July 19, 1998 - LESSON: Ephesians 2:13-19, NRSV

SERMON TITLE: Peace

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INTRODUCTION:

  1. Consider the following passages:

[34] "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. [35] For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; [36] and one's foes will be members of one's own household," (Matthew 10:34-36, NRSV).

[33] I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!" (John 16:33, NRSV)

[27] "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid," (John 14:27, NRSV).

[17] So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; [18] for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father (Ephesians 2:17-18 NRSV).

  1. What is going on here?
    1. Do we have contradictory statements?
    2. How may we understand what Jesus is talking about?

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  2. We are a people who deeply desire peace.
    1. We have built huge stockpiles of weapons in an attempt to secure peace with the other nations of the world.
    2. We pass more and more laws to ensure domestic tranquility.
      1. Legislation to require married coupled\s to counsel with the pastor who officiated at their wedding.
      2. Stiffer penalties.
    3. Peace eludes us.
  3. How are we to achieve peace.

MAIN BODY:

  1. We have two choices
    1. We can seek peace through power, legislation or penalities.
    2. We can seek the peace which God offers us.
  2. It is important for us to define peace.
    1. Peace is "eirene", i-ray'-nay; prob. from a prim. verb eiro (to join); peace (lit. or fig.); by impl. prosperity:--one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again.
      1. Quietness
      2. Rest
      3. Set at one again.

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  3. There are several ways in which we may have peace.
    1. We may have peace with God.
      1. Perhaps it should be asked what God.
        1. Each of us have differing views of God.
          1. When we spoke of this, a resident of Linden Ridge said that she had a difficult time with the God of the Old Testament.
          2. I suggested to her that the God of the Old Testament and the Christ of the New Testament was the same person
            1. This recognizes the role of the Trinity.
            2. The problem is not with God.
            3. The difficulty was the people's view of God.
            4. Isaiah 9:2 (NRSV) The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness--on them light has shined.
          3. The problem we have in understanding God a human problem.
            1. John 1:1-11 (NRSV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God. (3) All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being (4) in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. (5) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (6) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. (7) He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. (8) He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. (9) The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. (10) He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. (11) He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.

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            2. The world did not know.
            3. Even Jesus' disciples had a difficult time knowing.
            4. They had to overcome their existing world-view and ignorance.
          4. If we come to know, we may have peace with God
          5. But only if it is the God of Jesus Christ.
    2. We may have peace with the world.
      1. The world is a troublesome place.
      2. In the world we will have tribulation.
      3. Christ has overcome the world.
      4. This is the example for us.
      5. How did Jesus overcome the world.
        1. Not by conforming to it.
        2. He lived with it, recognizing it for what it was and is.
    3. We may have peace with one another.
      1. We will have conflict.
      2. If love is strong, then love can help us deal with our differences.
        1. We will not let our positions on socials or political issues divide us.
        2. We have more in common than we have differences.
    4. We may have peace internally
      1. Linus is standing observing a heart drawn on the boards of a fence.
        1. One side is white, the other is dark.
        2. He can feel them fighting with each other.

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      2. Paul writes in Romans:
        1. (Romans 7:15-24 NRSV) I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. [16] Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. [17] But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. [18] For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. [19] For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. [20] Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. [21] So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. [22] For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, [23] but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. [24] Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
      3. Peace comes when we can accept ourselves, warts and all.
      4. Peace comes when we accept responsibility for ourselves, right or wrong.
      5. Peace comes when we seek to integrate all the parts of life into wholeness.

CONCLUSION:

  1. We can be people of peace.
    1. The knowledge that we need is available.
    2. It is the application which gives us trouble.
  2. Apply what God has provided, and in love, there is peace.

Ephesians 2:13-16, NRSV: [13] But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. [14] For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. [15] He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, [16] and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.

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