Peace through Easter

^"Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—  remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 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, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." Ephesians 2:11-18

At Easter we celebrate that great reconciling work of God in which we all who were far away because of our sin are brought near to God by the blood of Christ. But in these verses, Paul specifically reminds those of us who were Gentiles by birth, that we were also excluded from citizenship Israel and foreigners to the covenants. We, especially, were without hope and without God in the world.

And so it is that at Easter, we should also be celebrating the other great reconciling work of God in which we who were Gentiles and we who were Jews are both brought near to Christ, and thus near to each other. So near, in fact, that the two groups have become one. The barrier, the dividing wall of hostility between Jew and Gentile was destroyed by Christ. There is now only one humanity, reconciled to God by Christ's body on the cross.

That is how Christ came to preach peace to those Gentiles who were far from God and to those Jews who were near. We all have access to the Father by the Spirit because of the work of the Son.

And yet, this Eastertide, we see a world full of hostility. In particular, we see continuing conflicts between Jews and Gentiles. There is no sign of this peaceful new humanity in Israel or Palestine, in Iran or Syria, in those places where Christ himself dwelled in humanity. True peace will never be achieved by politicians or armies, by force or power. True peace is only achieved through Christ's sacrifice.

We must pray for peace, at Easter as always. Peace wrought by the Spirit reconciling people to God and to each other. Pray for that one new humanity to be established, bringing together Jew and Gentile at the foot of the cross and in the glory of the garden. Pray for Christ's victory to conquer the depths of hatred and hostility. Pray for true Easter peace.