Beloved Friends in Christ,

This past week, a barricade on the border of the Gaza Strip and Egypt was breeched by Palestinian attackers, making it possible for the residents of the two countries to move across the border freely. Thousands of Gazans took advantage of the opportunity, travelling to Egypt to shop, visit relatives and just to enjoy what may be a short-lived freedom.

It's not the first time a dividing wall has come tumbling down. Less than 20 years ago, the same thing happened in Berlin. And almost 2000 years ago, a wall that kept Gentiles from entering the court of the Jews in the temple at Jerusalem was broken down by the invading Roman army. It is that wall to which the apostle Paul refers in the above Scripture passage.

Gentiles (and unless you're Jewish, that's you too) were barred from worshipping the one true God by a physical barrier. Because they were considered impure, they were deemed unworthy of entering the inner courts of the temple.

But Christ Jesus our Lord, who shed His pure and holy blood for sinners, changed all that. With His holy blood, He made atonement for the unworthy and the impure, declaring them, through faith in Him, pure and worthy. In this way-that is, through faith in Christ-all have access to God. The dividing wall of hostility is no more.

It is permanently gone. Unlike the barrier along the Gazan-Egyptian border toppled by Palestinians, the wall that our Lord Jesus removed will never be erected again. Our freedom from sin and guilt shall not be short-lived. Ours is the privilege to worship and serve the one true God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit-always. For, Christ our Lord is supreme! There is no power greater than His to undo the peace that He Himself has established.

In His service,

Pastor Richard A. Frey