I. Review Context – the corporate answer to Paul’s prayer that the church might know the exceedingly great power of God.
II. Introduction – Peace in the trenches of World War I vs. Biblical Shalom
III. The Forfeiture (Rupture) of Shalom because of Sin – Genesis 3:8, 11, 15-17, 21, Rom 8:19-23.
A. Between God and man (Ge 3:8)
B. Between man and man (Ge 3:11, 16)
C. Between man and creation (Ge 3:17, 21)
IV. The Peace-initiative of God – Shalom restored by the cross
A. Reconciliation with Creation (Col 1:20)
B. Reconciliation with God (Rom 5:1-11, Gal 2:20)
C. Reconciliation between men (Eph 5:25, John 14:27)
V. Application – the manner in which we live because of God’s peace-initiative
A. Shalom within yourself (Gal 5:22, 1 Jn 1:9, 1 Jn 3:21, Phil 4:6-7)
B. Pursue Shalom with the body of Christ (Eph 4:3, 1 Th 5:13, Heb 12:12)
C. Be ambassadors of Shalom (Eph 2:17, 2 Cor 5:18-21)
The Bible is the story of peace lost and regained. We are saved because God is the God of peace. Jesus is called the Prince of peace. Paul refers to Christ as, our peace. Indeed the very message of Scripture is that of Jehovah Shalom, the God of peace, making peace, through His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the cross.
Sin always leads to separation. Sin left mankind aliens and strangers to God and His covenants. Sin put men at enmity with each other, as individual pride, self-interest, and self-concern set man against man. But because He is our peace, and He has removed the horizontal, as well as vertical, enmity, peace on earth is not only possible, but accomplished in Him.
