And what a wonderful song. Just praise in our King. Tonight's message is called, Christ Our Peace. It's part of the Christ is serious tale. Christ is our peace. Christ is our peace. Turn if you would to Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2 verses 11 to 17 is what we'll read. Scripture declares, wherefore remember that ye, being in times past Gentiles in the flesh, so Paul's writing to the church at Ephesus, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision. So the Jews call the Gentiles the uncircumcision. which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands, that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. for he is our peace, who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for to make in himself of twain one new man, so make in peace, that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you. To you, which were far off, and to them that were nigh. Now peace, peace is something the world often speaks of. Ever since I was a little boy, Folks is always, they're always talking about peace. They're always talking about peace, peace in the world and peace between different countries. But it's an elusive thing. And there will always be war in this world and there will always be violence in this world because we live in a world of sins. But natural man doesn't think that way. Natural man thinks that they can seek peace, that they can somehow broker peace. And they may have to find peace for a few years, and something will break out. And people will be at it all over again. Nations desire peace during a time of war. And thankfully, we live in a peaceful nation. Thankfully, we do, as opposed to others in this world. But we still have violence and crime. in our nation, and we have that because men are sinners by birth, nature, and choice. Now, the Greek word for peace in the text here, I looked up the Greek word for this. It's defined as this, peace, concord. I had to look up the word concord. It means harmony. Harmony. Harmony between individuals. Peace, concord, unity. A state of national tranquility, quietness, rest. In Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation. We just sang, it is well with my soul. Why can we sing it is well with my soul? Because we know that Christ has paid for our sins. We who are redeemed. In Christianity, the tranquil state of the soul assured of its salvation through Christ. And that's what believers in Christ have. We have an assurance of salvation, not based upon anything we've done, but based upon Christ and him alone. And so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot of whatsoever sort that is. So the believer no longer fears the wrath of God and the justice of God because that was poured out on Christ who was our substitute. on Calvary's cross. Now we have a reverence for him. We have a reverence for our great king, we do. But the fear of the Lord, remember what David said to Mephibosheth? Fear not. And that's what God says to us in Christ. Fear not, fear not. Now true peace only comes in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn if you would to Romans chapter five. Do you know that we're justified by faith and that that is a result of being justified by faith which is in Christ Jesus our Lord? It's not our faith that saves us, it's Christ that saves us. But we do have faith. God's people have faith. It's a gift given to us by God and that faith has an object who is Christ, Jesus our Lord. It says though we're justified, therefore being justified by faith, so you must believe. People who say they're going to heaven but don't believe on Christ, they're deceived, beloved. They're deceived because scripture says right here in Romans 5, 1, therefore being justified by faith, we have, look at that, beloved, we have peace with God. How? Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Do you see how exclusive it is? It's only through Christ. So from us reading that scripture, we know that if someone says, well, salvation's in your baptism. No. The scripture declares that salvation's only through the Lord Jesus Christ. They say, well, salvation's in belonging to a certain church. No. No. It's only in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the only one I have peace in. If they say salvation's in a decision you made, no. No. No, I was made willing. I was made willing, and I fled to Christ. Now I believe, because the scripture says here, right, therefore being justified by faith, we believe, but that faith is given to us. It's a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. And then it says, by whom we have access by faith into this grace. So the only access to the grace of God is how? In and through the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why Paul penned us, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand. And we stand firm in what we believe. He keeps us. We do stand too, don't we? We stand. We won't have any other gospel. We won't have any other savior. There's only Christ in him alone. And then, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. I ask you, do you not rejoice in the glory of God in Christ Jesus our Lord? Yes. And that's a gift that's been given to us. And the reason we can glory and hope in God is because we have peace with God in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's go back to our text. Verses 13 and 14, our text proclaims this. But now, and remember, at the first part of the chapter, Paul was, so there's a contrast, I have to bring the context in here. There's a contrast here. Paul was saying we were dead in trespasses and sins with no hope. And in verse four, but God, who's rich in mercy, So the contrast here, now he's bringing in the contrast of how we were dead in trespasses and sins, but now in Christ Jesus. Now in Christ Jesus. Ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh. You're made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace. What a statement. He is our peace. So remember that very thing that's so elusive for the world? Christ is that for us. For he is our peace who hath made both one. Now think of this in the context of this. He's made Jew and Gentile one. There was a separation in the temple. The Gentiles could only go so far. They couldn't go They could go into the court of the Gentiles. I believe it was called but they couldn't go any further There was a wall separation between them and the Jews But it says here for he is our peace who hath made both one And has broken down the middle wall of partition between us And note in verse 14 it said of Christ that he is our peace He's our peace. Beloved, we have no peace with God. Without the Lord Jesus Christ, you see how people are are have deceived themselves and and I heard it again this week, I heard it again this week, and I know people I know people, they just don't they we don't. We don't want to admit that someone has perished in their sins. And and I was talking to somebody this week and they're like, well, they went to heaven. Now, I don't know where they're at, but as far as I know, they they They, I don't know. No one goes to hell in religion. But we know if we don't believe on Christ, we don't go to heaven. We don't. I've told you all that my dad, as far as I know, my dad perished in his sins. I don't like to think about that, but it's a fact. As far as I know, he never trusted Christ. But I have hope for my other loved ones who are still alive. I have hope that maybe the Lord will draw them. I hope and pray that he will. And I'm amazed that he saved me. And I know it's so for all of you, too. But he's the one who we have peace with. Jesus Christ is our peace. He's our righteousness. He's our life. For the believer, he's everything. And he's not only made peace and proclaimed peace, beloved, but look at our text. He is our peace. He's not only made it and proclaimed it, but he is it. The only reason we have peace with God is because of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the only reason. The only the only difference between me and my two brothers is Christ. Who made you to do? What do you have that you didn't receive? The grace of God is incredible. It's incredible. Think of this, too. He not only gives us life, both physical and spiritual, But He is our life. He is our life. He not only gives us His righteousness, but He's the Lord our righteousness. He is our peace with God, beloved. Now the word peace carries with it an idea that a breach has been fixed. A breach has been fixed. that perhaps there'd been a state of peace existing before the breach came in to interrupt it. And this is indeed the blessedness of the gospel, isn't it? And this is why, as we looked on Wednesday night, the gospel is called in turn, if you would, the second Corinthians, the gospel is called the ministry of reconciliation. There's been a breach. In Adam, we fell, beloved. We fell. Now, when God first made man, there was perfect love between God and Adam. Man was at peace with God. They had sweet fellowship, didn't they? We know that. Scripture declares that. With one another, walking together in the garden. But when Adam sinned, then the breach began. Look at 2 Corinthians 5 verses 17 to 21. Look at this. There is therefore, or therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ. There's a breach. But God's people are reconciled to God by the Lord Jesus Christ. See, when we fell in Adam, when Adam fell, we all fell in him. And hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Salvation and forgiveness is only in Christ. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. We proclaim the gospel, don't we? From this church, the gospel goes forth into the world. And we pray that God would use it to save his lost sheep. We know it won't return unto him void. It'll go out and it'll accomplish exactly what he has decreed it to accomplish. But our hope is that he uses it to draw lost sinners in and to build up his sheep. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God did besiege you by us. We pray you in Christ's deed be reconciled to God. That's the cry of the gospel message. Be reconciled to God. Flee to Christ. There's no hope outside of him. For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin. Our sins were imputed to the sinless one, the Lamb of God. John cried, behold, the Lamb of God. Behold, look to him, the sinless, spotless one who bore the sins of his people on Calvary's cross. and who cried, it is finished. Peace with God. Peace with God for his people. For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. We receive, see, do you see again how his righteousness is imputed to us, but he is all our righteousness. He's the Lord our righteousness, beloved. We might be made the righteousness of God in him. As I said, when God made man at first, there was perfect love, harmony. But oh, man fell. We fell in on him. Therefore, we are born dead in trespasses and sins. at enmity with God in our minds by wicked works. Romans 8, 7 says this, because the carnal mind is enmity against God. For it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Now think of what it just said there, Romans 8, 7. Neither indeed can be. But yet man thinks that God's at his whim. And that he can just walk an aisle and make a decision. You will never come to Christ unless God makes you willing. And when he does, you will run to him. And every one of us who believe, every one of us who believed on Christ will say amen. Because that's what happened to us. Some of us have went through different roads of religion and things and different things in life. but all of us were made willing to flee to Christ. Oh my. So scripture declares that man is naturally enemies of God with our will and with our mind, and both are controlled by our nature. Now think of that. Man has a dead nature, comes into this world, with no ability to flee to Christ, no ability to come to God. The Holy Spirit regenerates a believer in Christ. That which was impossible with man is possible with God. He regenerates us. We're born again of the Holy Spirit and we run to Christ. It's wonderful. Salvation is of the Lord. And we preach the ministry of reconciliation, the ministry of reconciliation, be reconciled to God. With that in mind, let's look again at our text in verse 13, Ephesians 2, 13, look at this, but now in Christ Jesus, you who who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Now in Christ Jesus, in the appointed time by God, in the appointed time by God, you who were sometimes far off were bought to Christ, were bought to Christ. How far off? How far off were we? Well, we were far off by our natures, which was dead and trespasses and sins, had no care for God or the things of We were far off in our minds as we saw. Scripture declares that our minds are enmity towards God. We were far off in our actions. We were far off in our ways, which were governed and dictated by our dead nature, by sin. Far off in our state of unregeneracy, we were far off from God. We were far from his law. We were far from any spiritual knowledge of him. We were far from any fellowship with him. And we were far from the Lord Jesus Christ. In the knowledge of his righteousness, in the ways of salvation in and through him. But he was watching us. He had his eye upon his sheep, and he always does. And in the appointed time, in the appointed time, the Lord Jesus Christ saved us. But now in Christ Jesus, ye who were sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. But now think of this being chosen in Christ, redeemed in Christ, called to faith in Christ, becoming believers in Christ, ye who are far off from all those things we looked at, far off from Him, in our minds, in our ways, in our deeds, are made one with God through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are sons of God, having boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Christ. Turn, if you would, to Hebrews chapter 10, Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10, now we have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Christ, not based upon anything of us, but all based upon Christ. Look at Hebrews 10 verses 19 to 22. Heaven, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Christ. Hebrews 10, 19. By a new and living way, which he has consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh in heaven and high priest over the house of God, let us draw near. with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Near, so near to God, nearer I cannot be, for in the person of his son I am as near as he. Look at the latter part of that verse. It says are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Here is the purchase price of our peace, beloved. Here is the purchase price of our peace with God. Here is the purchase price of our reconciliation with God. Here is the purchase price of our redemption. Here is the purchased price of the salvation of God's people, the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. We're made nigh by the blood of Christ. Verse 14 says, For he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us. Note, For he is our peace. Christ is our peace, the scriptures declare. Beloved, he's the author of our peace. He's the author of our peace between God. He's also the peace between Jew and Gentile. Because they're all one in Christ Jesus, our Lord. All the believers, whether they be Jew or Gentile, all who believe on Christ are one. And Scripture declares here, He is our peace. He is. He is. My, what a Savior we have. What a Redeemer. He's the author of our peace. And He's also our peace. And here we see the reason. for our peace with God. It's all in Christ Jesus our Lord. It's all in Him. For He is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us. All in Christ. Know that it's all Him. For He is our peace. All wholly done by Christ. and for his sake, beloved. Paul is bringing us back to his original thought when he opened the epistle. Look, Ephesians 1, verses 4 to 6. He's bringing us back. He's bringing us back to the original thought when he opened this epistle, that we are chosen in Christ, adopted and predestinated to sonship in Christ. Look at this. According as he hath chosen us and him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise and the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Christ is the author of our peace. He is the author of our peace. He is our peace. And we are accepted in Christ, in Christ and him alone. And it's all to the praise, all to the praise of the glory of his grace. Now, think of this. We cannot make peace with God on our own. We can't do it. Religion tries, don't they? They try. They say, do this and you have your gain favor with God. They're trying to gain peace with God through their own works, but but man's man's works are like filthy rags in the eyes of the Lord. Here have nothing of it because Scripture declares that Christ is our peace. He's the only one. He's the only one we have salvation in. Christ is the only fit and proper person to do this, because He is the sinless, spotless Lamb of God, who fulfilled all that God demanded, and the law and justice of God is satisfied, satisfied in Christ in the place of His people. He alone has made a full satisfaction of the law and justice of God, and He did it for us. He did it for us. for every one of His elect. And He did it to bring us to God, to reconcile us to God, to reconcile us to Him. He'd broken down the middle wall of petition between us. Notice it says in verse 15, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in the ordinances, all the Old Testament law and ordinances, pointed to Christ, beloved. They pointed to Him. You remember in Colossians we saw that they were shadows, but He's the substance. They were shadows, and He's the substance. They pointed right to Him. And Ephesians 2.15 says, Heaven abolished in His flesh the enmity even the law of commandments contained in ordinances for to make in himself of twain one new man, so make in peace." So Jew and Gentile are one in Christ. And have we not saw that in our study in Colossians? Turn if you would over to Colossians chapter 3. Have we not saw that in our study in Colossians? Look at verse 11 in Colossians 3. And he's speaking of the body of Christ here. The new man in Christ, we're born again. Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all. There's no separation. There's no separation of nationalities, of color, Nothing. We're one in Christ, beloved. All of God's left. So he has, in our text here though, he has taken down the middle wall of partition between the Jews and the Gentiles. And he's made in himself one new man. Remember, he's the head and we're the body. And look at this. So making peace. Peace there to get there it is again, we saw in verse 14, for he is our peace and he's the one who made it, he's the he is our peace and he's the one who's made peace between us and God. And look at verse 60. And that he might reconcile both on the God. In one body. by the cross. Ephesians 2.16, having slain the enmity thereby. So when did he do this? When he died upon the cross. And he might reconcile. He's brought us back to God. We're reconciled with God in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Heaven slain the enmity thereby. What was it that caused division between us and God? Our sin, beloved. Praise God. Jesus paid it all. Paid everything. That's why we can sing that song we sang. And oh, it was a joy to sing that with you. It is well, it is well with my soul. And look at this, it says in verse 17 and came and preached peace to you. The gospel comes to us, doesn't it? In power. And the Holy Spirit makes it effectual. And we're drawn to Christ. And came and preached peace to you, which were far off, remember, we were far off in our minds, we were far off in our works. We were far off in our deeds. Oh, how far we were beloved in the wilderness of sin. With no hope, but he came and preached peace to you. This is a seek and save. He seeks his sheep. You see how the picture of sheep and the shepherd is such a perfect picture of our Lord? Because as I said, the sheep will be wandering off. I said that this morning. The sheep will be wandering off. He won't care. He just wanders off. And that shepherd comes and seeks you out. And that's what he did for every one of us who believed. He sought us out. My, it's wonderful. He bought the gospel to us. I ask you, did you have a care for Christ or the gospel before he saved you? What made you to differ? To hear the gospel, that one can hear the gospel and the Lord saves, and another sitting beside them can hear the same words and nothing happens. It's the grace of God in Christ, beloved, who made you to do it. It says here, and came and preached peace to you, peace. We preach peace, the ministry of reconciliation when the gospel's proclaimed. To you, which were afar, and to them that were nigh. The Lord Jesus Christ, is the only one in whom we have peace. If we don't have Christ, we don't have peace with God. But if we have Christ, we have peace with God. Let us ponder that this week as we go out into the world. God has blessed us in revealing Christ to us. Glory to his name. Gracious Heavenly Father, we come before thy throne with grateful and thankful hearts. Thankful and grateful that you sought us out. And Lord Jesus, we are thankful that you are our peace because in and of ourselves, we can have no peace with God. But Lord Jesus, you died on Calvary's cross. Make reconciliation for us. And it's our sins that separated us from God, but you paid the price that God demanded for our sins. And we will be eternally grateful. In Jesus' name, amen.