August 23, 2026

Tearing Down to Build Up

Message Notes

The Pause Questions

Question #1: “Remember…” — What has Christ rescued me from?
Paul tells the Gentile believers to “remember that you were at that time separate from Christ… having no hope and without God in the world” (vv. 11–12). What do I need to remember about my life apart from Christ so that I don't lose sight of the depth of God's grace toward me?

Question #2: “But now in Christ Jesus…”— Am I living as someone who has been brought near? 
Verse 13 says, “You who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Where am I tempted to find my identity, security, or acceptance somewhere other than in what Christ has already accomplished for me through His blood?

Question #3: “He is our peace…” — What walls of hostility still exist in my heart?
Paul says that Christ “is our peace” and that He “tore down the dividing wall of hostility” (vv. 14–16). Is there a person or group toward whom I am holding onto resentment, pride, distance, or superiority—and what would it look like for me to pursue the peace Christ has already made possible?

Question #4: “One new humanity… one body…” — Am I contributing to the unity Christ died to create?
Paul says that Christ created “one new humanity” and reconciled both groups “to God in one body through the cross” (vv. 15–16). In my relationships within the church, am I building unity or contributing to division? What attitude, preference, or grievance might I need to surrender for the sake of Christ's body?

Question #5: “No longer foreigners and strangers…” — Am I truly living as a member of God's household?
Paul says that we are “fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God's household” and that we are being “built together for God's dwelling in the Spirit” (vv. 19–22). Do I see the church primarily as a place I attend, or as a family to which I belong and in which God has called me to participate? What is one way I can more intentionally live as part of what God is building?

For further consideration:  These five questions move people through the passage:

Remember where you were. → vv. 11–12
Recognize what Christ has done. → v. 13
Examine the walls in your heart. → vv. 14–16
Protect the unity Christ created. → vv. 15–16
Embrace your place in God's family. → vv. 19–22

The Apostle Paul doesn't merely say that Christ wants His people to be unified. He says that Christ Himself created “one new humanity” through the cross. That means church unity isn't just a nice organizational goal—it is something Christ died to accomplish.  Consider what part you are playing in the ongoing division of God’s Church or the miraculous restoration of unity within His Church.

Message Recording