Christ's Way of Making Peace
A Sermon on Ephesians 2:15
Scripture
15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Sermon Description
In Jesus Christ a new harmony formed, not along the lines of race, family, or country, but in the basis of membership in the family of God. In this sermon on Ephesians 2:15 titled “Christ’s Way of Making Peace,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims the words of Paul, saying all who believe are adopted into God’s family and become inheritors with Christ of the whole world. In this new people there is neither Jew nor Gentile, for the people of God are those who are the children of Abraham by nature of their faith in Christ and their adoption into God’s family. This is why division in the church on the basis of age, race, and nationality are such a travesty. The peace of God transcends all divisions and walls. This peace, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes, is one that makes fallen men and women righteous before God and it also puts them in a right relationship with one another as brothers and sisters in the family of God. This new relationship is the first fruits of what is to come in the new creation that Christ will bring to completion when He returns in glory and judgment on the last day. The church should look to the peace that Christ has granted in the gospel as the greatest hope in the Christian life.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is dealing with the amazing thing that has taken place - Jews and Gentiles coming together in the church.
- This has only happened through the power of God, nothing else could do it.
- Paul's argument here is subtle and closely knit. Every phrase and word is important to understand the full meaning.
- We need the Holy Spirit to enlighten our understanding of this.
- Christ himself is our peace. He makes peace between men and God, and between men and men.
- Peace is not just the absence of hostility or war. It is an inward unity and love.
- Christ makes peace by creating in himself "one new man" - the church. The church is a new creation, not just a modification of what was there before.
- The church is formed in Christ. It results from our relationship to him. We are members of Christ's body.
- The church is a new man, a new humanity, formed in Christ. We are born into this new race, family and body through the new birth.
- The old is completely done away with. Nothing from the old state has any relevance in the new state.
- We are all the same in this new relationship because we have become new creations.
- The unity of this new body is absolute. There are not separate Jewish and Gentile sections. The old has been abolished.
- We have peace by realizing we are new creations, not thinking of ourselves in the old way. We must not think of others in terms of nationality, birth, ability, wealth, or former life.
- We must think of ourselves in the new way - as new creations in Christ. Failure to do so leads to trouble.
- Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. Let it act as arbitrator and umpire. We must be willing to do whatever promotes peace.
The Book of Ephesians
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.