Week 4 | Wednesday
Wednesday – The Wall Has Come Down
Written by Joshua Lester (Pickerington Campus)
Ephesians 2:14-16
Key Verse:
“For He Himself is our peace, who has made two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…”
Imagine you were married to someone who roots for a different team than you. Let’s say…Ohio State vs. Michigan. That specific Saturday after Thanksgiving may bring some playful (or not so playful) tension in the home. And that dividing wall of fandom could disrupt the peace in your home.
Now, imagine an even deeper hostility…. I do not believe it takes us that long to recognize the hostility in our culture today regarding race, gender, politics, class, and many more. All of this hostility has created a dividing wall between the two groups of people.
In Paul’s day, there was a very real wall between two major groups: Jews and Gentiles. Jews often viewed Gentiles as unworthy of God’s love, assuming they had no right to His promises. This created a spiritual and social “us versus them.” In fact, in the temple in Jerusalem, there was a literal wall that separated Jews from Gentiles – a physical reminder of spiritual distance.
But Paul proclaims something radical in Ephesians: that wall is gone. Through the cross, Jesus didn’t just mend a few fences. He tore the whole wall down. He put Jew and Gentile on equal footing. He made one new person. And He didn’t just make peace between the two groups – He is our peace.
Today, the same is true for all who are in Christ. Whatever walls exist between us, whether that be racial, political, cultural, or economic, Jesus has already broken them down. The work of Jesus on the cross is the common ground of salvation for everyone. The barrier of separation is gone because of Jesus. Therefore, there is no difference between you and others – be it political, racial, economic, etc. Jesus has broken down all the barriers and leveled the playing field. As Paul says in Romans 3:23, “For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Jesus leveled the playing field. And the same grace that saves you is the same grace that saves your neighbor, your enemy, and the person you don’t understand.
Reflection Questions:
- What “dividing walls” do you see in your life, relationships, or community?
- How does knowing that Jesus is our peace, not just a peacemaker, change how you view conflict or division between others?
- Who is someone you’ve considered as “other” that God may be inviting you to see as equal at the foot of the cross?
Prayer Prompt:
“God, thank you that you destroyed the barrier between you and I. Help me see how you have torn down the barriers between those I view as ‘others’ and help me recognize how You are our peace.”