Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Special Services / Advent 2004

12/04/04 Peace

Title:  ‘Looking for Something More?’ pt. 2   ‘Peace’                                                                                             Main Text: Isaiah 9:6
 

Peace
 
Introduction: In November 1873, Horatio Spafford and his family decided to meet D. L. Moody on one of his evangelistic campaigns in England. However, just before they were to leave Horatio had urgent business in Chicago. The decision was made that his wife Anna and their daughters would go ahead to England and he would catch up with them as soon as possible. Just off Newfoundland, their ship collided with an English ship and sunk within 20 minutes. Anna Spafford was one of the 47 passengers who survived. Tragically all four of their daughters were part of the 226 who died. Anna Spafford’s heartbreaking telegram to her husband simply read: "Saved alone." The grieving father immediately set sail for England to join his grief-stricken wife. As the ship that he was traveling on passed the approximate location where his daughters had drowned, Horatio Spafford penned the words to the hymn ‘It Is Well With My Soul’  (From a sermon by Tim Richards)

"When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea-billows roll, Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say; It is well, it is well with my soul. Tho’ Satan Should buffet, tho’ trials should come, Let his blessed assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed His own blood for my soul. It is well, with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul."

We can only imagine what went through the heart and mind of Horatio Spafford when he wrote those words after the death of his four daughters. While we may never experience what he went through, we are all susceptible to tragedy.

•    We may experience the heartbreak of the death of a loved one
•    We may experience the fear of a debilitating  illness
•    We may experience the pain of divorce, financial ruin or rebellious children
•    We may experience the loneliness the lose of a relationship with a family member or friend brings often due to some ill spoken words.

We may experience tragedy, but peace is illusive at best. Horatio Spafford knew peace in the midst of devastating tragedy. And it’s that kind of peace, I believe, we all so desperately looking for.

Peace Defined
But what is peace?
•    Someone once said peace is ‘That glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading.’
•    Others have said that peace is the absence of conflict or hostility.
•    Dictionary.com: adds  Peace is inner contentment

But, it’s in the OT of the Bible that I believe we find the most complete meaning of the word Peace.  The Hebrew word for peace is shalom. Shalom speaks of wholeness, well being and right relationships with others, and with God.

Transition: Wholeness, well being, right relationships…peace. Many would say it’s unattainable. Well, the Word of God, the life of Horatio Spafford and many other Christians would disagree. So, where does peace come from? How do we obtain it?

Peace Offered
According to the wisdom of those outside the church, peace is the product of human effort. It’s found in our ability to maintain control in our life.
•    When you have lost someone close to you the world says keep it together, maintain control
•    When you lose your job the world says keep it together, maintain control

Is it any wonder our society suffers from anxiety and depression?
•    Anxiety is the feeling that we should be in control but aren’t. It is our desire to regain control. We do what we need to do to maintain control because we believe we are supposed to be in control.
•    Depression is our resignation to the belief that we are no longer able to keep it together, to maintain control. Depression is giving up trying to be in control and giving in to our difficult circumstances because we believe no one is in control.

Anxiety and depression are the result of the faulty belief that peace is found within us. What anxiety and depression have in common is a lack of trust in God and in his ability to bring us peace.

Peace is a major theme in the Bible. And it’s in the Bible that we find how to obtain peace; wholeness, well being, right relationships in life.

Read:
•    Isa. 26:3 ‘Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee.’
•    Col. 3:16 ‘And let the peace of God rule in your hearts.’
•    Jn. 14:27 Jesus is speaking and he says ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.
                    Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’

The reason we don’t experience peace is that
•    rather than trust in God,
•    rather than believe God is in control,
•    rather than believe peace comes from a right relationship with God, we trust in ourselves, we believe we are in control,
     and we don’t want anything to do with God.

So it’s no wonder that  Isa. 48:22 says ‘There is no peace for the wicked.’ You see, the wicked spoken of here are not just those who are evil people. The wicked, in God’s eyes are those have not trusted God, who have not placed their faith in Jesus his son. And what happens is when we trust in ourselves instead of God, we put up a wall between God’s offer of peace… and our own anxiety and depression. But there is good news.

Read: Eph 2:13-18 ‘But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.’

Peace happens when the wall dividing people and God is removed. And guess what? That wall has been torn down by Jesus’ death on the cross for your sin. You see, the wall is your sin, your lack of trust in God and lack of faith in Jesus his son.

Peace is offered by God through faith in Jesus Christ. Peace; wholeness, well being, right  relationships come when we give control of our lives over to the Holy Spirit, God’s presence in our lives.

Anxiety and depression will not be your constant companions when you place control of your life in the capable and faithful hands of Almighty and ever present God.

Transition: Faith in Jesus Christ and belief that his death on the cross paid the debt to God for your sin, brings peace with God. But what about peace with others? It is possible?

Peace Displayed
Read:
•    1 Thess. 5:13b ‘Live in peace with each other.’
•    Heb. 12:14a  ‘Make every effort to live in peace with all men’
•    Rom. 12:18  ‘If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.’

You see, when you have peace with God, through faith in Jesus Christ, you now can have peace with others. This is God’s message of reconciliation.

Read: 2 Cor. 5:17-19 ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.’

Reconciliation with God, through forgiveness of sin, by faith in Jesus, brings peace.  You can be at peace with others because God has called you to make it right with them, just as he has made it right with you.
Listen.

Read: 1 Peter 5:7 ‘Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.’

Your cares, your anxieties, your relationships that are not right, when you cast or give control of them to God, you will find peace. You give him the responsibility of restoring the relationship. Not that you don’t work towards making it right, but you trust that God is able to do what you have not been able to do…restore the relationship that has been lost. It’s your choice. You have to be intentional about wanting the relationship to be restored and about working towards making peace.

Read: Rom. 14:19a ‘Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace.’

What does this look like. Paul tells us in Romans 12:14-21

Read: Rom. 12: 14-21 ‘Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’

I know what you may be thinking...but understand that’s your pride speaking. If you are at odds with someone, if a relationship has been damaged, you need to take the initiative; you need to do what is right.

Remember, when you were an enemy of God, still in your sin, God took the initiative to make his relationship right with you when he sent Jesus to die for your sin. God set the example for us to follow.

Conclusion
Perhaps some of you here don’t have the kind of peace I have been talking about this morning. But, you can.

Remember Jesus’ words to his disciples after Jesus died, then rose from the dead and showed up in their house? Remember the disciples ran away because they were afraid of what the officials and religious leaders might do to them? Do you remember what Jesus said to these frightened followers when he first saw them?

He didn’t say ‘Where were you when I was being beaten? Where were you when I was being nailed to the cross? Where were you when I really
needed you?’ No. His first words to them were ‘Peace be with you’. It was exactly what they needed and what Jesus offered.

Are you looking for something more?
•    Peace; wholeness, well being, right relationships come from knowing Jesus Christ as your savior.
•    Peace; wholeness, well being, right relationships come from admitting your sin to God and asking him to forgive you.
•    Peace; wholeness, well being, right relationships come from giving God control of your life.

God offers his peace to you this morning.  It’s now up to you. Will you accept his offer?