Embodying Christ's Peace: A Call to True Unity

Devotional

Day 1: Christ, Our Peace—The True Peacemaker

Jesus Christ is not only the model peacemaker but the very substance of our peace, having signed our peace treaty with God in His own blood and sealed our future with His resurrection. The cross is not just a symbol of suffering but the ink of a new covenant, written in blood more precious than anything in the world, ensuring that our reconciliation with God is permanent and unbreakable. Through Christ, every barrier of enmity—spiritual, social, and societal—is overcome, and we are invited to live as children of God, marked by the peace He has accomplished. The peace treaty looks back to all our past rebellion and sin, offering clemency and release, while the peace pact looks forward, guaranteeing our inheritance and unity with God and one another. If you are restless or desperate for peace, know that Christ has already done what is required; your peace is not something you must earn, but something to receive and live out. [01:27:08]

Ephesians 2:13-18 (ESV)
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Reflection: Where in your life do you feel most restless or desperate for peace, and how can you intentionally receive and trust the peace Christ has already secured for you today?

Day 2: The Cost of Peace—Sacrifice Over Idolatry

True peace with God requires more than a partial offering or a half-hearted contribution; it demands complete sacrifice, the surrender of every right, privilege, and hidden place in your heart. Idolatry—placing yourself or anything else on the throne of your life—creates enmity with God, and only by laying down your claim to lordship can you experience real reconciliation. God is not interested in contributions but in total surrender, just as the peace offerings in the Old Testament required blood to restore peace, not just to cover sin. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is the ultimate peace offering, and He calls you to present your whole self as a living sacrifice, holding nothing back. [50:36]

Romans 12:1 (ESV)
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Reflection: What is one area of your life you have kept off-limits to God, and what would it look like to open that “room” to Him in full surrender today?

Day 3: Suppressing Rights—The Path to Reconciliation with Others

Peace in our relationships with others is not achieved by demanding our rights or privileges, but by suppressing them for the sake of unity and shalom. Envy and covetousness—wanting what others have or even to be who they are—fuel social enmity, but the way of Christ is meekness and gentleness, laying down our claims even when we are in the right. The stories of Abraham and Lot, Hagar and Sarah, Jacob and Esau, and Joseph and his brothers all show that reconciliation comes when someone is willing to suppress their right to get even, to be first, or to be vindicated. This radical humility and mercy is the heart of peacemaking, and it is only possible when we value peace over personal advantage. [01:07:40]

James 4:1-3 (ESV)
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Reflection: Who is one person you are in conflict with, and what “right” or privilege could you lay down today to move toward reconciliation and peace?

Day 4: Embracing Diversity—Unity Without Uniformity

Societal enmity is often caused by the demand for uniformity—the insistence that everyone think, act, and feel the same—but God’s design is for unity in diversity. The kingdom of God is not an echo chamber or a place of forced assimilation; it is a tapestry of difference, where every culture, gift, and perspective is redeemed and celebrated under Christ’s lordship. True unity is not sameness but harmony, and it requires surrender—letting go of the need to dominate or demand conformity, and instead embracing the beauty of God’s diverse creation. The Spirit of the bond of peace enables us to sit with difference, mourn with those who mourn, and love across every dividing line, reflecting the heart of Christ who conquers not to erase but to fulfill. [41:17]

1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (ESV)
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many.

Reflection: How can you intentionally seek out and honor someone’s difference—whether cultural, political, or personal—this week, allowing it to enrich your understanding of God’s kingdom?

Day 5: Peacemaking in Action—Moving Beyond Counterfeit Unity

It is not enough to think about peace or to keep the peace by avoiding conflict; Jesus calls us to be peacemakers, actively pursuing reconciliation and perfect unity even when it costs us. Counterfeit unity settles for surface-level agreement or ignores real wounds, but true peacemaking requires sacrifice, suppression, and surrender—mirroring the work of Christ on the cross and in the resurrection. Peacemaking means moving first, apologizing first, forgiving first, and refusing to hold on to vengeance or rights, trusting that the peace Christ has purchased is enough. As you pursue peace relentlessly, you become marked as a child of God, reflecting His heart to a divided world. [01:37:16]

Matthew 5:9 (ESV)
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Reflection: What is one concrete step you can take today to make peace—rather than just keep or think about it—in a relationship or situation where there is division?

Sermon Summary

Peace is not just a concept to be admired or a feeling to be desired—it is a reality that Christ has made possible through his sacrifice, and a calling for every child of God to embody. At the heart of the cross, Jesus became our peace offering, signing our peace treaty with God in his own blood, a signature more permanent and precious than any ink. This peace is not a shallow truce or a mere absence of conflict, but a restoration of what was broken by sin: our relationship with God, with one another, and even between groups and nations.

From the very beginning, God designed us for three kinds of relationships: spiritual (with God), social (with others), and societal (between groups). Sin corrupted each of these, introducing enmity—spiritual enmity through idolatry, social enmity through envy, and societal enmity through the demand for uniformity. We often settle for counterfeit peace, thinking that if we just avoid conflict or ignore differences, we have achieved unity. But true peace requires more: it demands sacrifice, suppression of our rights, and surrender.

To be peacemakers, not just peace-thinkers or peacekeepers, means actively countering enmity in all its forms. With God, it means full sacrifice—offering every part of our lives, not holding back any “locked rooms” in our hearts. With others, it means suppressing our rights and privileges, choosing meekness and gentleness over the need to be right or to get even. And in society, it means surrendering the desire for everyone to be the same, embracing diversity as God’s design, and refusing to demonize difference.

Yet, this calling is impossible in our own strength. The good news is that Christ has already accomplished what we could not. He suppressed his rights, surrendered himself, and sacrificed his life to make peace possible. The cross is our peace treaty, the resurrection our peace pact, and the Spirit our guarantee that true unity is not only possible but promised. Now, as children of God, we are called to live out this peacemaking—sacrificing, suppressing, and surrendering—so that the world might see the reality of Christ’s peace in us.

Key Takeaways

1. True peace is not the absence of conflict but the restoration of what sin has broken. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is the foundation of this peace, signed in his blood, and it calls us to a life of full surrender, not partial contribution. Anything less than total sacrifice is not enough for real reconciliation with God. [50:36]
2. The enmity we experience in relationships is deeply rooted in idolatry and envy. Whenever there is strife with a brother or sister, it is a sign to examine our hearts for hidden idols and jealousies, recognizing that our vertical relationship with God and our horizontal relationships with others are inseparably linked. [28:56]
3. Societal division is often fueled by the demand for uniformity, not just difference. God’s design is for unity in diversity, not sameness. When we demonize difference or insist on assimilation, we miss the beauty of God’s multifaceted creation and the richness of his kingdom. [41:17]
4. Peacemaking requires three radical responses: sacrifice (with God), suppression (with others), and surrender (in society). These are not natural to us and often feel impossible, but they are the very means by which Christ made peace for us and now calls us to follow in his steps. [54:49]
5. Counterfeit peace is a constant temptation—settling for avoidance, silence, or mere agreement. But Christ calls us to be peacemakers, not just peacekeepers or peace-thinkers. This means moving toward others in humility, forgiveness, and action, even when it costs us, trusting that the Spirit will bring fruit from our obedience. [98:40]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:47] - Introduction: Christ as Our Peace Offering
[02:21] - Reading the Beatitudes: Focus on Peacemakers
[04:45] - The Nature of Peace Treaties and Pacts
[09:02] - The Kingdom Call to Peacemaking
[10:32] - Peace Throughout Scripture
[13:40] - Satan’s Corruption vs. God’s Creation
[15:55] - Three Types of Relationships and Enmity
[18:11] - The Specific Causes of Enmity
[19:28] - Idolatry: The Root of Spiritual Enmity
[24:34] - Envy: The Root of Social Enmity
[31:10] - Uniformity: The Root of Societal Enmity
[34:29] - The Genesis Pattern of Enmity
[41:17] - God’s Design for Difference and Diversity
[46:31] - From Peace-Thinking to Peacemaking
[50:36] - Sacrifice: The Cost of Peace with God
[54:49] - Suppression: The Cost of Peace with Others
[71:54] - Surrender: The Cost of Societal Peace
[76:04] - Counterfeit Peace vs. True Unity
[80:13] - Christ: The True Peacemaker
[87:08] - The Cross and Resurrection: Treaty and Pact
[90:31] - Responding to Christ’s Peace
[97:16] - Prayer for Peacemakers
[99:35] - Closing Prayer and Benediction

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 5:1-12 (ESV) — > Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
>
> “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
> Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
> Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
> Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
> Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
> Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
> Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
> Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
>
> Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Observation Questions

In Matthew 5:9, what does Jesus say is the reward for peacemakers?
According to the sermon, what are the three types of relationships God designed us for, and how did sin corrupt each one? [[15:55]]
What are the three main causes of enmity (hostility) in relationships, as described in the sermon? [[18:11]]
What is the difference between being a “peacemaker,” a “peacekeeper,” and a “peace-thinker” according to the sermon? [[46:31]]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus call peacemakers “children of God”? What does this reveal about God’s character and our calling as believers? [[09:02]]
The sermon says that true peace is not just the absence of conflict but the restoration of what sin has broken. How does this understanding challenge the way people usually think about peace? [[10:32]]
The sermon describes “counterfeit peace” as settling for avoidance, silence, or mere agreement. Why is this kind of peace ultimately unsatisfying or even harmful? [[01:16:04]]
The pastor says that peacemaking requires “sacrifice” (with God), “suppression” (with others), and “surrender” (in society). Why are these responses so difficult, and why can’t we do them in our own strength? [[49:13]]

Application Questions

The sermon says that anything less than total sacrifice is not enough for real reconciliation with God. Are there “locked rooms” in your heart that you have not surrendered to God? What would it look like to open those up to Him this week? [[50:36]]
When you experience conflict with another person, do you tend to insist on your rights or privileges? Can you think of a recent situation where you could have chosen meekness or gentleness instead? What would it look like to “suppress” your rights for the sake of peace? [[54:49]]
The sermon challenges us to embrace diversity and refuse to demonize differences. Is there a group or type of person you find it hard to accept or understand? What is one step you could take to move toward unity in diversity this month? [[41:17]]
The pastor warns against settling for “counterfeit peace” by avoiding hard conversations or pretending everything is fine. Is there a relationship in your life where you have chosen avoidance over true peacemaking? What would it look like to move toward real reconciliation? [[01:16:04]]
The sermon says that whenever there is strife with a brother or sister, it’s a sign to examine our hearts for hidden idols or jealousies. Is there someone you are in conflict with right now? What might God be revealing about your own heart through that conflict? [[28:56]]
The pastor said, “We would not wait for them to apologize, but we would apologize. We would not wait for them to forgive, but we would forgive.” Is there someone you need to take the first step toward, even if they haven’t responded the way you hoped? [[01:37:16]]
The sermon reminds us that Christ has already accomplished what we could not—He sacrificed, suppressed, and surrendered for us. How does remembering the gospel help you when peacemaking feels impossible? [[01:20:13]]

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