VCA Chapel: Peace

Introduction:

Get to know me: Ask me anything?

Two months ago our school’s theme was love:

What was the Greek word we learned? Agape (selfless or sacrificial love).

Last month our theme was Joy:

We learned that happiness is an emotion that can change. I can be happy one moment and sad, angry, upset, or confused. Joy is different because it is found in Jesus. That means no matter what happens in my life I can still be joyful knowing I have such a great God who loves me and cares for me.

Peace:

Our theme this month is peace:

What do you think peace means?

Shalom: Hebrew for peace. Greek is eirene.

In the Bible peace is used in a couple different ways in the Bible, the three most important for us today are:

Being at peace with God, meaning to have a good and right relationship with God.

Also, it can mean no longer being at war with someone. No more conflict.

Peace as a good relationships among other people; our friends, family or strangers.

The Bible tells us in John 16:33

John 16:33 NKJV

33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

The only way for you or I to truly know this kind of peace is through Jesus Christ.

I do not know where you are when it come to your relationship with Jesus Christ. But it would be incredibly foolish of me to believe you are all truly saved.

Gospel:

God created all things therefore you are accountable to Him. (student is accountable to their teachers)

You have sinned against a holy (set apart) God.

Romans 3:23 NKJV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 NKJV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Not just any death, but hell an eternal separation from God’s kindness, mercy, and grace.

The Good News: Jesus Christ died on the cross for every single bad thing you have ever done. When you were mean to your friend on the playground this afternoon, or that time you cussed in the bathroom with your friend, or this morning when you were talking back to your parents.

Jesus died on the cross, shed His blood for you:

1 John 1:7 NKJV

7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

The Bible tells us:

Romans 10:9–10 NKJV

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:13 NKJV

13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Remember this children, it is not saying a prayer that saves you, it is truly believing and confessing Jesus is Lord of your life. Meaning we stop making it about us and live for Jesus.

It is only after we have come to the saving knowledge or understanding of Christ that we are granted the peace of God.

John 16:33 (NKJV)

33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Do we all know that life is hard sometimes? One of my aunts just died from cancer, some of the people in my church are really sick. We all have faced or will face hard and difficult times. But Jesus did promise us in Matthew 28:20, “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

There is a story I would like to tell you of a man in the Bible named Job:

The Story of Job (Chapters 1-2)

Once there was a man named Job. Job lived in a land called Uz, and he was a very good man who loved God. He always tried to do what was right. Job was also very rich—he had lots of animals like sheep, camels, and oxen, and many servants to help him. He also had a big family, with seven sons and three daughters.

Job loved God so much that he prayed for his children every day. He wanted to make sure they were always pleasing to God.

One day, something very special happened in heaven. God's angels came to talk to Him, and guess who else showed up? Satan! God asked Satan, “Have you noticed My servant Job? There is no one like him on earth. He loves Me and always does what is right.”

But Satan didn't believe Job loved God just because God was good. Satan said, “Job only loves You because You have blessed him. If You took everything away from him, he would stop loving You.”

So God allowed Satan to test Job, but He told Satan that he couldn’t hurt Job himself. Satan went away and started his plan.

In one terrible day, Job lost everything. All his animals were stolen or destroyed, his servants were gone, and worst of all, his children were killed in a big storm. But even though Job was very sad, he didn’t stop loving God. Instead, Job said, “God gave me everything I had, and now He has taken it away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Satan wasn't happy. He went back to God and said, “Job still loves You, but that’s because he’s still healthy. If he gets sick, he will stop loving You.”

So, God allowed Satan to make Job sick, but Satan couldn’t take Job’s life. Satan made Job’s body hurt all over. Job had painful sores all over his skin.

Even though Job was very sick, he still trusted God. His wife told him to give up, but Job said, “Should we only accept good things from God and not bad things?”

Job didn’t know why all these bad things were happening, but he kept trusting God, even when it was really hard.

Job did not understand what was going on. He didn’t know why God would allow such terrible things to happen to him, but did he blame God? No!

Just like we are learning about the fruits of the Spirit this year as a school, Job was practicing the fruits of the spirit.

Did Job love God?

Did Job love God after all the bad things happened to him?

Did Job have joy?

I would say he did, remember joy is not the same as being happy. Happiness is fleeting, the joy and Job’s joy was rooted in his God, not his circumstances:

Job 1:20–22 NKJV

20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.” 22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

Did Job have peace? Did Job understand why all of these hardships were happening to him? no.

Proverbs 3:5–6 NKJV

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Life can be difficult, get a helmet:

Each and everyone of you are going to experience trials, hardships, and sufferings. And you will be given an opportunity in each one of those times to either trust in the Lord to get you through it. One final story:

Jesus Calms the Storm (Mark 4:35-40)

One evening, after a long day of teaching people, Jesus and His disciples got into a boat. Jesus said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” The disciples did what Jesus asked and began rowing the boat. Jesus, who was very tired, went to the back of the boat, lay down on a cushion, and fell fast asleep.

As they sailed across the lake, something scary started to happen. Dark clouds filled the sky, the wind began to blow stronger and stronger, and soon a huge storm was upon them! The waves grew so big that they crashed over the sides of the boat, and water started filling it up.

How do you think the disciples felt when the storm started? The disciples were very afraid. They tried to row as hard as they could, but the storm was just too strong. It felt like they might sink! But guess what? Jesus was still asleep!

Why do you think Jesus was able to sleep through the storm? The disciples rushed over to Him and woke Him up. They shouted, “Teacher, don’t You care that we’re about to drown?”

Jesus woke up and calmly stood up in the boat. He looked at the storm, and with just a few words, He said, “Peace! Be still!”

Right away, something amazing happened—the wind stopped blowing, and the waves became completely calm. The storm was gone, just like that! Jesus had power over the storm, and with a simple command, He made everything peaceful again.

What did Jesus do when the disciples asked for His help? Then Jesus looked at His disciples and asked, “Why are you so afraid? Don’t you have faith?”

The disciples were amazed. They said to each other, “Who is this man? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!”

This story reminds us that no matter how big or scary a problem seems, Jesus is bigger, and He is always with us. Even when we feel afraid, we can trust Him to help us.

I want to close with this Bible verse:

John 14:27 NKJV

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, neither let it be afraid.