Peace
Blade Small Group In Home Sermons • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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How many of you are familiar with the show Transformers or of any of the movies?
Ok, well transformers are these mechanical life forms that can transform between humanoid looking robots and different vehicles or animals.
A few months ago, I took my son to see the latest transformers movie called Transformers One. This movie shows how two sworn enemies, Optimus Prime and Megatron ended up being against each other and no longer at peace with one another. In this movie they started out as friends. Unfortunately a series of unfortunate events happened and they found out that they were in a corrupt system where the leadership needed to be taken down. The two started out together fighting against the system and their goal was to replace the leadership with good leadership and then continue to live their lives. However over time Megatron’s philosophy of how he thought the problem should be solved changed. Megatron was blinded by revenge, and hate and he believed that he needed to kill the current leadership, he decided to use brutal methods to do so and he believed that he could achieve peace through tyranny. However Optimus Prime’s ideology was based on the believe that freedom is a right and he was commited to justice and peace. So the two who were once good friends and who were at peace were now enemies and at war. Although they are now sworn enemies Optimus prime longed for peace, but at Megatron’s state it was not possible.
How many of you have ever been in conflict with someone for any reason and you deeply desired peace between you all?
Today we will be talking about ultimate peace.
Because mankind sinned in the beginning our relationship with God has been broken, This has caused conflict between mankind and God. But God desires peace and reconciliation with us.
Today is the second week of advent and which is Peace.
Big Idea- The peace that we long for will come to pass when God reigns and rules.
Take Aways
Gods Rightful place is to reign and rule in our lives and in the world.
Salvation is for all nations.
When God rules there is peace.
Background- This book was written by the prophet Isaiah back before the Israelites were exiled and taken by the Babylonians and Assyrians.
In Chapter one of Isaiah he brings Judah’s wickedness before them letting them know that they have sinned against God and that Gods hand would be turned against Israel and He lets them know they would go through hardships.
But then in our passage in Chapter two God lets Israel know that they will eventually be restored and that He will rule over Israel and the whole earth and there will be peace.
The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it.
Here in verse 2 when it is talking about the latter days it is referring to the gospel times. That is the time after Jesus resurrected, ascended to heaven and the Gospel began to be preached to all nations. We are in the Gospel times, just not as far.
This is specifically talking about a time that is in the future where Jesus returns and establishes an earthly kingdom where he reigns and rules over Israel and all the nations of the earth for 1,000 years.
Some refer to this as the millennium kingdom. After this 1000 years is the final judgement known as the white throne judgement that is talked about in Revelation 20.
Revelation 20:1-6 Describes the millennium reign.
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
This is the time frame that Isaiah is referring to in our main passage.
Now back in our main text, it Isaiah 2:2
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it.
When this passage is talking about the mountain of the Lords house being established on the top of the mountains and exalted above the hills it is showing the preeminence or importance and superiority of Christ and the House of God in the world at this time.
So here it is showing a world where God is exalted and His house is revered and people desire to go to it. people from all over the world come to the Lord.
What a world to see, one where Christ is and is exalted, and where His people dwell with Him.
Isaiah wrote this message to the Israelites when they were rebelling against God serving other Gods not placing God in His rightful place in their lives, as the most important, the only one to be worshipped.
This is what we also see in our world today. God is not placed in a preeminent position and his House is disregarded by the world. But eventually every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord.
As believers we are to place God in the preeminent place of our lives putting nothing before Him. Where is Gods place in your life? Do we find ourselves so concerned with the things of this world that we make them idols and placing God in a secondary position?
As believers who are indwelled by the Spirit of God we are to place Him as Lord of Our lives following His lead in all areas of our lives.
This is a time to reflect and ask ourselves is this what our lives look like? or do we look more similar to Israel, going after other things placing them above God?
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
As believers we live for God, He is to be the most important thing in our lives.
Gods rightful position is Lord of all. Including Lord of our lives.
What this means is that every aspect of our lives is subject to the authority of God. We cannot preserve a portion for ourselves to gratify our fleshly desires or have a plan for ourselves that does not align with Gods will. We submit all that we have to God and use it for His glory.
Back to our main text we will look at the last portion of verse two Isaiah 2:2
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it.
In this last section of verse two we see all nations coming to the House of the Lord. This would show the Israelites who Isaiah was writing to, that the promise Given to Abraham will be fulfilled in the future. This promise is shown in Genesis 22:18
In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
This seed is the same promised seed that God told Adam and eve about in Gen 3:15
And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”
This promised seed is the seed who came through Abraham and is who would defeat Satan. This is our Lord and Savior Jesus. Because of Him all nations would be blessed and able to worship God.
In the day that Isaiah was writing the book of Isaiah, Gentiles were not allowed to enter the courts of the temple at Jerusalem and they certainly were not allowed to worship in the Temple at Jerusalem.
But this prophesy given by Isaiah shows all nations included and able to interact with the Lord at the Temple.
Back to our main text.
Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Here we see that God transforms the world by his presence, his teaching and his just judgement.
The Lord is giving the World what it desperately needs. This Law that is going forth is the Law of Jesus Christ, the Gospel. He is teaching them and giving them a chance to take part in the Kingdom of Heaven or to reject it.
This is the truth that brings reconciliation allowing mankind to have peace with God.
Today the world needs this same truth. Even those who seem too far out for God to call can be changed by His Spirit. All believers have been called to be salt and light spreading the truth of the Gospel in this world. Matt 28:19-20 says.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Don’t answer, but reflect on this. When is the last time you shared the Gospel with someone? Are you making disciples?
Just as we see all nations going to the Lord learning the law and gospel of reconciliation during this future time. Today we also are to go out and spread the Gospel.
Back to our text Isaiah 2:4
He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.
Here we see God as the ultimate judge and the most superior king ruling over the earth Judging justly and righteously. Because of his perfect judgement the world will see universal peace.
This is something that the World Longs for, but universal peace can only be done with God. When God is in His rightful place reigning and ruling then there is peace.
This is not only true of the world, but it is true in our lives. James 4:1 says
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
When we live our lives for ourselves and not for God there is no peace. When we place ourselves in the Place of God we are not at peace with God.
The only way to have peace is through reconciliation with the Father. That is repenting of our sins, accepting the truth of the Gospel and following Christ as Lord of our lives.
In the Millennial reign there will be world peace because of the presence of the Lord and His judgement and rule.
During this Millennial reign not everyone will be followers of Christ because there will be those who are born and live during that time as well as those who have died in Christ prior to this time and are now reigning with Him in the Kingdom.
But after the Millennial reign is the white throne Judgement. This is when God Judges those who have rejected him and when they are thrown in the lake of fire, and those who have accepted Him their names are written in the lambs book of life and they dwell with the Lord forever on the new earth.
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
What we look forward to is ultimate peace, dwelling with the Lord forever in the new heaven and the new earth. This is what we ultimately look forward to. Here it is described in Revelation 21:1-4
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
This is ultimate peace. This peace can only come through God.
Take Aways
Gods Rightful place is to reign and rule in our lives and in the world.
Salvation is for all nations.
When God rules there is peace.
