The Fruit of the Spirit is Peace
Notes
Transcript
On the night Jesus was born angels filled the sky saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14
We’re going to talk about that “peace” today. It is a part of the fruit of the Spirit. That means it is granted by God to the believer through the Holy Spirit.
What does it mean? Is it the absence of strife? No. The believer can have peace even in strife. The word peace is used to describe a relationship that is in proper order. It means to be in harmony. The peace Paul is talking about here has to do with our relationship with God and others. This morning I’m going to point out three things about peace:
The believer has peace with God
The believer has the peace of God
The believer is to seek peace with others
1. The believer has peace with God.
A. We have not always had this peace.
Isaiah 57:21 says There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
He says in the verse preceding that one that the wicked are like a troubled sea which cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
That is the picture of a lost person.
A turbulent life- disorder, conflict. Illustration; Woman at the well. Five husbands and living with another man.
A troubled conscience- Some people put on a smile, and you wouldn’t think they are troubled at all. Trust me, they are more troubled than you can imagine. God has given us a conscience and our sinful life robs us of peace.
Some may argue the point and say, “I have peace without God”.
They have a false peace. Jesus said there is a peace that the world gives and that His peace is far greater.
The world finds peace through:
A substance
Money
Relationship
Lie
That’s a counterfeit peace. It will only work for certain occasions. There will come a day when they discover the peace they have is not real.
Illust. – Imagine thinking you are rich. You have a pocketful of money. You go to a car dealership to pay cash for your dream car. You hand the money over and they tell you your money is counterfeit.
You’ve been duped.
You’ve been fooled.
The world pays you in counterfeit money. Its peace is counterfeit. Some discover this:
When a tragedy strikes – they fall into depression.
When the Spirit of God moves on their heart.
Some discover it too late.
B. Sin robbed us of peace with God.
Isaiah 59 says:
Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you
so that he does not hear.
God could not overlook our sin because He is holy.
God would not overlook our sin because He is just.
God is holy. God is just. God is also merciful.
We are the ones who declared war on God.
We are the ones who walked away from God.
But God is His mercy did not abandon us.
When Jesus came into the world He was announced as the Savior. “His name shall be called Jesus for He shall save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).”
C. We have peace because of Jesus.
At Christmas we think of Jesus as the Prince of Peace. Isaiah said the coming Messiah would be:
The Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. How did Jesus give us peace?
He did it through war.
He conquered the devil. The devil could not get Jesus to sin.
He conquered our debt. We had a sin debt we could not pay. Jesus paid it on calvary.
He conquered death. He died and rose again.
1 John 3:8 says, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”
Sin and death are works of the devil. Jesus destroyed them.
He is our Mediator. We are at peace with God because of Jesus.
2. The believer has the peace of God.
A. We need to understand this doctrinally.
Romans 5:1
Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We might ask the question “How can I be righteous?” The truth is we don’t always feel like we have peace with God. This is why we need to know the Bible!
Some people think acts of charity give them peace with God- God can’t be bought.
Some people think morality can give them peace with God- Our righteousness is like filthy rags.
Justification by faith is a simple and logical teaching.
My sins have been punished in Christ. I have no debt.
I have been given a righteousness that is not my own.
How could you ever have peace if you thought:
All your sins were not paid for.
You had to perform enough good deeds to atone for all the bad you have done.
Paul deals with security in Romans 8. In Romans 8:33-35 he asks the believer three questions.
Who can lay anything to your charge? God justified you.
Who can condemn you? Christ died, rose again and is interceding for you.
Who can separate you from the love of God? Is there anything or anyone who could convince God to stop loving you. There’s nothing anyone could tell Him He doesn’t already know.
Grab hold of the doctrine of justification by faith. Without it you will not experience the peace of God.
B. We need to understand the danger of doubt.
Philippians 4:6-7 says
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.
Paul tells us our hearts and our minds need to be guarded by the peace of God. For that to happen we can’t be anxious about anything.
Anxious means to worry. To worry is to doubt.
Worry is useless. It doesn’t even help when what you were worried about comes true. It just makes you suffer longer.
When you worry peace leaves. You can’t be worried and experience peace at the same time.
There are a million what ifs in this world. If you choose to dwell on them you’ll never have peace.
What if…
The test result comes back positive
I lose my job
She’s mad at me
Kid turns into a hooligan
Whatever what if you are thinking of let me encourage you.
God will be there. God will take care of you.
I’ve got eyes but I could refuse to open them.
I’ve got legs but I could refuse to walk.
I’ve got a tongue but I could refuse to talk. You have peace but you could refuse to enjoy it. That’s your choice.
If you refuse to enjoy the peace God has given you, you will fall to pieces when life does.
C. We need to discipline ourselves to experience the peace of God.
Phil. 4:7 says the peace of God passes all understanding.
Man can’t give you this peace. He don’t have it to give.
How do we experience it?
Through prayer- “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
Have you ever been worried about something and couldn’t rest until you spoke to some about it? Once you spoke to them you felt silly for even being worried.
That’s true with people but even more true with God. Pray folks!
Through the Word-
God has given you promises to believe.
God has given you instruction to obey.
Paul said in Phil. 4:9
What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
As we practice the disciplines of God the God of peace will be with us.
Illustration- Mark Mercer sending text from my mother. Occurred as I was reading the very text. The peace of God flooded my soul.
God accomplishes His Work through prayer and His Word.
3. The believer is to seek peace with others.
A. Living in peace with others is not always easy.
Hebrews 12:14 says we are to “Strive for peace with everyone”.
1 Peter 3:11 says we are to “Seek peace and pursue it.”
Ephesians 4:2-3 says “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Peace in this world is difficult to maintain.
Illust.- The symbol of peace is a dove. I was thinking about that here in the South. We have a thing called dove shoots. A dove flies by and 20 people are shooting at it. That poor bird knows anything but peace.
That’s how it is trying to maintain peace in this world. You feel like people are shooting at you from every direction.
There is a lot to dodge.
There is a lot to flee.
Illust. There is always a dog barking in my neighborhood at night. It’ll be nice and peaceful, and he’ll just start. Then another one will start. I can’t stop that dog from barking. I can refuse to let it disturb my peace.
Colossians 3:15 says “Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart.”
It’s my responsibility to let the peace of God rule in my heart. Living in peace in this world is not easy but it is possible if you know Christ.
B. Living in peace requires forgiveness.
God is at peace with us because He forgave us. We can be at peace with others by forgiving them.
Did you know that you can’t even be at peace with yourself until you forgive. If you hold on to bitterness there will be a gnawing in your soul.
If you’re waiting for them to change before you forgive them you may never forgive them. As Christians we must be the first to forgive.
You say “What if they won’t forgive me?
Paul said in Romans 12:18:
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
The Psalmist said in Psalm 120:7:
I am for peace but when I speak, they are for war!
We are called to do our part. Forgive people.
It’s true that both people must forgive for peace. You may not be able to have peace with the other person, but you can have peace with God and peace with yourself. That’s all you have control over and that’s all God expects of you.
C. Living in peace requires sacrifice.
Colossians 1:20 says of Jesus:
making peace by the blood of his cross.
The sacrifice of Jesus is what gave us peace with God.
Peace requires sacrifice.
The early church had difficulties because it was bringing together Jews and Gentiles. Paul said to the Ephesians church:
For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility (Eph. 2:14)
Different culture
Different convictions
Always fussing about food, holy days, circumcision.
Things that didn’t matter were causing division in the church. Both groups had to make sacrifices.
Church is like that.
There are non-negotiables- Doctrine, Sin
There are negotiables- Carpet color
If most of the church disagrees with you on a negotiable, it’s your responsibility to be at peace with their decision.
What does that look like?
It means you don’t announce how ugly the carpet is every time you come in the sanctuary. That’s not seeking peace!
Pouting does not bring peace.
Protesting does not bring peace.
The devil doesn’t care what color the carpet is. But he will make me care more than you should.
The devil doesn’t care what color the paint on the wall is. But he will make me care more than I should.
The devil wants disunity.
What makes a church beautiful is not:
The paint
The flooring
The lighting
The furniture
What makes a church beautiful is:
Our worship
The Word being preached
Our love for one another
The ministry we do
Our unity
Christ in us
The fruit of the Spirit is peace. Peace with God. Peace within ourselves. Peace with others.