The Light Brings Peace

Peace

Prayer Guide

Romans 5:1–5 NIV

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Hope to Peace

Last week - Hopelessness to Hope - to wait

Peace is described as the absense of war, or conflict

I watched a video by national geographic asking if peace on earth is possible?

it was very 50/50 split

Morgan Freeman ended the video suggesting If there’s Peace, you’re preparing for war and if there’s war, you’re fighting for peace.

That is why the hebrew word which is translated as peace has a different meaning.

This word is Shalom

I have taken the following meaning and examples from the bible project advent videos.

They say the most basic meaning of the word is to be complete or whole.

For example a stone that has a perfect, whole shape with no cracks.

It can also refer to a completed stone wall that has no gaps and no missing bricks.

Shalom refers to something that is complex with lots of pieces that is in a state of completeness. wholeness.

Job 5:24 (NIV)

You will know that your tent is shalom; you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.

When I heard this definition I wondered if that is why we are not at peace, experiencing shalom because many things tell us we are not complete?

you are not fulfilled unless you are driving a fararri, you are missing out because you don’t have the latest and greatest insert here. Isn’t that what adertising is for? to take away our shalom so that we think we need x, y, or z to be complete.

Take TV shows for example each episode now days is not complete so that you want to see the next one so you don’t miss out. even the season finalely may finish on a cliff hanger and you don’t have peace until you see it.

Watching 10 seasons of smallville.

What in your life is making you not at peace?

This is why shalom can refer to a person’s well-being, like when David visited his brothers on the battlefield he asked about their shalom.

1 Samuel 17:22 NIV

David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were.

The core idea is that life is complex, full of moving parts and relationships and situations, and when any of these is out of alignment or missing, your shalom breaks down. Life is no longer whole. It needs to be restored.

In fact, that is the basic meaning of shalom when you use it as a verb.

“To make complete” or “restore”

So Solomon brings shalom to the unfinished temple when he comletes it.

or, if your animal accidentally damages your neighbour’s field, you shalom them by giving them a complete repayment for their loss.

Exodus 22:4

You take what is missing and you restore it to wholeness. The same goes for human relationships. In the book of Proverbs, to reconcile and heal a broken relationship is to bring shalom.

Proverbs 16:7 NIV

When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them.

and when rival kingdoms make shalom in the Bible, it doesn’t just mean they stop fighting, it also means they start working together for each other’s benefit.

This state of shalom is what Iseal’s kings were supposed to cultivate and rarely happened. So the prophet Isaiah looked forward to a future king, a “Prince of Shalom”. His reign would bring shalom with no end; a time when God would make a covenant of shalom with His people, make right all wrongs and heal all that has been broken.

Isaiah 9:6–7 NIV

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

This is why Jesus’ birth in the New Testament was announced as the arrival of “eirene” which is peace in greek.

Jesus came to offer his peace to others. He said to His followers ...

John 14:27 NIV

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

our verse today is speaks to how Jesus made peace between messed up humans and God when he died and rose from the dead.

Romans 5:1 NIV

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

The idea is that he restored to wholeness the broken relationship between humans and their creator. This is why the apostle Paul can say Jesus himself is our “eirene”.

Remember this from Ephesians:

Ephesians 2:14–15 NIV

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,

Jesus was the whole, complete human that I am, that you are made to be, but have failed to be. Now he gives me His life as a gift. This means that Jesus’ followers are now called to create peace.

Paul instructed local churches to keep thier unity through the bond of peace which requires humility and patience and bearing with others in love.

Becoming people of peace means participating in the life of Jesus who reconciled all things in heaven and earth, restoring peace through His death and resurrection.

Colossians 1:19–20 NIV

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

So peace takes a lot of work becease it is not just the absence of conflict. True peace requires taking what is broken and restoring it to wholeness, whether it is in our lives, our relationships or in our world.

This is the rich biblical concept of Peace - shalom

So over to you, How do you experience peace? from the meaning given today what stood out for you?