TODAY'S INSPIRE. The Unlocked Door.

Ephesians 2:18

For through him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Friends, brothers, sisters—have you ever felt shut out? Have you ever stood before a door you desperately wanted to open, but found it was locked? Maybe that door was to a certain job, a relationship, or an opportunity. For many of us, the most formidable and heartbreaking of these locked doors is the one that separates us from God.

The Apostle Paul is writing to a church in Ephesus, a bustling, diverse city. In this church, there were two groups of people who had long been separated: the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews had a long history with God. They had the law, the prophets, and a sense of being God’s chosen people. The Gentiles, on the other hand, were seen as outsiders. They were "without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12).

But then, something changed. Something monumental happened that tore down the wall of separation. Paul tells us what that was in our text today: "For through him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father."

Let's break down this beautiful, life-changing truth, one phrase at a time.

The Key: "Through Him"

The first thing we need to understand is that this access, this entry into God's presence, is not something we earned. We didn't climb our way there through good deeds, religious rituals, or moral perfection. The key that unlocked the door was not in our hands—it was in the hands of Jesus Christ.

The phrase "through him" points to Jesus and His ultimate act of love on the cross. His sacrifice paid the price for our sin, removing the legal and spiritual barrier that stood between us and a holy God. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).

So, the first great truth of this verse is this: our access is not earned, it is given. It is a gift, a privilege made possible by the one who loved us enough to die for us.

The Unity: "We Both"

The second truth is a radical one. Paul doesn't say "for through him the Jews have access" or "for through him the Gentiles have access." He says, "we both have access." This is the heart of the Gospel’s social impact. The wall of hostility, built over centuries, was shattered.

Jew and Gentile, black and white, rich and poor, educated and uneducated—all who are in Christ are now one in Him. We are no longer defined by our earthly distinctions or our past divisions. We are defined by our shared access to the Father. This is a call to unity that is still desperately needed in our world today.

The church is meant to be a place where those who were once enemies become family, united not by blood, but by the Holy Spirit.

The Guide: "By One Spirit"

How is this access possible? It is "by one Spirit." The Holy Spirit is our divine guide, the one who brings us into the very presence of the Father. He is the one who enables us to cry out "Abba, Father!" (Romans 8:15).

The Holy Spirit makes a relational prayer life possible. He gives us the words when we don’t know what to say, and He brings to our minds the promises of God. He is the down payment of our inheritance, the assurance that our relationship with God is real and secure.

This means that wherever you are, whatever you are facing, you have a direct line to the throne of grace. You have a divine guide who is with you always.

The Destination: "To the Father"

And where does this journey lead? It leads us to "the Father." Not to a distant, angry judge, but to a loving, welcoming Father who has been waiting for us to come home.

Our salvation is not just about having our sins forgiven; it's about being brought into a relationship. It's about being invited to pull up a chair at the table and to sit in the presence of the One who created us and loves us more than we can imagine.

This is the whole point of our salvation: to know God intimately as our Father.

So friends, today, let me ask you: Do you feel the weight of this truth? Do you live as though the door is unlocked and you have been given free access?

The key has been provided. The division has been overcome. The guide is waiting. The Father is calling. Walk through the unlocked door today and step into the fullness of the relationship you were made for. Amen.