Ruth Padilla DeBorst led our teaching this morning and it was fantastic!

She spoke powerfully on how Paul uses strong words at the start of Ephesians 2 to describe their lifestyle and that the Jewish Christians would have first understood them as being for the Gentiles, so they would have been very shocked by the “all” in verse 3.

Ruth consistently reminded us that it was God reinstating us, there was no effort that we could make; and in contrast to being a small, at times annoying, cog in the Roman Empire, these people were seen as valuable and beautiful.  It is through Christ that we discover our purpose, the creation mandates are restored through the cross and resurrection.

We are about Pax Christi – peace through Jesus – through his actions, through his death, the coming of the Holy Spirit.

In contrast with socio-religious standing normally depending on lineage and socio-economic status everyone is able to belong to Christianity through Jesus’ reconciling work.

God yearns to build the world church today into his dwelling place – how are we helping this?  Are we aware that our reconciled relationships and friendships of love and justices are the biggest witness we have to the world?