ANGLICAN DAILY FOUNTAIN DEVOTIONAL FOR OCTOBER 28, 2022 (CHRIST: THE SOURCE OF PEACE AND UNITY)
TOPIC : CHRIST: THE SOURCE OF PEACE AND UNITY”
Read: Ephesians 2:13-22(NKJV)
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.
18. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
19. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20. having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner[stone,]
21. in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
22. in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
MESSAGE
STUDY: In today’s passage, Paul focused his message on Christ as the peace and cornerstone of the Christian faith (vv. 14&20). He metaphorically used the wall of partition purposely built in the ancient Jewish temple to limit the act of worship of the Gentiles among them to explain the limitation on the movement of the Gentiles in Jewish temples because of cultural issues. The message of ‘death and resurrection of Christ’ that was preached to both the Jews and Gentiles brought cultural peace and unity between them. Hence, Paul noted, “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation… For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (vv.14-18).
This same spirit of peace and unity helped the apostles of old in their ministerial assignments, like St. Simon and St. Jude the Apostles whose Days are commemorated today. Christians are expected to seek peace and unity with one another, not minding tribes and cultures. Christ is the cornerstone that brings us together as members of one family. If Christ is seen in us, and we exhibit peace and unity among ourselves, this is enough to convince several unbelievers and get them converted to Christ. By so doing, they would come to Christ’s fold and enjoy the peace of mind and unity of brethren which only Christ can give.
PRAYER: O Lord, join all Christians together in peace and unity, so that our lives will attract more souls to Your Kingdom in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
The Anglican Communion is the fourth-largest Christian denomination. Founded in 1867 in London, England, the communion currently has 85 million members within the Church of England and other national and regional churches in full communion.
