Ephesians 2: 11-22

Jan. 12, 2022

11Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

13But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

14For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

17And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

18For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

19Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

21In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

22In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

These verses are, in part, how we know that a building is not the church but that we are the Church. Verse 22 – “In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” We may go to a building that has been consecrated to the corporate worship of believers but the Church would exist even without the building – 20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (St. Matthew chapter 18).

Due to various circumstances, I don’t attend church, per se; I go to live streamed church. “Well”, you might hear some people say, “that’s not church at all!” Of course it is; there are others, for their own reasons, that attend online – we are as much part of the congregation as the folks in the pews in the building. Is online church the best way? No; of course not. It’s major drawback is not being able to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion. There is a form we onliners use, called Spiritual Communion that we use while the folks in church are receiving Communion. I am blessed in that there is a priest about an hour or so away that comes to my home once a month and performs Holy Communion with me and then I receive the Flesh and the Blood as you do when you are in church. When Fr. Bailey is in my home, the two of us together constitute a church.

Our heavenly Father is very smart.

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