September 15, 2021 

Like rivers flowing freely to be one with the sea;

Like different colors coming together to create a masterpiece;

Like puzzle pieces being joined together to form an image;

In the kingdom of God, we are undivided.

Because of our pride and sinfulness, we live in a broken world where conflicts break relationships, differences divide people, and the separation that skin color creates is more than just skin-deep.

The prophet Isaiah spoke of a different kind of world—a world where prejudice and discrimination are but a distant nightmare of a sinful past. It’s a world where goodness reigns and love binds people of all sizes and colors. It’s a world where all people are accorded dignity and respect because they mirror the beauty of their glorious Creator.

Such is the blueprint of the kind of community He has called us to be.

“In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’
The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.“

Isaiah 2:2-3

“He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”

Isaiah 2:4

Jesus has paved the way for this on the cross. Through His death, He restored our honor by taking away our shame. He brought us back to God and destroyed the wall of sin that separates us. And He brought us together in one community—God’s own household—where we can find strength and refuge.

“For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus is the starting point and the center of our church community. It is only through receiving forgiveness, grace, and truth in Jesus that we are able to fellowship together in peace.

We love, because He first loved us.

1 John 4:19