Preface In the Bible peace is something much more than the absence of conflict. It is not just a feeling. The Hebrew word shalom means a state of wholeness, all the blessings which come with salvation (Judges 19:20; Ps 73:3; Isa 43:7).
Introduction
The background to this teaching begins with an unusually clear dream I had in May that I sensed contained a message from God. In the main part of the dream I was unable to preach because I had no shoes on my feet. In real life I have preached many times without shoes, but in the dream I had to go home to get my shoes before I could speak. The dream ended as I was about to make it home after an extremely difficult journey.
When I woke up I was clear what the bare feet meant, Paul says “as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace” (Eph6:15). This is part of his teaching on warfare, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God” (Eph6:12- 13). The message of the dream was that I could not prevail against evil powers and fulfill God’s purpose in my life through speaking his Word without a greater measure of peace. This confirmed something Donna had raised for us shortly before, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Matt 5:9).
Peace making, compared to peace loving, requires initiative and opens you up to controversy and risk. It is the opposite of passivity; something which is a major problem amongst Christian men. Men who may be assertive and dynamic in their weekly pursuits somehow are transformed into passive spectators in the life of the church. God is working to reverse this and to release the true power of the peace of the gospel in and through his people. This involves the work of the cross.
The Peace of the Garden
In seeking to understand the true nature of peace and how we lose we must go back to the Garden of Eden. God’s first words to Adam and Eve were a powerful word of blessing, “God blessed them. And …said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over… every living thing …”” (Gen1:28). In sharing God’s rule over everything there would bring peace. [God goes on to say (Gen1:29-30) that both humans and animals are given plants to eat – killing and slaughtering had no place in the first world]
In moving into Genesis 2 however, a new and disturbing element enters the picture, “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”” (Gen 2:17). Adam had never seen any living thing suffer, but God’s tone of voice communicated to him that “to die” was something extremely terrifying. Everything else God spoke about conveyed a sense of fatherly excitement (“Eden” means “delight”), but his talk of death conveyed only sadness. Yet as long as Adam respected God’s powerful rule by keeping his Word, he and Eve remained “in the way of peace” (see Rom3:15- 18). This raises an important question.
Why did God allow Satan into Eden, wouldn’t everything have been alright if the devil was kept out of it. Human beings love fantasy, myth, legend and tales of heroes. But in the real universe a rebellion had already occurred before the creation of man, and God and his image i.e. mankind (Gen 1:26) already had an enemy. For Adam and Eve to be fully God-like they needed to share God’s love for good and his hatred for evil, they needed to love what God loved and hate what he hated. For this reason it was essential for their maturing that they have an opportunity to confront the evil power of Satan. It was their chance to share God’s knowledge that in the end good will completely triumph over evil and the kingdom of God will vanquish the dominion of darkness (Col 1:13). As long as you believe that God’s goodness will ultimately conquer evil, peace will reign in your heart, no matter what outward circumstances may seem to say. “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (Isa 26:3).
The Loss of Peace
Back in Eden, Satan slides in as the disturber of the peace, he is a trespasser into the territory Adam has been commanded to work and guard (Gen 2:15). Appearing in the form of an animal created by God (Gen 3:1), the serpent has already been placed under the dominion of the man [who alone is in the form of God]. Adam and Eve, armed with the Word of God, had all the authority they needed to banish this intruder. If they had done so, they would have known for sure what God knows, they would have entered into the power of the triumph of God’s kingdom over evil, [they would have become fully mature sons and daughters of the living God (Rom 9:26)].
Since he has no authority, Satan uses cunning, he goes right to the centre of the matter, God’s Word, ““Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”…. “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”” (Gen 3:1, 5) This temptation was a challenge to Adam and Eve to rule without God, and it proved overwhelming. As soon as Adam and Eve ate of the tree however something terrible happened , they felt deceived (Gen3:13), they were filled with shame (Gen 3:7) a deep inner sense that something was fundamentally wrong with them
Shame is a sense of the loss of the glory of God (Rom 3:23), it is feeling less than God made you to be, [less than fully God – like]. Whenever you feel shame you feel responsible for your sub standard state, deep in your heart you recognise you have made a wrong choice between good and evil – you know you have been deceived and that evil has triumphed over good in your life, you have dishonoured God and his image. In the state of shame our hearts testify we have lost dominion over our own lives, and we know that we must die, not as a mere biological accident but as a result of sinful separation from God, die as a punishment for sin (Rom 6:23).
“But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. 21 There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”” (Isa 57:20 -21). No matter what sort of fig leaves you try to use to cover up your shame – no matter what achievement you claim, what grog you drink, what drug you shoot, what sexual experiences, religious highs, financial success, intellectual achievements, good looks etc. you will never have real peace. Only the sovereign rule of God over your life can bring true peace.
God is not indifferent to our terrible situation, his cry to humanity has always been, “Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea” (Isa 48:18)
The Promise of the Peaceful Ruler
Repeatedly through human history it looks like evil will triumph – in the days before the Flood, in the titanic attempt to storm heaven in the Tower of Babel, the oppression under the Pharaohs,Israel’s refusal to enter the Promised land, their idolatry and the exile. God’s plan however was never frustrated and he speaks through the prophets with increasingly clarity of a coming ruler who will abolish evil once and for all.
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. (Isa 9:6 – 7) [“And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.” (Isa 32:17)]
[How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” (Isa 52:7)]
The climax of this promise of a ruler who creates universal peace is found in the Old Testament scripture which is most quoted in the New , Psalm 110 “The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty sceptre. Rule in the midst of your enemies!” (vv.1 – 2).
Jesus is the Peacemaker
The [Lord and King (John 1:49)] ruler who brings this eternal peace is Jesus. The whole course of his life and ministry is a matter of putting the enemies of God under his feet. His birth brings peace, ““Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”” (Luke 2:14). His words bring peace, “he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near” (Eph 2:17; Isa 57:19). Jesus brought God’s peace by healing, deliverance, feeding the hungry and raising the dead. “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” (Acts 10:38). All demonic and physical opposition melted before Jesus, “And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” (Mark 4:39;1:25).
On the eve of his return to the Father Jesus gave the disciples a radical promise, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27). This is a promise of peace whatever the circumstances. I know this to be true from my own experience.
When I was doing my honours year in biology I was using snails for experiments. I came into the laboratory one day to find that a plague had hit my animals, I needed to make a decision quickly that would affect a full year of my life. If I continued and the plague wiped out my animals the whole year’s work could be ruined. Alternatively, it was early enough to withdraw and come back the next year. I was hardly “walking in the Spirit” at that stage of my Christian life, in fact I was constantly arguing with God and telling him to keep his distance from me. Anyway, I went downstairs to pray and ask what I should do, suddenly I was overwhelmed by a peace so incredible and powerful that I thought I was going to be overwhelmed by the glorious presence of God – I thought I was going to die. I asked God to withdraw his presence – I had received my answer, I proceeded with my studies, the plague stopped and all was well.
This is however a series on the cross; between Jesus promise of sharing with us the indestructible peace of God and our experience of this peace lies the work of the cross.
The Cross creates Peace
Centuries before Jesus birth Isaiah prophesied of the Servant whose suffering would bring peace to God’s people, “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isa 53:5). The gospel message is that being “justified by his blood” (Rom 5:9) we “have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). How does the cross bring us peace?
For us to find peace Jesus must lose all his peace. At the point of his terrible cry of abandonment ““My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”” (Mark 15:34) he must share our defeat, he must experience the enemies of God triumphing over our fallen and fearful humanity, as he is immersed in our sin (2 Cor 5:21) every element of his experience tells him that evil is triumphing over good. This is how it seemed to all those watching him die. In not being able to demonstrate the triumph of God over evil at the cross Jesus feels the loss of our glory, he shares our shame. Jesus is in the deepest inner spiritual agony, he feels himself excluded from the divine rule: in ceasing to know himself to be the maker of peace, he loses consciousness of his authority as the Son of God. At this moment, it seems to Jesus, that even the peace of heaven, the peace of God, has been destroyed by the powers of evil.
Yet it is by taking into himself the fullness of the power of evil, Satan and death, and refusing to sin, that Jesus honours God’s goodness and triumphs over every evil power [– he becomes, “Lord of all” (Acts 10:36)]. Whilst the victory of God may be hidden in the cross it is manifested in the resurrection.
Jesus is raised into the eternal peace of God, “the God of peace …brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus” (Heb 13:20). The glorified state of Jesus, beyond all temptation, sin, suffering, satanic influence and death, means that something has been settled at the very heart of the universe. The first thing that Jesus speaks to his disciples when he is raised from the dead is, “Peace be with you.” (Luke 24:36; John 20:19, 21, 26). No matter how shamed they may have felt by abandoning him in their belief that evil was triumphing over good, they were now filled with a sense of complete wellness. [To quote a famous Christian mystic , “But All Shall be Well, and All Shall be Well and All Manner of Things Will be Well” (Julian of Norwich) “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Rev 21:5)]
The experience of peace radically transformed the disciples and empowered them with a triumphant message. Peter preaches “good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all) (Acts10:36). According to Paul “in him [Jesus as a human being cf. 2:9] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven (cf. Gen 1:1), making peace by the blood of his cross”(Col1:19- 20). Peace is now at the very centre of all things. This sort of peace is not a state of mind, an emotion, an advanced spirituality etc. but an awareness of Jesus himself: “he himself is our peace,” (Eph2:14). How do we live in this peace?
Living in the Peace
The holiest day in Australia is without doubt…[ANZAC Day]. Every year we stop to remember the sacrifice of generations who shed their blood that we might be free. The ANZAC story is a window onto the cross. When someone sacrifices their life for you, you know they love you.
While I was in Alice Springs praying recently I looked across to the prominent outcrop with a flag and memorial at its peak called ANZAC Hill. As someone who grew up with a father whose best mates friends were diggers that fought with him, and who received a pension for war related injuries, I am very familiar with the ANZAC spirit. These were men (and women) who loved their friends but they hated their enemies. In their world and in the fallen world in general, anyone, could, given the circumstances be treated as your enemy, even your flesh and blood, even your own son/daughter, could be excluded from a father’s blessing. With its history of violent settlement, slaughter of indigenous peoples, drought, struggle and war this nation has never had a generation that has known, and now I speaking spiritually, the fullness of the Father’s blessing. And we never will until we know the Spirit of the cross more powerfully than any ANZAC spirit.
In the light of the cross we know that God loves his enemies (Rom 5:8, 10), that God in Christ (2 Cor5:19) has shed his blood to reconcile these enemies, us, to himself. A revelation of such things brings deep peace. If you are in Christ there is nothing powerful enough to stop you living in this peace every day.
No place in your life is excluded from the realm of peace. “5 The Lord is at hand” by which Paul means that the day of the final triumph of good over evil is near “6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:4 -7) [“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 14:17)]. Wherever God is allowed to rule there is peace, the justice of the kingdom of God intervenes in a fallen world to restore God’s shalom. [Peace is the fruit of the revelation and participation in the truth that all God’s judgements are good and, in wrath and mercy, are fully enacted in the death and resurrection of Christ as justice for mankind.]
Sadly we do not always allow God to rule in our lives. A mature brother came to see me recently and had a tale of woe –financial issues, church issues, marriage issues; he had many pressures on his life and was hanging out for his circumstances to improve. What do you think I told him? “Cheer up? Think positively? Realise your potential?” I exhorted him to take the opportunity to give glory to God and allow his peace to reign whilst all these forces were arrayed against him. He needed to listen to the Father’s promise to Jesus, “The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty sceptre Rule in the midst of your enemies!” (Psalm 1101 – 2).
Imaging the Peace of the Cross
[A poster struck my attention recently, “Peace within makes beauty without”.] An atmosphere of peace beyond all judgmentalism surrounded Jesus and drew sinners to him. Paul calls this “the fragrance of Christ” (2 Cor 2:14 – 17). Wherever Christians manifest the peace of the victory of Christ in trying circumstances (not when everything is going well )- in the home, business, school, factory, club…God will draw troubled people to the beauty of Christ. When the gospel peace of the triumph of the love of God over all evil breaks into the human conscience men and women become marvellously free from all judgement and shame.
Remember my dream, something was missing from my feet, I was lacking the peace of the gospel. Since then I had another experience that further throws light on what God has been trying to say to me. I was on a river cruise with about 100 fervent Christians when I was asked to come up the front and pray about the ministry of the Word of God. I tried to get out of it by telling to the organizer I had nothing to say. She refused to listen, but I did manage to push someone up before me, got down on my knees, told a few people nearby to pray for me and then just before I had to talk I received a clear image of a broken sword.
The sword is the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God (Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12) –Jesus was telling me that I needed to confess all those times when I had spoken in arrogance, anger or ignorance. He called me to repent of the things that do not make for peace (Luke 19:42).
[Peace is a powerful weapon in spiritual warfare. Satan is like a roaring lion (1 Pet 5:8) and full of anger because he knows his time, the time of evil, is short (Rev 12:12). Since he manipulates men and women through the fear of death he cannot give them the peace of eternal life that Jesus offers.] Peacemakers have deep authority in the unseen realm, [as someone has said, “the level at which you rest, is the degree of authority you have in a region” (from James W Goll).] Living in peace through the blood of the cross in the midst of suffering, images to the principalities and powers their complete defeat and undermines their authority in the world. In this sense, we need to fight the fight of faith to keep the peace (1 Tim 6:12); this is something particularly true of men as husbands and fathers.
Sadly, much of what we see in the church today is an emotional state that mimics the hype of our “numb, zoned out society” (Wilkerson) in order to deaden the feeling of peacelessness. Else it is the false peace of a superficial Christian niceness that is too weak to come to terms with the conflict between good and evil.
I have learned that several times a week I NEED to deliberately pray without asking for anything, so as enter into a wonderful sense of peace. A sense of peace that conveys to me that whatever struggles I am going through, before the judgement seat of God, there is no condemnation in any area of my life (Rom 5:1; 8:1).
Conclusion
Long ago God warned Satan that his fate was sealed, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall crush your head, [and you shall bruise his heel.”” (Gen 3:15). Remember Jesus “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isa 53:5).] Paul applies these promises to Christians, “I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Rom 16:19 – 20)
The peace of God reigns powerfully in our lives (Rom 5:17) traumatising the hosts of hell – not when we are all healthy, wealthy and living free of conflict – but when we by faith believe in God’s victory in the cross and reign by the peace of Christ in the midst of our enemies. In taking a stand (Eph 6:11, 13, 14) against everything our senses tell us the kingdom of God comes in our midst with irresistible power.
What is the enemy you need to take a stand against tonight? Is it in the realm of finances, family, “false friends”, physical illness, personal distress. Whatever it is, the blood of the cross speaks to us and Jesus says to us, ““Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”” (John 20:21).