THE LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVER

D. REMEMBER WHAT LIFE IS LIKE SINCE JESUS CAME: RECONCILIATION & PEACE

-- { Ephesians 2:11-18 }  ¹¹ So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called ‘the uncircumcision’ by those who are called ‘the circumcision’ —a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— ¹² remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 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. 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. -- NRSV

Breath Prayer For The Week (A "breath prayer" is a brief sentence or simple phrase that can be repeated often to Jesus in one breath.)

Jesus, give me peace in You.

Dear Friend, grace and peace be unto you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ.  Amen.

For the last two weeks we have looked at God’s mercy and grace.  That mercy and grace has saved us and transformed us.  In this part of Paul’s letter he focuses on what that transformation is like – what life is like since Jesus came.  It is a life of reconciliation and peace.  

First, we are far off and separated from God (2:11-13)  “Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called ‘uncircumcised’ by those who call themselves ‘the circumcision’ (that done in the body by the hands of men) – remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”

Paul is referring here to Gentiles or non-Jews.  There was a time when all of us who are Gentiles were “far away” and separated from God.  Six things kept us from God.

1. We were kept from God by the Jews.  They had forgotten their mission to share God with the rest of the world.  They had become their own exclusive group.  Something we tend to do ourselves.

2. We were without Jesus and had no understanding of God’s love of us.

3. We were not citizens of God’s people.

4. We were strangers to God’s covenant and promises.

5. We were “without hope” of a life after this one.

6. We were “without God in the world.”  We stood alone in the world.  We had many “gods” but no God that was true.

Second, Christ brings us near to God (2:13)  “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”

Paul shares a forceful contrast here – “But now…”  Christ Jesus has come and had a great impact on our relationship with God.  He has come to bring us near to God.  He accomplished this through His shed blood on the cross.  Why was it necessary for Jesus to die in order to bring us near to God?  

1. Because humankind was estranged from God.  He had rejected and rebelled against God.  Evil and sin were rampant.  Things were getting out of hand.  It was clear that humankind was not going to be able to please God or reestablish a relationship with Him.  God would have to do something drastic to make that happen.

2. Because God wanted to show just how much He loves the world.  As Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)  God has gone much farther than just giving His life for His friends, however.  We were not His friends but His enemies.  Therefore, Jesus died for humankind which was ungodly, sinful and enemies of God.  That is love!

Third, Christ brings us peace (2:14-15)  “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.  His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace,…”

Paul makes clear here that Jesus Himself is our peace.

1. Jesus brings peace by bringing humankind – Jews and Gentiles – together as one.

   1. All persons can now approach God through Jesus.

   2. All persons come to a common love and purpose and work through Jesus.

2. Jesus brings peace by breaking down all barriers.  This is a picture taken from the Temple.  The Temple was surrounded by a series of courts.  Each court had a high wall separating it from the preceding court.  As one approached the Temple, he entered first of all the outer Court of the Gentiles.  This is where the buying and selling of animals and the exchanging of money for foreign worshippers took place.  Then there was the Court of the Women.  A Jewish woman was limited to this court unless she had come to make a sacrifice.  The next court was the Court of the Israelites for the men.  This is where the whole congregation gathered on the great feast days and where sacrifices were handed over to the priests.  The Court of the Priests was next.  This was in the Temple itself.  Finally, within the heart of the Temple stood the Holy of Holies where the very presence of God was to dwell.  Only the High Priest could enter the Holy Place, and only once a year at the Passover.

Therefore, Paul is referring to these partitions that separated God’s created people.  Warnings hung around the walls of the Gentile Court announcing that if any Gentile walked into any other court, he was to be put to death.  The picture Paul paints is that Jesus has now broken down all of these barriers and walls that separated people from one another and from God.  All persons can now approach God through the death of Jesus, the final sacrifice.  

3. Jesus brings peace by wiping out the guilt of the law against us.  Humankind’s inability to obey the law made us guilty of sin.  Jesus came and lived the law perfectly for us.  Thus, we live with a peace knowing that it is not what we do that is important but what Jesus has done.

4. Jesus brings peace by creating a new creation – a humankind in which He dwells.  Our Baptism and faith give us a new birth from above.  God the Holy Spirit now dwells within us.  That brings us the greatest peace that passes all understanding.

Fourth, Christ brings us reconciliation (2:16-17)  “…and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.  He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.”

The word “reconcile” (apokatallasso) means to change, to change thoroughly, to exchange, to change from enmity to friendship, to bring together, to restore.  The idea is that two persons make up after a disagreement.

Five points need to be noted about reconciliation.

1. The thing that broke the relationship between God and humankind was sin.  Sin can never be said to be a friend of God.

2. The way humankind is reconciled to God is by the death of His Son, Jesus.  This is all that God will accept.

3. God is the One who reconciles, not humankind.  He takes the initiative in sending Jesus.

4. All humankind can be reconciled to one another also.  Reconciliation with God leads to reconciliation with one another.

5. Humankind learns about reconciliation by the teaching of Jesus.  He was the first preacher of this message that we now share with the world.

Fifth, Christ brings us access to God (2:18)  “For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.”

The word “access” (prosagoge) means to bring to, to move to, to introduce, to present.  The thought is that of being in a royal court and being presented and introduced to the King of kings.  Jesus, the Christ, is the One who throws open the door into God’s presence, introducing us.

Then it is the Holy Spirit Who escorts us into God’s presence.  The idea is that of daily access – hour by hour, moment by moment.  The Holy Spirit keeps us in the presence of God.  

The Holy Spirit gives us permanent access to God, works in us and moves us into God’s presence, is our constant companion and teacher, and bears witness in our spirit and mind that we are children of God.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your everlasting love in Jesus that has brought us reconciliation with You and one another, and a peace that passes all understanding.