Memory Text: Ephesians 2:14 NKJV “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation.”

Sunday, October 30 Outside of Christ – Alienation
Ephesians 2:11-12 NKJV “11 ¶ Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh——who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—— 12 that at that time you 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.”
Ephesians 2:11 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY It is good for the Christian to recall his former estate. It was a surprise to Jew and Gentile alike to discover that both entered into the new covenant relationship with the Messiah by the same means, even though the Jew had the advantage of having first received the oracles of God.
Ephesians 2:12 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY God made His covenants with Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 12:3; 22:18). They were to make the covenant privileges available to the Gentiles and to invite them to participate in the worship of the true God. They failed to carry out God’s plan, and the Gentiles remained “aliens” and “strangers.” Before Christ came, the knowledge of the “covenants of promise” was thus confined almost entirely to the Jews….The Gentiles had no hope in the Messiah, hence, no hope for the blessings that would flow from Him. In the catacombs of Rome the word “hope” is commonly found in Christian inscriptions, but it is never found in the inscriptions on heathen tombs.
Romans 3:1-2 MKJV “1 ¶ Then what [is] the superiority of the Jew? Or what [is] the profit of circumcision? 2 Much, by every way! Chiefly, indeed, because they were entrusted with the oracles of God.”
Romans 9:3-5 MKJV “3 For I myself was wishing to be accursed from Christ for my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites; to whom [belong] the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service [of God], and the promises; 5 whose [are] the fathers, and of whom [is] the Christ according to flesh, He being God over all, blessed forever. Amen.”

Monday, October 31 In Christ – Nearness
Ephesians 2:13 NKJV “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
Ephesians 2:13 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY We are reconciled by His blood (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:19), redeemed by His blood (Col. 1:14), justified by His blood (Rom. 5:9), and cleansed by His blood (1 John 1:7). The blood of Christ is the vindication of God’s good name and the proof of His love. It is said that Top-lady, the author of that beautiful hymn “Rock of Ages,” was converted by hearing a sermon on Eph. 2:13 preached by a workingman in a barn.

Tuesday, November 1 No More Walls
Ephesians 2:14-15 KJ21 “14 ¶ For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that He might make in Himself one new man out of the two, so making peace.”
Ephesians 2:14-15 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Middle wall of partition. Literally, “partition wall of the fence,” meaning, “the partition wall which is the fence.” The imagery may have been derived from the barrier in the Temple separating the court of the Gentiles from the court of the Jews. Beyond this wall no Gentile dared go….Law of commandments. This is generally thought of as referring to the ceremonial law. It is true that the ceremonial law came to an end at the cross, but it should be remembered that the ceremonial system as God gave it did not create the enmity Paul here describes. It was the interpretation the Jews placed upon it, the additions they made to it, and the exclusive and hostile attitudes they adopted as a result, that were the basis of the hostility. The added regulations, together with the involved interpretations, served either to modify the force and function of the original commands or else greatly to nullify them. Any Gentile who wished to join the “commonwealth of Israel” (v. 12) was confronted with an involved system of legal requirements. It is easy to see how the system would hold little attraction for him, or how the God who, he believed, was the author of the system would not appeal to him. The Jewish system thus stood as an insurmountable barrier, a partition wall, preventing the Gentiles from accepting the worship of the true God. The Jews loathed and detested their Gentile neighbors, and the Gentiles, in turn, hated and despised their Jewish neighbors.
Galatians 6:15 KJ21 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.”
Romans 3:20-31 God’s Word to the Nations “20 Not one person can have God’s approval by following Moses’ Teachings. Moses’ Teachings show what sin is. 21 Now, the way to receive God’s approval has been made plain in a way other than Moses’ Teachings. Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets tell us this. 22 Everyone who believes has God’s approval through faith in Jesus Christ. There is no difference between people. 23 Because all people have sinned, they have fallen short of God’s glory. 24 They receive God’s approval freely by an act of his kindness through the price Christ Jesus paid to set us free from sin. 25 God showed that Christ is the throne of mercy where God’s approval is given through faith in Christ’s blood. In his patience God waited to deal with sins committed in the past. 26 He waited so that he could display his approval at the present time. This shows that he is a God of justice, a God who approves of people who believe in Jesus. 27 So, do we have anything to brag about? Bragging has been eliminated. On what basis was it eliminated? On the basis of our own efforts? No, indeed! Rather, it is eliminated on the basis of faith. 28 We conclude that a person has God’s approval by faith, not by his own efforts. 29 Is God only the God of the Jews? Isn’t he also the God of people who are not Jewish? Certainly, he is, 30 since it is the same God who approves circumcised people by faith and uncircumcised people through this same faith. 31 Are we abolishing Moses’ Teachings by this faith? That’s unthinkable! Rather, we are supporting Moses’ Teachings.”
Romans 5:12-18 ESV “12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned–– 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 If, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.”

Wednesday, November 2 Reconciliation and Access
2 Corinthians 5:17-19 ESV “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”
Ephesians 2:16-18 NRSV “16 and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. 17 So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; 18 for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father.”
Ephesians 2:16-18 New Living Translation “16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. 17 He has brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and to us Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.”
Ephesians 2:16 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY For the purpose of the figure, the cornerstone is viewed as that which holds together an edifice. Christ holds together the various parts of the spiritual house, giving shape and unity to it.
Colossians 1:20-22 NKJV “20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight——”
Colossians 1:20-22 NLT “20 and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross. 21 This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, 22 yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.”

Thursday, November 3 The Household of God
Ephesians 2:19-22 NRSV “19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.”
Ephesians 2:19-22 NLT “19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also joined together as part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.”
Ephesians 2:20 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY The prophets to whom God revealed the riches of His grace and the apostles, the special evangels of this grace, constitute the foundation. Other Christians make up the structure of the building….For the purpose of the figure, the cornerstone is viewed as that which holds together an edifice. Christ holds together the various parts of the spiritual house, giving shape and unity to it.