In our worship services each Sunday we have a time near the beginning of the
service in which we encourage everyone to greet one another and so we turn to
the people around us to offer a handshake or a hug and warm welcome. For some
people this is their favorite time of the service because they love to talk and
have fellowship with others. So it’s sometimes difficult to redirect the focus
back toward singing and worship. At First Baptist we are pretty informal with
this part of the service and it’s a bit of a free for all. But for many
Christian traditions this greeting time is more formal and is often referred to
as “Passing the Peace.” When you Pass the Peace with someone, one person will
begin the greeting by saying “Peace be with You” to which the other person will
respond “And also with you.”
Wouldn’t it be great if offering and receiving peace were that simple?
Wouldn’t
it be great if a warm hug, a hearty handshake or a friendly greeting were all
that was necessary to bring about lasting peace?
Unfortunately in the world in
which we live finding peace is far more challenging. Perhaps part of the
problem lies in the fact that peace means different things for different
people. For the mom with two or three preschoolers under foot peace means
having a few precious minutes of quiet time. They’d like nothing better than to
put themselves in “time out.”
To the office manager or supervisor peace means
everyone cooperating with one another and working together in harmony.
To the
nature lover peace means a hike in the woods, an evening campfire or an
afternoon of fishing.
To nations at war peace means finding common ground,
negotiating a treaty and having soldiers safely reunited with their families.
Yes, in every human heart there is an elusive longing for peace…peace of mind
and peace of heart.
Perhaps that’s why the Bible has so much to say
about peace. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word for peace is Shalom and
occurs 250 times. In the New Testament the Greek word for peace is Eirene and is
found 90 times. And in those 340 times in which the word peace is used in the
Bible, there is a wide spectrum of meaning and application. So even as we search
the Scriptures we can come away more than a bit confused about the true meaning
of peace. Take for example Jesus’ own teachings about peace.
On the one hand he
said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the
children of God.” Matthew 5:9 (NIV) but later he said…
"Do not suppose
that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but
a sword.” Matthew 10:34 (NIV)
As you can see there is a lot to learn
if we are to understand and apply this important Biblical concept to our lives.
That’s why we invite you to join us for our current Bible Study entitled
“Shalom: A Study of the Biblical Concept of Peace.” The author of our study is
Dr. Donald Gowan who taught for 35 years as an Old Testament professor at
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and has authored nine books on Old Testament
studies. Come join us for in this fascinating study on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m.
in the library. Shalom! Eirene! Peace be with you!!
