Everything Is Changed
The original fake news had a mantra: “Peace, peace.”
Numerous times the Lord confronted false prophets for crying “Peace, peace,” when there was no peace (Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11 bibrefjeremiah6 bibrefjeremiah6v14 bibrefjeremiah8 bibrefjeremiah8v11; and Ezekiel 13:10-16 bibrefezekiel13 bibrefezekiel13v10 bibrefezekiel13v11 bibrefezekiel13v12 bibrefezekiel13v13 bibrefezekiel13v14 bibrefezekiel13v15 bibrefezekiel13v16). Fake peace, false assurance, comes in a context where you get to keep doing everything you were already doing, and isn’t that great, because you don’t even have to change.
We do proclaim, “peace, peace,” and we do it on the basis of Jesus who was born of a virgin, lived in perfect obedience to God’s law, suffered under Pontus Pilate, was crucified, buried, and rose again on the third day. We rejoice in peace because Jesus has satisfied the Father’s wrath against our sin. We sing of peace, not because we don’t need to change, but because Jesus has changed everything.
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1 bibrefromans5 bibrefromans5v1). Brothers, take heart, and peace be with you in the bread and the wine.