Scriptural Sermons

In 2001 the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution marking September 21 of each year as an International Day of Peace. The intention of the resolution was for the entire world to observe simultaneously one day of nonviolence. Not surprisingly, the World Council of Churches, in support of the resolution, has requested that the churches of the world designate the Sunday prior to promote the cause of peace. I was asked to opt this church in, and I agreed to do so certain that it would not ruffle any feathers. Because, of course, we are all in support the cause of peace. We all believe that peace has priority over violence; and that even when violence is such that it justifies greater violence to end it, as in the case of Nazi Germany, that peace is always the final aim. Yes, we are all in support the cause of peace. If we had any issue with the cause of peace, no doubt it would be that we feel that there is little we can do to bring it to pass. The cause of peace seems outside our hands. What can we do, after all? What can we do about the Islamic State except to look on in utter horror at the video recordings of the beheading and burning foreign civilians? The Islamic State has now seized large chunks of Syrian and Iraq, and spewing refugees in the direction of Europe. That these refugees would risk the lives of themselves and their children in a desperate and dangerous search for sanctuary indicates that it treats its own civilians little better. And I just read that the refugee crisis is just getting started. This is just the warm up. Even the world’s political leaders do not know what to do about any of this, so what can we do? And how about Afghanistan? I was listening to one of the many speeches given at the anniversary of 9/11. The speaker reported that the Islamic State is making gains there too, and the Taliban has not exactly folded its hand. He ended by warning that if we turn our back on Afghanistan and withdraw our support to their police, we are at serious risk for another 9/11. Another 9/11. Again, what can we do? And of course, there’s always Israel/Palestine. The U.S. State Department last week condemned the sharp escalation of violence between Israelis and Palestinians. That tinder box is not going anywhere, and neither is the power keg that is Iran for that matter, deal or no deal. And this is just the Middle East! What about Africa? What about Russia? The point is, we rightly feel there is little we can do to bring the cause of peace to pass. The cause of peace rightly seems out of our hands. But unfortunately for our pessimism and defeatism, the Bible proclaims the opposite. The Bible proclaims that there is much we can do to bring the cause of peace to pass. The Bible proclaims that the cause of peace is in our hands. And so, perhaps we should consider the matter a bit further. In this morning’s Old Testament lesson, the prophet Isaiah declares that the coming Messiah will be the Prince of Peace. But peace here is not peace in the sense that you might think; it does not mean peace between nations. It does not mean peace in the sense of the end of war through defeat, surrender, negotiation, or truce. Peace here means peace in the sense of shalom. Shalom means inner peace. It means the peace that derives from reconciliation and restoration and redemption. It means the peace of wholeness, integration, and completion. It is the peace that mirrors the shalom of God, and the peace indeed that God bestows. The coming Messiah then would be the Prince of Peace not in any political way but in a way that transcends politics. He would be the Prince of Peace by bestowing inner peace to individuals. And this if you think about it, is exactly what the coming Messiah did. He was indeed the Prince of Peace in this sense. In this morning’s gospel lesson, Jesus is soon to be crucified and resurrected, his holy spirit soon to be released in history. And so he says to his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” The peace he promises is the same as that declared by Isaiah. It is the peace of shalom. And indeed, on that first Easter evening when Jesus releases his holy spirit in history, he declares to his disciples, “Peace be with you.” His holy spirit in history is nothing less than the peace of shalom. And why is this? What is the Bible recognizing about the peace of shalom? The Bible is recognizing that the peace of shalom is the real basis for peace; that peace does not begin with peace between nations. It does not begin with the end of war through defeat, negotiation, surrender, or truce. It begins with the peace of shalom. It begins with inner peace. It begins in the hearts of individuals. It’s ironic that in its own way, the religion of the Mid East with whom we have such conflict recognizes something very similar. Jihad in Islam has nothing to do with terrorism. It is the struggle that takes place within each individual in giving his or her heart to God. Both the Bible and the Koran provide the real basis for peace. And so, there is indeed much we can do to bring the cause of peace to pass. The cause of peace indeed is in our hands. We need only receive the holy spirit of Jesus Christ that has been released in history. We need only receive his peace of shalom. Through it we can certainly bring peace to those whose lives we touch. And this is something at least. But we can do more. If we observe an International Day of Peace understood rightly, understood that the real basis for peace is shalom; and if our brothers and sisters in the Mid East, and all across the world do the same thing, then we observe, if just for a day, that peace is possible. Indeed, it is God’s own intention and hope for the world that he created and redeemed through his son. Let it be our intention and hope as well. May peace prevail on earth. Amen.