Keeping the Peace
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction:
Last week we looked at keeping the peace within the body by helping those who are having conflict come to peace with one another and labor together again.
We had looked prior to that at the peace that surpasses all understanding that guards our hearts and minds.
We saw that prayer and thanksgiving are a key practice in gaining peace, but tonight we want to look at how we keep the peace once we have it.
All of us at some point have had to play peacemaker with someone we known. We may have had to do it with our kids fighting with each other or a couple of friends.
But, we’ve also had moments where the troubled waters of our soul stole the peace in our hearts.
When that happens, depression and anxiety and fear sweep over us.
What do we do to gain the peace of God and keep it?
Let’s see what Paul had to say.
8 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.
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.
1. Think Right Things (v.8)
1. Think Right Things (v.8)
8 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.
The Finally connects back to vv. 6-7.
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Ask for examples of feedback on the list
Paul is now going to go into a list of things that we ought to focus our thoughts on
Things that are true
Things that are honorable
Things that are just
Things that are pure
Things that are lovely
Things that are commendable
Things that are excellent and worthy of praise
Word Study Ring
Word Count Per Book
“think” - λογίζομαι (give credit to) - financial term
Illustration:
Fox News or Social Media and anxiety
Even good things like reviews for tools or things you like can create anxiety because you don’t have them and then anxiety because you have too many of them.
What things to give your time to?
Have you ever considered that the things you are letting into your mind might be robbing you of your peace?
2. Do Right Things (v.9)
2. Do Right Things (v.9)
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.
Thinking is the first part. We must also act on what we think about.
Paul puts himself up as an example to follow
Can we say the same thing?
God will be with us
Conclusion
I want to leave you with a simple illustration to help us with what Paul is trying to teach us. I want you to imagine that you have a jug of orange juice that you’ve put in the refrigerator. You go to get it out and you pour you a glass and right before you go to drink it, I come busting into the kitchen and yell, “Wait! I need to tell you something!”
Imagine that I tell you that I’m pretty sure that everything is ok with the orange juice, but there is a .05% that there is a deadly cianide poison in the juice that will kill you if you drink it.
How many of you would still drink it anyways? Most of us would realize that it isn’t worth it, no matter how bad we might have wanted some.
We would throw it out, wouldn’t we?
We do the same with meats and things that we think might have spoiled that will make us sick. The potential cost is not worth the benefits.
When it comes to sin, there is a much greater risk than .05% that it will kill you. We need to be much more careful what we let in.
Charles Spurgeon put it this way.
“God cannot dwell with us if sin is petted and loved; sin must be detested and loathed.”
We cannot give way to the thoughts that creep in and steal our peace. We must keep our minds focused on Christ and live out our lives in obedience to his commands. Then the peace that surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds.
