Peace

Rev. Mel Williams, Watts Street Baptist Church (Durham)

William Blake was a poet who understood the meaning of mercy—the unearned, undeserved gift of God’s grace. Mercy is the character of God; mercy is God’s very self-understanding. When we beg for mercy, or forgiveness, we are reaching for God, for God is mercy. This is the character of God, stated throughout the Old Testament: “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

Rev. Dr. Sam Wells, Duke University Chapel (Durham)

These are the kinds of images that come into our minds when we hear the word peace. Such a diverse range of uses makes the word peace seem either vague and idealistic or cynical and manipulative. The New Testament is neither vague nor idealistic nor cynical nor manipulative. It has two words for peace. One of those words is Jesus. Ephesians chapter 2 gives us perhaps the most concise description of the way Jesus is peace. Here are the five ways that Jesus is peace. All of them center on the word “one.”

Rev. Amy Jacks Dean, Park Road Baptist Church (Charlotte)

Let me tell you about a society of peace and prosperity that existed long ago. In this society, many people had much more than they needed. The construction business was experiencing an unprecedented boom; elaborate wine cellars and even personal vineyards were in vogue. All the markets were buzzing; the communications, entertainment, and travel industries had never enjoyed such escalating profits.

Rev. Edward Stallworth, Park Road Baptist Church (Charlotte)

On a larger scale, there are those expectations that are shattered by overwhelming joy and excitement. I have never met a parent that said, “I expected to love my child this much.” It seems that children bring more than what was expected. Despite not having children of my own, I see it in the eyes of all of you when you talk about your own children. That holds true to new parents to parents of teens or college students to parents whose children have children of their own.