Summary: As a part of the body, we were made to function in relationships with God and one another. But even though community can be divided by walls of hostility, we can experience truly satisfying and meaningful community through a bloody man on a cross.
Text: Ephesians 2:12-22
Understanding God’s Word: Know and Understand the Truth
-Paul is speaking to the church in Ephesus, a people that were challenged by the division of Greeks and Gentiles. Who are the kinds of people that we see divided in the world around us today?
-What kinds of dividing walls of hostility do we notice around us? What are the root causes of those walls?
-What is the ultimate reason that we are called to live in community as Christians?
-How can the way we live in community be a great way of sharing the gospel with unbelievers?
Assessing the Heart: Identify and Address Sin.
-Who is someone in your life that you are are struggling to getting along with?
-What kind of walls of hostility might you be bringing to that relationship? What is the root issue in your heart that is causing this?
-What are the consequences of our actions?
Turn to God: Confess and Renew Belief in God
-There’s ultimately nothing that we can do to change our hearts towards this person/people. Why do you need the cross?
-As long as we’re in this world, there’s going to be times when we'll inevitably struggle with our desire to be loved and accepted by others. There will inevitably be times when we aren’t having that need met. How might living in light of your acceptance in Christ change the way you work through those struggles?
Living and Applying God’s Word: Give a Vision of Life With God.
-Since our ultimate relationship with God has been restored, what kind of hope can that give you for the torn or hostile relationships that you mentioned in your life?
-What are some practical ways that we, as a community, can live out our family identity by serving, caring, and loving one another?
-How can we as a community be a place where we can invite others to experience God by the way we live in relation with one another? How can we be this kind of community outside of the rGroup setting?
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