and sisters live, work
and worship under
the constant threat
of governments who
would rather see the
for our beliefs, it can be difficult for us to imagine how
believers in the enclaves of the early Church risked
death every time they engaged in prayer, every time of
sacred worship, every time of fellowship. But in today's
world we are surrounded by a culture enticed by violence
and death. Gang violence, random shootings and wars
in our streets place a thick veil over our eyes and blind
us to a peace that surpasses all understanding.
Rome. Complete trust, unquestioned loyalty, confident
allegiance, this is faith. Caesar was called the Lord
of lords, the King above all kings, Most High, God
Incarnate, even Prince of Peace. That is why Roman
authority was threatened by a rag�tag group of
troublemakers proclaiming that the Jewish son of a
carpenter was God above all, Lord of lords and Prince
of Peace. Caesar had a challenger to his throne.
empire's authority, their lack of pistis. The "peace" of
Caesar's blade was being threatened by the true peace
of Jesus' sacrifice. Caesar, charged with keeping the
peace, engaged this issue as he best knew how: he
killed its adherents.
against an ungodly empire. However, the question
arises, who would ever surrender so willingly to
such death? Why didn't they fight back? God would
understand killing in self�defense, right? But this leads
us to ask, "Would Jesus kill, even in self�defense?"
a better way. It's a way of peace that surpasses the
understanding of this world. Jesus sets the example of
these recorded in Matthew's gospel account.
Gospel leads us. If we really want to follow Christ, we
must live as He lived and died."
and ultimately death on a humiliating cross. But in and
through this death, we find the ultimate victory in Christ.
Though the world killed this Man who threatened the
peace of an empire, praise our God that His only begotten
Son was risen from hell and the grave! He shattered
the law of sin and death by defeating both.
you will be rallied by the blast of the trumpet behind
our glorious Savior as He leads the battle charge
back into the world at the end of this age! We have a
champion, a warrior and protector whose art of war is
not that of missiles, tanks, guns and death, but of love.
In love is the victory of Christ! Our Savior, our Prince
of Peace, our Jesus, throws a wrench into the machine
of war, and out of the twisted shrapnel rises a new
creation, a new world, cleansed by His precious blood.
The old world will pass, Eden will be renewed and we
shall dwell forever in peace with our Prince of Peace,
our Christ Jesus. Amen.