Ephesians 2:11-13 - Before Salvation We Are Separated

I'm so thankful for your prayers these past couple weeks while we'vebeen on tour in Jordan and in Egypt. It was a wonderful, wonderful tour. Everyoneon it was tremendously blessed. We met new friends. We built new relationships.We saw some exciting things that reminded us that our God is God. He is the Godof all the earth. He is the God of all the nations. Despite the fact there's somuch division, strife, hurt, pain in the Middle East, I'm telling you, God isat work there in a marvelous way in the lives of so many people. People arelooking for peace. Peace, even there in all the areas of these countries. We'reso thankful for your prayers during this trip. We're glad to be back. Also,I want to announce, if you live in the Roanoke or Lynchburg area of Virginia,we'd love to invite you to come to the GO Center this coming Saturday. Therewill be a ribbon breaking ceremony for the Grand Opening at 9:30. The GO Centerwill be open to help encourage people to go into all the world with the gospelof Jesus Christ. To go in prayer, to go on mission trips, to go with theirgiving. This facility was designed to get an experience of being on the missionfield right there in Bonsack Virginia at the GO Center. You can look up moreinformation at the www.gpartners.orgwebsite. I trust that you will plan on coming. That is this Saturday, November1st at the GO Center. I think it's going to be a great way that people aregoing to be touched to be on mission with God and for getting a new view ofwhat missions is really all about. That's what the GO Center is about, toencourage, also enlighten people about missions. That's really what the Bibleis about. It's about the heart of God who loves the world and how He preparedin eternity past a plan to bring redemption and reconciliation to every person. That'swhat Paul is talking about here in Ephesians 2:10-22 that we are presentlylooking at. We see that this chapter is telling us that God is on a great peacemission to reconcile the world to Himself through Jesus Christ. I love theseverses. We've already gone down through verse 10 talking about how we can besaved by grace. We who were dead in sins now can be made alive in Christ Jesus.We have been redeemed. We've been forgiven. We find that all through the bloodof the Lord Jesus Christ.  Inverses 11-13, Paul writes to the Gentiles in the Church at Ephesus, "Thereforeremember that you once Gentiles in the flesh." Remember he's writing tothe church at Ephesus who mainly were made up of Gentiles, non-Jews, who arecalled uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision, made in theflesh by hands. That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens fromthe commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having nohope, without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who were once faroff have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Actually,in these next verses through verse 22 at the end of the chapter, we see thatthree words summarize what this chapter is about: Separation, reconciliationand unification. The Gentiles were separated from God. They were separated fromthe covenant. They were separated from Christ. They were separated fromcitizenship in the holy nation. They were separated, without hope, without God.That's the condition of every sinner, both Jew and Gentile. This includes everyonethat has never accepted Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. We'reseparated from Him. My friend, only God can reconcile us to Himself through Hisson Jesus Christ.  Again,thank you for your prayers and tomorrow we will update you on my brother. Godbless!