Peace Reflection

The New Testament speaks about Peace in at least three different ways. First, there is the internal experience of Peace with God. Paul, in the passage we will look at next week, admonished people to be anxious in nothing but prayerful in every and in so doing find the peace of God which transcends understanding. Jesus said to his disciples in the gospel of John those familiar words, "Do not let your hearts be troubled, believe in God believe also in me. Peace I leave with you, my peace." Earlier this week, Dani Loving-Cartwright our new Regional Minister spoke to a group of clergy. She described the importance of the peace we need to encounter this busy advent season. We reminded us who often become overwhelmingly busy with all the advent plans and productions to be at peace, be still and encounter God. Second, the New Testament describes peace within the congregation. In Mark 9:50, Jesus said, "Have salt within yourselves and be at peace with one another." The book of Acts describes the churches in various locations having peace and being built up (Acts 9:50). Paul wrote to several congregations calling them to avoid divisions. As I look at the 95 places in the New Testament where the word "peace" is used, I conclude that most deal with either the internal peace with God which comes through faith and spiritual growth or peace within the community of faith.
The Bible does not prescribe a comprehensive program for society though it certainly has implications for how we live as citizens of our communities, state, nation and world. Several texts suggest to me that the New Testament prescribes an end to violence within societies influenced by the gospel. In Ephesians, we hear that "Christ is our peace for in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us" (Ephesians 2:14). The writer of Ephesians was describing Jews and Gentiles in that statement. Where the Old Testament prescribed a limited retaliation and restricted people to exacting only an eye for an eye or a life for a life. Jesus challenged this by saying, "If someone strikes you on the right cheek turn the other also." That passage comes from the Sermon on the Mount and is followed by Jesus’s command that we pray for our enemies and do good to those who hate us (Matthew 5:38-48). Finally, we remember that Jesus said clearly in the Beatitudes, "Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God."

How does our culture live up to this vision of non-violence? I think we should be humble enough to admit that we don’t. I am distressed by how risky it is to say this. The message of peace with God, an internal cessation of anxiety, finding a little space in this busy season is a message people will welcome. But a message which challenges our culture of violence is liable to step on toes.

In America we have crafted the best trained, best equipped military force the world has ever known. We are the last remaining Superpower and the champions of an arms race cold war that lasted nearly half a century. We have the loosest gun control laws of any nation and the largest saturation of guns within the population–granted many, if not most, are owned by sportsman but a significant portion are owned by those who would use them for violent purpose creating another group who own guns to protect themselves against such violence. Frequently, the movie which makes the most money at the box office in any given week includes graphic scenes of violence. Today’s most popular television show similarly depicts violent acts with stunning spectacularity. This morning we are faced with two very difficult realities. First, that the New Testament is committed to nonviolence. And second, that we are not a non-violent society nor are we likely to become one this morning.

What do we do with these two competing realities? I must confess that I don’t know. I think we must begin by honestly admitting that we have chosen a different way of life than that which is projected in the New Testament. In the 25 chapter of Leviticus, the Israelites were given instructions about the year of Jubilee. Every fiftieth year was to be known as a year of Jubilee. Everyone who had become and indentured servant would be released and allowed to return home. All property which had been sold out of the family would return to the owner of origin. It was a radical vision of society. As far as we know, the Israelites never observed the year of Jubilee. It could be argued that given the detail of instruction found in Leviticus about the year of Jubilee that they had develop a strong set of case laws regarding its practice. And yet, we do not know that they ever actually lived into this vision of an equalized society. And certainly in our modern world neither the Christian nor Jewish cultures which take scripture as their guide and light have ever sought to apply this to our practices of land ownership, contracts, or consumer debt. Let us at least be honest and say that there are things in the Bible we do not obey and are not likely to ever obey.

With this honesty, I think we should begin to seek ways to do that which we can do. Very few of us in this room have any power to influence national foreign policy. And I’m certainly not the person to try to give advice about wars and armed conflict. But what can we do? The World Health Organization estimated that in 2000 1.7 million people lost their life in some form of violence. That’s well over 4,500 people a day. They define violent death as death in armed conflict, homicides, domestic violence and suicides. As a church, we support the Women’s Shelter–a place where women caught in a violent home life can find refuge and support. It is good that we do this and we need to strengthen our efforts for this ministry. But what do we do to help heal the brokenness of abusive husbands, boyfriends, and parents? At what point do we set aside our righteous indignation our punitive retribution and say to them, "Let us find a better way"? What as a church are we doing in response to those considering suicide? How do we support and strengthen ministries for them? What are we doing as a church to work for fewer abortions? I don’t think picketing the Supreme Court helps but teaching abstinence until marriage and family planning does. As I look at the violent hot spots in our world today, I sadly confess my feelings to helplessness yet I am reminded that God has not called us to solve every problem. Christ and Christ alone is the Prince of Peace, we are merely servants within that kingdom and what we can do, we must do knowing that the ultimately peace belongs to God.