Peace - Advent 2 2022
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Peace
INTRODUCTION
I have really been enjoying our devotional book for Advent this year, written by Dr. Samantha Chambo. If you haven’t gotten yours yet, there are a few more back on the table, and we are asking, if you are able, to give $6 to help cover the costs of providing these for those that are interested. Again, if you’d rather read it on your kindle app, it is available there for $8.49 - it actually comes to $9.00 with tax.
This second Sunday of Advent we focus on peace. I think if we were completely transparent with each other, we would have to admit that this word, peace, seems all too illusive to us. Not only is peace difficult to experience, it isn’t even easy to define. Most dictionary definitions of peace focus on the idea of an absence of conflict. A peace treaty is an agreement that defines how fighting can be avoided. Often, these peace treaties are enforced by the presence of armed personnel in order to guarantee compliance with the treaty. It is kind of like the concept of separating 2 kids that are fighting. Separating them doesn’t really bring them into harmony, but it may stop the conflict for awhile.
The biblical concept of peace is larger than that and rests heavily on the Hebrew root shalom, which is a word that is used as a greeting in Hebrew. It means "to be complete" or "to be sound." As a greeting, it could be translated as "I hope you have a good life." It is a sincere desire for the person you are greeting to be well - complete - or whole.
C.M.Campbell says in Feasting on the Word, “From the time we are old enough to be in school, we know all too well the patterns of forming “in-groups” and “outcasts.” There are people who are cool and those who are not; there are those who get power and influence because of good looks or athletic prowess; there are those who grab power by being bullies. We learn this as children, and we can see the effects of this behavior in almost every aspect of adult life—in business, education, politics, and even the church.
Last week our focus was on hope, and today we turn toward peace, but the two concepts are interconnected, and you will see when we read our passage for today that hope continues in our theme for today. But that hope expands to the idea of harmony or peace. “It is not peace for the sake of peace, but “so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 6). Our world, and far too often, even the church, has forgotten that we human creatures exist, not for the fulfillment of ourselves, but for the glory of God.
Adams, J. M. (2010). Homiletical Perspective on Romans 15:4‒13. In D. L. Bartlett & B. B. Taylor (Eds.), Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year A (Vol. 1, p. 43). Westminster John Knox Press.
Let’s turn to our scripture for today in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, chapter 15, beginning at verse 4. I am reading this morning from the English Standard Version.
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,
6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,
9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.”
10 And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”
11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.”
12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.”
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
We read about peace, and then we look around us in the real world, and we see that we live in a world that is often characterized by violence and discord. It surrounds us so much that peace might seem like a fairy tale, especially the type of peace that gives us one voice and one mind, as Paul says in this Romans text. It might even seem impossible when we turn on the news on any given day. But today is the Sunday in Advent when we light the peace candle and reflect on the peace of Christ and the possibility for peace in our world. We are naturally left with questions about peace: Is peace possible? And is peace the absence of conflict, or is it something else entirely?
Romans 15 lays out instructions on how we ought to live with one another. Those who are strong bear with the failings of the weak. We care for our neighbors. We are to have the same attitude as Christ toward one another. These line up well with an idea of living at peace with others. But the foundation of peace—this foundation of learning to live in community with one another—isn’t a removal of conflict, never dealing with difficult topics or difficult conversations, never having hard words with each other.
Instead, the peace that Paul is talking about here is willing to have the difficult discussions and even disagreements, all within the foundation of Christ. When we all align our attitude with Christ it brings about one mind and one voice with which we glorify God.
There is a song that was written in 1955 by Jill Jackson and her husband, Sy Miller, called “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” It has been recorded by quite a few people. I like the lyrics of the chorus that says: “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.” We each are responsible to do our part if there is going to be any semblance of peace.
This season is one when we talk about peace on earth often, but if Romans 15 is any indication, then it is true what the songwriters say about peace beginning with us. This isn’t about winning an argument or avoiding an argument but about what it means to build a foundation on Christ that ultimately leads to one mind and one voice with those around us.
BODY
1) The members of the church in Rome were allowing their disagreements to divide them.
a) In order to fully understand this text in chapter 15, it’s important to explore the context of Romans 14. Paul is speaking about the eating practices of Christians, talking about how some who have a strong faith eat meat while those with weaker faith eat only vegetables. This argument that arose among the early church was not really an argument about vegetarianism. Paul is referring to something that happened within their culture that we don’t deal with.
b) At the time, the meat that was offered to gods in worship would then be served in restaurants and sold in the marketplace. This is likely the type of meat that Paul is talking about. He brings up this same issue in 1 Corinthians 8 as well, where he says he doesn’t see an issue with eating meat that has been sacrificed to idols because idols are nothing, but he is also careful to say he will not be a stumbling block to those who disagree with him.
c) The debate seems to be that some Christians view the meat as no problem, and not a hindrance to their faith, whereas others view it as equal to idol worship. Those on either side of this argument were judging the other on what was the correct way to worship God.
d) We may not deal with this direct issue, but we understand that we can have differing ideas about how to worship. The differences that we experience in the church today often are around the type of songs we sing.
e) Paul tells them not to judge one another, and advises them not to create a stumbling block for others with their choices.
f) Chapter 15 then moves into this idea that those who are strong look out for the well-being of those who are weak. The focus isn’t on what is best for me and my relationship with Christ (whether I can eat meat), but on what is good for our neighbors, what builds up the community. The emphasis is not on getting our own way, but on providing for the needs of others.
i) To live in community means looking out for the well-being of others.
ii) Living in community at times means putting aside our own desires in order to build up the community. This doesn’t mean everyone agrees. There was clearly a lot of disagreement in the Roman church.
2) Though the community of faith may have disagreements, the foundation is the same.
a) The one mind and one voice are born out of Christlikeness. Christ is the example of love, of compassion, of caring for one another, of submission, of sacrifice, and of selflessness. As we grow in our discipleship, God gives us the endurance and encouragement to be made more like Christ so that we can shine forth with the qualities of Christ. We are to be a reflection of Christ to the world around us.
b) The idea of “one mind and one voice” also seems to parallel with Ephesians 4:5, where Paul talks about one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. The people are united not because they agree on everything but because they have the same foundation.
c) Accepting one another doesn’t happen in a vacuum; we do it because we have been accepted by Christ. We become more like Christ, and so we align ourselves with the mind of Christ. Christ accepts us where we are, feeble faith and all, so we are to accept one another, feeble faith and all.
d) Paul again emphasizes Jesus’s servanthood. Jesus became a servant so that God might be glorified. Therefore, we become servants because we see Christ’s example of servanthood, and our lives lived in service to one another leads to unity, and that unity ought to lead to God being glorified.
3) This passage is a call to be more like Christ.
a) These are harsh words to the church, calling them to something greater.
i) He calls out their favoritism and tells them to learn to lift up one another.
ii) He calls out their judgementalism and tells them to embrace everyone.
b) It would be easy to look at peace in a community as the absence of conflict.
i) Paul isn’t avoiding conflict or confrontation because he knows that the way to true peace in community is to confront the things that are keeping the community of faith from looking like Jesus.
ii) The way to live in community with one another is not to ignore the issues but to be reminded of who we are called to be like. We are called to reflect Jesus.
c) We all have our own opinions about things, and everybody’s opinion is valuable. You are part of this community of faith, and we together are to reflect Christ to each other and to the world around us. Paul is reminding the faith community of the mercy and grace Christ showed them that they should be showing one another. We are to be a people that are full of grace, mercy, & love - it is what we should be known for!
d) Where in our community do we need to be confronted with our judgementalism, favoritism, or exclusionary practices? Where do we need to be reminded of our foundation and identity in Christ?
i) When have we ignored conflict for the sake of a false sense of peace, instead of doing the hard work of holiness that asks us to examine our own hearts? Where do we need to submit, be selfless, and surrender to the good of the community? Where do we need to look like servant Jesus?
ii) If peace in the community begins with me, where do I need to allow my heart to be transformed, that I might be a person of peace?
CONCLUSION
Communities—even communities of faith—are full of people with differing opinions. We have deep feelings about important issues. It would be easy for us to think or say that being quiet will bring peace, but Paul has laid out a different way for us. He speaks harsh words, but his words are ultimately a call to remember who we are. He didn’t ignore the conflict; he waded right into it, and said, “Remember we are to be like Christ.”
We live in days of extreme division, and it would be a mistake to ignore it. Instead we need to ask, “If peace on earth begins with me, what do I need to change in my life to be a peacemaker?” If God has extended grace and mercy to us, where do we need to extend grace and mercy? This isn’t about a list of things we should and shouldn’t do. This is a call to look at the person of Jesus and at who we are supposed to be in the world—people who are like Christ. So may we examine our hearts and do the hard work of walking through conflict with those who think differently, so that we might find a deep and wide community of faith, a community of peace, a community of Christ with one voice glorifying God.
As the community of Christ this morning, we are going to participate in the Lord’s Supper together - this sacrament ought to remind us that we are one in Christ, and that in Him we have peace and harmony.
The Communion Supper, instituted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a sacrament, which proclaims His life, His sufferings, His sacrificial death, and resurrection, and the hope of His coming again. It shows forth the Lord’s death until His return.
The Supper is a means of grace in which Christ is present by the Spirit. It is to be received in reverent appreciation and gratefulness for the work of Christ.
All those who are truly repentant, forsaking their sins, and believing in Christ for salvation are invited to participate in the death and resurrection of Christ. We come to the table that we may be renewed in life and salvation and be made one by the Spirit.
In unity with the Church, we confess our faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. And so we pray:
Holy God, we gather at this, your table, in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who by your Spirit was anointed to preach good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, set at liberty those who are oppressed. Christ healed the sick, fed the hungry, ate with sinners, and established the new covenant for forgiveness of sins. We live in the hope of His coming again.
On the night in which He was betrayed, He took bread, gave thanks, broke the bread, gave it to His disciples, and said: “This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
Likewise, when the supper was over, He took the cup, gave thanks, gave it to His disciples, and said: “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me.” Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Matthew 26:27–29, Luke 22:19)
And so, we gather as the Body of Christ to offer ourselves to you in praise and thanksgiving. We gather this morning with a focus on the peace of Christ and the things that unite us in Christ. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on these your gifts. Make them by the power of your Spirit to be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the Body of Christ, redeemed by His blood.
By your Spirit make us one in Christ, one with each other, and one in the ministry of Christ to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, let us pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Before the partaking of the bread, let the minister say:
The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, broken for you, preserve you blameless, unto everlasting life. Eat this in remembrance that Christ died for you, and be thankful.
Before the partaking of the cup, let the minister say:
The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, shed for you, preserve you blameless unto everlasting life. Drink this in remembrance that Christ died for you, and be thankful.