The Church as the New Creation

—Ephesians 2:11–3:11

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A few words about the way it is structured
- Many scholars suggest this semi-poetic structure is related to the fact it was to be read aloud
- Certainly this way of writing was common in the ancient world
Notice the direction he is going
- All the promises that originally belonged to the ancient nation of Israel, now belong to this new person
The “new person” in v.19 is literally “new human”, alluding to a “new Adam”
The final goal of where he is going is v19–22
- a new temple, a new body
But what is this new Adam, this new body, this new temple
- He says: “It’s a mystery!”

…the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.
When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ,
which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

Anne and I like watching detective mysteries.
- Usually someone has been murdered and the question is “WhoDunnit?”
- You have to try and work it out, but right at the end it is revealed
What would you think if you got to the end of the movie and were never told who did it?
- It was left uncertain!
- For myself, I would not be happy!
The mystery has been revealed by God to Paul, and he explains the two parts to it:

…the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things,
so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord

For many people is cool to criticise “the church”
Actually it is God’s ultimate creation
Eph 3:10 10. “so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”
This means living in community with each other
spreading the new life to others, (=having “children”)

We are hardly scratching the surface of what God intends us to be
- Meeting once or twice a week is only the start
- In our Christian culture we have lost so much
- We need to consider one another as parts of our own body
If the Old Creation was breathtaking, how much more is the New Creation?
- The stars, mountains
- Yet the New Creation is the pinacle of God’s work
- The local church is the expression of this new creation
You are amazing!
- The people around you today are an amazing and beautiful new creation of Jesus
- New life flows as love is expressed to one another