Paul's letter to the Ephesians.
You may remember last year's love candle,
! Pop quiz. Who preached it?
! It was Jake. I looked it up.
!
This morning, but it is a part two for Jake.
So, this is the peace candle.
And if I were to title this message, it would be this.
Christ is peace.
Christ makes peace.
Christ proclaims peace.
That's our structure.
So, if you're taking notes, that's the three points of the body of this message.
Christ is peace.
Christ makes peace.
Christ proclaims peace.
So, before we get there, what is peace?
What do you think of when you think of peace?
You may think of world events, wars.
You may think of the Big C Church, Universal Church, and peace within it.
Or maybe the local church.
Or maybe your family.
Or maybe inside your marriage and your children.
You think of desiring to have a peaceful home, maybe.
Maybe you think of the reason we long for peace,
and that is because of sin.
You may think of peace and sin.
It's the reason we all long for peace, whether we know it or not.
All these are important and necessary.
I don't want to say they're not.
But I think there are two categories that would help us think
that the text really brings out here of peace.
There's two types.
I'm going to call them horizontal peace and vertical peace.
Horizontal peace could be worldly peace,
not worldly in a negative sense,
but in a sense that our relationships to one another would be horizontal.
It's horizontal peace, having peace with one another.
But the second one,
and it's more of a biblical sense of peace,
I'm going to call vertical peace.
It's our vertical relationship with us as a creation,
with our creator.
That's our vertical peace,
or heavenly peace, maybe.
And here's one of my points here.
One cannot rightly understand horizontal peace with one another
unless we understand vertical peace between us and God.
And so with worldly peace,
let's take those two in turn.
With worldly peace or horizontal peace,
it's maybe an absence of war,
absence of strife,
absence of conflict,
spouses or your children.
It's concerned with peace only between others,
and that's why I say horizontal.
And at the center of this is man.
It's not negative.
It just is one aspect of two.
And I think we naturally only emphasize this horizontal peace.
So in this way,
we often, oftentimes,
it's the offender who initiates the process of reconciliation
with the offended.
Meaning, so let's take your children, for example.
So one child offends another.
No peace.
It is out.
It's out absolute war in your house between these two children.
And you encourage them to,
the one who offended,
you talk to them and they,
you encourage them to initiate the process
of reconciling with their sibling,
who was the offended.
But we will come back to this at the end.
And this is actually not how God has dealt with us.
Even though that is good and necessary for horizontal peace,
it's different for vertical peace,
as our text and whole Bible teaches.
So before we get to that,
pray with me.
Father, I ask that you would help me during this time
to have clear words
that everyone here would hear your word and your truth
and not my words.
Help the gospel be clear.
Help our concept of peace to be more of what you desire
and what you have done
more than what we do.
Help us to keep our eyes on you,
especially during this season,
that we can look and see true peace with you
through your son.
Amen.
So let's do a little biblical theology of peace here.
So heavenly peace.
Here at the Old Testament,
it teaches that if we were to divide the Old Testament
into two parts,
it would be law and prophets.
Law, a means of making peace with God,
was through sacrifice.
Through sacrificial law,
it was a means of making peace with God.
God established that through the first five books
of the Old Testament.
And it was how to make peace with God.
But astute Bible readers would know
that Israel, once given to the law,
never had actual peace.
If you read, you read through kings,
like judges and kings.
It is an absolute wreck
of what the law meant for it to be,
to bring peace before God and his people.
So the prophets make this clear.
There is a change in language
that makes what was concealed in the law
made it a little more clear in the prophets,
in which the New Testament will make completely clear
through Christ.
But the prophets,
there's a need for a redeemer
who emerges,
who emerges this figure,
who will embody peace
and bring it to his people.
This person will embody peace himself
and bring it to his people.
So we actually already,
we're going to talk about two texts here
and we already read together,
which is perfect,
Isaiah 9, 6 and 7,
but listen to it as I read.
Isaiah 9, 6 and 7.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government shall be upon his shoulder
and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government
and of peace,
there will be no end
on the throne of David
and over his kingdom
to establish it
and to uphold it
with justice
and with righteousness
from this time forth
and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts
will do this.
One more we'll look at
is Haggai 2, 9.
Haggai 2, 9 says,
the later glory of this house
shall be greater than the former,
says the Lord of hosts.
And in this place,
I will give peace,
declares the Lord of hosts.
So this all is driving
at the opening of the New Testament.
So the Christmas story.
So if you,
in Luke chapter 1,
2,
in Zechariah's prophecy,
at the very end of Zechariah's prophecy,
says,
to give light to those
who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet
into the way of peace.
Harking back to the Old Testament prophecy
that we just read.
Luke 2,
this is the angels
to the shepherds.
And you all know this.
Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace
among those with whom
he is pleased.
On earth peace.
And later,
Peter in Acts,
preaching on the conversion
of the Gentiles
in Acts chapter 10,
Peter says,
as for the word
that he sent to Israel,
preaching good news
of peace
through Jesus Christ.
He is Lord of all.
Making it clear
that this peace on earth
comes through one man
and that man is Christ.
Now,
this earthly,
or this heavenly,
this vertical peace
is concerned with,
like I said,
creator and his creation.
That's why I say vertical.
And at the center of this
is God.
It is Christ.
One cannot rightly understand
horizontal peace
unless we understand
the vertical peace
displayed through Christ's
sacrificial death
on the cross.
So,
for that long intro,
please turn with me
or look down
in your copy of God's word
to Paul
writing to
the church of Ephesus
in chapter 2.
And I will read
11 and 12,
but our main text
will be 13 through 18.
So,
verse 11.
Therefore,
remember that at one time,
or we could say formerly,
you were Gentiles
in the flesh,
called the uncircumcision
by what is called
the circumcision,
which is made
in the flesh by hands.
Remember
that you were
at that time
separated from Christ,
alienated from
the commonwealth
of Israel
and strangers
to the covenants
of promise,
having no hope
and without God
in the world.
And here's our text.
But now,
but now in Christ Jesus,
you who were,
once were,
we could say formerly,
far off,
have been brought near
by the blood
of Christ.
For he himself
is our peace,
who has made us
both one
and has broken down
in his flesh
the dividing wall
of hostility.
By abolishing
the law of commandments
expressed in ordinances,
that he might create
in himself
one new man
in place of the two,
so making peace,
and might reconcile
us both to God
in one body
through the cross,
thereby killing
the hostility.
And he came
and preached peace
to you
who were far off,
and peace
to those
who were near.
For through him
we both
have access
in one spirit
to the Father.
Before we jump in
too deeply,
let's look at this
from above.
So if we're thinking
about structure
and how Paul
is structuring
his argument,
it would help us
to understand
his message
more deeply.
So if you've ever
been,
if you're a guy
and been to our
Sunday evening
times of prayer,
we have a Bible study.
I always ask
two questions
of a text,
and are there
any repeated words,
and are there
any contrasts?
And it helps us
to look at a text
more deeply.
So if we ask,
what are the contrasts?
Paul loves
his contrasting.
There are many.
So just,
I'm going to list off
some that you may
have already
picked up on.
There's the far off
to the near.
There's the peace
to the hostility.
There's both
into one.
And then there's
one new man,
and we could say
two men.
And there's
reconcile,
and there's
the cross.
All these contrasts
helps us understand
the structure here.
Are there any
repeated words?
Do you see
any repeated words?
There's actually
a couple.
Only,
I'll just point out
two here.
There are three.
There's actually,
before we deep dive
into the repeated words,
there's a Trinitarian
formula here.
I wonder if you
caught it here.
The Trinity
is clear
in this text,
actually,
if we think about
are there any
repeated words.
So the repeated word
I'm going to
give your attention
to is both
in one.
That both
in one
is repeated
three times
in connection
with one person
of the Trinity.
So both
in one.
So if you look
at verse 14,
it's the Son.
So verse 14,
He Himself
is our peace.
He has made
us both
one
and has broken
down in His flesh
the dividing wall
of hostility.
Who is He Himself?
Who has made?
It is Christ,
the Son.
In verse 16,
it's the Father.
Notice,
He might reconcile us
both to God
in one body.
Who?
God.
To God.
And then
the Holy Spirit
in verse 18,
at the very last.
For through Him
we both
have access
in one Spirit
to the Father.
In one Spirit,
the Holy Spirit.
There's a Trinitarian
shape to this text
as well.
Other words
repeated?
Obviously,
there's peace.
So,
Christ is our peace
in 14.
Christ made peace
in 15.
17,
Christ proclaimed
peace.
So I'm going to say
at the center of this
is the last part
of verse 15.
So making peace.
peace.
So,
there are two,
for our structure,
if the center
is so making peace,
if there's three times
He's using the word peace,
I'm going to take
so making peace
the middle.
The first
and the last part,
I hope you probably
thought about this,
it's mirrored image.
The first
corresponds to the last
and vice versa.
And it's
based on
the far
and near
imagery.
So,
verse 13,
you who once
were far off
have been brought
near.
That's verse 13
in the beginning.
But,
last,
verse 17,
you who were
far off,
you were
near.
They're mirrored.
And so,
in the middle
is making peace.
Christ
making peace.
And the far
is being brought
near.
And that's
what,
that's the connection.
Christ
is peace.
Christ
makes peace.
Christ
proclaims
peace.
So,
for our first point,
verses 13
and 14,
Christ
is
peace.
So,
look with me,
verse 13.
But,
now,
in Christ
Jesus,
you
once,
we'd say
formerly,
were far off,
have been brought
or moved
near
by the blood
of Christ.
Those who
are far
away,
that is
another word
for saying
Gentiles.
Gentiles,
and we can see
that in verse 11
above,
that we just read.
Those who are
far away,
but have been
brought near,
this figurative
moving,
brought near
by the blood
of Christ.
Now,
if we think
about the Gentiles
and those
who are far
away,
being moved
near,
this is already
pointing to,
after our text,
in verse 19,
this,
using the temple
language for the
people of God,
from 19 to the
end of the chapter.
And,
if you think,
what is the temple?
The temple is
where God
dwells.
God dwells
with his people
in the temple.
And,
Paul is
referencing
that relationship
from the far
away
to the near,
because what's
nearest is
God dwelling
with his people.
And,
that's why he uses
the temple
language
after our text,
from 19 to the
end of the
chapter.
And,
to make it clear
how this happens,
Paul writes,
by the blood
of Christ.
It's the means
by which
those who are
far off,
have been
brought near.
It's the means
by which,
far off to near
by the blood
of Christ.
Verse 14,
for he himself
is our
peace,
who has made
us both
one,
and has broken
down in his
flesh the dividing
wall of
hostility.
That last part,
and has broken
down in his flesh
the dividing
wall of hostility.
If we were
going to be a
little more
literalistic,
we could render
it something
like,
and destroy
the fence
or barrier
that divides.
That is,
the hostility
in his
flesh.
So,
when we see,
for he himself
is our peace,
Christ himself
is our peace.
When you see
is in scripture,
you can put
an equal sign.
So,
peace equals
Christ.
That is the
vertical peace.
And this
is the first
of the two
into one
concept of
the Trinitarian
formula.
Who is making
both into one?
Christ,
the Son.
Which,
this formula,
if you are
astute,
you will know
he does it
twice for the
Son.
Only once for
the Father,
once for the
Holy Spirit.
But who is
both?
Who is the
two?
Who is the,
we could say
it is both
groups.
It is Gentiles
and Israel.
Two groups.
Gentiles and
Israel.
We can see
this in verse
11 with
Gentiles,
verse 12
with Israel.
It is not
as if Gentiles
are against
Israel,
or Israel
is against
Gentiles.
It is not
that.
They are not
opposed to
each other.
What he is
bringing together
is it is not
against each
other,
but both
have been
hostile to
God.
They have
the same
problem.
That is the
connection between
the two
groups,
but into
one,
and there is
one solution
to their
problem.
They have a
sin problem,
both,
but now
there is
one solution.
And thus,
the two
becoming one
by the
blood of
Christ.
Both groups
into one
by the
blood of
Christ.
And hostility,
it is not
with those
two groups,
it is with
God,
the vertical.
So,
Christ is
peace,
Christ makes
peace.
Journal of
me,
15,
verse 15,
Christ makes
peace.
By abolishing
the law of
commandments
expressed in
ordinances,
that he might
create in
himself one
new man in
place of the
two,
so making
peace.
So making
peace.
This is the
center of
the text
here.
This
abolishing
word we
should pause
on.
It could
be something
like nullifying,
but it's
also using
up,
invalidating,
setting aside,
setting free.
There's a lot
of nuance
here, but
abolishing,
nullifying.
I don't want
you to get
this confused
with in
Matthew chapter
five when
Jesus says,
do not think
that I have
come to
abolish the
law of the
prophets,
but to
fulfill them.
That's a
different word.
So that's
why I
probably think
that nullifying
is a better
word there,
but think of
that.
Also,
with
expressed in
ordinances,
it's decrees,
or this is
where we get
our word for
dogma,
or for
doctrine,
dogma,
doctrine,
that's where
we get our
word.
It's a
formulized set
of rules,
and Paul
probably is
thinking,
so should
we,
from Romans
7,
4,
this is
similar,
maybe give
light to
this,
what he
means here.
Romans 7,
4,
it reads,
you also
have died
to the
law through
the body
of Christ,
so that
you may
belong to
another,
to him
who has
been raised
from the
dead,
in order
that we
may bear
fruit for
God.
I think
he's
having
those
same
points
here.
Notice
two men
into
one
new
man.
Verse
16,
and might
reconcile
us both
to God
in one
body
through
the
cross,
thereby
killing
the
hostility.
You could
say,
and might
reconcile
us both
together
into one
body
to God
through
the
cross,
putting
to death
the
enmity
through
it.
A little
more
literalistic
there.
This is
a second
Trinitarian
formula
here,
God the
Father
here,
two
into
one.
And
this is
the means
by the
cross,
in him,
through
the cross
is the
means by
which there
is vertical
peace.
He's
hammering
it over
and over
again.
And this
is the
purpose,
the killing
of the
hostility.
Notice
the hostility
is
the first
part of
that verse
is reconcile
us both
and thereby
killing the
hostility.
The answer
to the
hostility
is the
reconciling.
And he
moves on.
So Christ
is peace,
Christ
makes
peace,
Christ
proclaims
peace.
Verse 17,
read with me.
And he
came and
preached
peace.
He
proclaimed
peace to
you who
were far
off and
peace to
those who
were near.
Notice
there is a
Christmas text
here.
It is the
incarnation.
He came,
he came,
he preached
peace.
So Christ
came,
it's the
incarnation.
He took
on flesh
and dwelt
among us.
It should
be resonating
in your
mind here.
Christ's
death is
above,
we just
read,
so it's
Christ's
death,
Christ's
birth here,
and Christ's
message of
preaching
peace.
It's as if
Paul is
writing his
entire,
Jesus'
entire story
here in
these words.
He died,
he came,
he preached
peace.
And this
is a
call to
preach this
good news.
Don't let
this slip
by here.
Especially
during this
season,
this
incarnation,
thinking about
the incarnation,
this is the
Christmas season
that we
especially
remember
Christ and
his coming
into the
world on
our behalf
and looking
to his
cross.
He came,
but also,
look,
and he
came and
preached
peace.
Don't let
the proclaiming
peace slip
by.
During this
season
especially,
if you're
in Christ,
I encourage
you to pray
for opportunities
for this,
for speaking
this truth
of peace
by the
blood of
the cross,
by the
blood of
Christ,
to speak
this truth
and love
with all
the many
random
family members
and friends
you will
see in
the next
couple of
days.
Pray for
specific
opportunities.
That's a
dangerous
prayer,
but I
encourage you
to ask
the Lord
for specific
opportunities
for those
who do
not know
this
peace.
And we
can have
confidence
in going
to these
family and
friends that
may be
hostile to
this message.
we can
have
confidence
only rooted
in Christ
because in
Christ he
has gone
before us
and proclaimed
this truth
himself.
And all
we need
to do
is point
to Christ.
It is
the evangelistic
message to
proclaim this
peace,
this true
vertical peace
through the
blood of
Christ.
And I
encourage you
to pray
specific
prayers during
this season
for that.
So last
verse,
verse 18
here.
For
through him
we both
together
have access
in one
spirit
to the
Father.
This is the
third and
final Trinitarian
formula,
the Spirit,
the Holy
Spirit.
And here
the center
of this
verse is
access.
The result
of Christ's
work.
is our
access.
And that,
I pray,
would give
you joy.
Only
through one
man can
we have
access to
the Father
in one
spirit.
And that
is the
man,
Christ,
Jesus.
So in
conclusion,
if we go
back and
think about
our worldly
peace,
our general
definition,
if we go
back and
think about
your two
children being
at war
together.
But the
worldly
peace,
or the
horizontal,
typically is
that the
offender
initiates the
process of
reconciliation
with the
offended.
But as we
have seen,
biblical or
vertical or
heavenly peace,
it's different.
The gospel
turns that
upside down.
the offended
initiates the
process of
reconciliation
with the
offenders.
It flips the
definition.
It is not
humans who
approach God
to make
peace,
but God
does.
The one who
is offended
initiates that
process of
reconciliation.
God initiates
the process of
reconciliation with
us through the
blood of
Christ.
Now, do
you believe
this?
Do you just
know this?
Or do you
truly believe
and trust in
the Lord in
this?
Because this
is what's
easier is to
have a worldly
peace, the
horizontal peace.
It's much more
difficult to
believe and
apply to your
life.
hope that
the offended
one initiates
the process of
reconciliation.
That goes to
the heart of
our pride,
because we
want to do
something.
We want to
be the hero.
Does this
give you
dread?
Or does
this give you
joy that
you can look
to Christ and
see that God
has initiated
reconciliation
for your
sin?
Does that
give you
joy?
I hope it
does.
I hope that
you see this
as a beautiful
truth that
you can
proclaim.
If you
don't, I
encourage you
to turn to
the Lord who
extends this
peace to
you through
his Son.
I pray that
you would
read this,
you would be
confused by it,
drawn to it,
that you
would turn
and go to
him with
this truth.
But if you
do, if you
do know this
true to be
true, I
pray that the
Lord would
give you
peace in
this life
while remembering
the ultimate
peace accomplished
through Christ,
God's Son.
I pray that
the Lord would
give us
wisdom and
courage to
proclaim this
peace to
those who
do not
yet know
or who
have hardened
hearts.
Pray those
specific prayers
this week.
Christ is
peace.
Christ
makes peace.
Christ
proclaims
peace.
I'll have
Paul have
the last
word.
Look with
me.
verse 19
at the
end of
our text.
So then,
you are
no longer,
you are no
longer
strangers and
aliens,
but you are
fellow citizens
with the
saints and
members of
the household
of God.
Pray with
me.
God
to
God
to
God
to
God
to
God
!