Audio | Video | Sunday Summary
SPEAKER
Bob Welch
SCRIPTURE
Ephesians 2:11-22
BIG IDEA
As believers, we are people of reconciliation through Christ’s blood and Christ’s peace, and, thus, should be reconciled to fellow believers who are different from us.
OUTLINE
- Acknowledge that we all are born into this world with biases because of our sin nature.
- Realize that as Christ’s death broke down the barriers between Jews and Gentiles, so should we see the oneness in all believers.
- Strive to fight against these discriminatory attitudes by confessing them to the Lord as sin and by looking intentionally for ways to live out the gospel of racial reconciliation in both church and in our culture at large.
- Accept that the only thing that can truly bind is oneness is God’s grace.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- Have you ever felt discriminated against? How? What can you learn about it to prevent you discriminating against others?
- Ephesians refers to “the dividing wall of hostility.” Why do we build walls of hostility? What are they made of?
- The verses also say, “For (Christ) himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier.” How does Christ himself become the agent who creates oneness?
- Why is God’s grace integral to our being part of bridges to others, instead of walls?
NEXT STEPS
- Identify someone who is separated from you by a barrier of sorts. Take one small step to tearing down that wall and building a bridge.