The peace of Christ be with you

 

Reflection 18th July 2021

 

¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility Ephesians 2: 13 – 14 NIV

Paul is writing to the church in the cosmopolitan city of Ephesus. A city where cultures met and clashed. Greek, Jewish and Roman. All three cultures met in that place. Sometimes they coexisted but often they did not.

We think the church is Ephesus was made up of people from across the different cultures and from different strands of society – free and slaves. What we might think of as middle class and working class. It seems that initially these people of different cultures and social statuses found a way to get along. But Paul’s letter suggests that things had gone wrong. And Paul is writing to them to bring healing.

He reminds them that at one time they once they were all “atheos” They were, in Greek “atheos” – without God. (“Atheos” is the root of our word “atheist”.) The word “atheos” was quite an insult. For it meant more than just non-belief. It meant that one was uncivilized. Those who rejected “the gods” and their laws were akin to anarchists at that time, and they threatened the wellbeing of society. And Paul meant that both Greeks and Jews could be regarded by others as “atheos”. The Greeks for rejecting the God of the Jews, and the Jews for rejecting the state sponsored religion of worshipping “the gods”.

What Paul is pointing out to them is that Jews and Greeks are seen by others in Ephesus as “atheos”. They are therefore in the same boat because they have come together in Christ. They were both once far away but have now been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Verse 13.) They might not realise it but the dividing wall between them has been broken down by Christ shedding his blood. What had been separate for generations – indeed since God’s original covenant with Jewish people – was now being made into one body. As Paul puts it in Ephesians 2 verse 15

“Christ’s purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace” Ephesians 2:15 NIV

By breaking down the barriers through his peace, Christ brings peace between groups, that is what Paul is saying.

When Paul speaks of peace, he is talking about the gift of peace given by Christ to his followers “²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” John 14:27

Christ’s peace reflects God’s peace. Paul in his letters talks of both Christ’s peace and God’s peace. And in the letter to the Philippians Paul says:

⁷ the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

In other words, what Christ’s peace / God’s peace means, cannot be easily explained. As much as anything it means we are right with God. This peace stems from being forgiven our sins. If we are right with God, we are in peace and that peace will be part of our lives. But in my experience, none of us are in a state of perpetual peace. Sin can come into our lives once again and damage the peace we have been given. Nevertheless, it is Christ’s nature to forgive us and in so doing bring peace back into our lives.

We are not aware of the truly outrageous impact of Christ’s peace. For the early church Christ’s peace wasn’t solely breaking down barriers between Jew and Greek or slave and free (though that was the effect.) Rather Christ’s peace introduced a whole new way of being. In the city of Ephesus to see Greeks and Jews and slaves and free worshipping, eating and socialising together, was unthinkable. It was shocking. That is how radical Christ’s peace can be.

Over the last 18 months as we have lived with Covid, you might have realised that in the Communion services I’ve led we’ve not had “the Peace”. This is because we associate “the Peace” with greeting one and often it’s not socially distanced! In fact, “the peace” has an important significance in the communion service. The exchange of peace takes place in the context of preparation for approaching the communion rail to offer ourselves to God, and to receive Holy Communion. In St. Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a strong warning about that particular moment of worship

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift (Matthew 5:23-24).

“The Peace” is a reminder to us of being at peace with one another but also of seeking to break down barriers between people in the wider world. And to build bridges too, to enable people to come together.

In Ephesians 2:19 Paul says “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.” When we accept Christ’s peace into our lives, we are recognising that as part of God’s household we are concerned with the wider community. For all people are made in God’s image.

Love finds a way of breaking down barriers. Love finds a way to span the gap from one side to another. Everybody has a part in it. Every single person has a part in developing this notion of peace.

Jewish author, Elie Wiesel, tells the parable of a man in a boat. The man is not alone, though he acts as if he were. One night without warning, the man decides to cut a hole under his seat. Other people on board were naturally alarmed. “What on earth are you doing?” they exclaimed. “You are going to destroy us all.” “Why are you alarmed?” replies the man. “What I am doing is none of your business. I paid my fare. I am not cutting under your seat. Leave me alone.” Wiesel concludes his parable with this comment: “What a fanatic will not accept, but you and I cannot forget, is that we are all in the same boat.”

The peace of Christ be with you. Amen.