October 20

Christ, the Prince of Peace

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.” (Isaiah 9:6-7a)

“For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.” (Ephesians 2:14-17)

Do you think peace is possible? If you believe in Christ, then you believe in eternal peace, because Jesus Christ is the “Prince of Peace.” Jesus is the King who will ultimately provide absolute peace on earth one day. “He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4) What a contrast to the great conflicts that we have among nations today!

Jesus has provided our internal peace with God, having reconciled us to the Lord through regeneration. He is also the peace between those who were far off (the Gentiles) and those who were near (the Jews). In Jesus’s day at the temple, there was a point at which only Jews were allowed to enter; Gentiles were excluded. When Jesus gave his life for reconciliation between humankind and God, for those who believe, that “dividing wall of hostility,” the ceremonial law of the Jews, was broken. Now Christ calls believers from every walk of life, every place on the globe, every age, and every nationality to come to him for eternal life. He is the source of peace between believers, through his gospel, with every people group, class, race, and tribe in every nation.

Whether we admit it or not, we have biases about certain kinds of people. We stay in our safe, comfortable circles of friends and don’t realize that we have these prejudices. But if you travel to a country very different from your own, or if you fellowship in a church that is mainly a different race, educational level, or economic class, you may find that you are uncomfortable. But we should not be awkward; we should be rejoicing since we all belong to Christ, the Prince of Peace.

Do you think peace is possible if you leave your comfort zone? Are you willing to test your faith by joining with others who don’t look or act exactly like you? Do you feel awkward with believers in your workplace, neighborhood, or church who are different from you? Will you reach out to experience the peace that we have together, forever, for the sake of Christ and the gospel?