House of God (Part 2)

Ephesians 2:19–22

Ephesians 2:19-22 talks about how important it is for us, as members of the church, to connect with one another and to let God’s Spirit guide us. It uses pictures of the church as a country’s citizens, a family’s members, and building blocks. It also talks about how we, as humans, long for God’s presence and how sometimes what we think and what God thinks don’t match up. The passage reminds us that we need Jesus’ sacrifice to connect with God, how understanding God’s presence changes through Jesus, and how we should let God’s presence be a part of every part of our lives. This means that we should aim to be like priests and offer sacrifices.

1. You should always have full assurance to draw near to God

When we do something wrong, it should make us want to get closer to God, not go away from Him. The Holy Spirit helps us remember that God accepts us and makes us holy, so we can approach Him without any doubts, knowing that Jesus has paid for our sins. We should always go to God when we mess up, not run away from Him. We can be sure that He will always welcome us.

2. You will think of everything you do as the offering of a sacrifice

Being called to live like priests, who used to offer sacrifices, should change every part of our lives. Everything we do, even our everyday conversations, should show God’s greatness and what He values. As God’s homes, we should try to be thankful, say sorry when we mess up, and always aim to live in a way that pleases God, even when it seems difficult.