TRUE PEACE

 

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 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, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

 

1.      In Vs 14, For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.  Paul in this portion is revealing one main theme and that is Jesus Himself is our peace.  Jesus gives peace that the world cannot give or take away.  Peace is the absence of personal conflict, war or strife in the heart.  In the Bible it is taking action to restore a broken situation, a state of wholeness or completeness and it is fruit of the Spirit. 

 

a.      Paul reveals there were two groups in the world.  There were the Jews and the Gentiles.  The covenant people and the people who were not.  The saved and the unsaved.  There was a barrier, wall, impasse between both groups.  The dividing wall between the two groups created hostility, prejudice and warfare.  That still happens today.  If the Bible was bedtime stories, a myth or legend why it is banned in 52 countries.  There are 50 countries where Christians are actively persecuted. 

b.      Jesus Christ is the bridge over troubled waters.  The gate to eternal life.  He is the peacemaker between two opposing camps.  Jesus became the bridge between ourselves and God.  His death, burial and resurrection made this happened.  His broken body and shed blood accomplished this.  In Paul’s days the Jews were the chosen people.  They were the carriers of truth.  Jesus had come from them.  To them only through Judaism could people come to God.  Jesus destroyed the wall, partition, fence and barrier.  He was and is the peacemaker.  Jesus restored a broken situation.  He made us complete and whole and He is the fruit of divine intervention.

 

2.       In vs 15, 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.  Paul states that through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.  Jesus created a new humanity.  Through His broken body and shed blood the law with its commands and regulations were done away.  The old covenant ended at the cross.  When Jesus said, “It is finished,’ the old Testament ended.  When He died a new covenant began. 

 

a.      This next statement is so revolutionary.  Jesus created a new humanity in Himself.  The old has passed away all are becoming new.  He made one flesh out of two.  What the law could not do Jesus did.  This statement of course was a complete surprise to the law keepers.  You did not need circumcision, sacrifices, law or priest any longer. 

b.      There was no longer need for hostility.  Jesus made peace.  The two were now one.  They were the chosen generation, holy nation, royal priest hood  and particular people.  Jesus made us unique in the world.  There is no organism like the church.  We have one head but many parts and each part does its function nothing and no one can stop us.  I want you to know that God has a plan for your life today.  You are special.  There is no one like you.  No one can love, heal and touch others for good like you.  Jesus is the complete one who makes us whole and is the giver of the fruit of the Spirit. 

 

3.      In vs 16, Paul says, 16, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.  This is one of the benefits of the cross.  Both groups the Jews and the Gentiles were reconciled to God.  Reconcile means to restore friendly relationships, to cause coexistence and harmony and to create consistency.  This was done on the cross.  Jesus’ broken body brought healing and His blood brought salvation, redemption and forgiveness. 

 

a.      All hostility and war were put to death on the cross.  God is no longer our enemy neither is anyone else.  God’s love accomplished in one act what thousands of years of manmade efforts could not.  God love has healed us  and as we love Him with every fiber of our being and we love others made in the image of God.  We are His channels of love, acceptance and forgiveness.

b.      At the cross Jesus took our place, He took our curse, He clothed us with righteousness and He created a way to the Father, heaven and eternal life.  He gave us eternal and abundant life.  At the cross He gave us light and our burdens rolled away.  He gave us sight, hearing and truth. 

c.      He destroyed every reason, excuse and justification for hostility between God, man and each other.  He created an eternal peace treaty.  One that cannot be broken or rescinded.  A perfect example is Rahab of Jericho fame.  Jewish tradition says that Salmon was one of the two spies Rahab saved.  He was the one who got her at the order of Joshua.  He then married her and she was the mother of Boaz of Ruth fame.  That is why he was not opposed to marry Ruth.

 

4.      In Vs 17, Paul says, He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.  There are many results or benefits of Jesus’ passion.  Paul says that He came to bring peace to those that were far away which is the Gentiles or us.  He took action.  He made us whole and complete.  We are the fruit of His labor.  Jesus also brought peace to those near which were the Jews.  Can you imagine the Jewish believers in the crowd as this letter was being read?  There was a gasp, a what, a wait a minute and what are you talking about Paul moment.   Jesus our peacemaker had accomplished what no other person could.  One of the beatitudes said “Blessed are the peacemaker for they shall be called the sons of God.”  The Son of God blazed the way.  Because of the Son who sets the captive free and brings peace to warring camps we can as well.  That is why Paul says we have been given the ministry of reconciliation.  Jesus came and preached peace and so will we.  The reality is we bring Jesus to our world we give people an opportunity to find the Prince of Peace.

 

5.      In vs 18, Paul says, “For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.”   We have through Jesus Christ access to the Father.  The writer of Hebrews tells us that this gives us mercy, grace and help in our time of need.  We also have been given the Holy Spirit who is our seal and our guarantee to all the benefits of heaven.  God has made all of us one.  We have been given eternal and abundant life together.   All mankind has access to God through Jesus Christ.  The gospel is universal in its scope and application.  People from every race, creed, color, tribe, nation, region and language can come to Christ.  All walls of prejudice, bias, hostility and shame have been broken down.  You just have to believe in your heart and confess with your mouth.  The Holy Spirit draws, convinces, regenerates and transforms us.  He then fills us with gifts, anointing, power, authority and fruit.  All because of the Prince of Peace.  He is the one who took action, made us whole and complete and through the indwelling Holy Spirit gives us the fruit of peace based on the foundation of God’s love.  What a wonderful Savior, Prince of Peace, King of Kings and Lord of Lord.  He gives us peace and today let us be like Paul when he said in 1 Cor 11:23, “That which I have I give unto you.”  Close with man who was filled with demons who came to worship Jesus and after Jesus healed Him He was clothed and in His right mind.