He Preached Peace

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. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:17-22

Man’s fundamental need is peace with God. That is the peace our Lord preaches, peace with God. The passage before us addresses that fundamental need. Peace is not something that we create with God, either by pursuing Him or even by reaching out to Him. This peace, according to the passage, was preached to “you who were far off and peace to those who were near.” This preaching of peace was not something done during Christ’s life on earth, because men could not understand the meaning of the cross until after the resurrection. It was necessary that the work should be finished, that He should have risen again, and that the Spirit should have been given, before this could happen. And so it did happen. Christ, through the apostles, through His servants, preached this gospel of peace with God, that He had made possible by His perfect work upon the cross.

In verse 18, the result of the peace with God continues. “For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” By and through the finished work of Christ, Jew and Gentile both have access to the Father. Access is something we all desire, whether it is in business, family, or ministry, we all desire access to the right place and the right people. Here, the Apostle Paul teaches us we have been given the best and only meaningful access, our Heavenly Father! Notice “in one Spirit”. The sovereign movement of the Spirit in bringing Jew and Gentile to Christ, resulting in peace with God and communion with the Father.  

Continuing on with this thought, it gets better. In verse 19, now the status of Jew and Gentile is that “you are no longer strangers and aliens...” It is a hard thing to be a stranger in a new town or in a church. It is even harder to be a stranger to Christ. But good news, The Hound of Heaven has come, now resulting in being “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”

Foundations for any structure are vital for enduring the test of time. For when the rains come, and they will come, we need a solid foundation. Here now in verse 20, the Apostle tells us the household of God, “is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus being the cornerstone.” You see, apostolic truth has been taught and preached down through Church history to feed the sheep for growth and maturity in the Lord Jesus. Now, being members of the household of God, we have a firm foundation in Christ. Paul continues in verse 21, “in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” Where is this temple? Is it in Washington, D.C., Moscow, or China? No, it is the Lord Himself! And in verse 22, “In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” What a tremendous blessing of the Lord that He dwells in us.  

Brothers and Sisters, this can only be accomplished by the finished work of Christ. May the Lord enable you and me to seek Him and be the dwelling fit for the King. Enjoy peace with God! 

Amen!