Peace in a Broken World – Another fruit of the Spirit
“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.” Ephesians 2:14-18
How do we define peace? Peace can be personal, like trying to calm our minds with mindfulness meditation or playing sounds of rain or ocean waves to help us fall asleep. It can include the peace with our family and community as we workout differences in a constructive way. It includes the peace of countries and nations in the countless negotiations and treaties throughout history that are bartered, written but many are eventually broken. So what is the peace that Paul is proclaiming in this letter to the Ephesians and that is also a fruit of the Spirit included in Galatians 5:22?
The Ephesians were in a hostile world that was controlled by the powerful Roman Empire. They were ostracized from the “chosen” people of Jewish faith because they were Gentiles. There is extreme separation of these groups of folks in this broken world, not unlike what we have had throughout time. But they had become Gentiles lthat had accepted the saving grace of Christ Jesus and received His peace. The barrier that had separated the two groups was broken as proclaimed in verse 14. The peace that we as believers receive is not in a program or set of 10 steps to achieve, but is in a person, Jesus Christ. Jesus establishes peace and preached peace to those near and far away, so that all that come to the faith have this peace.
With all the wealth and advantages of this great nation of ours, we still have so much evil that disturbs our peace, individually and in our community and across the nation. The one way to true peace is by the way that Jesus gives us. “Peace I leave you, My peace I give you, not as the world gives, do I give you. So let not your heart be troubled,and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
What is the foundation or bedrock of this fruit of Peace? We have received the Word of the gospel and made a commitment (one way or the other) in our hearts and minds. That commitment, like so many we make in our lives, depends on Trust. We can believe in the firm foundation that Spurgeon describes….we must “trust in God whose power is inexhaustible, whose love is unbreakable, whose kindness is unchangeable, whose faithfulness is unfailingly, whose wisdom is unfathomable, and whose goodness is impregnable.”
“So let us rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances.”
1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 For the peace that we enjoy as believers in Christ was bought at a great cost. This true peace is because our Jesus was sacrificed for us and it has been purchased with His blood that shed on the cross. As Alistair Begg sums it up “It is our peace with God which allows us to experience the peace of God, which allows us to have this peace with one another. Let is show this peace in our changed hearts and minds to our family and to our community and let it spread in this nation and beyond. Let the peace we receive from our trust in our Lord be fully displayed. Hopefully if enough folks around the globe receive this peace from Christ, then it will heal the brokenness in this world. Amen
Here are a couple songs; https://youtu.be/bgL1v8FZaNM