PEACE WITH GOD

INTRO

Every year around Christmas we talk about “peace on earth.” But if we’re being honest… it doesn’t exactly feel like peace out there. We’re all praying for peace on earth, meanwhile you’re fighting for parking at Target, people are losing their minds in Publix, your notifications are blowing up, your calendar looks like a hostage situation, and your family group chat is one passive-aggressive message away from World War III.

Clearly… earth didn’t get the memo.

But here’s the good news: the angels never promised world peace. They weren’t announcing that earth would calm down — they were announcing a Savior who brings peace to people on the earth.

So when Jesus says in Luke 12:51, “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No… but division,” He’s reminding us that the promise was never that earth would be peaceful — the promise was that you could be peaceful on the earth.

BIG IDEA

PEACE DOESN’T BEGIN WHEN LIFE CALMS DOWN. PEACE BEGINS WHEN MY HEART IS MADE RIGHT WITH GOD.

JESUS DIDN’T COME TO BRING PEACE ON EARTH, HE CAME TO BRING PEACE TO PEOPLE ON THE EARTH.

EARTH MAY NEVER EXPERIENCE PEACE, BUT YOU CAN.

PEACE BEGINS WITH A FRESH START — A SAVIOR ENTERING THE CHAOS OF YOUR WORLD.

Luke 2:10–14 ESV

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!”

1. PEACE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF TROUBLE; ITS THE PRESENCE OF JESUS.

A. TROUBLE IS GUARANTEED, BUT PEACE IS AVAILABLE.

John 16:33 NLT

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

NOT A MAYBE. NOT A “HOPE NOT.” A GUARANTEE.

PEACE ISN’T THE PROMISE OF A SMOOTH LIFE — IT’S THE STRENGTH FOR A STORMY ONE.

PEACE DOESN’T COME FROM WHAT JESUS CALMS AROUND ME BUT WHAT HE ESTABLISHES WITHIN ME.

B. THE ANGELS NEVER PROMISED WORLD PEACE — THEY PROMISED PERSONAL PEACE.

Luke 2:14 ESV

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

NOT GLOBAL PEACE, GOD TO HUMAN PEACE.

GOD’S PEACE IS NOT UNIVERSAL; IT IS PERSONAL.

THE WORLD MAY RAGE, BUT THE PEOPLE OF GOD CAN REST.

C. PEACE SHOWS UP WHEREVER JESUS IS INVITED IN.

PEACE IN THE MANGER…PEACE IN THE STORM…PEACE IN THE TOMB.

JESUS BRINGS PEACE WITH HIM, NOT AROUND HIM.

PEACE IS NOT FOUND IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION, IT’S FOUND IN A DEEPER SURRENDER.

WHERE JESUS IS PRESENT, PEACE IS POSSIBLE.

2. PEACE BEGINS WHEN I SURRENDER CONTROL

A. CONTROL CREATES ANXIETY, SURRENDER CREATES PEACE.

ANXIETY GROWS WHERE CONTROL IS WORSHIPED.

THE MORE I TRY TO CONTROL, THE LESS PEACE I EXPERIENCE.

YOU CAN HAVE CONTROL OR YOU CAN HAVE PEACE, BUT RARELY BOTH.

B. PEACE GROWS WHEN I TRUST GOD’S PLAN OVER MY PREFERENCE.

Luke 1:38 NLT

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

GOD’S PLAN DOESN’T ALWAYS MAKE SENSE, BUT IT ALWAYS MAKES PEACE.

PEACE ISN’T FOUND IN UNDERSTANDING, IT’S FOUND IN TRUSTING.

GOD DOESN’T NEED ME TO FIGURE HIM OUT; HE NEEDS ME TO FOLLOW HIM OUT.

C. JESUS CARRIES WHAT I WAS NEVER DESIGNED TO HOLD.

Matthew 11:28 NLT

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

SOME BURDENS AREN’T MINE; THEY’RE HIS.

IF IT’S TOO HEAVY FOR YOU, IT BELONGS TO HIM.

PEACE ARRIVES THE MOMENT I HAND GOD WHAT’S BEEN HANDLING ME.

3. PEACE COMES WHEN I RECEIVE A FRESH START WITH GOD.

A. PEACE STARTS WITH BEING MADE RIGHT WITH GOD.

Romans 5:1 NLT

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

SALVATION —> PEACE. FORGIVENESS —> PEACE. RECONCILIATION —> PEACE

YOU CAN’T HAVE THE PEACE OF GOD WITHOUT PEACE WITH GOD.

PEACE BEGINS WHERE STRIVING ENDS.

B. JESUS DIDN’T COME TO CALM THE WORLD, HE CAME TO SAVE YOU FROM IT.

SALVATION IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF PEACE.

JESUS DIDN’T COME TO UPGRADE YOUR LIFE, HE CAME TO RESURRECT IT.

EARTH MAY NEVER CALM DOWN, BUT YOUR SOUL CAN.

C. A FRESH START IS THE DOORWAY TO PEACE.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

NOTHING IS MORE PEACEFUL THAN A CLEAN SLATE GOING INTO 2026.

PEACE IS THE FRUIT OF A FORGIVEN HEART.

A NEW BEGINNING IS GOD’S FAVORITE GIFT TO GIVE.

CONCLUSION/CLOSE

EARTH MAY NEVER BE PEACEFUL. POLITICS WON’T FIX HIS. MONEY WON’T SOLVE THIS. BUT THE ANGELS DIDN’T PROMISE PEACE ON EARTH, THEY PROMISED ON EARTH, PEACE.

EARTH MAY NOT BE PEACEFUL, BUT JESUS MAKES SURE HIS PEOPLE CAN BE.

“IF YOU NEED PEACE WITH GOD TODAY, NOT JUST A PEACEFUL MOMENT BUT A PEACEFUL ETERNITY, YOU DON’T GET THAT BY TRYING HARDER. YOU GET IT BY SURRENDERING FULLY. YOU GET IT BY RECEIVING THE SAVIOR THE ANGELS ANNOUNCED.