Adopted
Psalm 24:1-6
1 The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. 2 For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. 3 Who may climb the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. 5 They will receive the LORD’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. 6 Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob.
a. Lost
Ephesians 2:11-22
11 Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called
“uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision,
even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. 12 In those days
you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the
people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to
them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. 13 But now you have
been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you
have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
b. Found
14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into
one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of
hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its
commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one
body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross,
and our hostility toward each other was put to death. 17 He brought this Good
News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the
Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same
Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
c. Family
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 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles
and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are
carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where
God lives by his Spirit.
