When Differences Divide
Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church
January 11th Sermon, Day 1
We live in a world where differences seem to divide us more than ever. Whether it's politics, parenting styles, or personal preferences, conversations can quickly turn into battlegrounds.
The early church in Ephesus knew this struggle intimately. Jewish and Gentile believers found themselves on opposite sides of deep cultural and religious divides that seemed impossible to bridge. These weren't small disagreements about worship music or meeting times. These were fundamental differences about identity, tradition, and what it meant to follow God. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Sound familiar? Yet Paul didn't throw up his hands in defeat or suggest they simply avoid each other. Instead, he pointed them to something revolutionary - a different way of seeing their situation entirely. He reminded them that their differences, while real, didn't have to define their relationships. Today, you might be facing your own version of this challenge. Maybe it's a family member who sees the world completely differently than you do. Perhaps it's a coworker whose values seem to clash with yours at every turn. Or maybe it's someone in your own church community who approaches faith in ways that make you uncomfortable. The good news is that God has something better in mind than endless conflict or uncomfortable avoidance. He has a path forward that honors both truth and love, conviction and compassion. Over the next few days, we'll discover how Jesus himself becomes the bridge over our deepest divides.
Bible Verse
Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called 'uncircumcised' by those who call themselves 'the circumcision' (which is done in the body by human hands)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. - Ephesians 2:11-12
Reflection Question
What relationship in your life feels most divided by differences, and how might God want to work in that situation?
Quote Difficult conversations are everywhere.
Prayer
Lord, help me to see beyond the differences that seem to separate me from others. Give me wisdom to navigate difficult relationships with both truth and love. Show me how You want to work in the midst of division. Amen.
