Southgate Church
Pastor Jeff Kennedy
November 1, 2020
Ephesians 2:19-22 NASB1995
Creating homogeny (owing to a common origin) from diversity, how did God create the Beloved Community in the early church?
1) If the community is viewed as a city, they are citizens, not resident aliens. V 19
2) If the community is viewed as a house or household, the Gentile believers are full members of the family—not household servants but sons and daughters, with all the rights of inheritance that sons and daughters enjoy. V 19
3) If the community is viewed as a building, the Gentile believers are integral parts of the structure. V 20
4) Not just any old structure, our community is the Sanctuary of God, a dwelling-place for his Spirit (Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. 1 Cor. 3:16–17), so is the church universal..v 21 The Church is Spirit created and empowered.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NASB1995
The SouthGate community, is created to be God’s fellowship of reconciliation, that transcends all distinctions of race, status, and sex. Properly oriented to the one cornerstone, based on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Gentile Christians, all fellow believers belong equally to God’s holy house.v22 This is not accomplished by organization, oaths or human policies it is the work of Christ and the creation of the Holy Spirit.
Join us on Wednesday Nights at 7PM!