​14For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 1 by setting aside in His flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility.. (Ephesians 2:14-16, NIV)
​
As we celebrate Holy Communion today, a good question to ask is “Why did Christ die on the cross?” Christians tend to answer that question by saying something like, “Christ died for our salvation. He took on the penalty for our sin so that we might be forgiven, so that we might be reconciled to God forever.” I agree with this affirmation. I believe this is profoundly and wondrously true. But it doesn’t capture the full purpose of Christ’s death.

Paul, in the book of Ephesians, says that Christ tore down the “dividing wall of hostility” between Jews and Gentiles through His death on the cross. His sacrifice not only secured salvation for individuals, but also paved the way for the end of hostility between communities of people.

What was Christ’s purpose in bringing an end to human divisions and hostilities? Ephesians 2:15-16 offers a two-part answer to this question: “His purpose was [1] to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and [2] in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross.” The original Greek of part 1 speaks literally of creating “one new human being” out of the two groups. Notice that this act of new creation is referred to as “making peace.” With this language, Paul underscores the fact that peace isn’t merely the ending of hostility between groups in conflict. Rather, it is also forming a new community of grace, love, and justice, a community with profound and pervasive unity.

Though our situation might differ from that of the first Christians, we still find ourselves in conflicted relationships. Sometimes warring factions take up sides in the workplace. Sometimes this happens in families or churches. Often, this happens throughout a world shattered by racism, sexism, nationalism, materialism, and a variety of other injustices. But God is not satisfied with our status quo. Christ died to bring an end to the hostilities that divide us and to form us into new communities that mirror the very unity of God.

Notice that the hostility-ending, peace-making work of Christ isn’t incidental. Rather, it’s central to the central work of Christ. We will not fully experience the power of the cross until we have been reconciled with God, by grace through faith, and with each other, by the unifying sacrifice of Christ on the cross.

As you think about your life and relationships, are you a peacemaker? Where are you helping relationships or communities to experience the “one new humanity” of Christ?

May we live into the peacemaking, 
“new-human-being-making” work of Jesus today.

​14For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 1 by setting aside in His flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility.. (Ephesians 2:14-16, NIV)
When you hear the word “peace,” what comes to mind? How would you define “peace”? You might think of the ceasing of conflict after war. Or you might remember times when your soul felt calm and secure. But we would probably not talk about peace as a person.

Unless, of course, you are deeply influenced by Ephesians 2:14. This verse begins with a bold proclamation: “For He Himself is our peace.” In context, of course, the “He” is Christ, whose blood brought the Gentiles near to God and God’s people (Ephesians 2:13).

What does it mean for Christ to be our peace? When we hear this, we may be inclined to think of “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, [and which] will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). But, in fact, the peace of Ephesians 2:14 is not this kind of inner peace. When we read this verse in context, we see that peace has to do with ending the hostility between Jews and Gentiles and forging a new relationship of unity in Christ. Christ is our peace in the sense that He and He alone can mend the broken, hostile relationship between Jews and Gentiles, and, by implication, between all enemies.

In our world today, we are in desperate need of this kind of peace. In the United States, we are seeing in a new way just how much our society is divided by race and class. We recognize the need for genuine peace, which is so much more everyone getting along. Rather, the true peace of God embodies God’s justice and mercy.

If we want to be people of pervasive peace, if we desire to know the peace of God that passes understanding, if we want to experience the end of hostile injustice, if we want to be peacemakers in our part of the world, then we need Jesus Christ. He is, indeed, our peace. Not only will He give us the gift of peace, but He will also use us to infuse His peace into our world.

As you think about your life, where do you see a need for the peace of Christ that erases hostility and brings people together in unity? How might you be an agent of Christ’s peace in your relationships at work? At home? In your church? In your community and beyond?

Ask the Lord where you might be  an agent of His peace. As God guides you, be a peacemaker, whether at work, at home or in your community.
Let Christ, who is our peace, make peace through you.

​17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. (Ephesians 2:17-18, NIV)
According to the verse above, Christ came and preached peace. What does this mean?

When we read the verses, we might, at first, think of the literal preaching of Jesus. He promised to give peace to His disciples (John 14:27). And He did begin the Sermon on the Mount by saying, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Yet, in the context of Ephesians 2, it’s likely that preaching serves as a metaphor for the crucial work of Christ, who actually brought peace through His death on the cross (2:15).

Paul’s language of “preaching peace” is inspired by two passages from the prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah 57:19, the Lord speaks to His people, offering “peace, peace to those far and near.” Isaiah 52:7-10 celebrates the coming of the Lord to Zion, where He will comfort His people and redeem Jerusalem. The Lord’s messenger will proclaim peace, bring good tidings, and proclaim the salvation of God. Christ fulfilled the prophecies of Isaiah by being the One who not only proclaimed peace, but also the One who actually brought God’s peace to the whole world.

What was the essence of Christ’s peace-focused “sermon”? As we have seen, His death brought peace between Jews and Gentiles by removing the barrier that had once separated them. But the immediate context of verse 17 suggests that the peace Christ “preached” was, first of all, an announcement of peace between God and all of humankind.

Certainly, Jesus was a unique preacher of peace. He alone forged lasting and pervasive peace through His death on the cross. As followers of Jesus, we too have been called into the ministry of preaching peace, or, as Jesus puts it, peacemaking (Matthew 5:9). In our words and deeds, in our desires and intentions, we are to be people who commend, embody, and foster the peace of Christ, the peace that is full of justice and flourishing. We are to do this, not only in church and family, but also in every place God sends us: in our offices and shops, in our classrooms and boardrooms, in our neighborhoods and nations.

As you reflect on peacemaking, in what ways do you “preach peace”? Where in your life is there a need for the peace of Christ? How might you be a peacemaker today in your circle of influence?

Holy Spirit, lead us to do something today that helps make peace. Whether small or significant, may we communicate God’s peace through our lives.

​5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:5, NIV)

Everything you do matters to God, and should be considered ministry. Yes, the relationships we cultivate , even our jobs, matter to God and are extensions of your worship. They should be considered part of that “true and proper worship” (Romans 12). For far too long, Christians have lived under the guise that there are sacred actions and secular actions. This has resulted in some believers overlooking the value that God finds in work and professional settings. For us, if we have truly given our lives to Christ, all of our actions should be Christ centered. Everything we do should emanate from our progressive union to God through Christ. Whether it is serving at church, or working hard in your career, everything is to be done to the glory of God.
We have a duality of identities: faith leaders and secular workers who happen to be Christian. You may consider yourself a leader in your profession only, but the truth is that when we live our Christian lives without borders, we are leaders of the faith even in our professional contexts because Christ is expressed in all facets of our existence. This is type of evangelism is fitting and proper for us today.
In the verse above, Paul is providing his young apprentice, Timothy, with important nuggets that he can use to carry on Christ’s legacy. Paul’s first two charges focused on encouraging Timothy to be internally stable and sound. In the next charge there is a shift in tone and expectation. Paul declares that Timothy should “do the work of an evangelist”, or in essence give life to the Christian ideology by expressing them in public and demonstrable ways. Here, Paul is pushing Timothy to move from “thinking good ministry” to actually “doing good ministry”. We are to engage in this work of active ministry, and do it from our natural context. Remember, everything that we do as believers should be viewed as ministry moments. We must broaden our understanding of ministry, and affirm those who do not carry out traditional pulpit ministry.
When I do my professional work with excellence as an extension of my worship, then people see Christ’s character in my work, and ministry occurs. When you invest time in cultivating meaningful relationships because of your love for Christ, then people feel Christ’s love and your conversation (lifestyle) serves as a witness of Jesus Christ. Active ministry is aggressive and proactive in nature. It is the sense of actively finding ways to reflect Christ on the earth in every space of our existence. I want to encourage you to find ways to spread the message of Christ throughout your sphere of influence. Like Paul, I charge you to step up to the plate and do the work of the evangelist.
As you reflect ask yourself: how do you define ministry? Secondly, what is your unique context of ministry?
Father, grant us wisdom and insight to discern personal places where we can shine for Your glory.