The Chastisement for Our Peace Was Upon Him

Well, it's already been mentioned here today in the Sermonet. We're very quickly approaching the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, now just over two weeks away. And it's a very meaningful, very important time of the year for all of us. And as such, it gets our mind focused, right? It gets our thoughts going towards specifics of what God has laid out for us in those days. And for me, part of my preparations this year have been focused, I would say, more and more on how does this... how does the Passover, how does the Holy Days, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ tie to it, how does it impact me personally and directly? You know, what does it affect in my life on a day-to-day basis? I think we all understand quite thoroughly that Jesus Christ died so that our sins could be forgiven. The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians chapter 2 verse 8, that he became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. And so, willingly laying his life down, giving himself for us out of his love for us is something we clearly understand about these days. We also understand that the love of the Father is shown through these days very clearly as well, that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3 verse 16. So these days are full of the love of the Father and the love of Jesus Christ for us and what it is they were both willing to give for our salvation.

But in addition to those large and obvious descriptors, I think those are things we go to, you know, very directly if someone says, well, what's the Passover about? You know, we go to those things very directly and we can quote those things readily about Christ's sacrifice. You know, the Bible also contains many details surrounding how his sacrifice specifically impacts us, again, on a day-to-day basis. It shows really the consequence of the sacrifice, or we could say, the effect in our lives of the sacrifice as it impacts us.

And we come to understand there's many nuances, many finer points of detail that we want to be very careful not to overlook as we come up to and walk through these holy days. It's a multifaceted blessing that's been given to us by God and Jesus Christ through this redemption process.

One such detail that's been on my mind here this week and the focus of my study is going to be found in Isaiah chapter 53. So you can be turning over there and start in Isaiah 53 today. And if you haven't taken the time to study through Isaiah 53 yet for this year, I strongly recommend you do so before the Passover arrives, because there's just so much detail contained in the Messianic prophecy concerning the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that, you know, one could literally just, if you're just reading it, say, you know, on a fast horse, you could just blow through Isaiah 53 and say, okay, good, got it.

But I think it's important to actually slow down and focus on really each line of emphasis in that chapter as it pertains to the sacrifice of Christ, because there's so much detail in there. And I want to focus on one of those details here in the sermon today. But let's just introduce the chapter here. Isaiah chapter 53 and verse 1 says, "...who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" He says, "...for he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, as a root out of dry ground.

He has no form or a comeliness, and when we see him that there is no beauty that we should desire him." It's, you know, we've referred to the fact before that Jesus Christ didn't necessarily just stand out in a crowd because, you know, he was head and shoulders above everyone else, or so much better looking than everyone else.

He was, it would seem, generally average in his day, and times that he was able to, yes, miraculously, but slip into the crowd and, at times, go unnoticed. He didn't come for this, you know, dazzling appearance to stand out, and he looked very much like you and me, very much like those of his day.

But verse 3 says, "...he is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." Again, now we're getting to details. You could actually take a lot of time just to study through and trace out, you know, how is he a man of sorrows?

How was he acquainted with grief? What things did he experience, even in his own personal life, to connect himself with the things we go through in this way? He says, "...and we hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised and we did not esteem him. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed." This chapter describes the suffering servant, okay, and it highlights so many aspects of his sacrifice, what it is he took upon himself for us, so many relatable things to the human experience, actually, that he experienced, so that we could have relief from the weight that we carry through those experiences.

And each one of these aspects could be covered just in the first few verses here in great detail, but the single comment I want to focus on today is actually found in the middle of verse five. We're just going to take a sliver and explore how this process of detail works. In the middle of verse five it says, "...the chastisement of our peace was upon him." Or as, actually, I've got the new King James in front of me. My mind reverts to the old King James, but it says, "...the chastisement for our peace was upon him." You know, what does that phrase mean? What's the detail of that? How does that impact us today?

The chastisement for our peace was upon him. That's the title for today's message, and it's the phrase I want to explore as we move forward. The chastisement of our peace was upon him. But again, so many of these illustrations we could just read through quickly and be on our way, and I want to encourage us to take time to slow down and to explore the detail of what God has done through the sacrifice of his Son. So, the chastisement of his peace, of our peace was upon him, or the chastisement for our peace was upon him.

Let's start by breaking this phrase down a little bit, because there's a couple of words I think we need to understand clearly as we move through this. First, the word chastisement. The word translated chastisement in the Hebrew is musar, and in addition to chastisement, it's translated elsewhere in the Bible as punishment, as discipline, correction, or even instruction, depending on the context. So there's actually, depending on what is being referenced where this word occurs, depends in some ways on the severity of the translation. In my mind, I think of, at least in the English, instruction to be a little gentler than punishment, right?

But again, what the translation comes forward emphasizes the word based upon the context. And I believe here, when we look at the descriptors surrounding it in verse 5, again we see wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, and stripes, right? He took stripes. He was whipped and beaten, and by his stripes we are healed. And so the emphasis of musar leans towards the more aggressive use of the word. Again, punishment or chastisement, that is a very good use actually of that word in this place, and it's describing the penalty that was laid upon him through the scourging, through the crucifixion, so that you and I could have peace.

Okay, there was a price that had to be paid for our peace. And the penalty, the price that he took upon him, was punishment, chastisement, indeed things that are, you know, I don't tend to go through and let's magnify all the gruesome detail of everything he went through. I mean, you can do that. We know it was gruesome, okay? But we need to understand, at least in the broadest of senses, what he went through for us, the chastisement the punishment for our peace was upon him. If we take the word peace, it's actually an important word to understand as well.

The exact phrase that's translated for our peace is only used once in the Old Testament. It's a Hebrew phrase of a few words put together. I won't attempt to bring that and spell that out to you, but understand it's a phrase put together that occurs once for our peace.

But the root word we would clearly identify and understand, it's shalom. Right, we use shalom, you know, Shabbat Shalom, you know, Sabbath peace, that word shalom.

Now, Brahm, driver Briggs, as well as Strongs, defines shalom as meaning completeness, soundness, welfare, or peace. Again, it comes back to what's the context of how that word is being used. You know, I might say something to you like, how's your mother doing? Tell me about her welfare. That would be shalom in that type of a context, okay? Or I might say, you know, Darla had hip replacement surgery, and I notice you're not limping anymore. How's the soundness of that, you know, shalom? So it actually comes across in the English with different type translations, again, based upon the context. And peace very much is meaningful in this phrase. Mountses' complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words is actually, I'd say, a little more modern than vines and gives a little bit more of a cleaner understanding. But Mountses says about this word peace, it says, quote, on a spiritual level, shalom can also indicate a peace with God, okay? A peace with God. All peace comes from the Lord and He is the foundation of peace. And it says this peace, as used in Isaiah 53 verse 5, it actually uses this verse for a reference. It says this peace comes as a result of restored righteousness. Okay, so this peace comes as a result of restored righteousness. So understand what we're talking about here. This isn't just a peace that's an absence of war or a peace that comes by, hey, it's a beautiful evening. I'm sitting out in the chair by the fire pit with a drink in my hand watching the sunset. That is quite a peaceful thing to do, but this goes far beyond even that. This is a peace which comes with God, which comes as a result of restored righteousness through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Again, it's not like this is a peaceful morning. Wonderful, you know, that is wonderful. But we're talking about actually, no matter what the storm is going on around us, there is a peace with God that comes as a result of restored righteousness through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The point is the relationship is right. It is mended. It is what it should be, and it results in peace. And Jesus Christ paid the penalty. He paid the price so that you and I could enjoy that peace, ultimately peace with God being the point. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him. And it's a very, very meaningful detail, brethren, I believe, as we walk into the holy days which are upcoming. Christ's sacrifice, it's something we are to focus on. Indeed, the peace with God as we come into the Passover through Him. Because I'm sure we all understand, you know what, apart from peace with God, how can there be real peace? You know, we might have moments of what we would call peace. We might have surrounding or atmospheres that say, well, this is peaceful, but apart from actually being right with God, how can there truly be lasting and legitimate peace? But the form and the way Shalom is used here, this is what the sacrifice has bought for you and for me. Jesus Christ had that. Right? Think about the final night of His life just before His arrest. He's conveying many important details to His disciples, and He knows what's coming. It's prophesied. It's Isaiah 53. He knows what's prophesied. He knows what's coming, and He's walked the streets of that community, and the Romans would crucify people on the street corners and the intersections so that you would see and know and fear. He knew what was coming, and He said to His disciples, peace, I leave with you.

Which is incredible. My peace I give to you. He says, not as the world has peace do I give. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Christ said, I'm at peace. And yet, we know He prayed to His Father in such distress, if there's any way this cup can pass from me, that even sweat is blood rolled off of Him. But still He was at peace, even with that. Not my will, but your will. It was a peace He had, because He was right with His Father. And that peace, you know, that transcended anything that could have been taking place around Him in this flesh, even in His own crucifixion and death. He says, I leave that peace with you.

It comes through His sacrifice.

So, brethren, what does the New Testament call that relationship of peace with God?

Any thoughts? Oh, you know, we were going one way, and now we've repented, and we've been reconciled to God through the baptism of Christ, and I just gave you the word.

Reconciliation, isn't it? Right? Okay. Reconciliation. I jump to the end. That's what we call that relationship of peace with God. You know, it begins with the reconciliation leading to peace. So, I'm going to take some time then to notice some verses in the Bible that tie together very tightly. They weave together this concept of reconciliation and peace with God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We'll see how they're connected, and indeed, the value of this process in our life. Let's go to Colossians chapter 1, verse 19. Colossians chapter 1 and verse 19.

Here's the apostle Paul writing, and again we're looking at how our reconciliation and peace tie together through the sacrifice of Christ. Colossians 1 and verse 19. Paul says, Here's our word, peace. Having made peace through the blood of his cross.

And so the peace that comes through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ results from our reconciliation with God. Okay? You've come under that sacrifice through repentance and baptism, exercising faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. You are reconciled to God, and from that relationship then with your sins wiped away results peace.

In your life. Reconciliation means to bring back to a former state of harmony, and it's that aspect of the gospel whereby the enmity that existed between God and us because of sin has ended, and peace and harmony now are in its place. That's the relationship we live in with God under that sacrifice, and it's something that mankind has not been able to, you know, achieve on their own. It's not something that's come to us, you know, from the sin of Adam all the way into the time of Jesus' sacrifice. Truly this peace, this level of peace, you know, except for perhaps those God gave his spirit to individually, was not available except through Jesus Christ. Verse 21, it says, And you who were once alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight. This is the condition now. God says, I look on you, and you are clean indeed in my eyes. And so what Paul is saying is that before coming under this sacrifice, we were enemies of God. We were opposed to him, we contended with him, we were in conflict with him, and in that state, again, how in the world could there be peace? If you're an enemy of God, how can you truly be at peace? You know, we have a world that seeks to create peace through, or satisfaction, or whatever you want to label it, you know, as Stuart said, through the possession or chasing after something that will fill that void, but truly the peace that God desires only comes in no other way except through the sacrifice of his Son. We have peace, and it's an incredible, incredible blessing. The peace comes because the penalty of our sin was paid, and the handwriting of requirements against us was set aside. And now, as Paul said, we are holy and blameless and above reproach in the sight of God. If indeed we've come into that covenant relationship with him. Romans chapter 5, verse 1.

Romans 5 and verse 1. Paul continues on with this concept again linking peace with reconciliation. Romans chapter 5 verse 1 says, therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God. Okay, that's the key. Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Again, it's a peace that doesn't come in any other way except through that sacrifice in our response to it by faith, because it's only through that sacrifice that we're put in a right relationship with God. It's only through that process that true peace can come forth. Jumping down to verse 6, Paul says, for when we were still without strength, you know, I think of a newborn baby, there's not much you can do for yourself, right? And this is where we were under the penalty of sin. There's not much of anything. You could be sorry, you could be repentant, you could even change your life. But if you sinned on Monday, no perfect living and lawkeeping, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, could wipe out what occurred. Only the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. So when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love towards us, and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. The sacrifice was made before we were even worthy to receive it. In fact, you can't be worthy except to be under it through repentance. Verse 9, much more than having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son, much more having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received that reconciliation. So understand, brethren, salvation. You know, we use that term where people might ask, have you been saved? Right? Or we might say, I have been saved. I am continuing to be saved, and ultimately I will be saved when my change comes. But understand, salvation at its core is no longer being enemies of God.

That's what it comes down to, at its core. Salvation is no longer being enemies with God, but rather it's existing in a relationship of harmony with Him. And that's the piece that Jesus Christ sacrificed, paid the price for. It's a restoration back to a relationship that God intended from the beginning. You know, one that was actually rejected and defiled from the beginning. It's a restoration back to that. And as we can see, peace and reconciliation are tied inextricably together as they pertain to the Passover. And once we are reconciled through that sacrifice, the peace is ours.

Peace is ours. That is an incredible blessing that we never ever want to take lightly. No other form of sacrifice, brethren, could do that. No other form of sacrifice could bring peace, could bring reconciliation. You know, it might be a band-aid, a patch for a time. But no other sacrifice except that of Jesus Christ could truly bring peace. Let's listen to Hebrews chapter 10.

Hebrews chapter 10, the book of Hebrews, compares and contrasts elements of the old covenant with elements of the new covenant. It lays them side by side so you see what was and yet now what has been offered through Jesus Christ and in the greater depth of fulfillment. Hebrews chapter 10, and beginning in verse 1, says, for the law having a shadow of the good things to come, okay, it pointed forward, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. Verse 2, for then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshippers once purified would have had no more consciousness of sin. It's saying basically if this had been a complete and a perfect forgiveness and if it was actually comparable to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ which happened once for all, why would it be offered time and time and time again year after year? And frankly, why, I want to focus on the words, consciousness for sins. Why would consciousness for sins or, we might say, guilty conscience? Why would that remain? I want to read verse 2 from the New Living Translation. It says, if they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped. For the worshippers would have been purified once for all time and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. Feelings of guilt over sin. Have you ever felt guilty? You did something you knew you shouldn't have done it and maybe even you you repented or you felt like you repented but you still laid in bed at night and was just like, guilt! And I've known people that have carried guilt for years and you just, it can eat a person up, all right? The point is those sacrifices under the old covenant couldn't wipe away the guilt associated with sin because it only made the individual ceremonially clean before God. It was not the full setting aside or wiping away of sin or the complete removal of the penalty of the sin. If it was, why the continual sacrifices? Why even the need for Jesus Christ? Okay, but there's a difference and frankly what we understand is the old covenant couldn't wipe away that guilt. Verse 3, the old sacrifices under that covenant. But in those sacrifices, verse 3, there is a remainder of sins or a reminder of sins every year, okay? They've come to mind again, for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. And we often read this during the time of the days of atonement and talking about the annual sacrifice which came along every year. Under the old covenant sacrifices, again, the guilt remained because the sin still actually remained. Now, it was covered over for, it was maybe say atoned for, and a ceremonially cleansing had taken place, but the point is it still remained. The debt was not fully removed and the guilt was still there. And I would just say, brethren, as it comes to my mind, guilt will rob your peace, more than virtually anything else I can think of. Guilt will rob your peace if you've not truly let something go. It will rob your peace.

Guilt associated with sin is very powerful and can be quite overwhelming if we hang onto it. And a guilty conscience wreaks havoc on our peace of mind, and it is not of God. Okay, so Christ came to bring peace, to help us to have a cleansed conscience. Hebrews chapter 9, if we go back here to verse 11, Hebrews chapter 9 verse 11, let's notice what now the sacrifice of Jesus Christ does for us. But Christ came as the high priest of good things to come, with the greater, more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is not of this creation, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood.

He entered the most holy place, once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Again, we often read through this on the Day of Atonement, but it's literally pointing to the sacrifice of Christ and what it's done for us. And his ongoing role as high priest, verse 13, it says, for if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works, dead works his sin, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

And for this reason, he is the mediator of the new covenant by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance. But again, the point I want us to focus in on is this sacrifice can cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. His sacrifice does what the sacrifice of no animal could do. The blood of bulls, the blood of goats, whatever your sacrifice might have been, it could not release the guilt.

Couldn't release the continual beating up of ourselves over sin. It brings peace if we truly have faith in the process, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ does. If we truly believe that our sins have been washed away, there is a huge element of faith rather than in this process. You know, baptism, just to know that I'm not just going for a swim, actually is a measure of faith, receiving God's Holy Spirit and living by it is a measure of faith.

And truly believing that my sins have been washed clean to the point that you can let go of the guilt is a measure of faith as well. And it's something we must honestly work at. If you're walking around with guilt over some sin that you have repented of and it's nagging at you and it's tearing at you, then go to God in prayer and claim the promise of a cleansed conscience. What he promises, what Christ's sacrifice does, pray for peace.

The chastisement of our peace was upon him. And that doesn't just mean I took and erased the chalkboard of your sin that was written up there. It means your conscience was cleansed if you will allow it through this sacrifice. So claim the promise of a cleansed conscience and then let it go. Let it go. Because God's already let it go. And if God has let it go, who are you or I to think we have to hang on to it?

The chastisement of our peace was upon him. Jesus Christ took the punishment for whatever it is that may be in your mind. You're not required to punish yourself for it as well. Hopefully we learn from it. Hopefully we grow from it and buy repentance at definition. Turn and go the other direction. Don't go that way again. But understand the price, the punishment, the sin, there still may be effect in your life. If you get drunk and ram your car 100 miles an hour into a brick wall, there's still going to be effect, right?

Okay? So there's effect in this life. But understand the guilt of this Christ took upon himself for us. The chastisement of our peace was upon him. You're not required to carry it upon yourself as well.

Additionally, the early church had to come to recognize that this peace was not just something which God intended to be between him and the physical nation of Israel only, rather extended out. Again, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ extends the blessing out to all nations and all peoples, bringing reconciliation between man and man, not just between man and God, through this sacrifice. Let's notice Ephesians chapter 2 verse 11. Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 11.

Again, this wasn't intended to be just God in Israel, God in the Jews. Let's keep the Gentiles at arm's length. It's not what is intended through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 11. Therefore, remember that you once Gentiles in the flesh. Paul's writing to Gentiles who are Christian converts and a part of the church. You that were once Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, made in the flesh by hands, that at that time you were without Christ being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. You know, it's saying that the national covenant that God made with the descendants of Abraham was with God in Israel, and that didn't extend out to the Gentile nations. Not that old covenant that Israel was under with God. Now, understand, there were cases where Gentiles could literally become like Israelites. You know, the stranger could come and say, well, I want your God to be my God as well. The males could be circumcised, and they could keep the law of the covenant, and they could become as an Israelite in that way and be partakers of the covenant. I mean, you have examples in the Old Testament, and women in Jesus Christ's lineage, Rahab, Ruth, various individuals in that way. You could become as a covenant individual of God. But by and large, this wasn't the case out to the nations. The old covenant with God was a national claim to Israel alone, but that changed through Jesus Christ and the new covenant, then, that was offered. Carrying on in verse 13, it says, But now in Christ you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace. Again, there's that word, and he himself is our peace. It was made both one and is broken down the middle wall of separation. So that suffering servant of Isaiah 53 also brought a peace that represents the restoration between man and man, as well as man and God. You know, the Israelites despised the Gentiles, and they were kept at arm's length and let us not even bump up against one in the marketplace, right? Lest we be unclean. I've got to now wash up past the airbows because I might have touched something the Gentiles touched in the marketplace. There's a restoration between man and man that takes place and a peace between man and man, as well, through this sacrifice to all those who would come under it. Recall in the temple courtyard in Jerusalem during Jesus' day that the Jews had actually built a wall. They built a wall to keep the Gentiles separate.

Actually, at the court of the Gentiles, you had the court of the women, you had the court of the Israelite men, but you kept the Gentiles separate from approaching into the area of Israelite worship. The Gentiles were considered unclean. They were a defilement to the Jews from their perspective, and so any Gentile to cross the dividing line would be put to death. But what Paul shows is that through Jesus Christ's sacrifice, both the Jew and Gentile are being reconciled together unto God. And you know what? As a result, the middle wall of separation has been torn down in Jesus Christ, and it's no longer its Jew and Greek bond or free, male or female, all are one in Christ Jesus through the sacrifice. And peace is the result. A sacrifice that brought us peace with God becomes the basis for our peace with each other as well. That's an important point, and I don't want us to miss it. That sacrifice that brought us peace with God becomes the basis for our peace with each other as well. Jew and Gentile made one in him.

And by the way, this is the answer to a question I got a few weeks ago. I gave the sermon on the Good Shepherd, and I had a follow-up question that came to me probably five or six times from various individuals. And in that sermon, I read John chapter 10 and verse 16. Keep your finger here. You don't have to turn, but John 10, 16, it says, Jesus said, And other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd. And the question that would come up is, you know, who's this other fold that Jesus Christ has? I have sheep of this other fold. Is it other churches of God? Is it other groups that then Jesus Christ has to bring together in one? Well, the answer is it's referring to the Gentiles.

Again, in his ministry, Jesus said, I have not come except to the law sheep of the house of Israel. Okay, he came to Israel first. But even at that, his message and his sacrifice would apply to all of mankind, not just the Israelites, and it was the Gentiles who were far off. Okay, kept at arms length, right, by Israel, but they have been brought near through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

I'll just reference you Acts 2, 38 on the day of Pentecost, 31 A.D., where Peter said, This promise is to you and to your children, right, you standing in Jerusalem, preaching to Israelites who had gathered in Jerusalem for that feast, promises to you and to your children, and to all who are far off. As many as the Lord our God should call the Gentiles were those who were afar off, and they are the sheep who weren't of the fold of Israel. But through Christ's sacrifice, they would hear his voice. They would be brought near, forming one flock under one shepherd. And that's what Paul is reiterating here in Ephesians. So if we pick it back up, Ephesians 2, verse 13, Now in Christ Jesus, you who were once afar off, again he was talking to Gentiles in this passage, have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has 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. Right? Reconciliation, making peace through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Man to God, but also man to man as well, for those who would come under that covenant, to create in himself one new man from the two, thus making peace.

Verse 16, In that he might reconcile them both to God in one body, through the cross, therefore, or thereby, putting to death the enmity. So again, Jesus Christ is our peace, as Paul says, because it is only through him that peace between man and God and man and man can take place. Verse 17, In he came, and he preached peace to you who were afar off, to those who were near. For through him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, you Gentiles, you're not strangers of the Israel of God, okay, but fellow citizens with the saints, members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building being fitted together grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together. I just love that word together. It's underlined in my Bible. For a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

And so the makeup of the temple of God today, it's quite different than what it used to be. It's certainly different than what it was in the time of Jesus Christ because of the reconciliation, because of the peace that has taken place through his sacrifice. Indeed, the chastisement for every believer's peace was on him, both Jew and Gentile, male and female, bond or free, no distinction, no separation, reconciled to God, and reconciled to one another as well in this covenant relationship. So, brethren, how high of a priority, then, do we place on maintaining the same peace with one another that has been established? You know, isn't it important that we do our part to maintain the same level of reconciliation among ourselves? You know, as much as it depends on us, as much as we have opportunity to do so, we've been called to peace. Jesus Christ gave his life for peace. And so we all have a responsibility to seek as much as it depends on us to maintain that. Part of our examination process as we approach the Passover needs to be focused on the peace we have in our relationships, not only with God, but with one another in the church of God as well. And if we discover that they're someone we have a breach with, or they with us, then it's incumbent upon us to do whatever we can to resolve it for the sake of the peace for which Jesus Christ died. Matthew chapter 5. I just want to touch briefly on this point. Matthew chapter 5 and verse 23, the words of Jesus Christ.

Matthew chapter 5 and verse 23 says, therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, we're talking about an act of worship to God, if you bring your gift to the altar and there, remember that your brother has something against you. It says, leave your gifts, therefore, before the altar, go your way. First, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

And so if we're going to walk into the Passover service with an understanding of the price that was paid for our reconciliation and our peace with God and with one another, then we better make sure we've done all we can to contribute towards it for ourselves. And I dare say, Paul Moody, whatever price I may have to pay, okay, if there's an offense, if there's a breach between me and a brother, me and his sister, whatever price I may have to pay is going to be small compared to the price that Jesus Christ paid for me when I was still an enemy of God so that I could have peace with him and peace with all of you. So again, while we were enemies of God, Christ died for us. And I recognize it's not always an easy thing to do, but again, the sacrifice that brought us peace with God becomes the basis of our peace with each other as well. The sacrifice that brought us peace with God becomes the basis of our peace with each other as well. And the church that is reconciled with God and each other is a church at peace. And Christ said, I died that you may have that peace.

The chastisement for our peace was upon you.

Finally, brethren, in light of what his sacrifice has done for us, this peace becomes our message to the world. Does it not? This peace becomes our message to the world. Acts chapter 10, verse 34.

Acts chapter 10 and verse 34. This is Peter's message to Cornelius. Okay, the first Gentile baptized, right, in the book of Acts. Acts chapter 10 and verse 34. Cornelius explains to Peter what brought him to this point. Now Peter opens his mouth in verse 34 and said, In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation whoever fears him and works righteousness is accepted by him.

The word which God sent to the children of Israel preaching peace through Christ Jesus, he is Lord of all. Preaching peace. Preaching peace through Jesus Christ. That was the message. That was what was brought. That's what Jesus Christ taught when he walked the earth. Indeed, it was a message of peace. We read in Ephesians 2, 17, where it said, He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near.

Ultimately, message of the Gospel is a message of peace. That's the Gospel of Jesus Christ that we preach. It's a message of peace. We preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Good News, the soon-coming kingdom of God. Okay, so this is a package of what we preach, but a portion of that Gospel is the Gospel of the Good News that he died for you and you can be reconciled to God and indeed it is a message of peace on both ends of the spectrum.

He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near. It's the Good News that you can be reconciled to God, you can find true peace in your life, and that the price has been paid for you, and that the chastisement for your peace is upon him. Claim the promise. Believe the Gospel. Repent. Be baptized for remission of sins.

Have hands laid upon you. Receive the Holy Spirit. Enter into that covenant with God and exercise faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and that peace will be yours. That's the message, and it's a message that all of this earth will one day come to hear and understand upon the return of Jesus Christ. It's the Gospel message, and it's a message that we've been given to teach as a church today.

It is, after all, a ministry of reconciliation. Again, reconciliation leading to peace. Let's conclude in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 2 Corinthians chapter 5. What did the apostles believe it was their responsibility to teach? 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 17. Paul says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new. You know, my life isn't just business as usual through that sacrifice. Verse 18. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

That is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Again, brethren, reconciliation is that element of the gospel message, whereby the enmity that existed between God and us because of sin has ended, and peace and harmony of relationship stand in its place.

Paul says we teach that message to those who believe. Verse 20. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. As though God were pleading through us, we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Remember earlier I said that peace comes by a restoration of righteousness, and Paul said that we might become the righteousness of God in him. This is the basis of our relationship. Rather than the Passover service that we'll be participating in in just a couple of short weeks, remind us of the price that was paid, so that you and I could be forgiven of our sins, reconciled to God, and truly have peace.

The chastisement for our peace was upon him, Isaiah prophesied, and indeed it came to pass. The chastisement for our peace was upon him. Rather than let you and I never, ever take that incredible gift for granted.