The gift of peace in the Church and with God is the result of Jesus Christ’s all-atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world. The forgiveness won by Jesus shedding His blood upon the cross grants Christians peace both here in time, and hereafter in eternity. Without Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection from the grave, there would be no peace between God and mankind.
But perhaps not being spiritual you may think that as long as there is peace on earth why does it matter. Well dear friends, that type of peace, a worldly peace, is not only absent when we look out across the world, but that would only be a sham peace. A peace, born from believing a delusion, thinking, “all is well,” all the while the house is burning down around you. Thus, true peace is a gift from God and the precious fruit of forgiveness won.
When our Lord Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, the heavenly angels declared “Peace on earth and goodwill toward men (Lk. 2:14).” Their declaration of peace was not a declaration of a worldly peace, but a peace born of the imminent victory of the incarnate God over sin, death, and the devil. In John 14:27 Jesus says: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Again, after our Lord’s resurrection, when He appears in the upper room, the first thing our Lord does is pronounce the peace He has won to the disciples upon the cross, the peace of sins forgiven.
Despite this truth, that God’s people and His Church have true peace that the world cannot give, God’s Church on earth seems to be in a constant state of unrest and schism. Brother vs brother, life-long friendships torn apart, and all other sorts of nastiness. And seeing the ugly under-belly of the Church on earth surely tests faith and makes many wonder if everything that is said and taught in the Church is just for show. There are hypocrites, false sons and daughters, and just evil people masquerading as true believers in Christ. If that were not enough, everyone else, including the pastor is a sinner and sooner or later you will be disappointed. Christ’s Church on earth has always been made up of sinners.
Nevertheless, it is only where the holy Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered, died, was buried and rose again from the dead the third day, where that is preach is the only place where we can find true and lasting peace. It is that peace which St. Paul repeatedly gives at the beginning of his epistles, in what is called the Apostolic greeting, stating, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ.” It is peace with God through Christ’s atonement, that is the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, this peace belongs by right the holy Christian and Apostolic Church, the sum-total of all believes in Christ and it can be found nowhere else.
So it is that we should rejoice in the Lord always, regardless of whether we have peace in the world, our nation or our local congregation. We recognize that peace anywhere is a gift from God that we should earnestly desire and strive for. Nevertheless, it is the peace of sins forgiven and distributed to us through Word and Sacrament that no one can take from us. Again, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” This is what we must cling to, Jesus Christ and Him crucified. As it is written: For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men (1 Cor. 1:22-26).
Faith desires the peace of sins forgiven won by Jesus on the cross. This is why Christians assemble in churches, to receive this peace. We gather to receive Christ’s gifts, chief among which is the forgiveness of sins. This understanding changes our view of worship or the Divine Service or Mass if you prefer. We gather to receive God’s gifts, which no one can take from us.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Rev. Winston Grieser
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Kewanee, Ill.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Kewanee Voice.
