EPHESIANS – WEEK 5

Pastor: Daniel Bunn
Series: Ephesians

📖 Sermon Summary (Ephesians 2:19–22 with Scripture)

Main Idea: A Declaration of Identity

Ephesians 2:19

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household.”

The core message is this:

✅ If you have believed in Christ, you already belong.

Paul is not:

Giving a command

Expressing a wish

Setting a future goal

He is making a present-tense declaration:

You are citizens. You are family. Right now.

1. We Struggle to Accept the Truth About Ourselves

We often:

Overestimate ourselves (pride)

Or underestimate ourselves (imposter syndrome)

Spiritually, this sounds like:

“I don’t really belong”

“That must be true for others, not me”

But Paul speaks truth over that doubt.

2. Who We Were vs. What Christ Has Done

Who We Were

Ephesians 2:11–12

“Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ… excluded from citizenship in Israel… foreigners… without hope and without God in the world.”

We were:

Outsiders

Strangers

Without hope

What Christ Has Done

Ephesians 2:13–14

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace…”

Ephesians 2:18

“For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.”

Because of Jesus:

We are brought near

We have peace

We now have access to God

When This Became True

Ephesians 1:13

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.”

✅ This identity begins when you hear and believe the gospel.

3. Belonging Is Declared, Not Earned

Ephesians 2:19

“You are no longer foreigners and strangers…”

This is:

Not “you will be”

Not “you might be”

Not “if you improve enough”

👉 It is a finished reality based on Christ’s work, not yours.

4. The Building Metaphor: What We’ve Become

Paul expands our identity using a construction image:

Foundation = Truth

Ephesians 2:20

“Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets…”

The church rests on truth revealed and proclaimed

This truth is preserved in Scripture

Cornerstone = Christ

Ephesians 2:20

“…with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.”

Jesus:

Aligns everything (cornerstone)

Supports everything (keystone idea)

Completes everything (capstone idea)

👉 Christ is central to the entire structure.

We Are the Building Material

Ephesians 2:21–22

“In him the whole building is joined together… And in him you too are being built together…”

We are:

The stones

Different in size, shape, and background

Stronger together than alone

👉 Unity is not sameness—it’s shared alignment to Christ.

5. A Living, Growing Temple

Ephesians 2:21–22

“…rises to become a holy temple in the Lord… a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

The church is:

Not static

Not finished

Alive and growing

👉 God is still building His people into His dwelling place.

✅ Big Takeaways

1. You Belong Right Now

“You are… fellow citizens… members of his household.” (Eph. 2:19)

Not based on performance

Based on Christ’s finished work

2. Faith Is Communal

“You too are being built together…” (Eph. 2:22)

You are not meant to follow Jesus alone

We are built together

3. Diversity Is Part of God’s Design

Different “stones” create a stronger, more beautiful whole

Unity comes through Christ, not uniformity

4. God Is Still Building

The structure is not complete yet

Growth is ongoing

Completion belongs to God

🧩 Final One-Sentence Summary

Because of what Christ has done, you already belong to God’s household—and together we are being built into a living, growing dwelling place for His presence.