Being built up... (9)

Reconciled through the cross...

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have peace?

You’ve heard verses like

Romans 5:1 NLT

1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

Today, I’m thinking about peace between our fellow humans. I believe that World War I was to be

“The war to end all wars.”

and yet Jesus said that in the last days, there would be wars and rumours of wars.

So many nations eagerly long for peace and yet hostility seems to be rampant and peace seems to be so elusive.

As we look at our Scripture this morning, let’s see what Paul had to say about how we can have peace.

Ephesians 2:14–18 NLT

14 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. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. 17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

For Christ, Himself, is our peace...

Isaiah 9:6 NIV

6 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.

Canada has been a nation that has sent peacekeepers all over the world. We have seen the tragedies of war, and we long to bring peace, and yet Paul says that

Ephesians 2:14 NLT

14 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.

Over the span of history, there has been much anti-semitism. It seems to come in ebbs and flows, but every so often, it raises its ugly head.

Paul wasn’t just speaking about anti-semitism when he wrote these verses.

We can look at people from many nations around our world, and there seems to be hatred, prejudice, and hostility. There are tribal groups in many nations that still go to war against each other.

We can look back at history and see the damage that the slave trade has done to countless people, and still how it affects many today with racism, and lack of unity in our countries.

We don’t have to look very far to see the animosity that has taken place in our own country.

We may think that politics is the answer. There have been many policies that have been set in place that have done good things. An example is the abolition of slavery. This took many years to implement and took a civil war in the United States.

But laws don’t change hearts…Only God can change hearts, and only God can bring peace to the hearts of people.

He united both Jews and Gentiles...

when, in His own body on the cross,

He broke down the wall of hostility...

that separated us.

Jesus had to suffer, to bleed, and die to break down the wall of hostility.

Last week, I said that even if a Gentile leaped through all of the hoops to become a Jew, he wouldn’t have been a Jewish citizen. In fact, there was a wall that was at the temple, and this wall was there to separate the Court of the Gentiles from the Temple proper where only Jews were allowed to enter.

When a country segregates and separates people by race, it brings hostility, and brings division. How do you think Gentiles must have felt when they were segregated and seemingly distanced from God.

Life Application New Testament Commentary Oneness and Peace in Christ / 2:11–18

The Jewish historian Josephus wrote that on this wall was an inscription in Greek and Latin: “No foreigner may enter within the barricade that surrounds the sanctuary and enclosure. Anyone who is caught doing so will have himself to blame for his ensuing death”

Jesus did what no other human could do, He tore down the wall that divided Jews and Gentiles, by dying on the cross.

Even for Jews, they were separated from God. The High Priest could only enter the Holy of Holies, or what we know as the Most Holy Place, once a year.

Hebrews 10:19–22 NIV

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Nationalities don’t need to divide us...

According to the Bible, nations started to divide at

the Tower of Babel

Let’s read

Genesis 11:1–9 NIV

1 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. 3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” 5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” 8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

When God confused the languages, people spread throughout the world. With languages, came nations, and with nations and nationalities, brought division. In Christ, that division has been broken. The wall that has caused hostility has been abolished, and we become one in Christ. We become family.

How did Jesus break down the wall of hostility?

between Jews and Gentiles?

Ephesians 2:15–16 NLT

15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.

So

Did Jesus come to abolish the law?

In

Matthew 5:17–18 NLT

17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.

The purpose of the law was to show people what God’s expectations were. The problem with the law wasn’t the law itself, but it was unable to make us right before God.

Many Jews used the law and sacrifices as a means to make them right before God, but this did nothing to unify humanity.

When Jesus came to earth, He taught that our righteousness is far deeper than what people see, it’s what God sees that matters.

1 Samuel 16:7 NIV

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

God’s sees our hearts and He loved us enough to send Jesus.

1 John 1:9 NLT

9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Each and everyone of us have sinned, whether Jew or Gentile. Each of us needs to be cleansed and washed of all of the impurities in our hearts. Only God can do that and that is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Since Jesus died, the hostility between Jews and Gentiles has been put to death. This refers to followers of Christ.

Why is there so much hostility among Christians?

Why do we fight with each other?

Where can we find the answer to questions like this?

James 4:1–4 NLT

1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. 4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

James doesn’t mince words. He is very straight forward and abrupt. Our feelings can even get hurt when we hear this.

Christians fight because we are thinking of what we want rather than what God wants. We fight because our motives are wrong.

Instead of praying,

Matthew 6:10 NIV

10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

We pray,

“Not your will, but my will be done...”

Since it is God’s will that we are one, since it is His will that we walk in unity as believers, it breaks His heart, and He is not pleased with us when we choose to fight.

When we as believers allow our personal preferences to override the mission of God, we are actually opposed to the gospel.

When Christians fight over the carpet colour, chairs vs pews, the kind of coffee we drink, and even the style of worship have, and that list can go on and on. We have been distracted. It breaks the Heart of God, when we aren’t about His mission, and that’s to bring people to Christ.

How can we live at peace with each other?

Romans 12 gives us some really practical advice as to how we should treat everybody.

Romans 12:9–21 NIV

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Ephesians 2:17 NLT

17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near.

It doesn’t matter how far away from God someone may be, through the cross, through Jesus’ shed blood, we are brought near when we believe. In fact, we become children of God.

Jewish people had God’s word, and even though the Gentiles didn’t, in Christ, all can come.

As we close, let’s read verse 18. It shows how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work in harmony with each other.

Ephesians 2:18 NLT

18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

This gives a picture of a throne room (LANTC). We can come to the King, God the Father through Jesus Christ. He is not only our King, but our Father. He has adopted us into His family.

The NIV puts it this way.

Ephesians 2:18 NIV

18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

There is only one gateway to the Father, and that’s Jesus Christ. Even though popular opinion, worldly thinking, would say that there are many ways to God and we all serve the same God, Jesus death on the cross only gives us one option.

Jesus said in

Matthew 7:13–14 NIV

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Both Jews and Gentiles can come to the Father through Christ by means of the Holy Spirit.

Do know that when we don’t know how to pray, Holy Spirit prays through us.

Romans 8:26–27 NIV

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

In all this, though we are each unique, we are made one in Christ, and where there is unity, there God’s blessing is.

Let’s pray!