August 17 2025

Sunday August 17

“Peace With God”

Ephesians 1:1-3

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

Today we're looking at Ephesians 1:1-3, especially verse two where Paul says to the church at Ephesus, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." We have talked about God’s grace and how important it is that we experience God's grace before we can experience His peace—peace with God. The Bible definitely teaches that we're at enmity with God before our salvation. We're enemies of God. We're alienated in our minds by wicked works away from God (Colossians 1:21), and we need reconciliation.

Just now the world is looking for peace in the Ukraine in the Middle East. And everyone is looking to the people there to make peace so that the bloody slaughter can stop of soldiers and innocent people on both sides. My friend, the world wants peace. But there will be no peace without the Man of peace. That's Jesus Christ. And I can tell you one day He will bring peace to this world. Jesus said to His disciples, "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me" (John 14:1).  

Our hearts are yearning for peace. Your heart yearns for peace. There's something missing inside because you literally are not at one with the Father in heaven who created you, your Creator God. You've been alienated from Him by sin that you were born with in your heart. And there's only one way to make peace, and that's through the blood of His cross. That's why Romans 5:1 says, "Therefore, being justified by faith," remember we talked about grace and faith.

Paul wrote to the “faithful in Christ” at Ephesus, those who have a saving faith. And when you have a saving faith in the blood of Christ on the cross of Calvary, you can then enjoy His peace. You're at peace with God only through the sacrifice and the blood of His Son Jesus Christ. Paul wrote, “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).

Peace with God is what we need and what we are longing for. No more war, no more enmity, no more separation. We're reconciled to God. And it says He reconciles all things to Himself in Colossians 1:20, “And having reconciled all things to Himself, having made peace by the blood of His cross”. It's only through the blood of His cross that you can experience by faith this wonderful peace with God. Have you ever come to the cross? Have you ever come to Christ through His blood?

In Ephesians 2:13-17 Paul wrote, "But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one and broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, therefore putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were far off, those who are now near”.

My friend, Paul was saying that the Jews were near, (they had the law of Moses), but the Gentiles, we were far off, but we are all separated from Christ. But in Christ, we are brought together, and we have peace. Oh, today this is peace with God. But then there is also the peace of God that passes all understanding. Read Philippians 4:4-9. Those first verses there that talk about being at peace with God because we yield everything in our lives to Him. We surrender our will. We surrender our possessions. We surrender everything to Him. And we can then enjoy the peace of God that passes all understanding. And then think on these things that are pure and holy and lovely and kind and good and gracious.

You can live a life of peace. That's why John 14:27 means so much to me when Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, (The very peace He had with His Father), not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Troubled hearts, fearful hearts can come to reconciliation with God through Christ in His blood on the cross and find that peace that passes all understanding and that peace that takes away the enmity with God.

God bless you today as you experience and enjoy grace and peace through faith in Christ Jesus.