Scripture referenced 29 passages
The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.
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Hebrews 4:12 opening statement on the word of God being living and active
12 For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
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Keep this verse
Ephesians 2:11-12
first section read aloud, describing Gentiles as formerly separate from Christ and the covenants
11 Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “uncircumcision” by that which is called “circumcision”, (in the flesh, made by hands);
12 that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
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Genesis 15:5-6
God takes Abram outside to count the stars and promises descendants; Abram believes and it is reckoned as righteousness
5 Yahweh brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So will your offspring be.”
6 He believed in Yahweh, who credited it to him for righteousness.
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Genesis 15:17
smoking oven and flaming torch pass between the pieces; the Lord makes a covenant with Abram
17 It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.
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Genesis 17:6-8
God promises to make Abraham exceedingly fruitful and establishes an everlasting covenant
6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you.
7 I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your offspring after you.
8 I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.”
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Genesis 17:9-11
God instructs Abraham and his descendants to keep the covenant through circumcision as a sign
9 God said to Abraham, “As for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.
10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised.
11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you.
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Deuteronomy 14:2
God chose Israel to be a holy people for His own possession
2 For you are a holy people to Yahweh your God, and Yahweh has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples who are on the face of the earth.
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Genesis 12:2-3
God promises to bless Abraham and that all families of the earth shall be blessed through him
2 I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who treates you with contempt. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
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Genesis 22:18
all nations shall be blessed in Abraham's seed
18 All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring, because you have obeyed my voice.”
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Isaiah 49:3
God calls Israel His servant in whom He will show His glory
3 He said to me, “You are my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
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Isaiah 49:6
God will make Israel a light to the nations so salvation may reach the ends of the earth
6 Indeed, he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel? I will also give you as a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.”
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Jeremiah 13:11
God made Israel cling to Him for renown, praise and glory, but they did not listen
11 For as the belt clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to me,’ says Yahweh; ‘that they may be to me for a people, for a name, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’
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Ruth 1:16
Ruth declares loyalty to Naomi, her people and her God, joining the family of God by faith
16 Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.
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Joshua 6
Joshua spares Rahab the harlot and her household; she lived among Israel
1 Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the children of Israel. No one went out, and no one came in.
2 Yahweh said to Joshua, “Behold, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the mighty men of valor.
3 All of your men of war shall march around the city, going around the city once. You shall do this six days.
4 Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day, you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
5 It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the city wall shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up, every man straight in front of him.”
6 Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before Yahweh’s ark.”
7 They said to the people, “Advance! March around the city, and let the armed men pass on before Yahweh’s ark.”
8 It was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before Yahweh advanced and blew the trumpets, and the ark of Yahweh’s covenant followed them.
9 The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the ark went after them. The trumpets sounded as they went.
10 Joshua commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout, nor let your voice be heard, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.”
11 So he caused Yahweh’s ark to go around the city, going about it once. Then they came into the camp, and stayed in the camp.
12 Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up Yahweh’s ark.
13 The seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of Yahweh’s ark went on continually, and blew the trumpets. The armed men went in front of them. The rear guard came after Yahweh’s ark. The trumpets sounded as they went.
14 The second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. They did this six days.
15 On the seventh day, they rose early at the dawning of the day, and marched around the city in the same way seven times. Only on this day they marched around the city seven times.
16 At the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for Yahweh has given you the city!
17 The city shall be devoted, even it and all that is in it, to Yahweh. Only Rahab the prostitute shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
18 But as for you, only keep yourselves from what is devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted it, you take of the devoted thing; so you would make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it.
19 But all the silver, gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are holy to Yahweh. They shall come into Yahweh’s treasury.”
20 So the people shouted and the priests blew the trumpets. When the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight in front of him, and they took the city.
21 They utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.
22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house, and bring the woman and all that she has out from there, as you swore to her.”
23 The young men who were spies went in, and brought out Rahab with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. They also brought out all of her relatives, and they set them outside of the camp of Israel.
24 They burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only they put the silver, the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron into the treasury of Yahweh’s house.
25 But Rahab the prostitute, her father’s household, and all that she had, Joshua saved alive. She lives in the middle of Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers, whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
26 Joshua commanded them with an oath at that time, saying, “Cursed is the man before Yahweh, who rises up and builds this city Jericho. With the loss of his firstborn he will lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he will set up its gates.”
27 So Yahweh was with Joshua; and his fame was in all the land.
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Exodus 12:37-38
Israel journeys from Ramesses with 600,000 men and a mixed multitude who joined them by faith
37 The children of Israel traveled from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot who were men, besides children.
38 A mixed multitude went up also with them, with flocks, herds, and even very much livestock.
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Revelation 5:9
believers in heaven sing that Christ purchased men from every tribe, tongue, people and nation
9 They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood, out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,
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Ephesians 2:13-18
second section read aloud on Gentiles brought near by the blood of Christ and the breaking down of the dividing wall
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition,
15 having abolished in his flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace;
16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility thereby.
17 He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near.
18 For through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
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Mark 15:38
the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom at Christ's death
38 The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom.
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Hebrews 10:19-22
confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus through the veil that is His flesh
19 Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21 and having a great priest over God’s house,
22 let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water,
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John 10:15-16
Jesus as the good shepherd who has other sheep not of this fold who will become one flock
15 even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.
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1 Samuel 20:15
Jonathan asks David not to cut off kindness from his house; they make a covenant
15 but you shall also not cut off your kindness from my house forever; no, not when Yahweh has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the surface of the earth.”
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2 Samuel 9
David seeks to show kindness to Jonathan's house and restores Mephibosheth, who eats at the king's table
1 David said, “Is there yet any who is left of Saul’s house, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
2 There was of Saul’s house a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “I am your servant.”
3 The king said, “Is there not yet any of Saul’s house, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “Jonathan still has a son, who is lame in his feet.”
4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.”
5 Then king David sent, and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.
6 Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face, and showed respect. David said, “Mephibosheth.” He answered, “Behold, your servant!”
7 David said to him, “Don’t be afraid; for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father. You will eat bread at my table continually.”
8 He bowed down, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look at such a dead dog as I am?”
9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s son.
10 Till the land for him, you, your sons, and your servants. Bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have bread to eat; but Mephibosheth your master’s son will always eat bread at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth ate at the king’s table, like one of the king’s sons.
12 Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. All that lived in Ziba’s house were servants to Mephibosheth.
13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem; for he ate continually at the king’s table. He was lame in both his feet.
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Romans 9:30-33
Israel pursued righteousness by works rather than faith and stumbled over Christ the stumbling stone
30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn’t follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith;
31 but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn’t arrive at the law of righteousness.
32 Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;
33 even as it is written, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense; and no one who believes in him will be disappointed.”
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Romans 2:28-29
true circumcision is of the heart by the Spirit, not outward in the flesh
28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh;
29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.
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John 5:23
anyone who does not honor the Son is not honoring the Father who sent Him
23 that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who doesn’t honor the Son doesn’t honor the Father who sent him.
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Ephesians 2:19-22
third section read aloud on believers as fellow citizens of God's household built on the cornerstone Christ Jesus
19 So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God,
20 being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone;
21 in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord;
22 in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.
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1 Peter 2:4-5
believers as living stones being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood
4 coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.
5 You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
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1 Peter 2:9-10
believers called a chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation, once not a people but now the people of God
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
10 who in time past were no people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
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Revelation 21:3
the tabernacle of God among men in heaven, where He shall dwell with His people
3 I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
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Recap
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
This message walked through Ephesians 2:11-22, tracing the story of God's covenant people from Abraham all the way to the church today. The sermon showed how Gentile believers fit into a promise that was never meant only for one ethnic group. By the end, the point was clear: Jews and Gentiles are one household now, built on Christ and sent into the world for the same purpose Israel always had.
What was said
The sermon opened with the two verses that frame everything: Gentiles were once strangers, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel and the covenants of promise, with no hope and without God. To understand what they were excluded from, the pastor went back to Genesis, where Abram believed God and it was counted as righteousness, five hundred years before the law. God then established his covenant with Abraham, promising descendants and land, and circumcision was the sign of that covenant, not its foundation. Faith came first; the sign came after.
Israel's purpose inside that covenant was never just to be a separate nation. The passages she read made it plain that God chose Israel to be a light to the nations, so that his salvation would reach the ends of the earth. That purpose, however, required them to stay distinct. When they became like the peoples around them, the light burned dimly.
The middle section of the passage moves to the new covenant, and the pastor stayed there carefully. It was the blood of Christ that brought near those who were far off. The thick veil in the temple that closed God's presence off from ordinary people was torn from top to bottom when Jesus died, and Hebrews makes the connection explicit: the veil is his flesh, and we now enter through it. There is no longer separation between God and man, and no longer separation between Jew and Gentile.
She pressed on the unity that Paul repeats four times in just a few verses: both groups made into one, two made into one new man, both reconciled in one body, both with access in one Spirit. She quoted John Piper's point that Jesus was a litmus test for Israel, revealing who the true Israel was by whether they clung to him or stumbled over him. And she quoted Romans to show that the stumbling happened because Israel pursued righteousness by works rather than by faith, even though faith had always been the way from the very beginning.
To make the adoption concrete, she shared a story she had talked through with Christine. It was the account of Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, crippled in both feet and living in obscurity when David called for him to honor a covenant made with his father. David restored his land and brought him to eat at the king's table as one of his own sons. That, she said, is what has happened to Gentile believers: formerly far off, now seated at the table as sons and daughters, not at a separate table but as full members of the family.
The final section asks what it means to be God's household. Warren Wiersbe's outline traced God's presence from the garden, to the tabernacle, to the temple, to the body of Jesus, and now to the church. We are the temple of God now, living stones built on the cornerstone, carrying the same calling Israel carried: to be a holy people who show his glory to the nations. Wiersbe's line landed hard here: when the church is least like the world, it does the most for the world. The sermon closed with Revelation's picture of the tabernacle of God among men, his presence dwelling with his people forever, glory that will never depart.
Doing a Bible study?
Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.
- The sermon pointed out that Abraham's faith came before the covenant and before circumcision, and that this was five hundred years before the law. What does that tell us about what God has always been looking for from people?
- Ruth, Rahab, and the mixed multitude who left Egypt with Israel are all given as examples of Gentiles who joined the family of God by faith in the Old Testament. What do those stories say to you about who God was willing to include, even then?
and 3 more questions in the guide
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