Jesus Our Peace

Jesus Our Peace

Ephesians 2:11-18

Main Idea: ​​​​Jesus has made peace in the church through the cross, reconciling us to God and to one another.

I. A Hopeless Past (2:11-12)

The “once… but now” pattern of 2:1-10 is mirrored in this section, moving from individual salvation to the corporate nature of the church. Paul reminds the Gentile believers of their spiritual biography, begining with their life before Christ, and the deep division that existed between Jews & Gentiles. 

The Gentiles had 5 spiritual disadvantages compared to Jewish believers (2:12):

  • Separated from Christ (and the expectations of a ‘Messiah’) 

  • Alienated from Israel

  • Strangers to the Covenants

Romans 9:4-5: They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever.

  • Hopeless

  • Godless (cf. Eph. 4:18)

Paul is drawing a connection between our worship and our hope; though the Gentiles worshiped many gods and placed their hope in many things, they did not know the true God, which ultimately left them hopeless.

“Why does Paul tell us twice to “remember?” There can be only one answer: we too easily forget. Either because we do not want to face the pain of what we were, or because our pride tempts us to erase the shame of what we were, or because we do not want to confess that we are no better than those we judge… We forget the grace that God designed to bind our hearts to his truths and to the hearts of others also claimed by his grace. It is too easy to forget, too easy to be proud of our differences, too easy to embrace our prejudices, too easy to nurse our offenses — and so the apostle says, ‘Remember.’” ~ Bryan Chapell

II. A Reconciled Present (2:13-18)

“But now” Christ has brought near the Gentiles who were “far off” through the shedding of his own blood. Jesus himself is our peace (2:14), who is reconciling & setting all things right, beginning in the church. This peace is only accomplished through the violent and hostile act of crucifixion (cf. Col. 1:20).

Paul explains how Jesus himself is our peace and how he has accomplished reconciliation in 4 ways. Christ has:

1. Broke down the dividing wall of hostility (2:14b)

There was a literal wall in the temple in Jerusalem at the “Court of the Gentiles” that barred them access to the inner areas. There was a sign posted threatening death for any Gentiles who dared cross this wall. Because of the crucifixion of Christ, the dividing wall is broken down and stripped of its power. 

2. Abolished the law of commandments (2:15a)

“Jesus abolished both the regulations of the ceremonial law and the condemnation of the moral law. Both were divisive. Both were put aside by the cross.” ~ John Stott

3. Created in himself one new humanity (2:15b)

In the body of Christ, God is creating a new humanity (Gentiles are not becoming Jews, nor are Jews becoming Gentiles). This “oneness” in the church is precisely what Jesus prayed for (John 17:22-23) and is not “sameness” (cf. Gal. 3:28, Col. 3:11). 

4. Reconciled both Jews & Gentiles to God (2:16-18)

The ground is level at the foot of the cross between Jews (those “who were near”) & Gentiles (those “who were far off”), who both need reconciliation with God. The “double reconciliation” that takes place at the cross of Christ kills the hostility, gives us access to the life of God, and brings us peace. 

“Our community with one another consists solely in what Christ has done to both of us... I have community with others and I shall continue to have it only through Jesus Christ. The more genuine and the deeper our community becomes, the more will everything else between us recede, the more clearly and purely will Jesus Christ and his work become the one and only thing that is vital between us. We have one another only through Christ, but through Christ we do have one another, wholly, for eternity.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Implications of this reconciliation we have in Christ for the church:

  1. We should lament when division, exclusion, and walls remain in place in the church.

  2. We should listen and pursue meaningful conversations.

  3. We should declare and display the gospel of peace to a broken and hostile world.

Ephesians 3:10: “… that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”

Prayer of Lament
(Prayer from Isaac Adams in the book "Weep With Me")

Pastor: Father it often seems like we’re far from that Revelation vision where every tribe is united around your throne. Instead, it feels like we’re at Babel: we’re together, but we’re fighting; we’re talking, but we’re speaking different languages past one another. O Lord, with the frustration among us, it seems your churches are under your judgment still.

Congregation: But Lord, we now look away from the division behind us and in front of us. We turn to you with our grief by your grace. O God, would you give us grace to cherish Christ more deeply, and to remember how your judgment has fallen on him instead of us!

Pastor: Help us to sincerely live as what you’ve made us in Christ: one new man – a chosen race- that the world may believe you sent your Son.

Congregation: Until Babel is completely undone, we beg for your help in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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