The Source of Lasting Peace

THE SOURCE OF LASTING PEACE Spring Valley Mennonite; January 26, 2021; Ephesians 2:11-18 The events of the last few weeks have demonstrated the great divisions existing within our country. As the result of the election, as well as the events of the last summer, Americans are divided almost exactly in two equal camps. Each side of this divide have difficulty accepting the viewpoints of the other, and fringe elements of each side have in the last year pursued the avenue of violence. We have all observed this turmoil and lack of peace. We all sorely need to hear and heed the message found in our text this morning, for these verses contain the key to peacefully getting along with one another. I believe the Bible teaches that our lack of ability to get along with others has its origin in the basic nature of man. Every person is born alienated from God. In our natural state, we are unable to get along with God, and this translates into conflicts with others. You see, the Bible explains that every person is born with a selfish, sinful nature and a strong "me-first" attitude. This inborn nature is seen in our earliest stages of existence. Babies are wonderful and lovable, but they are the epitome of selfishness. They wake up hungry in the middle of the night and could care less about disturbing Mom and Dad's sleep! They demand-loudly and persistently-that their every need be met right now! Unless that child is trained to fit into the schedule and routines of his family, and learns to moderate his basic selfish nature, then the story of his or her life will be one of constant conflict with others, expressed in a variety of undesirable ways. When selfish people grow up uncontrolled, they will have conflicts with their spouses, children, neighbors, and employers. And society reflects the conflicts of its individuals, as does our divided culture today. Why can't we get along? The answer is that we just don't have the ability within ourselves to do so. We need help. And Jesus came to earth to enable us to live at peace, first with God, and then with others. The Prophet Isaiah spoke of the coming Messiah when he gave us Messiah's name as the Prince of Peace. As we continue our study in the book of Ephesians, we find Jesus the Peacemaker at work, doing what Isaiah predicted. His work is illustrated as He broke down the barriers between Jew and Gentile and He continues today to enable us to break barriers and "just get along with one another." You may follow along in your Bibles as we unpack Ephesians 2:11-18. Read vv. 11-15. I. BEFORE THE PEACEMAKER CAME... Paul begins speaking of the divide between Jew and Gentile in verses 11 and 12. There was great hostility between these two groups, but I would point out that such animosity that was not God's plan when He called Abraham out from among his pagan culture. Through Abraham God created the family and nation through which He would send the Messiah Who would restore the broken relationship between Himself and fallen mankind. Through the Jewish race, the unseen God revealed Himself as being merciful, gracious, and loving. This view of God was radically different from the belief in multiple gods to which the surrounding cultures subscribed. When God gave the Mosaic law, God created a society that was profoundly different from all others. The strict dietary, clothing, marriage, and ceremonial laws created a hedge or wall of separation which resisted any merging with other cultures. God's purpose was twofold: first, to protect and provide for God's chosen people, and secondly, to be an example to the rest of the world of the blessings available to all who would follow the One True God. In the words of one commentator, "But instead of a tool of witness to surrounding nations, it (God's unique culture) became a matter of pride, isolation and self-glory." In these verses in Ephesians 2, three groups of people are mentioned: Jews (here called "the circumcism"), Gentiles (the uncircumcism) and "the new man" of verse 15. For the years from Adam to Abraham, all mankind were classified in a single category. But with God's selection of Abraham, man was divided into two groups: Jew and non-Jew, or Gentile. Then at Pentecost, a third category came into being called "The Church." Understand that the "new man" of verse 15 is not speaking of individuals but is used in a collective sense for the universal church of all true believers. A valuable lesson can be drawn as we understand that God only sees people in two categories: either we are part of the "New Man" as believers, or we are part of the group of not-yet believers. As we look at all the differences that exist among men, like race, culture, language, gender, nationalities, economic statis, and political leanings we understand that such superficial differences mean very little to God-and such differences should mean very little to believers. All prejudice based on such differences are empty and a mature believer will abandon them. The only difference that should matter to us is whether a person knows Jesus Christ as Savior or not. We must acknowledge that people are not our enemy, but rather victims of our enemy Satan. We may not support the actions or beliefs of these not-yet believers, and we have an obligation to stand firm against evil, but we are to pray that they will believe in the Lord Jesus Who alone can change them from the inside out. Notice the words in verse 11, "Therefore remember." What are we to remember? Think back to the beginning of this chapter: From God's perspective we all were "dead in our trespasses and sins," slaves of Satan and His world system, prisoners of our own selfish cravings and desires, and were all objects of God's wrath. Plainly speaking, we all were at war as enemies of God. BUT GOD... God the Son, Messiah Jesus stepped into this hostile world and transformed those who believe in Him from a state of "spiritual death" into being spiritually alive. He then set us on the pathway of life and made us the eternal recipients of His grace and love. Paul speaks of the differences which existed between Jew and Gentile in his day, but these categories have application to the Christ-less culture today. Several phrases are used: first we see "separate from Christ." He is speaking of the things which characterized the Gentile Pagan existence, using the Jewish meaning of "Christ" as Messiah. The Messiah was to come through the Jewish race, and no matter how rough things got for the Jewish people, they had the hope of the coming Messiah and of His glorious kingdom. Sadly, Orthodox Jews are still awaiting their messiah, not realizing that He came 2000 years ago. As believers, we also have the hope of a coming King, and no matter how difficult life may become, we are to be encouraged by the blessed hope of Christ's return. Just as Gentiles before Jesus' birth existed without hope for anything better in their future, non-believers today have little reason to hope for solutions for the overwhelming problems of society. Paul goes on to say that Gentiles are "excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." So describes the pagan world of Paul, but also the unbelieving world today. All those outside of Biblical Christianity are living in Paganism of one sort or another. One doesn't have to live in a primitive society to be Pagan. Modern civilized pagans may have been brought up in a religious home. They may be highly educated and live in a modern culture. They may make a six-figure income. They may be highly intelligent, and otherwise be an admirable and delightful person, but if they have no come to know Christ, they are a pagan, and they are without hope and live in darkness. And most don't even realize it. They have no source of peace, living alienated from God. Such was our existence before the Peacemaker came into our lives. But what a change He makes! II. THE WORK OF THE PRINCE OF PEACE (Read vv. 13-16) In the Temple in Jerusalem, there was a dividing wall about 3 or 4 feet tall, which ran through the court of the temple. Only Jews were permitted into the inner court. . There was a sign warning any Gentile who might dare to venture into the inner court that they would do so under the penalty of death. The outer court, the court of the Gentiles, was provided as a place for those Gentiles who might seek God and provided a place for potential witness by Jew to Gentile. But this wall became to be viewed as a symbol, representing the hostility which existed between Jew and Gentile. Before the time of Christ, the hostility was primarily directed from the Jew toward the Gentile. At best, the Jews barely tolerated Gentile; at worst, they hated them. But as time has passed, the hostility has grown in the non-Jewish world toward the Jew: we call it Anti-Semitism. It reached its epitome under Nazi Germany with the holocaust; it is seen today in the Arab world by their animosity against the nation of Israel. The rest of the world asks the question, "Why can't the Jew and Arab just get along?" The reason is that lasting peace will only come from the Peacemaker, the Prince of Peace returns. We also have walls which exist in our lives, walls which separate us from other people. There is hostility and conflict, suspicion and distrust between different racial groups, erupting in violence this past summer with the "Black Lives Matter" protests, between different political parties (need I elaborate?), but also on the personal level with conflict within families, neighbors and friends, and perhaps even within churches. When we run up against such walls, we feel the anger, the deep-seated resentment and bitterness, and we say, "It is no use; there is little we can do." But the Bible says there is something Jesus can do: He can break down those walls. What did the Prince of Peace do? He destroyed the wall of hostility between the Jew and the Gentile. What was this wall? It was illustrated by the wall in the temple, but the real wall was the Law of Moses, or as Paul puts it in verse 15, "He abolished in his flesh the enmity, which is the law of the commandments contained in ordinances." It is the Law which creates the hostility, and if you remove the Law, you'll end the hostility. How did Law create hostility? The Law set the Hebrew people apart from everyone else. In our modern-day American culture, we can't imagine a society without rules or law, but that was what much of the Pagan world was like when the Law of Moses was given. Most of pagan society was loathsome and disgusting to God. He gave Israel specific commandments which defined what was pleasing to God and what was not. Down through history there has never been anything which compares to the Law of Moses, although God's Law has often been copied. For example, the moral law became the core of American Jurisprudence. The Mosaic Law created a separated society, and strict adherence to the Law set the Jews apart from all other cultures. When the Jewish culture rubbed up against other cultures, instead of allowing or encouraging blending and merging, the Law kept them apart. The Law was like an impenetrable fence or hedge around Israel. Jews were not to intermarry with those pagans around them unless those people agreed to become Jewish and worship YHWH. So, the conflict between Jew and Gentile was built into the system. The food was different, their clothing was different, the beards of the men were to go untrimmed and side curls were required, their calendars differed, as the Sabbath was to be a day of rest, and of course they were to worship the One True God exclusively at the Tabernacle, later the Jerusalem Temple. When Messiah Jesus came, He perfectly fulfilled the Law, and then He abolished the ceremonial and sacrificial parts of that Law. For this church age, the separation causing hostility between Jew and Gentile were done away with at the Cross. How did this occur? By taking two separate groups and combining them to make a third group which was unique: the term here is the "One New Man." This is the Universal Church. In the Church of Jesus Christ, there is no Jew or Gentile, only Christian. Jesus' ministry to the Jews during His lifetime was designed to teach them that being Jewish didn't solve the basic problem of sin. Righteousness did not come from keeping the Law because no person could keep the Law perfectly. The Law only served to define their sin. Included in the ordinances was the picture of the sacrificial Lamb, the sin offering by which the guilt of sin could be covered. But when Jesus died on the Cross, He became that Lamb. He fulfilled the Law and then replaced it with something better, the inner ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Bible makes it clear that everyone, Jew or Gentile is saved the same way, by grace through faith. Everyone comes through the same door, which is Jesus Christ. Every person begins in the same place, as spiritually dead. All are then made alive by Christ. Both Jew and non-Jew have equal access to Jesus Christ and His forgiveness. The greatest barrier or wall of separation was not the wall between Jew and Gentile, but the wall of our sin separating us from God. Jesus broke down that wall through His death. All men are viewed alike by God: as sinners needing a Savior. As Christ followers, believers now share much in common: III. WHAT WE NOW SHARE IN COMMON Read vv. 17-18. All believers come to Christ through hearing the Gospel, both those who were near (the Jew) and those who were far (the gentile). All responded to the preached Gospel. Also, we all commune with God through the agency of the Holy Spirit, who indwells each believer. We are unified with all other believers, regardless of the superficial differences like race or language. We have more in common with a believer in the highlands of Papua New Guinea that with our non-Christian neighbor. We share the same Father; we are family. We all are forgiven, and we all now relate to God as beloved children, no longer relating to God as Judge. There is no longer any judgment or condemnation. As we consider this passage as a whole, we can see three steps to peace: IV. THE STEPS TO PEACE First, peace comes through a person, Jesus Christ. Verse 14: "For He, Himself is our peace." There is no personal peace with God without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1, "Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ..." The second step involves peace with others: Christ establishes common ground for all of us, the level ground at the food of the Cross. All other differences other than whether we are Christian or non-Christian are minor and should be viewed as minor. All believers are given a primary job in life: found in the Great Commission, it is to take the Gospel of Christ to the world, and then to disciple those new believers to observe the teachings of Jesus. Now stay with me here, for this is perhaps the greatest key God gives us to get along with others: God wants us to know that the only way people will significantly change is through coming to know Jesus as Savior. We are to recognize that fact and focus on that primary need, not the outward manifestations of their sin. We are not to be distracted or put-off by other differences. There are many differences which we encounter in lifestyles and preferences, but God says that we are to put those aside in view of leading them to Christ. That is not only the key to getting along with people, but also to growing a church. We are to tolerate the differences, considering others more important than ourselves. I am not saying we are to minimize or ignore sinful behavior, but to realize that the core issue is not behavior but their need of Jesus Christ. For example, you are most likely a non-smoker-perhaps you cannot stand tobacco smoke. But would you put up with smoke for an opportunity to share Christ? How about profanity? How about someone's political beliefs? Or the color of their skin? Or where they live? Let God change such minor things if He thinks they are important. As time goes on in the discipling process, we can deal with instructions on clear Biblical standards. Putting aside such minor differences will enable us to not only get along with others but will give us opportunities to share the Gospel. Consider yourself a missionary trained to tolerate many differences in order to reach people for Christ. Romans 12:18 speaks to this: "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." Jesus told us that as the world hated Him, it will also hate us. But let the hostility be on their parts; we are to love all men, even our enemies. God gives us that ability. We are to hate sin, but love the sinner. The third step to peace involves our relationship with other believers. We see it in verse 18: we all share the same Holy Spirit. The key to unity in the church is the Holy Spirit. As we truly are controlled and submissive to the Holy Spirit, the ability to live at peace will be given. Romans 14:17: For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The issue at hand is this verse is the petty differences we might have with one another. When we get our eyes off our Master and Lord Jesus and on ourselves and our personal wants and desires, then we find ourselves at odds with others. In the power of the Holy Spirit, we must humble ourselves, ask forgiveness and live at peace with others, considering them more important than ourselves. Difficult? Yes, but not impossible. And the rewards are peace within and without. As we walk closely with the Peacemaker, we will be enabled to be at peace with all men. 2