Peace of Christmas
Notes
Transcript
What do I believe God wants them to know? The peace of God
Why? we all long for peace
What do I believe God wants them to do? Receive the peace with God, praise, pray, preach
Why? I brings peace
ME/WE
One of the great longings of humanity, all walks of life, young and old, male and female that we all have is all LONGING FOR PEACE
Not just PEACE that comes from SILENCE, but the PEACE that effects and infects in a good way every fiber of your body.
Anybody?
What is peace?
We want SHALOM that is the HEBREW for PEACE…to help us understand PEACE is to UNDERSTAND THE DEFINTION OF SHALOM WHICH MEANS TO be made WHOLE....we want to feel WHOLE
WHICH IS THE OPPOSITE OF ANXIETY WHICH MEANS TO BE TORN APART....IS THAT NOT HOW WE FEEL WHEN ARE ANXIOUS…WE FEEL TORN APART???
THIS IS SUCH A BIG LONGING THAT 1 OUT OF 6 AMERICANS ARE ON ANTI-DEPRESSIANTS this is in 2020 many believe is much higher now
PAUSE
christians aren’t suppose to take that....the ideal is not to be on the YOUR PASTOR was on it
But there are times when people need it
I was on it for 3 years in the early 2000’s
I needed it to help me through some life issues
Meds, counseling, church family, prayer
broken leg
THE QUESTION FOR US WHO WANT PEACE IS HOW DO WE GET PEACE???
Many people believe that they way we get internal peace is through external things.
What we will hear some people say or what we might believe is the way to peace is through.
1. Money....if have more money I will have peace…the reason I lack peace is because I don’t have money so if I have money I will have peace....anybody....we might get temporary peace....but money vanishes faster than than the wind sometimes.
But does that solve the question? NO
There are people with very little money that have more peace that those who are rich at times and visa versa
“I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer.” - Jim Carry
2. Relationship…If I can just be married or have that relatioship…God you said it is not ....there are people THAT RUSH INTO A RELATIONSHIP OR MARRIAGE THINKING THIS WILL SOLVE THE PEACE PROBLEM BUT INSTEAD IT COMPOUNDS BECAUSE THEY ARE WITH SOMEBODY THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR THEM....THERE PEACE THEY LONG FOR IS HELL
you had more peace before the relationship
3. Job, Other things
What we realize is there is no external thing that brings us internal peace.
EXTERNAL THINGS CANNOT SOLVE AN INTERNAL CONFLICT WE HAVE THIS LACK OF PEACE PROBLEM WE HAVE..
The question we have then we have to ask if we cannot get it from external things....where can we get peace?
And we need to why don’t have peace for the non-believer and for the believer.
They both need to be addressed
Why do we have a lack of PEACE before we know Jesus?
The reason we do not have the peace of God is because we do not have peace with God.
Why don’t we have peace with God before we are a believer?
IS BECAUSE for those who don’t know Jesus is because THEY ARE AT WAR WITH GOD....we are an emeny of God....we are against God
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
“children of wrath”
all mad in the image of God…but not all children of God
(Just read Eph 2:3)
THE REASON THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW GOD DON’T HAVE PEACE IS BECAUSE THEY ARE AT WAR WITH GOD
HOW DO WE GET RIGHT WITH GOD?
By doing good....God will be pleased with me if I do good
but how much good you must you do? This person says ___ that person says ___
What does scripture say? There is no amount of good you can do to get right with God
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
But is that how it works? GOOD WORKS make us right with God? WE NEED PERFECTION
Nothing we can do…it is what He has done
That is not Good NEWS!!!
But there is GOOD NEWS is one of the gifts of Christmas
God did what we could not do
He brings PEACE between God and man through the blood of the lamb of God
Jesus comes to be the sacrifical lamb that takes away the sins of man
THE GOOD NEWS is JESUS COMES TO BRING US PEACE
To bring us as children of God
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
RECONCILE…AND AS WE ARE GOING TO READ IN A MINUTE…GOD DOESN’T JUST FORGIVE YOU…HE BRINGS YOU INTO THE FAMILY..CHILD OF GOD…ROYAL PRIESTHOOD.
What God does is He sends His son into to bring PEACE between God and man.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
This what read in the Christmas story in Luke that Linus from Charlie Brown’s Christmas reads
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Jesus comes to bring PEACE between God and man…what a glorious thing!
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
WE CAN HAVE THE PEACE OF GOD WHEN WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD
Some of hear this and our hearts are rejoicing…Others hear it and we know it in our MIND....but what we need to is for this to explode our hearts!
THE THING WE NEED TO DO IS STRENGEN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD…IT COULD BE JUST FOR A DAY.
We have lost sight in our hearts and minds
Our relationship with God is not what it was....it is weaken...
To use an anaology…me and Robyn are marriage but is everyday of the relationship STRONG? NO…there are days we are further apart though we are married
How do we get it now? because we forget
YOU’ALL
Praising
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
What WORSHIP does is it connects us to the PRINCE OF PEACE, IT RENEWS OUR MIND, it LIFTS OUR SPIRIT, worship and worry do not go together
It gets our eyes on Jesus the Prince of Peace not on the problem
Also I love what C.S. Lewis said about worship…he didn’t get it
How many of us have experienced this???
Come to church like ehyro but leave like Tigger\
2. Pray
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
And don’t just pray alone
3. Preach
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Who I Am in Christ
(From Neil Anderson, Victory Over the Darkness)
I am accepted...
John 1:12 I am God’s child.
John 15:15 I am Christ’s friend.
Romans 5:1 I have been justified.
1 Corinthians 6:17 I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:27 I am a member of Christ’s body.
Ephesians 1:3-8 I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.
Ephesians 2:18 I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 1:13-14 I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.
Colossians 2:9-10 I am complete in Christ.
I am secure...
Romans 8:1-2 I am free from condemnation.
Romans 8:28 I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
Romans 8:31-34 I am free from any condemning charges against me.
Romans 8:35-39 I cannot be separated from the love of God.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.
Philippians 1:6 I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me.
Philippians 3:20 I am a citizen of heaven.
2 Timothy 1:7 I have been given a spirit of power, love and a sound mind.
Hebrews 4:14-16 I can find grace and mercy in time of need.
1 John 5:18 I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.
I am significant...
Matthew 5:13-14 I am the salt of the earth.
John 15:5 I am a branch of Jesus Christ, and a channel of His life.
John 15:16 I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
Acts 1:8 I am a personal witness of Christ’s.
1 Corinthians 3:9 I am God’s coworker.
1 Corinthians 3:16 I am God’s temple.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 I am a minister of reconciliation for God. Ephesians 2:6 I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm. Ephesians 2:10 I am God’s workmanship.
Ephesians 3:12 I may approach God with freedom and confidence. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
You don’t need to earn your peace…it is a gift
Let’s praise and celebrate what He has done!
We can have peace with God by the grace of God which gi