Thoughts on Bringing People Together through the Peace of Jesus based on Ephesians 2:11-22 (especially verses 17-18)

We know from books like Acts and Galatians that Paul was called by God to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles – that is to non-Jews. The people of Israel had been privileged to know and be guided by Yahweh over their history, and they would be assured by the scriptures and their prophets of God’s love and concern for them (whilst at the same time being challenged to live up to their side of the covenant God had made with them). ‘I will be your God – you will be my people!’ Within this covenant, God gave this people of Israel enough instruction to be able to beneficially live in relationship with their Creator and each other.

We know that there were other people groups in the world, and there was often tenuous relationships between the Israelite people and various other nations. Sometimes other nations would attack and oppress Israel, at other times Israel would bring judgement upon themselves through their immoral activity. Yet God would have the hope that the people of Israel could be His ‘show-piece’ – to show to all the nations of the world how a people group could look in true and complete relationship with Creator God. As we see in the Bible, sometimes this was the case, other times not!

But in any case, in the fullness of time, God was always going to press on and make Himself available to all the nations (and the Jewish people were going to have to get used to this idea). We see in the Gospels how Jesus moved from his concern with his own native people toward those who had not been blessed with the good news previously – the Gentiles. We could cite incident after incident whereby Jesus demonstrated that God’s love was now visiting all humanity. Physical healing offered to Gentiles most dramatically made this point. And then of course Jesus commissioned his disciples who would carry on his mission through the first century that they would be going to all nations – all ethnic groupings. The Pentecost events show that the Holy Spirit will lead in the breaking down of all barriers that keep people isolated from one another.

Yet, there was great resistance to the concept of Gentiles joining with Jewish Christians within the one new Jesus movement. Many Jews, beginning with Jesus’ own disciples, had accepted Jesus as the Messiah, and were in the process of moving beyond their cultural Jewish allegiances toward being totally focussed on the person and mission of Jesus. Yet, it was still hard for them to accept equally into their number those whose cultural origins and practices were so different. Many were still insisting that new believers would have to conform to the Jewish cultural practices of: circumcision, strict food laws and rigorous Sabbath observance; thus they were putting up barriers, stopping people coming into contact with God. And this was tragic because as we read in Ephesians 2:12 such Gentile peoples had no sense of God in their daily world!

This was obviously contrary to what God was seeking to establish – a new spiritual movement based purely on the person and work of Jesus which crossed over all cultural backgrounds. People would not have to deny their backgrounds, nor change their culture, other than was necessary to follow Jesus with integrity. So God would raise up a very special person to unrelentlessly pursue and model mission to the Gentiles – Paul. Despite previously being a fierce persecutor of the followers of Jesus, this educated Jew and Roman citizen was perfectly qualified for the job, yet more importantly was available to accept God’s calling.

And so it was that receiving the good news of Jesus was opened up to all the world. All people, both of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds now had access to the peace of God through Jesus (vs.17-8). Such people could now harmoniously live together in their local church communities, presenting salt and shining light to their neighbours. Yet when you bring people of differing backgrounds, not to mention opinions, together into worshipping communities or churches, there will still be problems and issues within their various interactions.

Yet, again, this is no reason to be putting up barriers against certain people, just to make life easier or more manageable. The building of the Kingdom of God on earth was never ever going to be easy or comfortable. If we feel comfortable in the church we are failing miserably; because we should always be looking for ways to be disturbing ourselves about the lostness of the world around us.

“Let the peace of God disturb us all!”

Ephesians chapter 2 talks about the sort of peace that brings people together. And we need that sense and dynamic of peace if we are to bring together arrays of people from different backgrounds and thought patterns. The Holy Spirit brings the potential of this peace to us, but I think, like any practical gift given to us, we have to first be prepared to receive it, and then work at it. What are the unnecessary barriers that have been erected that need to be pulled down? What are the inhibitors of true fellowship that need to be dealt with? How can we become people who are joyfully outgoing about the faith they have in Jesus?

This Ephesians 2 passage directly addresses the Christian church groups in Ephesus as to their acceptance of the peace of Jesus and their application of this toward equality, unity and working together in ministry one to the other. However it also brings implications for cross-cultural mission today and how this is approached. Mission across national divides must be undertaken with cultural sensitivity. There have been terrible tales told of the unnecessary stripping away of cultural practices so that new converts would not only experience Jesus, but also look like ‘respectable’ Westerners. In one way such a people group has been enriched, but in another way they have been diminished. Also we have seen that theoretical purveyors of peace have visited not with the olive branch but rather weapons of war.

And then there are further implications here for our everyday cross-cultural mission. If we are recipients of the peace given by Jesus, how will that look (in the hustle and bustle of everyday life)?? How will this look different to what is normally seen and experienced in the world environment?

We have read in the paper (Herald Sun 13/9) this week about a huge increase in neighbourly disputes. What can we say to this???

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).
Jesus also said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you” (John 14:27).
Paul said, “If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18).

It is true that sometimes bringing peace into certain situations becomes truly impossible. It is also true that sometimes we have to build fences of protection around ourselves and our family because the threat is too great. And sometimes the only way toward true harmony in the long run is through standing up for what is right on our own behalf or on behalf of others. And still on other occasions, certain behaviours are so repugnant as to make efforts toward peacemaking seem nearly impossible!

However, we still need to develop and grow in the area of peacefulness and peacemaking. One of the things we have to keep reminding ourselves of … is that the people we are called to make peace with … have not had the same advantages of being introduced to and knowing Jesus as we have! No wonder they flounder!! No doubt many Jewish Christians didn’t think about the disadvantage that Gentiles had been living with. Sometimes, whilst sticking to the important ethical and moral implications of our faith, we need to be more tolerant and understanding in other areas. After all, God sent His Son into the world to these people, not to condemn them, but to reveal Himself to them and rescue them – and we are ‘sent’ in the same way that Jesus was ‘sent’.

Jesus died to bring about peace with God and peace in the world – so we can’t just walk away from this. We don’t have to get bogged down because there is so much hostility in the world, just concentrate on our own everyday interactions. So, despite the difficulties involved, can we become renowned for our peace-making activities!?! A lot of the time I spend in meetings in the various community initiatives I’m involved with is actually spent harmonizing opinions and bringing together diverse agendas – and this is peace-making activity! It is possible to make a positive difference.

What are some of the steps we can take toward peace-making???
· Being good listeners & observers (learning the needs of others)
· Being friendly, hospitable and helpful
· Seeing things from the ‘other side’
· Not being too defensive (as if everyone’s got it in for us)
· Not allowing negative past experiences to oppress or deter us
. A bit of give and take