Breaking Down Walls
In a world increasingly divided by wealth, race, politics, and countless other factors, we often find ourselves segregated by choice. We surround ourselves with people who mirror our own beliefs, backgrounds, and lifestyles. But what if this comfortable tribalism is actually destroying something sacred? What if our pursuit of cultural uniformity is suffocating the very things God wants to accomplish through His people?
The gospel doesn't just change individuals - it creates a new kind of community. A community so radically diverse and unified that it serves as a living demonstration of God's power to transform the world. Yet too often, we've traded supernatural unity for the cheap substitute of cultural comfort.
Ephesians 2:11-22 addresses this very issue, challenging us to remember our former state of alienation and embrace the reconciliation Christ achieved on the cross. The passage begins with a stark reminder of what we once were: "without Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world." This alienation wasn't just a spiritual concept - it had real-world implications.
In the ancient world, there was a literal wall in the Jerusalem temple separating Gentiles from Jews, with inscriptions warning outsiders not to proceed further on pain of death. This physical barrier symbolized the deep spiritual and cultural divides that existed. But through His death on the cross, Christ tore down this "dividing wall of hostility."
The reconciliation achieved by Christ operates on two dimensions simultaneously - vertical peace between us and God, and horizontal peace between fellow believers. We cannot claim to be reconciled to God while harboring hostility toward our neighbors. The cross demands that every wall of division come down.
This doesn't mean ignoring real differences or pretending they don't exist. Unity is not uniformity. But it does mean that our shared identity in Christ must become more fundamental than anything else about us. The gospel confronts our cultural comfort, calling us to find our deepest fellowship with people who might be very different from us externally, but who share our most important identity as children of God.
Christ's work on the cross doesn't just remove barriers - it executes hostility. In a world torn apart by division, the cross stands as God's solution to human animosity. The way to peace is not through victory over our enemies, but through sacrificial love toward them. It's not about building higher walls, but tearing down existing ones. The cross teaches us that overcoming division requires dying to our own rights, preferences, and comfort to love sacrificially - even when that love is not returned.
This has profound practical implications for how we "do church." It might mean choosing music that connects with different generations or cultural backgrounds. It could involve adjusting schedules to accommodate working families or changing communication styles to include people with varying educational backgrounds. The key is viewing newcomers not as people who need to adapt to our church culture, but as family members who bring gifts that we need.
Paul uses powerful metaphors to describe our new identity in Christ. We are "fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household." This dual identity - political and familial - speaks to the depth of our belonging. We're not just pardoned; we're adopted. We're not just forgiven; we're embraced. We're not guests in God's household; we're family.
This should transform how we approach God and each other. We don't need to clean up before coming to Him or perform to maintain His love. We can be honest about our struggles because we're safe with family. It should also change how we relate within the church - investing deeply in relationships, working through conflicts, and being vulnerable about our weaknesses.
Paul extends the metaphor further, describing the church as a holy temple being built together, with Christ as the cornerstone. This living community of believers becomes the very dwelling place of God. His presence is uniquely manifested through the unity of diverse people reconciled to Him and each other.
This is why church attendance isn't optional for the Christian life. When we remove ourselves from the gathered community, we're not just missing out on encouragement or instruction. We're removing ourselves from the place where God has chosen to dwell in a special way. Each believer is like a brick in this spiritual building - when absent, something is missing from the whole.
Living out this radical unity requires intentional effort. We must actively pursue reconciliation across lines that typically divide us. This means crossing barriers, extending invitations, having uncomfortable conversations, examining our biases, and being willing to be enriched by different perspectives. We need to ask ourselves: Who's not at our table? Whose voices aren't we hearing? What barriers to belonging exist in our community? What walls need to be demolished in our own hearts?
Those blessed with resources, connections, or cultural influence have a responsibility to use these gifts to include others rather than insulate themselves. This might involve using homes for cross-cultural hospitality, leveraging business connections to create opportunities for others, or using influence to advocate for the marginalized.
Ultimately, we must embrace our identity as God's family rather than living as spiritual consumers. Too often, we approach church evaluating what we get out of it rather than what we can contribute. But families don't work that way. In a family, everyone contributes according to their ability and receives according to their need. In a family, you don't leave when things get difficult - you work through problems together.
When the church truly embodies the unity Christ died to achieve - when former strangers become authentic family, when dividing walls give way to dining tables - the world sees a living demonstration of God's power to transform relationships, communities, and cultures. People will be drawn to Jesus not just by our preaching, but by our peace. Not just by our doctrine, but by our devotion to one another. Not just by our statements of faith, but by our acts of love across lines that typically divide.
This is the revolutionary message of Ephesians 2:11-22. Through the blood of Christ, we who were once far off have been brought near. The dividing walls have been demolished. We are now fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. May we live out this radical unity, becoming the dwelling place where God's transforming presence is powerfully revealed to a watching world.
The gospel doesn't just change individuals - it creates a new kind of community. A community so radically diverse and unified that it serves as a living demonstration of God's power to transform the world. Yet too often, we've traded supernatural unity for the cheap substitute of cultural comfort.
Ephesians 2:11-22 addresses this very issue, challenging us to remember our former state of alienation and embrace the reconciliation Christ achieved on the cross. The passage begins with a stark reminder of what we once were: "without Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world." This alienation wasn't just a spiritual concept - it had real-world implications.
In the ancient world, there was a literal wall in the Jerusalem temple separating Gentiles from Jews, with inscriptions warning outsiders not to proceed further on pain of death. This physical barrier symbolized the deep spiritual and cultural divides that existed. But through His death on the cross, Christ tore down this "dividing wall of hostility."
The reconciliation achieved by Christ operates on two dimensions simultaneously - vertical peace between us and God, and horizontal peace between fellow believers. We cannot claim to be reconciled to God while harboring hostility toward our neighbors. The cross demands that every wall of division come down.
This doesn't mean ignoring real differences or pretending they don't exist. Unity is not uniformity. But it does mean that our shared identity in Christ must become more fundamental than anything else about us. The gospel confronts our cultural comfort, calling us to find our deepest fellowship with people who might be very different from us externally, but who share our most important identity as children of God.
Christ's work on the cross doesn't just remove barriers - it executes hostility. In a world torn apart by division, the cross stands as God's solution to human animosity. The way to peace is not through victory over our enemies, but through sacrificial love toward them. It's not about building higher walls, but tearing down existing ones. The cross teaches us that overcoming division requires dying to our own rights, preferences, and comfort to love sacrificially - even when that love is not returned.
This has profound practical implications for how we "do church." It might mean choosing music that connects with different generations or cultural backgrounds. It could involve adjusting schedules to accommodate working families or changing communication styles to include people with varying educational backgrounds. The key is viewing newcomers not as people who need to adapt to our church culture, but as family members who bring gifts that we need.
Paul uses powerful metaphors to describe our new identity in Christ. We are "fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household." This dual identity - political and familial - speaks to the depth of our belonging. We're not just pardoned; we're adopted. We're not just forgiven; we're embraced. We're not guests in God's household; we're family.
This should transform how we approach God and each other. We don't need to clean up before coming to Him or perform to maintain His love. We can be honest about our struggles because we're safe with family. It should also change how we relate within the church - investing deeply in relationships, working through conflicts, and being vulnerable about our weaknesses.
Paul extends the metaphor further, describing the church as a holy temple being built together, with Christ as the cornerstone. This living community of believers becomes the very dwelling place of God. His presence is uniquely manifested through the unity of diverse people reconciled to Him and each other.
This is why church attendance isn't optional for the Christian life. When we remove ourselves from the gathered community, we're not just missing out on encouragement or instruction. We're removing ourselves from the place where God has chosen to dwell in a special way. Each believer is like a brick in this spiritual building - when absent, something is missing from the whole.
Living out this radical unity requires intentional effort. We must actively pursue reconciliation across lines that typically divide us. This means crossing barriers, extending invitations, having uncomfortable conversations, examining our biases, and being willing to be enriched by different perspectives. We need to ask ourselves: Who's not at our table? Whose voices aren't we hearing? What barriers to belonging exist in our community? What walls need to be demolished in our own hearts?
Those blessed with resources, connections, or cultural influence have a responsibility to use these gifts to include others rather than insulate themselves. This might involve using homes for cross-cultural hospitality, leveraging business connections to create opportunities for others, or using influence to advocate for the marginalized.
Ultimately, we must embrace our identity as God's family rather than living as spiritual consumers. Too often, we approach church evaluating what we get out of it rather than what we can contribute. But families don't work that way. In a family, everyone contributes according to their ability and receives according to their need. In a family, you don't leave when things get difficult - you work through problems together.
When the church truly embodies the unity Christ died to achieve - when former strangers become authentic family, when dividing walls give way to dining tables - the world sees a living demonstration of God's power to transform relationships, communities, and cultures. People will be drawn to Jesus not just by our preaching, but by our peace. Not just by our doctrine, but by our devotion to one another. Not just by our statements of faith, but by our acts of love across lines that typically divide.
This is the revolutionary message of Ephesians 2:11-22. Through the blood of Christ, we who were once far off have been brought near. The dividing walls have been demolished. We are now fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. May we live out this radical unity, becoming the dwelling place where God's transforming presence is powerfully revealed to a watching world.
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