Bible Studies
Ephesians 2:11-22 – “Let the Walls Fall Down”
Key Verses:
- 12: “Remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens…and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” – Paul is writing to the early Christian church, reminding them of the walls and barriers of prejudice that had been constructed by religious fervor and self-righteousness.
- 13: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” – Before Christ there was no hope of being close to God. Rules, laws and prejudice separated everyone from each other and from His love.
- 14: “For He is our peace; in His flesh He has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall…” – Christ’s sacrifice for our sins on the cross broke down those barriers by creating a common ground, forgiveness.
- 15: “He has abolished the law.” – Earning our salvation by an established set of guidelines, laws, rules and regulations does not work. Our sinful nature prohibits it. By abolishing the law, Christ has created a new pathway to salvation.
- 15b: “that He might create in Himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace.” – This calls us to remember one of the beatitudes: “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.” (Matt. 5:3-11)
- 19: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God.” – United in love, we all become members and citizens of God’s kingdom and household of faith.
- 21: “In Him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” – We are made holy in Christ and our differences are set aside.
- 19: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God.” – United in love, we all become members and citizens of God’s kingdom and household of faith.
- Do you remember a time when you were without Christ? Do you remember the feelings of isolation and alienation? Were you filled with hopelessness and despair? Did you feel separated from the rest of the world? Were there walls and barriers between you and God? What changed all of that? How did you come to know Christ? What barriers in your life crumbled when you walked into His light? Is this an experience that you share with others? Do you see how powerful your witness can be in the lives of those around you?
- As Christians, what walls do we build, even today, that separate us from each other and from God? Do you build walls of prejudice against other races or cultures? Are you self-righteously holding onto one style of worship being superior to another? Is there a gap built that separates your brand of Christianity from another? Do you use labels in condescending ways to describe other Christians in order to build walls of superiority and self-righteousness such as: “Traditionalist”, “Fundamentalist”, “Charismatic”, “Liberal”, “Born Again”, “Methodist”, “Catholic”, “Baptist”…? Is a label always a wall? What steps can you make to break down these barriers?
- Are you a Peacemaker? Do you look for ways to draw people together, overcoming obstacles of discord and disagreement? Do you focus on our common bond in Christ; that we are all united in His sacrificial love? Do you see that the laws He has abolished include our tendencies to interpret His teaching in different ways and our unceasing attempts to confine God into single, definable packages that fit snuggly into our viewpoints and preferences? What “rules of circumcision” that create alienation do you practice and need to be abolished?
- This week we are looking at issues surrounding the building God’s kingdom. Do you have preconceived ideas on how His kingdom would look? Have you established barriers in your life and faith community that keep His kingdom from growing? Whose agenda, yours or God’s, dominates your life and your schedule? Do you have a compassionate heart for people seeking spiritual dimensions to their lives, even if they are looking in the wrong places?
“One of the best ways to stifle Christ’s love is to cater only to those for whom we have natural affinity. Fortunately, Christ has knocked down the barriers and unified all believers in one family. His cross should be the focus of our unity.”1 Our job, as His Peacemaker, is to look carefully at our traditions and practices that we have established to ensure that we are building unity within the Christian community and creating an environment of “Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Doors”2 within our churches.
1Life Application Bible – NRSV, Published by World Bible Publishers, notes for 2.14, p2068.
2Motto of The United Methodist Church
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