Ephesians 2

1, 1, 7, 4 in the red Bibles if you're using those.

Michael is going to focus in on the last few verses of this chapter,

but Amy is going to read from verses 1 to 10,

and Shane will read from verses 11 to the end.

Made alive in Christ, as for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

in which you used to live, when you followed the ways of this world

and the ruler of the kingdom of the air,

the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

All of us also lived among them at one time,

gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts.

Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in transgressions,

it is by grace that you have been saved.

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

in order that in the coming days he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,

expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

For it is by grace you have been saved through faith,

and this not from ourselves, it is the gift of God,

not by works, so that no one can boast.

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,

which God prepared in advance for us to do.

One in Christ.

Therefore, remember that formerly you, who were Gentiles by birth,

and called uncircumcised by those who call themselves the circumcision,

remember that at the time you were separate from Christ,

excluded from citizenship in Israel,

and foreigners to the covenants of the promise,

without hope and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far away,

have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace,

who has made the two one,

and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.

His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of two,

thus making peace,

and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,

by which he put to death their hostility.

He came and preached to you who were far away,

and preached peace to those who were near.

For through him we both have access to the Father by one spirit.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens,

but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,

with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

In him the whole building is joined together,

and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.

And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling

in which the God lives by his will.

Thank you.

I'll just ask Michael to come up,

and he will expand God's word for us.

Thank you, Michael.

Thank you.

Well, it's nice to be back with you once again in Carragalline.

I haven't even got my son to tell me off if I go over 30 minutes,

so I'll try and keep to that this morning, however.

You know, it's difficult getting old, isn't it?

Some of you won't know that,

but when you're getting older you have to learn a new language.

You know, you thought you knew the English language,

but it becomes difficult.

I was told by a young lady recently

who was speaking about a piece of Christian literature

that had been given out in the tall ship.

She said it was really cool.

And I thought, what's being cool to do with a Christian tract?

But, you know, young people here will know exactly what it means,

but I had to, you know, learn that.

Another word that I hear an awful lot of

is the word awesome.

It was absolutely awesome.

Now, some people,

and I don't know whether there are any here today

who support me,

because Manchester United are a much better team.

But, you know, awesome is a word that one uses,

and it can describe a rock band,

a rock song of the...

application.

It's an athletic instrument

that was written in here

to show you the song of the peaceful,

and it can describe a rock band,

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