The Good News of Peace

“You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.”  Acts 10:36

In the days of the prophet Jeremiah, God promised His people something new.  At that time God’s commandments were written on tablets of stone; but one day they would be written on the hearts and minds of His children.  At that time God’s Spirit was with His people; but one day He would be in His people.  At that time sacrifices were offered over and over for sins; but one day there would be one sacrifice for all time.  At that time God’s people placed their faith in a coming Messiah; but now our faith is in a risen and reigning Messiah.

Jesus, and the message He brought, was the fulfillment of thousands of years of prophecy.  It was a promise kept to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants.  As Acts 10:36 says, God’s message in Christ is the good news of peace.  Not peace between men, but peace with God.

Peace with God can only come through Christ.  There is no other way.  God sent John the Baptist to prepare His people for the coming Messiah.  And when Christ appeared, John recognized Him as the Lamb of God – the Messiah – who had come to take away our sins.  Without Jesus, God’s Spirit would not live in us.  We would still be separated from God by our sins.

What a wonderful Savior!  He not only died for our sins, He became our sin so that we might have peace with God through faith in Him.  This is the greatest of all mysteries…Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).  Let us never take for granted that we have peace with God through Christ.  For it is one of the greatest miracles of God’s grace.

Dear Father, thank you that you are the God of peace. I am in need of peace right now, so Lord I ask that you grant me peace that only you can give. Shower me with your comfort and your love in the midst of my pain and struggle. In Jesus' name, amen.