God's Church and the Walls of Division (2): One Body in the Lord
Pastor Tan Thai · Nov 4, 2018
This sermon explores the unity of the Church based on Ephesians 2:14-22, showing that the death of Jesus Christ demolished the wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles to create one new people and one new body. Through the story of Philemon and Onesimus, the sermon illustrates that only when hearts are truly transformed by God can believers live in unity, transcending all barriers of class, ethnicity, and social status.
The sermon begins by recapping the previous message on Ephesians 2:11-22, where Paul teaches that the death of Jesus Christ not only saves sinners but also reconciles two hostile peoples — Jews and Gentiles. The wall between them was erected by the Law: Israel had used the Law as a basis for pride and separation from Gentiles. Rather than using God-given gifts to serve, many believers still construct walls of talent, beauty, and wealth within the Church.
The first major section presents the theme of 'One New People, One New Body' based on Ephesians 2:14-16. Through the cross, Jesus Christ demolished the wall of hostility, uniting two peoples into one body and reconciling them to God. The pastor cites historical examples of Jewish-Gentile hatred, from the Holocaust to the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, as well as shameful episodes in Church history where prominent theologians and even Martin Luther harbored antisemitic views. Yet Christianity is the only truly global faith, proclaimed to every nation and language — from Pentecost (Acts 2:7-11) to the present day with 2.5 billion believers worldwide.
The second section examines 'One New Heart' through the vivid illustration of the letter to Philemon. Philemon was a wealthy, free man of standing in the Colossian church, while Onesimus was a runaway slave who had likely stolen from his master. When Onesimus encountered Paul in prison and received the Gospel, God completely transformed his heart, making him a valuable servant to Paul. Paul wrote to Philemon urging him to receive Onesimus back — not as a slave but as a beloved brother — and offered personally to repay any debt Onesimus owed.
The sermon emphasizes that unity in the Church is not based on sameness but on shared citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven and membership in God's household (Ephesians 2:19). The image of the human body — with its trillions of cells functioning in harmony — illustrates the necessity of each member in the Body of Christ. Just as one damaged cell can bring disease to the whole body, division among believers prevents the Church from growing.
The sermon closes with a practical call: until believers demolish the walls of class, family clan, position, wealth, and appearance within the Church, their hearts still carry their own blood rather than the blood of Christ. Galatians 3:28 and Colossians 3:11 declare that in Christ there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female. Unity is what Christ repeatedly prayed for and the mark by which the world will recognize His disciples (John 13:34-35).