In Christ - Built Together

What if the deepest divides in your world aren’t political or cultural, but spiritual—and what if they’re already defeated? In Built Together, part of the In Christ series, Mark Medley walks through Ephesians 2:13–22 to show how the gospel doesn’t just reconcile us to God; it kills the hostility between us. He traces Paul’s two-word pivot—“but now”—from the bleak reality of alienation to the bright certainty of peace in Christ. From a literal stone barrier in the Jerusalem temple to the stony barriers in our hearts, Mark reveals how pride, law-keeping, and long habits of suspicion separated Jews and Gentiles—and how the cross fulfilled the law, tore down the wall, and created one new humanity. Mark makes the theology tangible. He describes the Temple inscription that warned outsiders under threat of death and then points to the deeper boundary of the “law of commandments” that became a badge of superiority. Against that backdrop, he declares Paul’s good news: Jesus himself is our peace. By his shed blood we’re brought near to God; by his broken body we are made one. Communion becomes more than a ritual; it’s common union, a table where the ground is level and no one stands taller than grace. With Christ as the cornerstone, the church rises as a living temple—fellow citizens, members of God’s household, being fitted together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. He also names today’s termites—prejudice hiding in polite language, curated feeds that inflame contempt, snap judgments we baptize as wisdom. Laws and force can’t fix what is wrong in us; we need new hearts. Mark calls us to be born again into a different way of seeing, to invite the Spirit to search and free us. He offers practical steps for clearing the ground in our hearts: remember who you were and who you are now in Christ; confess prejudice as sin; starve the inputs that reward outrage; sit at diverse tables and listen long enough to love; honor the image of God in those you’ve counted as opponents; speak peace where your world trades in poison. Unity isn’t a slogan. It’s a miracle secured at Calvary and stewarded with humility, repentance, and hope. If you’re hungry for a wider table and a stronger foundation, Mark’s message will help you live as a citizen of a kingdom that overrules every wall. Share it with someone who needs the courage to make peace. We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Subscribe to our Podcast & YouTube channel to find past sermons, classes, interviews, and more! Find us on Facebook & Instagram