He Brought Peace 

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 5:1 (NIV) 

In the world of Monty Python a group of Jewish zealots are sitting in a darkened room plotting the overthrow of Rome. One activist says, ‘They’ve taken everything we had, not just from us, from our fathers and from our fathers’ fathers. And what have they ever given us in return?’
The replies from the others were: ‘The aqueduct; sanitation; the roads; medicine; education; health; the wine; public baths; it’s safe to walk the street at nights; they know how to keep order.’
Slightly annoyed at the responses, the activist said, ‘All right…all right…but apart from better sanitation and medicine and education and irrigation and public health and roads and a freshwater system and baths and public order…what have the Romans done for us?’
The lone reply was ‘Brought peace!’

That episode got me thinking about the question that some people ask: ‘What has Jesus Christ ever done for us?’ How would you answer that question? Just as we might be able to list the numerous things the Romans did, we could no doubt list many of the things Jesus did for us, but perhaps the bottom line is the answer given at the end of that comic scene—he brought peace! That is what the angels announced at his birth, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.” (Luke 2:14)

It’s easy to read that verse and think, ‘you have got to be joking. Peace? There has been no peace on earth since Jesus was born.’ But this is not talking about the end of armed conflict or the cessation of war, it’s referring to peace with God that Jesus will provide for us through his sacrifice. The Bible says in Colossians 1:21-22 (GNT), “At one time you were far away from God and were his enemies because of the evil things you did and thought. But now, by means of the physical death of his Son, God has made you his friends, in order to bring you, holy, pure, and faultless, into his presence.”

The good news is that Jesus Christ through his birth, death, resurrection and ascension has already done everything you need to make peace with God. All you need to do is surrender and accept it by faith. “So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” (Romans 5:11 NLT)

Prayer
Father, thank you that through the Lord Jesus Christ we are no longer your enemies but have been reconciled to you and are now your friends. Help us to value the sacrifice that has brought us peace.
Amen

Study by Barry Robinson

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About the Author:
Barry Robinson is an Elder and pastoral worker in the Greater London area, particularly the Camberwell and North London congregations of the Worldwide Church of God UK.

Local Congregation:
Worldwide Church of God Camberwell
The Salvation Army Hall
105 Lomond Grove
Camberwell
LONDON SE5 7HN

Meeting Time:
Saturday 11 am

Local Congregational Contact:
Barry Robinson
Email: barry_robinson@wcg.org.uk