1. Finding Peace in the One Body
Eph. 2:13-17

2. This Year’s Theme: At His Cross July’s Theme: I Find Peace

3. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.
Eph. 2:13-17

4. First Century World of the Prince of Peace
He came as the Prince of Peace—Isa. 9:7
At His birth “On earth peace, goodwill…” Luke 2:14
His peace is not worldly peace—John 14:27; 16:33
The need for two kinds of peace
All true peace comes from God
Personal peace, freedom from anxiety
Peace with others
There is no respect of persons with God
All have sinned
Christ died for all
The cross removes self—self denial
The ground is level at the foot of the cross
That peace found in the one body, the church
A common greeting of the early Christians

5. A Common Greeting of Early Christians
Rom. 1:7 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Cor. 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Cor. 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gal. 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
Eph. 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Phil. 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Col. 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thess. 1:1 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thess. 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

6. A Common Greeting of Early Christians
1 Tim. 1:2 Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
2 Tim. 1:2 Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Titus 1:4 Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
Phile. 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
2 John 1:3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ
Rev. 1:4 Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come,

7. Barriers Removed in Christ
8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all Col. 3:8-11
Barriers of birth and nationality (Gentiles & Jew)
Barriers of world religious division (circumcision)
Barrier of cultured/uncultured (barbarian & Scythian)
Barrier of economic differences (slave & free)
. In the presence of God the social distinctions
of the world become irrelevant.

8. Scythians
“A race of savages, inhabiting a region of rather indefinite boundaries, north of the Black and Caspian seas and the Caucasus Mountains. They were nomads who neither plowed nor sowed; moving about in wagons and carrying their dwellings with them; they had the most filthy habits and never washed in water; they drank the blood of the first enemy killed in battle, and made napkins of the scalps and drinking bowls of the skulls of the slain. Their deities were many of them identified with those of the Greeks, but the most characteristic rite was the worship of the naked sword, and they sacrificed every hundredth man taken in war to this deity.”
Herodotus

9. Finding His Peace in the One Body
Believe John 3:16
Repent Acts 17:30
Confess Faith Acts 8:36-37
Be Baptized Into Him Gal. 3:27
Added to His church, His body, His kingdom
Be Faithful until death Rev. 2:10