Christ is our Peace

Introduction

With the recent ice and snowfall...there has been a disruption in our lives...in our routines. As I finally dug out last week and was able to drive into town...I looked out over the open farmland, and it looked... so peaceful! like a wool blanket laid across the ground...tucking it in for a long winter’s nap.

When it snows, the world seems quieter...the hustle and bustle of daily life...get’s subdued to a muffle...if it weren’t so cold...it we might actually appreciate it more. Appreciate the peace of a deep snowfall.

If there is one thing our nation, our world, our lives, could use right now...besides a nice warm summer breeze...it would be peace.

There have been tragic deaths of citizens in Minnesota. People dividing themselves as “us” and “them”...on every issue...and every new crisis. It’s enough to make civil war seem like a real possibility. We just had a planned economic rug pull on gold/silver and crypto markets. Many expect economic chaos when trading opens tomorrow. The nations of the world seem to be creeping toward war...if not a hot war yet..at least an economic war ...which typically leads to a hot war...in Iran and elsewhere...yet despite these interruptions of peace...Jesus gives us a promise.

Jesus warned us that these things would be so...and only increase as his return drew near.

The prophet Isaiah calls the future Messiah...Jesus...the prince of peace...

Jesus told his disciples before he was cruicified “my peace I give to you”

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Paul offers two benedictions in his writings:

Colossians 3:15 ESV

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 ESV

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

Friends the Lord Jesus...the Messiah...Christ..

is peace...

Gives us his peace...

And his peace guards and protects our hearts.

Remember...in this world you will have trouble...but take heart...Jesus has overcome the world.

Ephesians 2

2 weeks ago now...we talked about the first part of Ephesians 2 and we talked about the immeasurable riches of God’s grace in Christ...and how God shows up...with the “but God” moments in the Bible...where all seems lost...then the conjunctive phrase… “but God.”

Our God...the God we worship...the one only, true, and living God...is a God of action...who enter into the mess of the world (to your mess and my mess) and initiates change...and brings to the believer...peace.

In Ephesians 2:1-10...God’s grace raises the dead...in today’s passage (vv. 11-22) the emphasis is on how God is making his people one.

You want to talk about civil war? The early church was a spiritual civil war. Jews vs. Jewish Christians...then Jewish Christians vs. Gentile Christians.

Everyone had their own opinion, and everyone took sides...the church in many places was divided along these lines...Paul is specifically speaking to gentile christians in our passage this morning...and is addressing all the things that divide the church.

Paul basically says today...your differences are NOTHING! Your differences melt away in Christ. There should be no hostility...no haughtiness...no pride or arogance...whether you are a Jewish Christian or a gentile Christian...those old ways of thinking...of giving credance to man made divisions bewteen believers...have been destroyed...forever!

We can all do well to remember that in the toxic political times in which we live. Don’t get sucked in to the us and them...the dividing walls made up by people who want to divide us and weaken us as a people. Disagree yes, but love those you disagree with. Protest, yes, but love those you protest against. And as we have already read... we are no better than the people we are against, or who we percieve to be against us. Ephesians 2:8-10

Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Paul contiues that thought today in Ephesians 2:13-15

Ephesians 2:13–16 ESV

But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

(the word ka-targ-gay-o...in Greek is translated in the ESV as “abolish” but that’s not the best translation...b/c that makes us think of it as no more. But we know Jesus himself said he did not come to abolish but to fulfill the law...the word in Greek is best translated to mean something like “annul” or “to make inert” or “idle down”; the law has been fulfilled. Period. We are not under the Law of God. We are under God’s grace through the one who fulfilled the law of God perfectly...the Lord Jesus. The commandments of God are just as true today as they were when they were given at mount Sinai.… and we would do well to form our lives in accordance with His law...like the study we did a while ago...they are ‘words of love’...but as soon as human beings get our grubby hands on anything...we taint it with sin...even God’s good law...gets corruppted by us and our misunderstanding of them or or misappropriating of them. We add...we take away....we make God’s law fit our designs.

Here Pausl is simply saying that in Christ...the Jewish Christians and the gentile Christians have nothting to boast about. It’s not about keeping God’s law in a ritualistic way...our unity is not in our performance of God’s law...our unity...our peace...our identity is found in Christ alone. )

What’s the result of this unity in Christ? Ephesians 2:16...

Ephesians 2:16 ESV

(that Christ) might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

The result of having our unity in Christ...despite our differences (ethnic, theological, political)...is PEACE.

Hostility to Peace

How many of you...in your heart of hearts...have hostility toward other professing Christians who believe differently than you? About whatever? God, theology, politics, you name it.

Paul says Chirst tore down the wall of hostility between believers...in his flesh...that is in his crucifixtion.

Fernando Mendoza...the quaterback of the Football National Champion Indiana Hoosiers...said after the game about a play where he got hit hard several times...and ended up scoring a touchdown...he said (I’m paraphrasing) we love each other on this team and we all are willing to put our bodies on the line for each other.

Christ did that for you and me. And for the other believers who think and believe differently from you. Christ put his body on the line for us...in order to bring us together. First to bring us together with God...but then together with one another.

There are estimated to be between 30,000 - 45,000 different type of Christians denominations. That’s laughable. Its sad...its human....its sinful..and these denominations often dislike one another and don’t considere one another ‘true Christians”

Why so many? Because humans get our grubby hands on God’s word and demand strict obedience to one view or another. But God… (there it is again… “but God”)...but God...the Holy Spirit ...through the letter of Ephesians says clearly that the hostility between Christians and God...and Christians and Christians...has been destroyed...the wall of division broken down.

Don’t let your differeing views keep you from being who you are...God’s own...claimed by Christ. Don’t let it keep you from gather togehter as God’s people...worshiping together...praying together....giving together...living life together; sharing one another’s burdens and blessings....joys and heartaches...frustrations/disagreements and unity / alginment...

Becasue that is who we are. We are in Christ. We have Christ’s power and presence...we are united in Christ...and we live together becsuae we have Christ’s peace.

Thanks be to God for the king of kings and Lord of lords...the Lord Jesus...our Prince of peace. AMEN.