Today on Bold steps, Mark Jobe shows us what happens when the walls of division come down.
The wall of hostility has been broken down. So that now we come together as one body, as one people from many backgrounds, many cultures. And he has created a new person or a new body in Jesus Christ. And we are the representation of that body.
Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Mark is the president of Moody Bible Institute and the senior pastor of New Life Community Church in Chicago. And I'm Wayne Shepherd. Today, as we move forward in our brand new series, When You Believe Everything Changes, we'll continue our lesson from Ephesians chapter two. Mark will give us three points to consider about who you are and what happens when the walls
of division come down around us. If you missed part one, you can hear the complete message online at Bold steps.org. Just look for the message titled Tearing Down Walls. Right now, let's get started with today's message. Here's pastor Mark Jobe and today's bold steps.
There is not this color or that color, or this person or that person. We have been created into one person in Christ Jesus that form one body. The wall of hostility has been broken down so that now we come together as one body, as one people from many backgrounds, many cultures, many different educational backgrounds. But we come as one people forming the body of Christ. That wall of hostility has been torn down, and he has created a new person or a new body in Jesus Christ. And
we are the representation of that body. For he Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. Verse 15. By abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. You see, one of the things that kept the Jews and the Gentiles separated was the Mosaic Law. Many of you have decided to try to read through the Bible in a year, and you get to Genesis, Exodus, and then you start in Leviticus, and you just can't
make it through Leviticus. Well, let me just read you some of the titles of Leviticus. Cleansing from mildew discharges causing uncleanliness. Day of atonement. Eating blood. Forbidden. Unlawful sexual relationships. Various laws. Punishment for sins. Rules for priests. Unacceptable sacrifices. The Sabbath. The Passover. Unleavened bread. First fruits. Feast of weeks. Feast of trumpets. Day of atonement. Feast of Tabernacles. Oil of bread set before the Lord. Blasphemer. Stones. Sabbath year.
Year of Jubilee. Man. Not really the kind of reading that most of you like to do. What are all those rules about? I can't eat this. I can't eat that. I got to practice this. I can't just list rules after rules, after rules that were given to the Jewish people by God for them to practice. And when people started getting converted that weren't Jewish people, the Jewish Christians started saying, hey, you gotta practice all these rules if you're going to follow Christ. They were trying to make
people Jewish that were trying to be Christian. And what Paul says is listen. But now in Christ Jesus, what he tells them is that Jesus abolished in his flesh, the law with its commandments and regulations. That's why there's an Old Testament and a New Testament. The Old Testament has a lot to do with the laws before Jesus. The New Testament is a new covenant in Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ came, he came to be the fulfillment
of the law. He was the ultimate sacrifice, so that you and I no longer are obligated to follow the Jewish and Mosaic laws that are given in the Old Testament, because we have been liberated from that law. He came to abolish the law and its regulations, because the law and its regulations could never save anybody. Only Jesus could. So never let anybody get trapped into the old law and say, well, hey, do you eat pork? And you're
not supposed to eat? No. Never let anybody get you sucked into that because Jesus came to liberate us from that so that we would be under the law of grace. You understand that now, there are principles in the New Testament and laws in the New Testament, but they're different than the Old Testament laws. And Jesus came to set us free in that way. Number three, verse 15. The wall has come down to make room for a new creation. Notice what he says in the end of verse 15.
He says his purpose, the reason he tore down the wall, the reason he abolished the law, the reason he's made us all into one. His purpose was to create in himself a new man out of the two. God is creating a new person, a new body out of the two, making his peace. Verse 16. And in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross by which he put to death their hostility. He came, and he preached peace to you who were far away,
and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the father by one spirit. I want you to hear me. Well, what Paul is saying is that there's different types of people spiritually. Some people are. He calls them people that are near and others he calls them people that are far. Now, who are the people that are near? The people that are near are people that grew up in the church and
grew up knowing Scripture. And maybe, you know, all the four stanzas of How Great Thou Art and you can quote all of amazing Grace, and you, you knew that John 316 was a verse in the Bible, and not just some sign that people put up at football games, and you knew that the Bible had a New Testament in the Old Testament, and you knew how to pray, and you grew up in the things of the church, and you always had this sense that God was around. Those are people that are near. Then there's a people
that are far. That's those of you that grew up as basically die hard pagans, don't go to church, don't really think much about church. Parents didn't take you grew up, you're drinking, carousing, sleeping with girls. It's, you know, 14, 15, 16 party life, no consciousness of right and wrong, not even a desire to think about God. Don't really pray. I mean, you're just out there living life to its craziest. No conscience of God. Not even trying to do right.
Don't talk to me about God. I don't believe in that stuff. Just an agnostic pagan Megan. Living your life. Well, there's those that are near and those that are far. But here's what the Bible teaches. Whether you are near or whether you are far, you still need the same thing. You still need the sacrifice of Christ. You still need peace with God through Jesus Christ. Going to church and learning the culture of Christianity does not make you a Christian.
You may have been raised in the church and know the verses and know the hymns and not be a Christian. Oh hello, this is huge. The thing that I like about die hard pagans is they know they need God. I am way out there. I know I'm need God. The thing that I don't like about people that are near is sometimes they don't think they need God. They think they already have God. Oh no. I pray before I go to bed, I pray. I try to do good. Try to follow the laws. Listen, it's not about how
good you try to be. It's about do you have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ? Is the Holy Spirit inside of you? Have you been washed? Have you been transformed by the power of God? Because whether you're religious or not, you still need a conversion that changes your life.
You're listening to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe, and we'll return to our message shortly. Mark, do you know what I've been reflecting on lately? The incredible privilege we have as believers living in this particular moment in history. I love to study history, but never before have we had such powerful tools for sharing the gospel globally, instantly reaching people in remote villages. That happens through bold steps, doesn't it?
Or in close countries, in crowded cities alike. But we have this unprecedented opportunity, and it comes with a tremendous responsibility, doesn't it?
You know, I heard recently that moody radio programming is, um, heard in 190 countries is what someone said. And, um, technology has allowed us to do that. And I'm amazed when suddenly we get a email from Eastern Europe of someone saying, hey, I haven't found a church yet, but I listened to Bold Steps recently. Someone told me that a doctor in Mexico had joined their church, and they got saved through bold steps. And I'm like, wow, this is amazing how seeds are just being shot throughout all
the world. We know specifically that there are people in closed countries right now that listen in secret, because it's dangerous for them to be caught listening to Christian Radio. This is an amazing time to get the gospel out there. There are close to 9 billion people in the world, and there are millions and millions of people that have
very little gospel presence in their world. They are saturated with false religion, with heresies, with a lot of different ideology that does not allow Jesus Christ to come to the forefront. And so radio, podcasting, our technology as people can live stream, this is one of the ways that we get past the guards at the borders and we
through the airwaves. God has given us a beautiful gift to go past the guards, into the houses, into the homes, and right to into the bedrooms and kitchens of where people live, so that they are hearing the good message of Jesus like never before. And we are passionate about this. We know that there's a lot of other believers that are passionate as well. And we're saying, join us, please.
This is a powerful moment for us to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, especially as the world is being shaken in so many ways.
I believe there are some listening right now who are not just hearers of the word, but want to be active participants in spreading that word. So today could be your day to step into that calling by giving to bold steps. Just go to Bold Steps to make a gift or call 800 D.L. Moody. That's (800) 356-6639. Remember, your gift of any amount helps share God's Word with those
who need it most. Really, around the world, when you give any amount, we'll send you a special gift as our thanks and we'll take time to tell you about that just a little bit later here in the program today. But let's get back to the message now. Here again is Mark.
He tells us.
In verse 19, consequently, You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household. Listen, if you have the Spirit of God inside of you, you're no longer a foreigner or an alien. You are part of God's family. I love that you're part of God's family. Listen. Built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets with Christ Jesus Himself the chief cornerstone. Verse 21. In him the whole building joined together, rises
to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling place in which God lives by His Spirit. Listen, this is what he's saying. He's saying I destroyed the walls of partition. There's not black and white. There's not educated and uneducated. There's not rich or poor. You have. Now, if you've crossed the line into the body of Christ. You have become one people in God. Sons and daughters
of God. And now what God says I'm doing. He says, I'm building a building, not a physical building, but a spiritual building. The chief cornerstone is Christ. We are being united together, building a building a temple. It calls it for God. What dwells in a temple? God. Why is God building the church, the body of Christ? Why is he building it? Because he wants his manifest presence to dwell there. That's what it says, doesn't it? Listen. And in him, you two being built together to become a
dwelling in which God lives by his spirit. What is he building? He's building a people, a community. Why is he building that community? So that the manifest presence of God can live within that community and display his glory. Here's what I want you to understand. Look around for a second. What are you in? You're in a building. Look like a church. Traditional church? No. What's it look like? Factory. Why does it look like a factory? Because that's what
it was. Oh, we've painted a little bit. Added a stage and some lights. See all these tubes and pipes going around their factory? This morning when you got up, you said, honey, let's get ready to go to church. Now, I understand what you said, but technically that's wrong. Terminology. This building is not. the church. I thought I was coming to church, and now you think I'll find somewhere else to go? It's not a church. No, this building is not the church. Technically, you and I and him
and her. We are the church. We're the church. So when you say I'm going to church, you're not. This is not the church. What you should say is I'm gathering with the church because we are the church gathered this morning. But when we dismiss today, the church will continue to exist. We are simply the church Dispersed on Monday morning, the church will still exist. It'll exist in high rises downtown. It'll exist on the L and the universities.
At high schools. The church will spread throughout the city. Well, how does it spread? You, us? We are the church. Where we go, we carry with us the presence of God, the glory of God. Why? Because the Spirit of God is inside of us. So when you get on, the L church has just come to the L. When you drive down the highway, church is on the highway. When you go to the office building, churches in the office building, when you go to the factory, church is in the factory.
When you go to the grocery store, you just brought church to the grocery store. Why? You are the church. And what does the church hold? The church holds the presence of God, the holy temple of God. And so, wherever you go, you bring the essence and the presence and the blessing and the power of God Almighty, because you are the church. It's a powerful concept. The church is a movement. The church is a people. If this building were to be knocked down tomorrow, the church would
still be around. If persecution would were to come and Christianity will would be illegal and every church door would have yellow tape on the front that says do not enter. The church would still be around. The church would do what it did in China went underground. People thought the church has been closed. Christianity is dead. Had China kicked all the missionaries out in the 1940s, they thought, we'll
eliminate this. What we discovered is that when they kicked the missionaries out and closed the churches, there were only a couple million in the 80s. After 40 years or so of going underground, what they discovered is now there was tens of millions of believers because you can shut the buildings down, but you cannot stop the church of the Living God, housed by the power of the Spirit
of God. Right now in China, conservative estimates believe that there's 140 million Christians in the in the country of China. Within the next ten years, there'll be more Christians in China than there are in the United States of America. Why the church cannot be stopped. We carry the seed of God inside of us via His Holy Spirit. And he says, I'm building up a I'm building a temple. The temple of God. And I've taken people from different
backgrounds and colors. I've taken people from different races and ethnicities. I've taken the poor and the rich, the executive and the barely almost homeless. I've taken the white, the black and the Asian. I've taken women and children and the elderly, and I'm forming in them one temple, a building that houses the presence of God, that when the church is who it's supposed to be, people will walk into a place like this and say, truly, God is alive, for I see it among them. I see it in the
way they worship. I feel it in when I walk into this place. I see it in the way they live. They have been transformed by this God. They are the representation, the reflection of the living God. Oh, not perfect because whoa! Are we full of imperfections? But a temple. A people that houses the manifest presence of God. Formed into one, merged into one people for the glory of the mighty God. And you may sense that God has been pulling you, reaching out to you. Just this past Sunday, a woman
that got baptized. She shared that the first time she walked into service, she started to cry. She didn't know why she was crying, but she realized that her soul had been longing for the presence of God. She couldn't explain it. She couldn't describe it, but she just would weep when she came to church.
Amazing. Wow.
And I think there's some people that have been living so long without God that your soul is awakened is deeply touched when you encounter the Word of God, the presence of God. And maybe, as you've been listening to this message, your soul was touched or awakened. I'd like to pray for you right now in your journey. Father, I pray for that man, that woman that's been listening, that longs for your presence, that knows that something is missing.
That is, there's a vacuum inside that they can't quite describe. They can't quite put their finger on it. But it's you, Lord. And I pray, father, as they awaken to you, as this spiritual world starts coming alive to them, as they decide to get closer to you. I pray, Lord, that you would give them the courage to visit a church. Father, I pray that you would give them the promptings to reach out to a Christian that they may know, uh, the ability or the boldness to be able to go
to a Bible study. Father, so that they can encounter your presence. Hear the gospel, understand your message in a fresh, new way. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.
Amen. Thank you Mark. And if you just prayed with Mark, or if you'd like to learn more about taking your next step, we'd love for you to visit our website and explore how you can know Christ more boldly and passionately this year. Just visit boldsystems.org. Click on the tab that says connect and go to the My Next Step in Faith page. You'll find a personalized video message from
Mark waiting for you there. And while you're on that page, be sure to sign up to learn more, because we'll also send you a New Testament Bible, the book An Anchor for My Soul, and the latest edition of our monthly newsletter, today in the Word, as well as a personalized letter from Mark. Recently I saw a comment on Facebook that said, thanks for your inspiration and loving words. God is awesome and powerful. Another said thanks for these
inspirational messages. I enjoy hearing them on the radio. Well said. This program and the platforms we offer are made possible by the voluntary contributions from our monthly bold partners. All those listeners who give one time donations right now, as we near the end of our fiscal year, we're making an effort to add more members to the team because nothing will help us make a difference in the lives
of other listeners than your continued support. When you commit to becoming a bold partner today by giving a financial gift each month, we'll also send you a signed copy of Mark's book, unstuck. Access to the Bold Partner post and a special video message from Mark. We've made signing up simple and easy online at Bold Steps org. And don't forget to sign up for Mark's weekly email devotional
before Monday. It's the Bold Stepper weekly. You can join hundreds of listeners all across the country who are starting their week off right and getting the behind the scenes look at the things that are on Mark's heart and mind. Signing up is quick and easy online when you go to bold steps. Well, that's all the time we have today. I'm Wayne Shepherd, inviting you to join us again next week.
When Mark talks about secrets. Don't miss our sister program, Bold Steps Weekend, where pastor Mark is currently in an exciting series of messages designed to show what really happens in the life of someone who truly and authentically believes in Jesus. Many Christians have no idea of the incredible riches they already have in Christ, but when we come to truly know him, accept him, and believe in him, the transformation begins. So you won't want to miss these
powerful messages in our Bold Steps Weekend series. You'll find it at Bold steps.org under the program tab. The Apostle Paul used the term mystery when it came to the gospel, and Mark is going to help us discover what he meant. That's coming up Monday on the next edition of Bold Steps with Mark John. Bold steps is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.