Made One in Christ

Describe a time when you felt welcomed into a new community (school, job, town, etc). What did people do to help you feel included?

Read Ephesians 2:11-22

In verses 11-12, why were the Gentiles formerly excluded from the people of God? In verses 13-18, what did Jesus accomplish for both the Jews and the Gentiles by His death?

Where do you sense hostility or “walls up” between social, political, ethnic, or religious groups in our world right now or even in your own personal relationships? How could Jesus bring those separate groups together in unity?

In verses 19-21, Paul uses the metaphor of a temple to describe our community of faith. How might our group experience the power and presence of the Spirit if we aligned with our “chief cornerstone”?

Can you think of a person or group of people who feel like “foreigners or strangers” among the people of God? How can we extend God’s invitation to be part of His unified people?

Pray as a group for opportunities to be people of peace to those in need of community and belonging.