Unity Happens
June 9/10, 2012
Pastor Gene Heacock
Ephesians 2:11-22
Introduction- I want to remind you of a comment I made early on to set the stage for the grand recovery
I am talking about today that God began when He sent Jesus Christ to planet earth. God would be
perfectly just if he condemned everyone that is now living on the planet to eternal separation before
twelve noon today. He would be perfectly just in doing so. But He does not treat us according to our
trespasses nor is He counting our sins against us. Jesus Christ came on a rescue mission to remove the
greatest wall the universe has ever known. That wall was the wall that separated man from God and God
from man. He also powerfully demonstrated the Father’s heart to demolish walls between people groups
specifically Jew and gentile.
Please watch to this short clip that tells the storage of an ancient passage of salmon returning in
unencumbered stream to come home. There were no walls, no man made damns that stopped the urge
to come home. Humanity shares that quest to come home as well.
A GREAT RETURN IS REQUIRED – TOO MANY WALLS
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If you haven’t noticed there are a few walls around
Outright lack of civility; politics, parties partisan back biting hostility in the USA
In popular culture there is this primal hunger for restoration; transformation of the world –
humanity – society
There is a search to see change – body makeovers, home makeovers, marriage makeovers
Discovery of your ancestry, the genome project we are all related-why so many walls?
There is a quest to return to unity, harmony, Eden, but with that there is cynicism, deep
disappointment, lack of unity, walls are all around
THE GREAT DILEMMA – WALLS ARE REAL
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The Grand Purpose of God is to bring all things together under one head, that is Christ
(Eph. 1:9-10)
The purpose of God is to prepare a people for Himself (Eph 2:15b)
God has kept His promise to Abraham (Gen. 12) that all nations will be blessed (Eph 3:4-6)
God is on an all-out rescue mission to make all things new and God, through Jesus Christ, has
broken down the walls and made access for all people to come close.
But let’s face it walls are real and sin is real (Eph 2:1)
THERE WAS A WALL OUTSIDE OF EDEN WITH GUARDS POSTED WITH FLAMING SWORDSNO ENTRANCE HERE!
Falleness touched everything – the pristine environment of perfection is polluted. Imagine…
 A rose without a thorn , creation in perfect harmony
 Work without frustration never a bad day at the office, never a project that didn’t produce,
relationships without strain
 Babies born on time without a moan on time spot on, no rebellious kids nor marriage problems or
gender tension
 No male female competition or tension, never a kiss that was not pure
 No walls in your communication with your spouse, best friend supervisor or prayer partner
 No fallen leadership or imperfect leaders
There is no cancer Salmon swim in pristine waters unencumbered by man made walls- the return
was not blocked but open to all who wanted to come
 God was real he was close by, God was near to everyone and everything
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Everything has been touched by sin/falleness If Sin were not in the bible it would have only 4 chapterstwo describing the way we were and two describing the way we will be.
But now salmon swim in polluted water, tainted by an atmosphere with over eight thousand man-made
chemicals.
Relationships have walls painted over with deep cynicism and despair with a foundation of frustration.
THE GREAT DISCOVERY – WALLS ARE REAL BUT WALLS DON'T WIN GOD DOES
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Why do I share all of this? There is real promise; the reality of hope The grand purpose of God
is to bring all things under Christ Eph 1:9-10
In the church walls are real, but walls don’t win – God’s purpose does! (Eph 2:14-15) God is
preparing a people for himself to repopulate the universe
There are all kinds of walls but specifically here (Eph 2:11) there is a wall/tension between Jews
& Gentiles, add that satan hates unity.
Man made God walls
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Circumcision
Relation to Abraham-Ethnic
The Law of Moses
Gentiles – unclean, Gentiles are out
Herod's Temple Inscription to the gentiles-Do not enter beyond here or it will cost you your own life.
No doubt Jesus saw this and in passion and in anger prepared to fulfill the heart of God. Luke 19:45-47
and Isaiah 56:3-8 – “I will gather still others”
JESUS DEATH REMOVED THE GREATEST WALL- verse 14-16 with his own body he broke
down the wall THE TEMPLE CURTAIN WAS TORN IN TWO- Wall taken down
How is this done? The Blood of Christ
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verse 9 it creates level ground – no boasting
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verse 7 It is based on Christ work it is imputed- Perhaps God viewing His own DNA in us and
upon us?
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verse 16 it gives us a common relative-we are related
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verse 18 it gives us a common story – we are walking together
WALLS THAT CHANGE AS WE GROW IN CHRIST
The way we view God AW Tozer "Ones spiritual life due to a secrete law of the soul will always gravitate
towards ones mental picture of God "
The blood of Christ changes the way I view my family- Who initiates forgiveness when walls occur? Who
ever places the highest value on the shed blood of Jesus Christ
UNITY HAPPENS THIS IS GOD'S DOING
Moralism says "God saved you should take down these walls, Shape up”
Transformation says "Become who you are God saved you-cooperate with His Spirit shaping you to
become like Him”
WALLS ARE REAL WALLS DON'T WIN GOD DOES