He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
Summary: Why do we need peace? The answer has to do with how we see the world. If we are looking through the lens of our own self-interest, we are not seeing life the way God wants us to see it.
Let’s begin by looking back at Paul’s prior statement about Christ:
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13)
Those who are “far away” in this context are the Gentiles. Those who are “near,” by extension, are the Jews who have been living under the old covenant. When Paul says that Jesus preached “peace to you,” it sounds like he is doing something profound. He is not simply “talking about” peace, but rather, he is opening the door to peace.
Why do we need peace from God?
This need for peace is one of the most difficult things for us to grasp. We live our lives here on Earth as well as we can. We suffer setbacks and oppression. We enjoy our victories and good fortune. Everything that happens is viewed through its relevance to the inner “ME.” “Good times” are “good” because the inner “ME” is enjoying them. “Bad times” are “bad” for the same reason; the inner “ME” is suffering.
My youngest granddaughter, who just turned five years old, is playing soccer for the first time. She is alternately happy or sad depending on her inner “ME.” At one point during her game this past weekend, she burst into tears in the middle of the field. Was she hurt? Was she mad because someone had taken the ball? No. She was upset because she had said something to her mother, and her mom, who was across the field talking to a friend, hadn’t heard. “Mommy!!” she yelled through a cascade of tears.
As humans, our victories and suffering are always gauged through a human perspective. Meanwhile, our Creator and God is being ignored. God, being God, doesn’t miss anything. We were made to be in a relationship with him. When we turn our backs on God, we are being hostile to him.
It is impossible for us as humans to understand the gravity of our hostility to God unless God himself tells us. And so he did. The Bible is full of stories about the relationship between God and man. None of them puts man in a good light. Even Abraham and Moses had their faults as far as God was concerned. Only Jesus lived in perfect harmony with God.
The picture painted by Jesus’ life is a portrait of someone who completely sets aside their self will and is totally devoted to God’s will. That is not something normal humans can do. We need Jesus. We need the peace he preached. We need to walk through the door of that peace into a new relationship with our Creator, God.
Application: Accept the peace that Jesus preached each and every day.
Food for Thought: Without Jesus, how much better off are those who are “near” than those who are “far away?” Why?
No better off. Why?
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Because you can follow the law to the letter and still sin. You become a slave to the law and a slave to sin. Then you can only give to God and others as the law allows, and love is lost.
Romans 8:3-4 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Thank you, Chris!
The John 14:6 passage says it all. There is only one way for both the near and the far; Jesus!
Good thoughts Chris.
I agree, without Jesus all is lost. The advantage of being given God’s revealed word is priceless (Romans 3: 1 – 2). We now have that too in the Bible. But if we neglect or reject the message we remain in our sin (Romans 2: 12 – 25; Romans 3: 9). Only by responding to the truth of the gospel and embracing Jesus do we have life (Ephesians 1: 13; Romans 1: 16 – 17).
Without Christ everyone remains “far away.” Acts 4: 12.
Rich,
The Romans 3:9 passage is interesting:
“… Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.”
Like all people, Jews and Gentiles have differences and also things in common. Our differences are “near and far.” What we have in common is being under the power of sin.
04-24- 2023, Without Jesus, how much better off are those who are “near” than those who are “far away?” Why?
Chris and Rich got here ahead of me. Good stuff!
The Bible tells us, God is not far from each of us, Jesus came and preached peace to those far away and those who were near, and all should draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.
Acts 17:27, Ephesians 2:17, Hebrews 10:22
For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him.
Romans 10:11-13
Judas betrays Jesus, the young rich ruler who could not part with all he had and follow Jesus, the Sanhedrin and many Pharisees who were all physically “near Jesus”, yet their hearts were far away astray plotted His death.
Matthew 26:49-50, Matthew 19:16-22, John 11:45-57
Jesus calls to common fishermen who respond and follow Him. Their only qualification was knowing they were sinners, “far away from God”. Jesus came for all sinners. Initially there were six, before Matthew, also known as Levi was called. We know Matthew, was a tax collector who climbed a tree so he could better see Jesus, fell from the tree and met Jesus. Nothing is written about the rest including Judas Iscariot.
Luke 5:1-11, Luke 5:31-32, Matthew 9:9-13; Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32
JESUS SEES ONLY SIN AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOLLOWING JESUS BEGINS WITH SEEING OURSELVES AS HELPLESS SINNERS. FOLLOWING JESUS MEANS THAT WE BY FAITH HAVE PLACED OUR TRUST IN HIM TO PROVIDE EVERYTHING WE NEED.
2 Corinthians 5:21 God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
Ron,
You make the interesting point that “near” and “far” are terms of relative difference. From our human perspective some look nearer to God than others. From God’s perspective we all look “far” from his will.
Without Jesus, how much better off are those who are “near” than those who are “far away?” Why?
Looks like I barely made it to the party but everyone got here ahead of me and posted great stuff. I enjoyed Ron’s thoughts of far and near.
Something that comes to mind often is How all the Pharisees thought they knew God and all His commands, yet they killed Jesus but Mary most likely didn’t know how to read yet had a close relationship with Jesus and wept.
Tim,
You remind me of Luke 9:48 —
“Then he [Jesus] said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.’”
It delights me to think that I remind someone of scripture.