
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here is
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peace.
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And it
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makes it
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clear that
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there's a
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connection
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between our
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being included
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and peace.
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first ten
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verses of
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chapter two
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focus on
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an individual
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aspect of
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salvation.
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And perhaps
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this is why
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it's one of
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the most
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popular
19:37
passages of
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Ephesians,
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most well-known
19:41
anyway.
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But here in
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verses 11
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through 22,
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there's a
19:45
shift,
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specifically
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verses 13
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through 18.
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There's a
19:49
shift.
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And the
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shift is one
19:52
of relationship.
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See, in the
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past, Gentiles
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were separated,
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not only from
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God, but from
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the people of
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God.
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And what
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then does
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salvation do
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for that
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relationship?
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It changes
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the relationship.
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It brings a
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change, not
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only in our
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relationship to
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God, but in
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our relationship
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to others.
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And that's
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why I believe
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we find this
20:22
focus here on
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peace.
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And it's such a
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significant
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distinction that
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the apostle
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develops this
20:29
idea through
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the next five
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verses.
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The idea of
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being brought
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near is
20:35
equated with
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peace.
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And that
20:38
peace is
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inseparably
20:40
linked to
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Jesus.
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And so what
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I'd like to
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do is take a
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couple moments
20:46
and highlight
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three ways
20:48
in those
20:50
verses that
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peace is
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linked to
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Jesus.
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First of
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all, he's
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introduced with
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the sentence,
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he himself
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is our
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peace.
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That's
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verse 14.
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For he
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himself is
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our
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peace.
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Now that's
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a significant
21:09
designation.
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And what I
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believe it does
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is it
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describes for
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us the
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way in
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which peace
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is
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accomplished.
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The only
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way in
21:23
which peace
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is accomplished.
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It's the
21:25
prince of
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peace himself
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that made
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peace
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possible.
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Now there's
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two phrases
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that I'd just
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like to draw to
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your attention
21:33
in verses
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14 and
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15.
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In verse
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14 it
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says,
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in his
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flesh.
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Now that's
21:43
an obvious
21:43
reference to
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the death
21:45
of Christ.
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It was the
21:47
death of
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Christ that
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made real
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peace
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possible.
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The other
21:51
phrase is in
21:52
verse 15.
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It says,
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in himself.
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The unity
21:58
that is being
21:59
described here
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in this
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verse occurs
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where?
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In a
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location that
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is in
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Christ.
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That's where
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it takes
22:07
place.
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It's not
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some general
22:10
external
22:11
peace.
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peace.
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It's one
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that's only
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possible to
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those who
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have been
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by faith
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united with
22:18
him.
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And this
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way,
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by Christ's
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work and
22:25
in union
22:26
with him,
22:26
peace is
22:27
possible.
22:30
I think
22:31
it's
22:31
interesting
22:31
that
22:32
typically
22:35
the
22:36
Christian
22:36
message
22:36
about
22:37
peace
22:37
is
22:37
some
22:38
general
22:39
peace.
22:40
peace
22:41
to all
22:42
of you.
22:43
It's a
22:44
peaceful
22:44
season.
22:46
God
22:47
wants the
22:47
world to
22:48
experience
22:48
and enjoy
22:49
peace.
22:51
As a
22:51
boy,
22:52
we used
22:52
to watch,
22:53
we're a
22:53
good
22:53
Catholic
22:54
family,
22:54
we watched
22:54
the Ten
22:55
Commandments
22:55
every year
22:56
and
22:58
went to
23:00
church on
23:00
Christmas
23:01
and
23:02
Easter.
23:05
But
23:05
before we
23:06
went to
23:06
church on
23:07
Easter,
23:07
we watched
23:07
the Ten
23:08
Commandments
23:08
because it
23:09
came out
23:09
every year.
23:11
And I
23:13
remember
23:13
after
23:14
coming to
23:16
faith in
23:16
Christ that
23:17
we watched
23:18
the Ten
23:18
Commandments
23:19
again and
23:20
I was
23:21
shocked because
23:22
at the end,
23:23
you know,
23:23
Charlton
23:23
Heston,
23:24
I mean,
23:24
Moses stands
23:25
up there and
23:26
he says,
23:27
go into
23:28
the land and
23:29
proclaim
23:29
liberty to
23:31
all its
23:32
inhabitants.
23:33
I thought,
23:34
wait a
23:34
minute,
23:35
that's not
23:36
what happened.
23:38
he didn't
23:38
tell them
23:39
to go
23:39
in and
23:39
proclaim
23:40
liberty.
23:40
He said,
23:41
you're going
23:42
to go
23:42
slaughter
23:43
everybody.
23:44
That was
23:45
a big
23:45
change for
23:47
me.
23:48
I think
23:48
the same
23:49
thing is
23:50
true about
23:50
peace in
23:51
this season.
23:52
You know,
23:52
we typically
23:53
herald peace
23:56
as this
23:57
general
23:58
experience
24:00
that God
24:01
wants the
24:01
world to
24:02
experience.
24:02
It's not
24:03
like that
24:04
peace.
24:05
Because
24:05
peace can
24:06
only happen
24:08
in Christ.
24:10
The message
24:10
is peace
24:11
is only
24:12
to those
24:13
who are
24:14
in Christ.
24:16
And that's
24:17
why he
24:17
himself
24:18
is
24:19
our peace.
24:21
The second
24:21
way peace
24:22
is linked
24:22
to Jesus
24:22
is found
24:23
at the
24:23
end of
24:23
verse 15
24:24
where it
24:25
says
24:25
that
24:26
it says
24:28
so
24:30
making
24:31
peace.
24:32
peace.
24:32
Now,
24:33
what's
24:34
being
24:34
described
24:34
here is
24:35
the result
24:36
of
24:38
Jesus'
24:38
peacemaking.
24:42
By
24:42
dying on
24:43
the cross,
24:44
Jesus
24:44
destroyed
24:45
the very
24:47
thing that
24:47
kept Jews
24:48
and Gentiles
24:49
separated.
24:51
He calls
24:51
it a
24:51
wall of
24:52
hostility,
24:53
the law
24:54
of commandments.
24:55
It's
24:55
most likely
24:56
he had
24:56
in mind
24:57
those
24:58
specific
24:59
ceremonial
25:00
and
25:00
religious
25:01
aspects
25:01
of
25:02
the
25:02
law.
25:03
At
25:03
the
25:04
very
25:04
least,
25:04
the
25:04
sacrifices,
25:06
circumcision
25:07
itself,
25:08
but even
25:09
the code
25:10
itself
25:11
that
25:11
sentenced
25:13
one to
25:13
death
25:14
for
25:14
breaking
25:15
the
25:16
law.
25:18
Jesus'
25:18
death
25:19
brought
25:19
an end
25:20
to those
25:21
ordinances
25:22
that kept
25:23
the Jew
25:23
and the
25:24
Gentile
25:24
separated.
25:26
And as
25:26
a result,
25:27
he made
25:28
a new
25:28
entity.
25:29
We call
25:30
it
25:30
the
25:31
church.
25:31
that
25:33
consists
25:34
of
25:34
every
25:34
tribe
25:35
and
25:35
every
25:35
language
25:36
and
25:36
every
25:36
people
25:37
and
25:38
every
25:38
nation.
25:40
But that
25:41
peace
25:42
extends
25:45
beyond
25:46
human
25:47
unity.
25:48
Ultimately,
25:49
according to
25:49
this verse,
25:50
it relates
25:51
to our
25:51
relationship
25:52
with God.
25:53
And the
25:53
picture we
25:53
get here
25:54
then is
25:55
a peace
25:56
that is
25:58
collective.
25:59
it's
26:01
not just
26:02
my
26:02
peace
26:03
and
26:03
your
26:04
peace,
26:04
although
26:04
that's
26:05
one of
26:06
those
26:06
aspects
26:07
that is
26:07
true.
26:08
Let the
26:09
peace
26:09
of Christ
26:10
guard
26:10
your
26:10
hearts
26:11
and
26:11
minds
26:11
in
26:11
Christ
26:12
Jesus.
26:12
There is
26:13
a sense
26:13
in which
26:13
peace
26:14
is
26:14
individual,
26:16
but that's
26:16
not the
26:16
point of
26:17
this
26:17
passage.
26:18
This
26:19
passage
26:19
is talking
26:20
about
26:20
something
26:21
greater,
26:21
a
26:21
greater
26:22
plan
26:22
in which
26:22
God
26:23
relates
26:24
to
26:24
his
26:26
people
26:27
in
26:27
terms
26:27
of
26:28
a
26:28
unity.
26:30
Jews
26:31
and
26:31
Gentiles
26:32
together,
26:33
one
26:34
entity,
26:35
one
26:35
man
26:36
approaching
26:37
him
26:38
as
26:39
one
26:39
and
26:41
united
26:41
with
26:42
him
26:42
in
26:43
that
26:43
approach.
26:45
This
26:45
is the
26:46
collective
26:47
reconciliation
26:48
that I
26:49
believe the
26:50
passage
26:50
is
26:51
encouraging
26:52
us
26:52
to
26:52
understand.
26:54
The
26:56
third
26:56
way
26:57
that
26:57
peace
26:57
is
26:57
connected
26:58
to
26:58
Jesus
26:58
is
26:58
found
26:59
in
26:59
verse
26:59
17.
27:02
And
27:02
he
27:02
came
27:03
and
27:03
preached
27:04
peace
27:04
to
27:04
you
27:05
who
27:05
were
27:05
far
27:05
off
27:06
and
27:06
peace
27:07
to
27:08
those
27:08
who
27:09
were
27:09
near.
27:11
And
27:11
so
27:11
here
27:11
we're
27:12
told
27:12
that
27:12
Jesus
27:12
also
27:13
preaches
27:14
peace.
27:15
He
27:16
not
27:16
only
27:17
is
27:17
peace,
27:18
he
27:18
not
27:18
only
27:18
makes
27:19
peace,
27:19
but
27:19
he
27:20
preaches
27:20
peace
27:21
to
27:22
the
27:23
far
27:23
and
27:24
to
27:24
the
27:24
near.
27:24
The
27:25
added
27:25
element
27:25
is
27:26
this
27:27
proclamation
27:28
that
27:28
Christ
27:29
himself
27:29
makes.
27:31
Now
27:31
this
27:31
is
27:31
an
27:31
allusion
27:32
to
27:32
a
27:32
passage
27:33
in
27:33
Isaiah,
27:33
Isaiah
27:34
57,
27:35
19,
27:36
where
27:36
God
27:36
himself
27:37
says
27:38
peace,
27:38
peace,
27:39
to the
27:40
far
27:40
and to
27:40
the
27:41
near.
27:42
Paul
27:43
uses it
27:43
in
27:44
reference
27:44
to
27:44
Christ
27:45
himself
27:46
and
27:47
the
27:47
Jew
27:48
and
27:48
Gentile.
27:50
And
27:50
what that
27:51
proclamation
27:52
is,
27:53
is
27:53
simply
27:54
the
27:54
gospel.
27:56
This
27:57
is the
27:58
invitation,
27:59
the
27:59
message and
28:00
invitation that
28:01
every one of
28:02
us have
28:03
received.
28:04
It invites
28:04
us to
28:05
reconciliation,
28:06
reconciliation
28:07
with God.
28:08
It invites
28:08
us to
28:09
peace,
28:11
peace
28:11
with
28:12
others.
28:13
And it
28:14
invites us
28:15
to free
28:15
unhindered
28:18
access to
28:19
God
28:20
and
28:21
therefore
28:21
to
28:21
benefit
28:22
from
28:22
all
28:23
that
28:23
he
28:23
is
28:24
on
28:24
our
28:24
behalf.
28:26
There
28:27
is a
28:27
way in
28:27
which
28:27
Jew
28:28
and
28:28
Gentile
28:29
together,
28:30
in
28:30
which
28:30
every
28:30
tongue
28:31
and
28:31
tribe
28:32
and
28:32
nation
28:32
together,
28:34
in
28:34
which
28:34
you
28:34
and
28:35
I
28:35
together
28:36
have
28:38
access
28:38
to
28:38
God.
28:43
This
28:44
is the
28:45
peace
28:45
of
28:46
Christmas.
28:48
There's
28:49
no
28:49
true
28:50
lasting
28:51
peace
28:52
apart
28:53
from
28:53
the
28:53
peace
28:54
of
28:54
Christmas.
28:56
No
28:56
peace
28:56
process,
28:58
no
28:58
peace
28:58
movement,
29:00
no
29:00
imagining,
29:01
no
29:02
drugs,
29:03
no
29:03
genetic
29:04
engineering,
29:05
no
29:05
meditation
29:06
can
29:07
accomplish
29:07
what
29:09
Christ
29:09
has
29:09
accomplished
29:10
to
29:11
make
29:11
peace.
29:13
He
29:13
himself
29:14
has
29:14
dealt
29:14
once
29:15
and
29:15
for
29:15
all
29:16
with
29:17
all
29:17
the
29:17
problems
29:18
that
29:19
hinder
29:19
peace.
29:21
And
29:21
he
29:21
has
29:21
called
29:21
us
29:22
to
29:22
experience
29:23
that
29:23
peace.
29:25
And
29:26
finally,
29:27
the
29:27
last
29:27
section
29:28
of
29:28
our
29:28
passage
29:29
provides
29:30
one
29:30
further
29:31
aspect
29:31
that
29:31
I'd
29:32
like
29:32
to
29:32
look
29:32
at
29:33
with
29:34
regard
29:34
to
29:34
this
29:34
peace
29:35
of
29:35
Christmas.
29:36
In
29:36
verses
29:36
19
29:37
through
29:37
22,
29:39
we
29:39
are
29:39
reminded
29:40
of
29:40
God's
29:41
ultimate
29:41
plan
29:42
for
29:42
peace.
29:43
from
29:45
this
29:45
section
29:45
we
29:46
can
29:46
glean
29:46
that
29:47
in
29:47
order
29:47
to
29:48
appreciate
29:48
and
29:49
maintain
29:49
the
29:50
peace
29:51
of
29:51
Christmas,
29:52
we
29:52
must
29:52
anticipate
29:53
God's
29:54
ultimate
29:54
plan
29:55
for
29:56
the
29:56
church.
29:58
In
29:58
order
29:58
to
29:58
appreciate
29:59
and
29:59
maintain
30:00
the
30:00
peace
30:01
of
30:01
Christmas,
30:02
you
30:02
must
30:03
anticipate
30:04
God's
30:05
ultimate
30:06
plan
30:06
for
30:07
the
30:07
church.
30:07
in
30:09
verse
30:09
19
30:10
of
30:10
the
30:10
section
30:11
the
30:13
previous
30:14
contrast
30:15
is
30:15
summarized
30:16
again.
30:17
He
30:17
says,
30:18
so
30:18
then
30:18
you
30:19
are
30:19
no
30:19
longer
30:20
strangers
30:20
and
30:21
aliens
30:21
but
30:22
you
30:22
are
30:22
fellow
30:22
citizens
30:24
with
30:24
the
30:24
saints
30:25
and
30:25
members
30:26
of
30:26
the
30:26
household
30:27
of
30:27
God.
30:29
In
30:30
this
30:30
passage,
30:31
in
30:31
this
30:31
verse
30:31
and
30:31
following
30:32
verses,
30:33
the
30:33
apostle
30:33
Paul
30:34
uses a
30:34
variety
30:35
of
30:35
metaphors
30:36
to
30:37
describe
30:38
something
30:39
about
30:40
God's
30:40
plan
30:40
for
30:41
the
30:41
church.
30:43
It
30:44
involves
30:45
a
30:45
kingdom
30:45
or a
30:46
country
30:46
and
30:47
we
30:47
are
30:48
the
30:48
citizens.
30:49
It
30:49
involves
30:49
a
30:50
household
30:50
and
30:51
we
30:51
are
30:52
the
30:52
members.
30:53
It
30:53
involves
30:54
a
30:54
building.
30:55
There's
30:55
a
30:55
foundation,
30:56
there's
30:56
a
30:57
cornerstone
30:57
and
30:59
then
30:59
there's
30:59
the
30:59
structure
31:00
itself.
31:01
The
31:01
apostles
31:01
and
31:02
prophets
31:02
are
31:03
the
31:03
foundation,
31:04
Christ
31:04
himself
31:05
is
31:05
the
31:06
cornerstone
31:06
and
31:07
we
31:07
the
31:08
united
31:08
believers
31:08
are
31:09
the
31:09
structure.
31:11
It's
31:11
a
31:12
holy
31:12
temple.
31:13
It's
31:13
a
31:13
dwelling
31:14
place
31:14
of
31:15
God.
31:17
Now
31:18
how
31:18
this
31:18
amazing
31:20
entity
31:21
which
31:22
is
31:22
called
31:23
New
31:23
Jerusalem
31:24
and
31:24
Revelation
31:25
how
31:26
this
31:27
will
31:27
actually
31:27
look
31:28
I
31:28
think
31:28
is
31:28
beyond
31:29
our
31:29
ability
31:29
to
31:30
grasp.
31:30
We
31:31
just
31:31
have
31:31
these
31:32
metaphors
31:32
that
31:33
we're
31:33
familiar
31:33
with
31:34
so
31:34
we
31:34
can
31:34
get
31:35
a
31:35
peek
31:35
into
31:36
what
31:36
God's
31:37
doing.
31:38
Why
31:39
he's
31:39
called
31:40
us
31:40
together
31:40
as
31:40
a
31:40
people.
31:42
But
31:43
there
31:43
are
31:43
some
31:43
aspects
31:44
that
31:44
we
31:44
can
31:45
be
31:45
sure
31:45
about.
31:47
It
31:48
will
31:48
be
31:49
one
31:53
that
31:54
includes
31:54
eternal
31:55
peace.
31:56
It
31:57
will
31:57
be
31:57
free
31:57
from
31:59
prejudice,
32:00
from
32:00
hostility,
32:01
personal
32:03
or
32:03
interpersonal
32:04
conflict
32:05
or war.
32:06
There
32:07
will
32:07
be
32:07
no
32:07
isolation,
32:08
there
32:08
will
32:08
be
32:09
no
32:09
loneliness,
32:10
there
32:11
will
32:11
be
32:11
security
32:12
and
32:12
belonging,
32:14
there
32:14
will
32:14
be
32:14
perfect
32:15
harmony
32:15
and
32:16
the
32:16
joy
32:16
of
32:17
God's
32:17
loving
32:17
and
32:19
everlasting
32:20
presence.
32:22
And
32:22
we
32:22
will
32:22
experience
32:23
the
32:23
full
32:24
tranquility
32:25
of a
32:26
good,
32:27
and I
32:27
mean
32:27
good
32:28
life.
32:31
that's
32:32
what
32:32
he's
32:33
depicting
32:33
here.
32:34
That's
32:35
what
32:35
he
32:35
wants
32:36
us
32:36
to
32:36
look
32:37
forward
32:38
to.
32:39
And
32:39
I
32:39
think
32:39
God
32:40
gives
32:40
us
32:40
these
32:41
peeks
32:41
into
32:41
his
32:42
plan
32:42
so
32:42
that
32:43
we'll
32:43
have
32:43
hope,
32:44
so
32:44
that
32:44
we'll
32:45
appreciate
32:46
what
32:47
he's
32:47
done
32:47
for
32:48
us,
32:48
and
32:48
so
32:48
that
32:48
we'll
32:49
have
32:51
renewed
32:51
strength
32:52
to be
32:52
able
32:53
to
32:53
maintain
32:54
that
32:54
hope
32:54
in
32:55
the
32:55
midst
32:56
of
32:56
all
32:56
the
32:56
distractions.
32:58
Because
32:58
I
32:58
think
32:59
it
32:59
takes
32:59
effort
33:00
to
33:00
maintain
33:01
this
33:02
hope
33:02
in the
33:03
world
33:03
today.
33:04
We
33:04
face
33:05
competing
33:05
attractions
33:06
every
33:07
single
33:08
day.
33:09
But
33:10
you have
33:10
to just
33:11
take a
33:11
moment
33:12
and ask
33:12
yourself,
33:13
what does
33:13
the world
33:14
really have
33:15
to offer?
33:16
What
33:16
do we
33:17
really have
33:18
to look
33:19
forward to
33:19
if we
33:20
believe
33:21
what's
33:22
being told
33:22
to us?
33:23
peace.
33:25
One
33:25
of the
33:25
gurus
33:26
of my
33:26
youth
33:27
preached
33:29
a
33:29
peace
33:30
that
33:30
envisioned
33:30
a
33:31
unified
33:31
world
33:32
of
33:32
brotherhood.
33:34
He
33:34
invited
33:35
us
33:35
to
33:35
imagine
33:37
a
33:37
world
33:38
without
33:38
hell
33:39
or
33:39
heaven,
33:40
without
33:41
countries
33:41
or religion
33:42
or possessions.
33:45
He
33:45
suggested
33:46
that if
33:46
we remove
33:47
these
33:47
externals,
33:48
we can
33:48
have
33:48
peace
33:49
and the
33:51
world
33:51
will be
33:51
as one.
33:53
But his
33:57
popular
33:57
message,
33:58
in fact
33:58
it's so
33:59
popular,
33:59
it was
33:59
one of
33:59
the most
34:00
played
34:03
songs of
34:04
the last
34:05
century.
34:06
That's what
34:07
they say
34:07
anyway.
34:09
But his
34:09
message was
34:10
doomed to
34:11
fail because
34:11
it really
34:13
doesn't
34:14
address
34:15
the problem
34:16
inside us
34:17
that makes
34:18
peace
34:18
impossible.
34:21
It
34:21
doesn't.
34:22
Just
34:23
getting
34:23
rid of
34:24
the
34:24
exteriors
34:25
doesn't
34:26
change
34:27
who you
34:27
and I
34:27
are on
34:28
the
34:28
inside.
34:29
It
34:30
doesn't
34:30
change
34:31
the
34:32
selfishness
34:33
and the
34:33
self-centeredness
34:34
and the
34:35
individual
34:36
focus that
34:37
we have.
34:38
It
34:38
doesn't
34:38
change
34:38
any of
34:39
that.
34:43
I know
34:44
there's a
34:44
few of you
34:45
here that
34:45
are kind
34:46
of into
34:46
Star Wars.
34:47
what's
34:51
this I
34:51
hear about
34:51
a
34:52
marathon?
34:58
I was
34:59
a brand
34:59
new
34:59
Christian
35:00
when the
35:00
first
35:01
Star Wars
35:01
came out
35:02
and I
35:05
was fascinated
35:05
by the
35:06
film and
35:07
I even
35:07
saw
35:09
some
35:10
parallels
35:11
that
35:11
really
35:12
seemed to
35:13
be encouraging.
35:14
the force
35:16
was the
35:16
Holy Spirit
35:17
and
35:18
Obi-Wan
35:20
Kenobi's
35:20
sacrifice
35:21
was like
35:22
Christ.
35:22
He gave
35:23
himself
35:23
so Luke
35:25
could live.
35:28
It was
35:28
even called
35:29
A New
35:29
Hope.
35:33
And
35:33
even though
35:34
I'm not
35:34
sure there
35:35
are some
35:36
real
35:37
die-hard
35:38
followers
35:38
of the
35:39
philosophy
35:40
as well
35:40
as the
35:41
graphics
35:42
of the
35:42
movies,
35:43
it does
35:45
present
35:46
a
35:46
perspective
35:47
of peace.
35:51
But it's
35:52
inadequate.
35:53
It's
35:54
perhaps more
35:54
realistic
35:55
than
35:56
Lenin's
35:57
world of
35:58
peace.
36:00
But it's
36:01
still
36:02
inadequate.
36:05
Gradually
36:05
I began to
36:06
see that
36:06
there really
36:07
was no
36:08
hope.
36:09
The best
36:10
that it
36:10
could offer
36:11
was a
36:13
perpetual
36:14
coexistence
36:17
of good
36:18
and evil.
36:19
The good
36:20
and bad
36:21
side of
36:21
the force.
36:22
It's just
36:22
a part
36:23
of what
36:24
is.
36:25
There's
36:25
no changing
36:26
that.
36:27
The best
36:28
it could
36:28
provide for
36:29
us perhaps
36:29
was good
36:31
keeping
36:32
evil in
36:33
check.
36:33
hope.
36:37
Come on.
36:39
What kind
36:40
of hope
36:40
is that?
36:43
It has
36:44
no solution
36:45
to the
36:46
evil that
36:47
exists in
36:47
the heart
36:48
of humanity.
36:51
That's not
36:52
real hope.
36:54
And it can
36:54
never produce
36:55
real peace.
36:57
Well,
36:57
God wants us
36:58
to appreciate
36:58
more fully
36:59
the peace
37:00
that only
37:00
he can
37:01
supply.
37:01
he's not
37:03
only
37:03
given us
37:06
a solution
37:06
to the
37:07
problem of
37:07
sin and
37:08
evil,
37:08
he has
37:09
the power
37:09
to take
37:11
care of
37:12
these
37:13
problems.
37:16
The
37:16
resurrection
37:16
of Christ,
37:18
the new
37:18
birth,
37:19
demonstrate
37:19
that.
37:20
And God
37:21
will bring
37:22
his plan
37:23
into being,
37:24
a united,
37:25
eternal
37:26
universe
37:26
inhabited by
37:27
those who
37:29
are eternally
37:29
and joyfully
37:30
grateful.
37:31
for God's
37:32
grace and
37:33
continually
37:34
awed by
37:35
his greatness.
37:37
This is
37:38
the peace
37:39
of Christmas.
37:41
And Jesus
37:41
invites you
37:42
to this
37:43
peace and
37:43
to experience
37:44
it more
37:45
fully.
37:46
And so,
37:47
in conclusion,
37:48
let me remind
37:48
you of what
37:49
we've covered
37:50
and make
37:52
one,
37:53
I believe,
37:54
appropriate
37:55
application.
37:55
peace and
37:56
peace.
37:57
I suggested
37:58
at the
37:58
beginning that
37:59
this passage
38:00
teaches that
38:01
you can
38:02
appreciate and
38:03
maintain the
38:04
peace of
38:04
Christmas by,
38:06
one,
38:06
reminding
38:07
yourself of
38:08
why you
38:08
needed it.
38:10
Two,
38:10
by embracing
38:12
the central
38:12
role of
38:13
Christ in
38:14
providing it.
38:16
And three,
38:17
by anticipating
38:19
the fulfillment
38:20
of God's
38:21
ultimate plan
38:22
for peace.
38:24
peace.
38:25
That's the
38:26
church.
38:28
And I also
38:29
mentioned that
38:29
verse 11 of
38:31
chapter 2
38:32
contains the
38:33
first directive
38:35
in the letter.
38:36
And it was
38:36
simply a
38:37
challenge to
38:38
remember your
38:39
life apart from
38:40
Christ and to
38:41
remember it in
38:42
context of what
38:42
God has done for
38:43
you in Christ.
38:45
That reminder,
38:46
I believe,
38:48
is encouraged in
38:49
order to increase
38:50
our appreciation
38:51
of the peace
38:52
that the gospel
38:54
provides.
38:58
And it's
38:58
interesting that
38:59
there's only one
39:00
other directive
39:01
in the first
39:02
three chapters.
39:04
Now I'm trying
39:04
to find a
39:05
biblical application
39:06
and I looked
39:07
everywhere in
39:08
the first three
39:08
chapters and
39:09
there's only that
39:10
directive and
39:10
there's only
39:11
another one and
39:12
that was only
39:13
in the middle
39:13
of chapter 3
39:14
where Paul
39:15
tells his
39:17
readers not to
39:18
be discouraged
39:18
because he was
39:20
in prison for
39:21
their sake.
39:22
that's all we
39:25
find in three
39:25
chapters of
39:26
telling us what
39:27
to do.
39:29
But what is
39:30
amazing is that
39:32
chapter 4 which
39:35
begins a very
39:36
practical part of
39:38
this book starts
39:40
in verse 1 with
39:42
a reference back
39:43
to peace.
39:45
there we read
39:47
I therefore
39:50
the prisoner
39:51
of the Lord
39:52
a prisoner for
39:53
the Lord
39:54
urge you to
39:55
walk in a
39:56
manner worthy
39:57
of the calling
39:58
to which you
39:59
have been
39:59
called
39:59
with all
40:03
humility and
40:04
gentleness
40:05
with patience
40:06
bearing with
40:07
one another
40:08
eager to
40:10
maintain
40:10
the unity
40:12
of the
40:13
spirit
40:14
in the
40:15
bond
40:16
of peace.
40:20
Not only
40:21
does God
40:21
want us to
40:22
delight
40:22
in and
40:24
praise him
40:25
for the
40:26
peace that
40:26
he's provided
40:27
he wants us
40:29
to do
40:29
everything we
40:30
can he
40:31
wants us
40:31
to utilize
40:32
every gift
40:33
we have
40:34
to keep
40:35
that unity
40:36
a part
40:37
of our
40:38
daily lives
40:39
of our
40:40
life together
40:41
as a
40:41
people.
40:43
Do you
40:44
have
40:44
relationships
40:45
where you
40:45
experience
40:45
conflict?
40:46
Any of you?
40:49
We all
40:50
do.
40:51
I challenge
40:52
our peace
40:53
and God
40:55
is saying
40:55
I believe
40:56
to us
40:56
this morning
40:57
to value
40:58
this peace
40:59
that he
41:00
gave his
41:01
life
41:02
to
41:04
make
41:05
maintain
41:08
it.
41:09
Value it
41:09
so much
41:10
that you'll
41:10
do
41:10
anything
41:11
to
41:13
maintain
41:13
it.
41:14
That
41:14
requires
41:15
humility.
41:17
It requires
41:18
gentleness.
41:20
It requires
41:20
patience.
41:23
It requires
41:24
bearing with
41:25
one another
41:26
in all of
41:26
our weaknesses.
41:29
Of all
41:30
that the
41:30
peace of
41:31
Christmas
41:31
provides
41:32
at the
41:33
heart of
41:33
it is
41:33
the unity
41:34
of souls
41:35
and the
41:36
blissful
41:36
reconciliation
41:38
that we
41:39
have with
41:39
God
41:40
and one
41:40
another.
41:41
Let's
41:41
pray.
41:41
Let's
41:41
pray.
41:41
Let's
41:41
pray.