Have you made peace with God?

No, you haven’t.

Because you can’t.

And you don’t need to.

God has made peace with you.

 

Ephesians 2 says that Jesus is our peace.

He destroyed the dividing wall of hostility.

He reconciled humanity to God

And preached peace to those who were divided.

 

Romans 5 says that since we have been justified by Jesus

(Even while we were still sinners)

We have peace with God!

 

Maybe the cross is not a picture of how humanity presented a sacrifice

To appease an angry God

Maybe the cross is a picture of how God presented a sacrifice

To appease a hostile and divided humankind …

 

Colossians 1 says we were enemies in our minds.

Were we enemies in reality?

I don’t think God has ever been humanity’s enemy.

 

All through the Old Testament

The people tried to appease God with their bloody sacrifices

And all the while he was screaming:

“I desire MERCY not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6).

“Peace, peace, to those far and near,” says the Lord –

“And I will heal them!” (Isaiah 57:19)

 

So the “Prince of Peace” came to earth (Isaiah 9).

He let us kill him.

All because we felt so guilty

That we believed in our gut that someone had to pay for our sins.

He appeased our guilt with his own blood!

 

The cross is a symbol of peace.

Not peace for an angry God.

Peace for you.

Peace for me.

Peace for this whole, weary world.

This is the “peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4)

I did not appease – make peace with – God!

He pacified me!