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Read: Ephesians 2:11-22

 

This Week’s Songs:

Overflow
– © Hannah Strang

Let Revival Come
– © Joshua Sherman, Kaleb Frazier, et al.

They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love
– © Fr. Peter Scholtes

The Kingdom Is Yours
– © Brittney Spencer, Dee Wilson, et al.

Read Ephesians 2:11-22

Verse 14 tells us that He himself is our peace. Scripture puts Jesus at the center of our reconciliation. What are some of the shallow and unproductive ways we’ve pursued peace across racial and and political lines?

Because of the work of Christ, there is no person or circumstance that is beyond the hope of reconciliation. Can you share a time when you’ve seen the love of God reconcile people in an otherwise hopeless situation?

James 1:19 tells us to “be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” As we continue the work of reconciliation, how does this verse serve to anchor our hearts and lead us into humility?

Latasha Morrison says “Jesus can make beauty from ashes, but the family of God must first see and acknowledge the ashes.” What does it look like to lament with those who’ve experienced a history of racism and discrimination?

In verse 16, Paul points to the cross as the place where our hostility is put to death. How is the defeat our our sin central to the cause of justice and reconciliation?

Listen: Past And Present. In order to bring reconciliation, we have to understand why reconciliation is needed in the first place. Be proactive through listening to the history of racism and division in America. Here are some recommended resources to help grow your perspective!

Letter From Birmingham Jail
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation
– Latasha Morrison
The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism
– Jemar Tisby
White Awake: An Honest Look at What It Means to Be White
– Daniel Hill
Dream with Me: Race, Love, and the Struggle We Must Win
– John Perkins