One Big Family
The wall that came crashing down — and making things right
In Paul's time, Jews and Gentiles were divided by a wall of hatred — there was even a real stone wall in the Jerusalem temple with warning signs: 'No Gentile may cross this barrier!' But Paul announces the most astonishing news: Jesus IS our peace! On the cross, He destroyed that dividing wall, reconciling both groups to God in one body. Now there are no outsiders in God's family — no 'us' and 'them', just one new people. But true reconciliation goes deeper than feelings. Jesus teaches that if we have wronged someone, we must make it right BEFORE we come to worship God. If you took something that didn't belong to you — give it back. If you told a lie that hurt someone — apologise AND make amends.
This is called RESTITUTION — having a conscience void of offence toward God AND toward people. God is building us into a living temple — each of us a living stone — with Jesus as the cornerstone. But a temple built on unresolved wrongs is a temple with cracks. Make things right, and God can truly dwell in the family He is building.
🧱 Demolish the Dividing Wall!
Tap each brick to demolish the dividing wall!
✨ Memory verse
“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.”Ephesians 2:14 (NIV)
Tap the words in the right order:
🎉 You did it!
Type the verse from memory:
🎵 Sing along: One Family (The Wall Came Down)
❓ Quiz time!
🖍️ Printables
👨👩👧 Parent & teacher guide
Big idea: Reconciliation and restitution — two sides of the peace Christ made. The scriptural doctrine of restitution of Restitution is: 'making amends for wrongs done against our fellow men, restoring stolen things to their rightful owners, paying debts, giving back where one has defrauded, making confessions to the offended and apologising to those slandered, so as to have a conscience void of offence toward God and man.' Ephesians 2:14-22 is about exactly this — the wall of hostility torn down — but genuine peace requires more than changed feelings; it requires changed actions. Paul's one new family cannot be built on a foundation of unresolved wrongs. For families: restitution is the forgotten doctrine in many homes. Teaching children to make things right — not just say sorry but actually restore — builds both character and genuine conscience.
Conversation starters: (1) Is there something you have taken, broken, or done wrong that you haven't made right yet? (2) What is the difference between saying sorry and making restitution? (3) How does making things right with people also affect our relationship with God?
Act tonight: take five minutes for each family member (adults included) to think of one restitution they need to make.
Pray together and plan to do it this week.