Always Through Jesus

Daily Reading:  Ephesians 3

Scripture Focus: This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (Ephesians 3.6)

Devotional Thought: Paul stresses the unity of God's people in this verse.  We’re together in this!  A literal translation would be “joint heirs”, “joint body”, and “joint partakers”. 

Through the gospel, Gentiles are…

·       Joint heirs with Israel.  In the Old Testament, there was a graduated form of inheritance wherein the firstborn would receive a double portion of the inheritance.  In Christ, however, we all partake fully of his inheritance as the firstborn of God!  It doesn’t matter that Israel predates the church in human history, for Christ predates human history!  Israel and the Church receive the same inheritance in Christ.

·       Joint body with Israel.  The Jews in Jesus’ day wanted to segregate themselves as being specially favored by God.  To that thinking Jesus said, “I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So, there will be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10.16).  Jews and Gentiles are all joined in the body of Christ!

·       Joint partakers with Israel in the promise in Christ Jesus.  All the promises of God find their YES in Jesus (2 Corinthians 1.20).  The promise of God’s salvation goes back to the fall of humanity in the Garden of Eden when God said to the serpent: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he [Jesus] shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3.15).  Before there was an Abraham or an Israel, there was the promise of salvation in Jesus - the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world! 

Hallelujah!  It’s Christ in all, Christ over all, and Christ through all!

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that you have been reaching out to fallen humanity from the very beginning.  While your plan has encompassed both the Jewish nation and the Church, it has always been through Jesus Christ.  Amen!

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 148.1-6

1 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights!

2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts!

3 Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars!

4 Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!

5 Let them praise the name of the Lord! For he commanded and they were created.

6 And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.