The Dividing Wall
The Dividing Wall
THE BIG IDEA
Jesus came to end hostility
THE BIBLE
Ephesians
SUMMARY:
Ephesians 2:14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.
Whenever we make a list and focus on our differences, that is the very wall that Jesus came to destroy. When I decide you are different then me, so therefore I don’t like you, or won’t sit by you, or won’t be friends with you, or wish you harm, or will talk bad about you, or will even use foul language to describe you; I am building the very wall Jesus came to tear down.
Whenever we make a list and focus on our differences, that is the very wall that Jesus came to destroy. When I decide you are different then me, so therefore I don’t like you, or won’t sit by you, or won’t be friends with you, or wish you harm, or will talk bad about you, or will even use foul language to describe you; I am building the very wall Jesus came to tear down.
TALKING POINTS:
Ephesians 2:8-10
Ephesians 3:10-11
10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 3:18
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
Ephesians 4: 31-32
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
- 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
- What does it mean that we are God’s “masterpiece”? (everyone is God’s masterpiece)
- What “good things” did Jesus create us to do?
Ephesians 3:10-11
10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
- How does having a church full of variety show off the power of God? (Very different people don’t associate naturally. That’s the power of God)
Ephesians 3:18
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
- How wide is God’s love?
- How long is it?
- How high?
- Deep?
- Why do you think Paul pictures God’s love as having 4 dimensions (width, length, height, depth).
Ephesians 4: 31-32
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
- What would it look like if we all lived like this?
FULL MESSAGE:
Posted in Crossover