Perfect Peace in Stormy Times

PERFECT PEACE IN STORMY TIMES Spring Valley Mennonite; October 9, 2022; Mark 4:35-41; Isaiah 26:1-4; John 14:27 Jesus had been teaching all day by the Sea of Galilee; in the evening He said to His disciples, "Let us go to the other side." Mark 4:35-41 records the situation. I'd like to use these verses to introduce God's message to us this morning: (Read vv. 35-41). Have you ever noticed that the boat of Jesus and His disciples was not alone? Verse 36: "Other boats were with Him..." Although rare, intense storms can suddenly arise on the Sea of Galilee-the last such storm occurred back in 1992 and produced 10 ft. whitecaps. Such waves on a lake 12 miles long and 7 miles wide would be terrorizing even to seasoned fishermen as were the disciples. And think of all those other boats! But Jesus is the Master of the Storm, and at a simple word: "Peace, be still" the storm calmed. Following Jesus does not mean the absence of storms in life, but our Lord has promised His presence in those storms. Just as the disciples had a need for peace in the midst of the storm, so we have the same need in the storms which arise in our lives. God's message this morning is a message of peace. Our primary text is found in the 26th chapter of Isaiah where God promises the possibility of perfect peace. Judah was not a peaceful place in the days of Isaiah. I'm sure Judah felt much like Winnie the Pooh's friend Piglet, who said when lost in the woods at night, "I'm a very small pig in a very big woods." Judah was a very small country surrounded by powerful nations marching back and forth across her territory. To the far north was Babylon. Nearer was Assyria. Nearer still were the Aramaians of Damascus. To the south was Egypt. God, as Divine Controller of the Nations, placed Israel at the crossroads of the world so He could demonstrate His power and glory through His chosen nation. At times, His chosen people reflected God's bright light to those nations-when they were living in obedience and full dependence on God. But like in most of the days of Isaiah, they only paid lip-service to God. Disobedience results in God's discipline, whether it be in my life, or in the life of a nation. In dark times, God gave the promise of perfect peace to the faithful. Turn to Isaiah 26, beginning at verse 1 (read through v. 4) I. A FUTURE SONG TO BE SUNG Chapters 24-27 comprise Isaiah's Apocalypse: 24 describes the Tribulation Period, and chapters 25-27 the Millennium blessings. Chapter 26 is a song of praise. Isaiah gives us a time frame in his first phrase: "In that day." He uses that term 45 times in his prophesy, and anything used that often signals a major theme. He speaks of the great "Day of the Lord," which will be a time of unprecedented blessing-or of severe and overwhelming judgment, depending on which side you have chosen. Judgment always precedes blessing, as the Great Tribulation will precede the Millennium when the Lord Jesus will reign here on earth. And is this not the way life works? The cross had to precede the resurrection; the judgment of sin comes before the blessings of imputed righteousness. Move this principle down to everyday life: work precedes the paycheck-cause and effect. It is against God's created order to get something for nothing-and lest you say, "What about Grace and Salvation; is not salvation free?" I would answer, "Was salvation free to God?" Judgment of sin came before the blessing of salvation. The Great Day of the Lord will result in God restoring His chosen people Israel back to prominence and leadership, and as a "grafted in limb on the root of Israel" the church will rule with Christ in this future earthly kingdom. At that time a song of salvation will be sung by Israel. The words of that song are given here in Isaiah 26 "We have a strong city; He sets up strong walls and ramparts for security." Earthen and wooden ramparts were the first line of defense around an ancient city, barriers to invaders. If an enemy breached the ramparts, defenders fell back behind thick city walls. This future city will be strong, able to provide absolute security. When Isaiah was ministering, the walls of Jerusalem provided protection from various enemies. However, if they turned to idols and foreign gods, refusing to repent, those walls would be breached and the city destroyed. This happened when Jerusalem fell in 586 B.C. There was no peace to be found when the nation turned away from God, the true defender of Israel. The promise of perfect peace was given to the faithful: Judgment would be followed by restoration. God would preserve a remnant with whom He would rebuild. In this future restoration, not only would there be a strong and secure city, but the gates would be open for whom? Verse 2: the righteous nation. There has been several regatherings of Israel, the most recent in 1948, but never a universal re-gathering, nor a re-gathering in belief. That awaits the future. This is God's promise for restoration-when they would turn back to God. 700 years after Isaiah's prophesy, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ would come. But Israel rejected Jesus, and God temporarily set aside His chosen nation. At Pentecost the Church was born and the blessings of God were transferred to the children of faith, to all those who would believe in the Lord Jesus, both Jew and Gentile. Thus began the age of the Church which will end at the rapture when God resumes working through Israel. There will be a final regathering of Israel in belief in these last days. Because the Lord Jesus came, died and rose again; because Jesus reigns in our hearts, God gives us the right to presently sing this song of peace. II. OUR PRESENT SONG OF PEACE Verses 3 and 4 speak of perfect peace; in Hebrew this is peace, peace. While this peace existed for those few righteous people in Isaiah's day, and while it will be enjoyed in the Millennial Kingdom, it is now possible for us to experience today. John 14:27: "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you Let not your heart be troubled, not let it be fearful." There are several levels of peace, the most important being peace with God. Romans 5:1: "Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ..." An individual who has not placed his faith in the Lord Jesus is still imprisoned in sin and is in the enemy camp. Active rebellion against God or passive indifference either mark the lives of the unsaved. They have no peace. But as believers, we have this fundamental peace with God. There is also a need for peace with others. This is possible through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. God gives us the ability to respond to the anger, disrespect, and harshness of others with love and kindness. A third level of peace might be called "situational peace." Through Isaiah, God explains the pathway to peace in our personal storms. Let's explore this pathway with a series of questions: The first question is: To whom is this peace available? As I look at verse three, our first observation links perfect peace with a "steadfast mind." What does that mean? The Hebrew word "mind" used here is broader than just the faculty of thinking, but includes what is framed in the mind. It describes our inner thoughts or attitudes. But it speaks not so much of individual thoughts, but the dominant stream of thoughts-the pattern our thoughts follow. Perfect peace comes to those with their thoughts centered in a particular way. Perhaps the idea of a focused mind or an overriding purpose would expand the concept to us. So, our mind is to be focused: Upon what is to be our focus? The answer comes from the word "steadfast." This word has the meaning of "leaning, being supported, or resting." The perfect peace of God, this peace which passes human understanding, the peace which enables us to rest in the middle of whatever storm is crashing around us-this peace comes when our thoughts are focused and leaning upon God! This is not a leisurely leaning, like when we rest a bit of our weight on something but letting something hold up all our weight to the extent that if that support were removed, we our fall headlong. This leaning means to be completely supported and sustained. Psalm 37:17 tells us that the Lord sustains the righteous. Psalm 112:8 affirms, "his heart is sustained, his heart is upheld, he will not fear." Get the idea? Perfect peace comes only when we surrender fully to the strong arms of the Lord. I fear that so may Christians see God as a divine air-bag-it inflates only upon emergency. It is comforting to know that God will be there in an emergency, but most of the time we keep Him contained, shut off from everyday life. Folks, such an attitude of mind is not leaning, and there will be no peace to those who look only to God in emergencies! We must dependently lean upon God every hour of every day. Why do we find this so hard to do? Perhaps it is because you don't really know God. I am not speaking right now about knowing Jesus as Savior. You may be trusting Him for salvation-it is not difficult to see our need for a Savior. But accepting Jesus as Savior is only the very first baby-step toward truly knowing God. A vital and all-important step, but only the first beginning step. After being born, a baby naturally grows. Have you grown any since your conversion? How do we grow? By feeding on the Word. Like newborn babes we are to desire the sincere milk of the Word. How does a baby learn new things? He observes those around him. He sees you roll a ball to him, and he learns to mimic your actions and rolls it back. Now a newborn can't do that, but after a few months, as he grows more complex responses are possible. He sees everyone walking around, and instinctively knows that he was made to walk also. Christians grow by observing others in their Christian walk. Some observations here: Christians, what kind of example are we setting for those younger believers who are watching? Another observation: If one is only around other believers on Sundays, they won't be able to observe very much, with the result that their growth will be hindered. We grow the most spiritually in the company of other believers. Oh, something else: unless we are verbalizing to others how God is working in our lives, we are not being much of a model. And if, as a Christian, you are not willing to be a model to others, if you resist the idea of living a life worthy of imitation, you are out of the will of God and possibly living in sin. Upon what are you leaning today? If it is not the Lord Jesus, everything else is like a rubber crutch-worthless to hold our weight. The most common false support on which people lean is our own mind and strength of will: the stiff upper lip, the ability to roll with the punches, the indomitable human spirit! God has another word for this: the pride of man, the "I can make it on my own" carnal human nature. God says to this, "I will bring down the proud and will exalt the humble." It is a fool that denies his absolute need to lean upon God. But oh! The incredible blessing and freedom of perfect peace which comes to those whose mind is leaning completely on Jesus! The ones who lean live triumphantly, living above the circumstances, abiding in perfect peace. God's peace is not found in peaceful circumstances but comes from within a heart leaning completely on God. If we are in harmony with God's revealed will, we will experience inner harmony as well. Looking at this verse, who is the keeper of this peace? "The steadfast of mind YOU WILL KEEP in perfect peace." God keeps us. The word "keep" is to guard or preserve. We are guarded from whatever would disturb our peace. God is both the Divine Author of peace as well as the One who preserves us in peace. Many people search for peace of mind apart from God, but if we seek the Lord, His peace will follow. As we lean on God, how does this peace come? Supernatural peace may come suddenly, even surprisingly in the storm. One moment your boat may be tossed and battered, and suddenly Jesus speaks a word of peace and quietness in our hearts. Many of us have experienced God-given peace during times of great loss. We find ourselves floating in peaceful waters. But usually, God's perfect peace comes as we call upon the truth which relates to the cause of our discomfort. This is what the Psalmist describes in 42:5: "Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence." Why do we have a lack of peace? What is the reason for our unrest? For example, we may be in turmoil over personal sin, but when we realize that Christ died for our sins, and in His dying full atonement and payment was made, then we are given grounds for peace. We confess the sin, claim forgiveness and are brought into perfect peace. Or suppose that we find ourselves in mental or physical distress, perhaps a relational problem or physical affliction, and our mind is troubled. If we are a child of the King, we understand that trials are not sent as punishment, but for kindly and loving Fatherly discipline. When we realize that all trials are meant to work together to produce good and godly results, then reason for the mental turmoil is removed. The pain may remain, but we gain peace as well as strength to endure. We may find ourselves victims of evil, which is the case often when we do not understand the "whys" of our trial. But when we perceive that God is Almighty and that He is sovereignly in control and that our faith is being tested for the glory of God-like in the tribulations of Job-then we can relax peacefully and let God control the outcome. Perfect peace results in deciding to lean-a choice of the will. And God Almighty has promised peace to those who lean. He keeps us in perfect peace. III. THE RELATIONSHIP OF TRUST AND PEACE There remains the relationship between peace and trust seen in verse 3: Perfect peace comes as our mindset is to totally lean on God because we trust in Him. Trust in the Hebrew language has the root idea of throwing oneself facedown on the ground, or to lie extended on the ground in complete surrender. To trust is to surrender our well-being to someone or something, placing full reliance upon it. When a mountain climber hammers a piton into a crack in the rock face of a mountain, and connects his rope to that piton, he demonstrates trust in his equipment. He confidently puts all his weight on that rope, knowing that it will hold him. If we ask, "How does he know the rope will hold?" it is because he has tested it. He has inspected each piece of equipment, knowing that his life depends upon its trustworthiness. Only a fool would depend upon untested equipment. God has proven Himself trustworthy times without number. I ask every believer in this room "Has God ever failed to keep one of His promises to you? Has He ever proven unreliable?" Everyone here can vouch for the trustworthiness of God. Just as the mountain climber has no anxiety placing his weight on the rope, we should have no anxiety as we trust God. This verse teaches us that trust creates peace in our hearts. We have been persuaded that God is fully able to handle any situation, from the highest work-the salvation of our soul, down to the smallest need and challenge I have. Faith in God quiets my soul and creates peace. That is the first connection between trust and peace. Peace is also the reward of peace. The Lord blesses our hearts with peace as a token of His approval when we trust instead of doubt. Peace is faith's reward. Trust proclaims itself in peace. When perfect peace reigns in our hearts, we will not need to shout to our friends, "I am a believer" but they will see it clearly. When you have lost a loved one, instead of falling into endless depression, trust enables us to accept the will of God and go on with life. This supernatural peace is noticed by those around us, and thus our faith is seen. A man suffers a terrible loss, perhaps his house is destroyed by a hurricane; if he is an unbeliever, it is natural to imagine his distress; he often rages and fumes and even curses God. But if such a man has stayed himself upon God, he will be at peace, and will say, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Unnatural? Yes! Praise God! He enables us to live supernaturally! And people will hear the loud witness of our trust. Faith which only operates when things go well is the mockery of faith. The love which praised God when we receive all we have requested is no more than the response of the dog to his master. But trusting God when the storm is howling around us-that perfect peace speaks eloquently about our God-and about ourselves. Verse 4 of chapter 26 states: "Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord we have an everlasting Rock." Literally, this is a 'Rock of Ages'. Solid, abiding, immovable, sheltering -God our Rock invites us this morning to quiet any turmoil in our lives by focusing our minds in full, dependent leaning upon Jesus. Believe and trust God Who is more than able to give us complete, perfect peace in the midst of the storm. What storms are you facing today? Lean on Jesus, trust only in Him and you will be given His perfect peace. When Jesus is in our boat, we can smile at the storm! 2