The Blue Church

PEACE: Christ Conquering Chaos   Living with Jesus in the Eye of the Storm       Isaiah 9:6–7 (NIV84) ⁶ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.   Luke 2:14  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”   John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.   Luke 12:51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.   Luke 22:36 He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.   Luke 22:49 When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?”   John 18:36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”            So, if Jesus is the prophesied Prince of Peace who promised peace, then why doesn’t there seem to be much peace. And what’s that talk about swords? And why do so many not feel peaceful on His birthday? Are we listening to what He said, or just defining “peace” our way?

Last week we noted that the Kingdom of God already has come with the appearance of King Jesus. But we saw that the first order of business was not destroying evil armies and dethroning rebellious kings, but subduing hearts. Jesus has brought the New Covenant, enacting it with His own blood, a Covenant which transforms us from the inside out, placing God’s law in our hearts rather than formal legislation. Jeremiah 31:3-34             In this book, Philemon is  not commanded to free his slaves, and Onesimus is not instructed to lead his fellow-slaves in an insurrection against their masters. Rather, Jesus is now IN Philemon and IN Onesimus as a righteous, transformational power Who recasts their relationship in terms of God’s creative image and the powerful effects of His love.             So slavery is addressed as individuals are instructed AND empowered to act in one another’s best interests. Is this a pattern of God’s acting within culture? Let’s explore God’s strategy to hasten the day when “the kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of the Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.” Rev. 11:15

Do This In Remembrance of Me   Why the bread? Why the wine? Because they celebrate Incarnation and Covenant.        All four gospels tell of Jesus eating “The Last Supper” with His disciples the night He was betrayed, the eve of His going to the Cross. It was during a Passover meal, which celebrated God saving Israel from the oppression of Egypt, that Jesus took the elements of bread and wine and “repurposed” them, or redefined them as something greater than Passover. For Passover commemorated, through a sacrificial lamb and a simple meal, a temporal salvation. The Lord’s Supper commemorates the Sacrifice (Jesus Himself, the Lamb), pictured in the bread and wine. John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; Hebrews 10:12; 1 John 2:2; 2 Corinthians 5:21