The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1958-03-01
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
March 2, 1858
BY Rev. Geo. A. Harper

ONE IN CHRIST: Luke SAC,
so; John 17:2O-26; Epesians s.:
1-16. Print Ephesians SIT, IL
is.
MEMORY SELECTION: He
is our peace, who hath made
both one, and hath broken
down the middle wall of par
tition between us. Ephesians
2:14). The middle wall of par
tition was the law of Moses
which separated and segregat-
ed the Jews from the GentileS.
This wall made a distinction
between these two classes of
people. This wall was broken
down by reason of the death
of Christ. Through His death,
peace was made between God
and man. Through Him, recon
Citation was made between the
Jews and Gentiles so that both
may be converted and brought
into fellowship with God and
each other. When Christ, who
is our peace, brings peace to
the hearts and makes us a new
creature, He does the same
work of grace for each Jew OF
Gentle whom He regenerates.
No distinction is made, for all
become one in Christ. This was
not so under the Mosaic law.
CHRISTIANS Should walk
worthy of their calling: There
fore, the prisoner of the Lord,
beseech you that We walk wor-
thy of the vocation passage is
based on the doctrinal truths
set down in the first half of
the book. This verse opens the
practical section of Ephesians.
Vocation" does not refer to
professional trade, but to Gods
summons to the Christian life.
with all lowliness and meek
ness, with long-suffering, for
bearing one another in love-"
The connected thought is that
we should walk worthy of the
vocation with which we are
called, with all humility and
meekness, with 1ong-suffering
and patience in love. "Endeav-
oring to keep the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace.
Peace and unity of the Spirit
go together. Where there is no
chance for genuine peace.
There is one body, and one
Spirit, even as We are called in
one hope of your calling" The
total picture of the Christian
faith is one of unity among
the disciples and in God. All of
us become one body when we
are united in Christ through
the Spirit, for there is but one
Spirit that binds us in the
bond of Christian love.
THE UNITY of God and
Christ. Zone Lord, one faith.
one baptism. This is no I'M
usual doctrine to us who have
been brought up in the faith
through the centuries. We have
never known anything but
Christianity and its monothe-
ism handed down to us from
the ancient Jewish religion.
But to the Gentiles who had
known nothing but paganism
and its polytheism this doc
Urine of one Lord was some
thing new.
One God and Father of all. |
who is above all, and through
all, and in you ALL" Observe
that the text says Gin you all"
referring to Christians. God is |
above all things and he pene- |
trates all things, but he in |
dwells only his people. But
unto every one of us is given
grace according to the meas |
ure OF the gift of Christ" The
grace OF God is given to each
individual believer according
to that persons particular |
need. He receives grace ac- |
cording to his need, but also
according to the measure of |
the gift of Christ.
WE ARE one body in Christ. |
"And he gave some, apostles; |
and some, prophets; and some.
evangelists; and some, pastors |
and teach s." Apostle"
means zone sent; in modern |
language, a missionary who
evangelizes, organize S, and |
counsels a new group of peo-
pie to found a church. "Pro- |
phets" does not necessarily re-
fer to the Old Testament pro-
phets, nor does it always inn
ply that a prophet must pre- |
dict the future. To prophecy
to interpret the viii Of
God in relation to some situa-