In this Advent season, we are called to follow Jesus as the Prince of Peace by actively removing walls of hostility in our lives. These barriers—whether political, cultural, or personal—perpetuate division and conflict, preventing us from upholding the ‘ministry of reconciliation’ (2 Cor 5:18). Through Jesus’ work on the cross, walls of hostility can be broken down, creating a new humanity of reconciliation, peace, and love, so together we can bear witness to the Way of Jesus.

On December 8, UniteBoston’s Executive Director Rev. Kelly was honored to be invited by UB Board Member Pastor Kat Hampson to preach at Riverwalk Church! Click below to watch the sermon or read some of the notes!

The Problem of Hostility

The polarization in our society today mirrors the animosity between Jews and Gentiles in Ephesians 2:11-22, with divisions physically, relationally, and attitudinally. Research shows that Americans increasingly view those with opposing views as threats, with 80% of people believing that the other party “poses a threat that if not stopped will destroy America as we know it” (NBC News). Unfortunately, we see this hostility present even among Christians called to the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18). This divisive posture contradicts our calling as peacemakers (Mt 5:9) and repairers of the breach (Is 58:12).

Jesus: Transforming Hostility into Enemy-Embracing Love

As Prince of Peace (Is 9:6), Jesus inaugurated a new way; he redefined who and how we associate with others. Ephesians 2 reveals that Jesus broke down the dividing walls of hostility, reconciling people both to God (vertical peace) and to one another (horizontal peace). His purpose was to create one new humanity, transforming enmity into fellowship. This is exemplified in His life: dining with outcasts, forgiving enemies, and welcoming diversity among His disciples.

The type of peace we have in Christ breaks down societal barriers rather than building them, a peace where love banishes all fear, and a peace that breaks down walls of hate and hostility by upholding belovedness as all made in God’s image. This posture is summed up in Jesus’ statement that we are not just to love those who are most like us but to love our enemies (Mt 5:43).

Early Christians embodied this boundary-crossing nature of the faith, and people took note. Historians believe that it was in Antioch that they were called Christians because they saw early Christ followers crossing ethnic walls to worship with one another. Historian Harvey Conn writes that, “Into a world where class, power and ancestry divided rich from poor, free from slave, men from women, came a society that welcomed all who bore the name Jesus.”

Our Call as Followers of the Prince of Peace

Following Jesus as Prince of Peace is counter-cultural and vitally important. To embody Jesus’ boundary-breaking love, Rev. Kelly offers four steps:

1. Find Your Wall of Hostility
   Reflect on the groups or individuals you feel animosity toward. Here are some questions we can ask to help us identify who this may be:
   • Which groups do you avoid or feel threatened by? Who makes you uncomfortable?
   • Is there a particular group that you cringe at the thought of praising them; that you don’t even want to be exposed to the ideas or ways, much less earnestly listen to them? Who do you believe that the world would be better off if there were less of “those people” around?
   • Howard Thurman said – “Often the degree to which we oppose a thing marks the degree to which we do not understand it. Sometimes we use our opposition to an idea to cover up our own ignorance.” Have you met the person on the ‘other side,’ and heard their story?
2. Remember the Belovedness of the ‘Other’
   Every person is made in God’s image and is beloved by Him (Gen 1:27). Commit to seeing this inherent worth in everyone you meet, especially those on the ‘other side’ of a particular background or ideology.
3. Go with Curiosity
   “You can’t hate someone whose story you know.” Our assumptions and conclusions are often built on what have heard, rather than face-to-face conversations. With the rise of siloed media and social media platforms, we have become so accustomed today to talking about one another rather than with them. One of the biggest tools we have as peacemakers is curiosity: when someone shares a strong or ‘loaded’ statement, we can ask, “Is there a story behind that?” Engage others’ stories with humility, seeking to understand their longings, hopes and fears.
4. Reflect and Discern
   Opening yourself up to new experiences and ideas is often uncomfortable. Yet, it is also a sign of maturing in our faith (Eph 4:15). Prayerfully reflect on what you have heard using frameworks like the Wesleyan Quadrilateral (Scripture, Reason, Tradition, Experience) to evaluate your theological conclusions. Growth requires embracing discomfort and balancing openness with a firm foundation in Jesus Christ.

One caveat: When we talk about getting beyond a wall of hostility, a situation of abuse or trauma does not apply. There are some ‘walls’ that are necessary for self-protection, health, and safety. We must differentiate between a wall of hostility and a wall of protection as there are times when you need to be with “your people” to say the things you need to say, for healing and restoration.

Why This Matters

Our unity is both the fruit and the witness of the gospel. As we remove hostility, we demonstrate the reconciling power of Christ and live into His mission. The early church modeled this radical love by breaking barriers in a divided world, and we are called to do the same today.

Invitation

Will you follow Jesus, the Prince of Peace, by removing your walls of hostility? As John Howard Yoder said, “This new Christian community in which the walls are broken down not by human idealism or democratic legalism but by the work of Christ, is not only a vehicle of the gospel or only a fruit of the gospel; it is the good news. It is not merely the agent of mission or the constituency of a mission agency. This is the mission.“

Reflection Questions:

• 1. What walls of hostility exist in your heart? Consider which groups do you avoid or feel threatened by? Who makes you uncomfortable?
  • With this group in mind, what assumptions do you hold? What conclusions are you making? What do you fear? Be on the lookout for these biases
• 2. How can you actively uphold the belovedness of all of God’s children, even those who believe differently than you?
• 3. Who can you listen to with curiosity this week or month? Holiday gatherings are opportune spaces where we can listen, learn, and have tough conversations with people of differing perspectives and convictions.
  • Make a plan. Consider what type of structure will allow you to have the conversation you need to have. What do you fear? What do you wonder? Here are two conversation guides from Essential Partners that we recommend.
    • Partisan Conversation Guide
    • Political Conversation for Trust & Understanding
• 4. How might God be calling you to grow in your understanding on a particular divisive issue? Consider how your perspective is informed by Scripture, Reason, Tradition, and Experience.

We’d love to hear from you if you take some of these steps to follow Jesus as the Prince of Peace! Rev. Kelly can be reached at kelly@uniteboston.com Be blessed friends!