Patterns for Peace预览

The Pattern

It's amazing just how much of the life of Jesus was saturated with His mission to bring the peace of God into every situation.

Jesus came to establish peace; His message explained peace; His death purchased peace and His resurrection enabled peace. His name is called the “Prince of Peace.” The angels announced His birth with a proclamation of "Peace on Earth."

Jesus’ persistent word of absolution to sinners was, “Go in peace!” Just before He was crucified, in His final words to His disciples He told them, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you.” When He returned after the resurrection, His first word to the disciples was “Shalom.” "Peace to you!”

The point is, He paid an enormous price for us to experience peace. In fact, the closest picture we have to what Jesus talked about in the Beatitudes is mentioned by the Apostle Paul when he describes what God has done for us through Christ–how He reconciled us to Himself by making peace through HIs blood on the cross. Jesus saw the gravity of our problem, and He refused to sweep it under the rug or stick His head in the sand. Only a drastic solution would suffice, so He “made peace” by shedding His blood on the cross. And in His action, He shows us the supreme pattern in bringing peace...in our hearts, our relationships, our church, in our city, our nation, and our world. Sacrifice.

Questions for reflection.

What aspect of Jesus' life and ministry models peace to you the most?

In what ways do you think sacrifice is a pattern for peacemaking?