Advent 2025: Peace – Ephesians 2:13-18

Paul's letter to the Ephesians.

You may remember last year's love candle,

! Pop quiz. Who preached it?

! It was Jake. I looked it up.

!

This morning, but it is a part two for Jake.

So, this is the peace candle.

And if I were to title this message, it would be this.

Christ is peace.

Christ makes peace.

Christ proclaims peace.

That's our structure.

So, if you're taking notes, that's the three points of the body of this message.

Christ is peace.

Christ makes peace.

Christ proclaims peace.

So, before we get there, what is peace?

What do you think of when you think of peace?

You may think of world events, wars.

You may think of the Big C Church, Universal Church, and peace within it.

Or maybe the local church.

Or maybe your family.

Or maybe inside your marriage and your children.

You think of desiring to have a peaceful home, maybe.

Maybe you think of the reason we long for peace,

and that is because of sin.

You may think of peace and sin.

It's the reason we all long for peace, whether we know it or not.

All these are important and necessary.

I don't want to say they're not.

But I think there are two categories that would help us think

that the text really brings out here of peace.

There's two types.

I'm going to call them horizontal peace and vertical peace.

Horizontal peace could be worldly peace,

not worldly in a negative sense,

but in a sense that our relationships to one another would be horizontal.

It's horizontal peace, having peace with one another.

But the second one,

and it's more of a biblical sense of peace,

I'm going to call vertical peace.

It's our vertical relationship with us as a creation,

with our creator.

That's our vertical peace,

or heavenly peace, maybe.

And here's one of my points here.

One cannot rightly understand horizontal peace with one another

unless we understand vertical peace between us and God.

And so with worldly peace,

let's take those two in turn.

With worldly peace or horizontal peace,

it's maybe an absence of war,

absence of strife,

absence of conflict,

spouses or your children.

It's concerned with peace only between others,

and that's why I say horizontal.

And at the center of this is man.

It's not negative.

It just is one aspect of two.

And I think we naturally only emphasize this horizontal peace.

So in this way,

we often, oftentimes,

it's the offender who initiates the process of reconciliation

with the offended.

Meaning, so let's take your children, for example.

So one child offends another.

No peace.

It is out.

It's out absolute war in your house between these two children.

And you encourage them to,

the one who offended,

you talk to them and they,

you encourage them to initiate the process

of reconciling with their sibling,

who was the offended.

But we will come back to this at the end.

And this is actually not how God has dealt with us.

Even though that is good and necessary for horizontal peace,

it's different for vertical peace,

as our text and whole Bible teaches.

So before we get to that,

pray with me.

Father, I ask that you would help me during this time

to have clear words

that everyone here would hear your word and your truth

and not my words.

Help the gospel be clear.

Help our concept of peace to be more of what you desire

and what you have done

more than what we do.

Help us to keep our eyes on you,

especially during this season,

that we can look and see true peace with you

through your son.

Amen.

So let's do a little biblical theology of peace here.

So heavenly peace.

Here at the Old Testament,

it teaches that if we were to divide the Old Testament

into two parts,

it would be law and prophets.

Law, a means of making peace with God,

was through sacrifice.

Through sacrificial law,

it was a means of making peace with God.

God established that through the first five books

of the Old Testament.

And it was how to make peace with God.

But astute Bible readers would know

that Israel, once given to the law,

never had actual peace.

If you read, you read through kings,

like judges and kings.

It is an absolute wreck

of what the law meant for it to be,

to bring peace before God and his people.

So the prophets make this clear.

There is a change in language

that makes what was concealed in the law

made it a little more clear in the prophets,

in which the New Testament will make completely clear

through Christ.

But the prophets,

there's a need for a redeemer

who emerges,

who emerges this figure,

who will embody peace

and bring it to his people.

This person will embody peace himself

and bring it to his people.

So we actually already,

we're going to talk about two texts here

and we already read together,

which is perfect,

Isaiah 9, 6 and 7,

but listen to it as I read.

Isaiah 9, 6 and 7.

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.

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.

One more we'll look at

is Haggai 2, 9.

Haggai 2, 9 says,

the later glory of this house

shall be greater than the former,

says the Lord of hosts.

And in this place,

I will give peace,

declares the Lord of hosts.

So this all is driving

at the opening of the New Testament.

So the Christmas story.

So if you,

in Luke chapter 1,

Luke 1 · chapter mention

2,

in Zechariah's prophecy,

at the very end of Zechariah's prophecy,

says,

to give light to those

who sit in darkness

and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet

into the way of peace.

Harking back to the Old Testament prophecy

that we just read.

Luke 2,

this is the angels

to the shepherds.

And you all know this.

Glory to God in the highest

and on earth peace

among those with whom

he is pleased.

On earth peace.

And later,

Peter in Acts,

preaching on the conversion

of the Gentiles

in Acts chapter 10,

Acts 10 · chapter mention

Peter says,

as for the word

that he sent to Israel,

preaching good news

of peace

through Jesus Christ.

He is Lord of all.

Making it clear

that this peace on earth

comes through one man

and that man is Christ.

Now,

this earthly,

or this heavenly,

this vertical peace

is concerned with,

like I said,

creator and his creation.

That's why I say vertical.

And at the center of this

is God.

It is Christ.

One cannot rightly understand

horizontal peace

unless we understand

the vertical peace

displayed through Christ's

sacrificial death

on the cross.

So,

for that long intro,

please turn with me

or look down

in your copy of God's word

to Paul

writing to

the church of Ephesus

in chapter 2.

And I will read

11 and 12,

but our main text

will be 13 through 18.

So,

verse 11.

Therefore,

remember that at one time,

or we could say formerly,

you were Gentiles

in the flesh,

called the uncircumcision

by what is called

the circumcision,

which is made

in the flesh by hands.

Remember

that you were

at that time

separated from Christ,

alienated from

the commonwealth

of Israel

and strangers

to the covenants

of promise,

having no hope

and without God

in the world.

And here's our text.

But now,

but now in Christ Jesus,

you who were,

once were,

we could say formerly,

far off,

have been brought near

by the blood

of Christ.

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.

For through him

we both

have access

in one spirit

to the Father.

Before we jump in

too deeply,

let's look at this

from above.

So if we're thinking

about structure

and how Paul

is structuring

his argument,

it would help us

to understand

his message

more deeply.

So if you've ever

been,

if you're a guy

and been to our

Sunday evening

times of prayer,

we have a Bible study.

I always ask

two questions

of a text,

and are there

any repeated words,

and are there

any contrasts?

And it helps us

to look at a text

more deeply.

So if we ask,

what are the contrasts?

Paul loves

his contrasting.

There are many.

So just,

I'm going to list off

some that you may

have already

picked up on.

There's the far off

to the near.

There's the peace

to the hostility.

There's both

into one.

And then there's

one new man,

and we could say

two men.

And there's

reconcile,

and there's

the cross.

All these contrasts

helps us understand

the structure here.

Are there any

repeated words?

Do you see

any repeated words?

There's actually

a couple.

Only,

I'll just point out

two here.

There are three.

There's actually,

before we deep dive

into the repeated words,

there's a Trinitarian

formula here.

I wonder if you

caught it here.

The Trinity

is clear

in this text,

actually,

if we think about

are there any

repeated words.

So the repeated word

I'm going to

give your attention

to is both

in one.

That both

in one

is repeated

three times

in connection

with one person

of the Trinity.

So both

in one.

So if you look

at verse 14,

it's the Son.

So verse 14,

He Himself

is our peace.

He has made

us both

one

and has broken

down in His flesh

the dividing wall

of hostility.

Who is He Himself?

Who has made?

It is Christ,

the Son.

In verse 16,

it's the Father.

Notice,

He might reconcile us

both to God

in one body.

Who?

God.

To God.

And then

the Holy Spirit

in verse 18,

at the very last.

For through Him

we both

have access

in one Spirit

to the Father.

In one Spirit,

the Holy Spirit.

There's a Trinitarian

shape to this text

as well.

Other words

repeated?

Obviously,

there's peace.

So,

Christ is our peace

in 14.

Christ made peace

in 15.

17,

Christ proclaimed

peace.

So I'm going to say

at the center of this

is the last part

of verse 15.

So making peace.

peace.

So,

there are two,

for our structure,

if the center

is so making peace,

if there's three times

He's using the word peace,

I'm going to take

so making peace

the middle.

The first

and the last part,

I hope you probably

thought about this,

it's mirrored image.

The first

corresponds to the last

and vice versa.

And it's

based on

the far

and near

imagery.

So,

verse 13,

you who once

were far off

have been brought

near.

That's verse 13

in the beginning.

But,

last,

verse 17,

you who were

far off,

you were

near.

They're mirrored.

And so,

in the middle

is making peace.

Christ

making peace.

And the far

is being brought

near.

And that's

what,

that's the connection.

Christ

is peace.

Christ

makes peace.

Christ

proclaims

peace.

So,

for our first point,

verses 13

and 14,

Christ

is

peace.

So,

look with me,

verse 13.

But,

now,

in Christ

Jesus,

you

once,

we'd say

formerly,

were far off,

have been brought

or moved

near

by the blood

of Christ.

Those who

are far

away,

that is

another word

for saying

Gentiles.

Gentiles,

and we can see

that in verse 11

above,

that we just read.

Those who are

far away,

but have been

brought near,

this figurative

moving,

brought near

by the blood

of Christ.

Now,

if we think

about the Gentiles

and those

who are far

away,

being moved

near,

this is already

pointing to,

after our text,

in verse 19,

this,

using the temple

language for the

people of God,

from 19 to the

end of the chapter.

And,

if you think,

what is the temple?

The temple is

where God

dwells.

God dwells

with his people

in the temple.

And,

Paul is

referencing

that relationship

from the far

away

to the near,

because what's

nearest is

God dwelling

with his people.

And,

that's why he uses

the temple

language

after our text,

from 19 to the

end of the

chapter.

And,

to make it clear

how this happens,

Paul writes,

by the blood

of Christ.

It's the means

by which

those who are

far off,

have been

brought near.

It's the means

by which,

far off to near

by the blood

of Christ.

Verse 14,

for he himself

is our

peace,

who has made

us both

one,

and has broken

down in his

flesh the dividing

wall of

hostility.

That last part,

and has broken

down in his flesh

the dividing

wall of hostility.

If we were

going to be a

little more

literalistic,

we could render

it something

like,

and destroy

the fence

or barrier

that divides.

That is,

the hostility

in his

flesh.

So,

when we see,

for he himself

is our peace,

Christ himself

is our peace.

When you see

is in scripture,

you can put

an equal sign.

So,

peace equals

Christ.

Christ.

That is the

vertical peace.

And this

is the first

of the two

into one

concept of

the Trinitarian

formula.

Who is making

both into one?

Christ,

the Son.

Which,

this formula,

if you are

astute,

you will know

he does it

twice for the

Son.

Only once for

the Father,

once for the

Holy Spirit.

But who is

both?

Who is the

two?

Who is the,

we could say

it is both

groups.

It is Gentiles

and Israel.

Two groups.

Gentiles and

Israel.

We can see

this in verse

11 with

Gentiles,

verse 12

with Israel.

It is not

as if Gentiles

are against

Israel,

or Israel

is against

Gentiles.

It is not

that.

They are not

opposed to

each other.

What he is

bringing together

is it is not

against each

other,

but both

have been

hostile to

God.

They have

the same

problem.

That is the

connection between

the two

groups,

but into

one,

and there is

one solution

to their

problem.

They have a

sin problem,

both,

but now

there is

one solution.

And thus,

the two

becoming one

by the

blood of

Christ.

Both groups

into one

by the

blood of

Christ.

And hostility,

it is not

with those

two groups,

it is with

God,

the vertical.

So,

Christ is

peace,

Christ makes

peace.

Journal of

me,

15,

verse 15,

Christ makes

peace.

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.

So making

peace.

This is the

center of

the text

here.

This

abolishing

word we

should pause

on.

It could

be something

like nullifying,

but it's

also using

up,

invalidating,

setting aside,

setting free.

There's a lot

of nuance

here, but

abolishing,

nullifying.

I don't want

you to get

this confused

with in

Matthew chapter

five when

Jesus says,

do not think

that I have

come to

abolish the

law of the

prophets,

but to

fulfill them.

That's a

different word.

So that's

why I

probably think

that nullifying

is a better

word there,

but think of

that.

Also,

with

expressed in

ordinances,

it's decrees,

or this is

where we get

our word for

dogma,

or for

doctrine,

dogma,

doctrine,

that's where

we get our

word.

It's a

formulized set

of rules,

and Paul

probably is

thinking,

so should

we,

from Romans

7,

4,

this is

similar,

maybe give

light to

this,

what he

means here.

Romans 7,

4,

it reads,

you also

have died

to the

law through

the body

of Christ,

so that

you may

belong to

another,

to him

who has

been raised

from the

dead,

in order

that we

may bear

fruit for

God.

I think

he's

having

those

same

points

here.

Notice

two men

into

one

new

man.

Verse

16,

and might

reconcile

us both

to God

in one

body

through

the

cross,

thereby

killing

the

hostility.

You could

say,

and might

reconcile

us both

together

into one

body

to God

through

the

cross,

putting

to death

the

enmity

through

it.

A little

more

literalistic

there.

This is

a second

Trinitarian

formula

here,

God the

Father

here,

two

into

one.

And

this is

the means

by the

cross,

in him,

through

the cross

is the

means by

which there

is vertical

peace.

He's

hammering

it over

and over

and over

again.

And this

is the

purpose,

the killing

of the

hostility.

Notice

the hostility

is

the first

part of

that verse

is reconcile

us both

and thereby

killing the

hostility.

The answer

to the

hostility

is the

reconciling.

And he

moves on.

So Christ

is peace,

Christ

makes

peace,

Christ

proclaims

peace.

Verse 17,

read with me.

And he

came and

preached

peace.

He

proclaimed

peace to

you who

were far

off and

peace to

those who

were near.

Notice

there is a

Christmas text

here.

It is the

incarnation.

He came,

he came,

he preached

peace.

So Christ

came,

it's the

incarnation.

He took

on flesh

and dwelt

among us.

It should

be resonating

in your

mind here.

Christ's

death is

above,

we just

read,

so it's

Christ's

death,

Christ's

birth here,

and Christ's

message of

preaching

peace.

It's as if

Paul is

writing his

entire,

Jesus'

entire story

here in

these words.

He died,

he came,

he preached

peace.

peace.

And this

is a

call to

preach this

good news.

Don't let

this slip

by here.

Especially

during this

season,

this

incarnation,

thinking about

the incarnation,

this is the

Christmas season

that we

especially

remember

Christ and

his coming

into the

world on

our behalf

and looking

to his

cross.

He came,

but also,

look,

and he

came and

preached

peace.

Don't let

the proclaiming

peace slip

by.

During this

season

especially,

if you're

in Christ,

I encourage

you to pray

for opportunities

for this,

for speaking

this truth

of peace

by the

blood of

the cross,

by the

blood of

Christ,

to speak

this truth

and love

with all

the many

random

family members

and friends

you will

see in

the next

couple of

days.

Pray for

specific

opportunities.

That's a

dangerous

prayer,

but I

encourage you

to ask

the Lord

for specific

opportunities

for those

who do

not know

this

peace.

And we

can have

confidence

in going

to these

family and

friends that

may be

hostile to

this message.

we can

have

confidence

only rooted

in Christ

because in

Christ he

has gone

before us

and proclaimed

this truth

himself.

And all

we need

to do

is point

to Christ.

It is

the evangelistic

message to

proclaim this

peace,

this true

vertical peace

through the

blood of

Christ.

And I

encourage you

to pray

specific

prayers during

this season

for that.

So last

verse,

verse 18

here.

For

through him

we both

together

have access

in one

spirit

to the

Father.

This is the

third and

final Trinitarian

formula,

the Spirit,

the Holy

Spirit.

And here

the center

of this

verse is

access.

The result

of Christ's

work.

is our

access.

And that,

I pray,

would give

you joy.

Only

through one

man can

we have

access to

the Father

in one

spirit.

And that

is the

man,

Christ,

Jesus.

So in

conclusion,

if we go

back and

think about

our worldly

peace,

our general

definition,

if we go

back and

think about

your two

children being

at war

together.

But the

worldly

peace,

or the

horizontal,

typically is

that the

offender

initiates the

process of

reconciliation

with the

offended.

But as we

have seen,

biblical or

vertical or

heavenly peace,

it's different.

The gospel

turns that

upside down.

the offended

initiates the

process of

reconciliation

with the

offenders.

It flips the

definition.

It is not

humans who

approach God

to make

peace,

but God

does.

The one who

is offended

initiates that

process of

reconciliation.

reconciliation.

God initiates

the process of

reconciliation with

us through the

blood of

Christ.

Now, do

you believe

this?

Do you just

know this?

Or do you

truly believe

and trust in

the Lord in

this?

Because this

is what's

easier is to

have a worldly

peace, the

horizontal peace.

It's much more

difficult to

believe and

apply to your

life.

hope that

the offended

one initiates

the process of

reconciliation.

That goes to

the heart of

our pride,

because we

want to do

something.

We want to

be the hero.

Does this

give you

dread?

Or does

this give you

joy that

you can look

to Christ and

see that God

has initiated

reconciliation

for your

sin?

Does that

give you

joy?

I hope it

does.

I hope that

you see this

as a beautiful

truth that

you can

proclaim.

If you

don't, I

encourage you

to turn to

the Lord who

extends this

peace to

you through

his Son.

I pray that

you would

read this,

you would be

confused by it,

drawn to it,

that you

would turn

and go to

him with

this truth.

But if you

do, if you

do know this

true to be

true, I

pray that the

Lord would

give you

peace in

this life

while remembering

the ultimate

peace accomplished

through Christ,

God's Son.

I pray that

the Lord would

give us

wisdom and

courage to

proclaim this

peace to

those who

do not

yet know

or who

have hardened

hearts.

Pray those

specific prayers

this week.

Christ is

peace.

Christ

makes peace.

Christ

proclaims

peace.

I'll have

Paul have

the last

word.

Look with

me.

verse 19

at the

end of

our text.

So then,

you are

no longer,

you are no

longer

strangers and

aliens,

but you are

fellow citizens

with the

saints and

members of

the household

of God.

Pray with

me.

God

to

God

to

God

to

God

to

to

God

!

!