He brought peace

"Having therefore been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1

In a sketch by the comedy group Monty Python, a Jewish group of zealots (zealots) sit in a dark room and ponder the overthrow of Rome. One activist says: “They took away everything we had, and not just from us, but from our fathers and forefathers. And what have they ever given us in return?” The others' responses were: “The aqueduct, sanitation, the roads, medicine, education, health, wine, public baths, it's safe to walk the streets at night go, they know how to keep order.”

Slightly annoyed at the replies, the activist said, "It's okay...aside from better sanitation and better medicine and education and artificial irrigation and public health care...what did the Romans do for us?" The only answer was, "They brought peace! "

This story got me thinking about the question some people ask, "What did Jesus Christ ever do for us?" How would you answer that question? Just as we were able to list the many things the Romans did, we could undoubtedly list many of the things Jesus did for us. The basic answer, however, would probably be the same as that given at the end of the skit - he brought peace. The angels announced this at his birth: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good will!" Luke 2,14
 
It's easy to read this verse and think, "You must be joking! Peace? There has been no peace on earth since Jesus was born.” But we are not talking about ending armed conflicts or stopping wars, but about the peace with God that Jesus wants to offer us through his sacrifice. The Bible says in Colossians 1,21-22 "And you, who were once alienated and enemies in your mind in evil deeds, but now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless and blameless before him."

The good news is that Jesus has already done everything we need for peace with God through His birth, death, resurrection and ascension to heaven. All we have to do is submit to Him and accept His offer by faith. "Therefore we can now rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God, having received the reconciliation with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:11

Prayer

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

by Barry Robinson


pdfHe brought peace