Destroying the Barrier

Ephesians 2:14-16

The primary source of contention among early Christians was between those who wanted to follow Jewish law completely and those who thought Jesus erased the need for strict compliance with the outward expression of the law: food restrictions and circumcision. In this passage from Ephesians, Paul gives us a powerful image of God blasting through the barrier separating those two factions. God’s power to destroy the walls that divide factions hasn’t diminished, whether in religious or cultural or racial or any other disputes.

1. What barriers to unity do you need God to eliminate in order to be more like Jesus?

2. How often do you put your trust in Jesus to remove walls rather than relying on your own reason or good will?  

Challenge: Meditate on the idea that “He Himself is our peace,” that turning our thoughts toward Jesus automatically faces us in the right direction – toward heaven and away from our philosophical opponents.