May 15, 2023
Ephesians 2:11-22
FOREVER FRIENDS
I received an email recently informing me that the US Surgeon General has identified an epidemic of loneliness and the health implications of loneliness compare to heavy cigarette use. We are strangers to each other. We set up walls between us. One of the powerful things that Jesus did in his earthly life and on the cross was to destroy the walls that divide us. Very interesting! 2000 years ago God knew all about our loneliness and did everything in his power to include us. Strangers, even enemies, became friends.
Listen to an audio version of the message
Songs for this week: Spotify
Ephesians 2:11-22
- Recall a time in your life when you felt ‘on the outside’. Did someone include you? Tell that story.
- v. 14 talks about a ‘dividing wall of hostility’. Describe what you know about the divisions during Paul’s time. Is there a wall of hostility in your life right now?
- Jesus ‘destroyed’ the barrier. Explain how that worked. Do Jesus’ actions on the cross have any bearing on our ‘hard to handle’ relationships?
- Paul speaks of the Church as the ‘holy temple’. What does that mean? In what ways are we ‘heaven on earth’? Where do we do that best? Where are we dropping the ball?
Share with a friend
Recent Sermons
Luke 4:14-21-Jesus announced that the Spirit of the Lord was on him to proclaim the good news. The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus for his mission. And Jesus gives us the same Spirit for the same mission.
Joel 2:28-32 - Begin a seven-week journey exploring the person and work of the Holy Spirit—from Genesis to Revelation. Discover how the Spirit moves through the Old Testament, revealing a presence that is mysterious, powerful, and deeply woven into the story of faith.
Mark 16:1-8 - The resurrection of Jesus Christ brings clarity to the entire Bible, redeeming every story from the Garden of Eden onward. Though surprisingly understated in Gospel of Mark, this moment secures a powerful hope—offering grace today and the promise of a future face-to-face with Jesus.
Mark 11:1-11 -As Mark’s account of Jesus moves toward the Cross, the Triumphal Entry may seem quiet to us—but for those who had waited centuries, it was electric. The question of the true King wasn’t just Israel’s struggle—it’s still ours today.
Mark 9:1-13 -We’ve hit fast-forward in the Jesus Story! In one week, we’ve shuttled from the mountain where the 10 commandments were given, over to the mountain where Jesus shows his true colours. This story is a shout-out to everything that has happened to this point in the Bible, and at the same time, a shout forward
Exodus 40:34-38 - The Book of Exodus ends with God’s tent, the Tabernacle, furnished and fully operational. The job of exiting, leaving Egypt, is done. Now it's time to change focus from getting out of slavery to getting into the Promised Land. This is the ultimate road trip because God is on it, and that brings compli
