Peace ‘25

Bible Passage: Philippians 4:6-7

INTRO

“Soma Church exists to love the body of Christ and equip them to do the work of ministry here, near and far, all for the glory of God.”

I am a big music fan. Is anyone else in the room a big fan of music?

One of the reasons I love music is because I can say the most profound and eloquent statement ever in a conversation and the other person may or may not pick up on it.

But when you put that same statement into a good melody and chord progression, it captures our attention.

One of the people I love to listen to that I think does this best right now is an artist by the name of Ben Rector and He wrote a song back in 2010 called When a Heart Breaks.

This song is all about what the title makes it sound like, the human response to unknowns and tragedy.

It is a song that in my opinion is very in touch with the reality of the fallen world that we find ourselves in.

It is a world full of brokenness and sin which all culminate for many people into this intense burn within our hearts of anxiety.

Anxious about things we can control and things that we cannot. Anxious about what is coming and what has already been.

Just anxious

The second verse of the song is so relatable and profound. Every time I hear it, it hits me like I am hearing it for the first time. It says…

“I heard the doctor, but what did he say? I knew I was fine about this time yesterday. And I don’t need answers, well I just need some peace. I just need someone who can help me get some sleep.”

What I love about this line is that it articulates something that myself and likely many if not all of you have felt before.

A deep sense of longing for quiet.

But not just silence, but a still heart, a clear mind and deep rest.

We all just need some peace and the peace we need is the peace that only comes from God.

But how do we obtain this peace? Let’s see what God’s word says and find out…

BODY

English Standard Version Chapter 4

do not be anxious about anything

Here Paul gives an instruction that seems to be much easier said than done.

“Hey all you anxious and stressed out people! Stop it.”

This reminds me of Bob Newhart’s skit from back in 2001, Stop It!

While Paul does give an apostolic command to stop in our tracks and flee from the sin of anxiety, he also knows that in order to get rid of something that is deforming us, we must replace it with something that forms us into Christ’s image.

He says…

Philippians 4:6–7 ESV

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.

Stop being anxious by replacing it with something else instead.

This is a good principle to apply in many different areas of our lives…

Stop gossip by replacing it with encouragement.

Stop pornography by replacing it with exercise or another positive dopamine hit.

Stop greed and materialism by replacing it with radical generosity.

Stop negative thoughts by filling your mind with God’s truth.

And stop anxiety in its tracks by committing your life to open and frequent communication with Jesus!

For those in Christ today, anxiety or temporary fixes and distractions are not your only options. Through the gospel of Jesus Christ, we have access to something bigger, better and more satisfying… The presence of God!

Hebrews 10:19–22 ESV

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

The advent/arrival of Jesus has given us peace with God which means we can have peace in our souls.

So christian, don’t be anxious about anything.

Don’t worry about your job, money, children, singleness, future, resources, school, stock market, retirement account. Instead pray, petition (supplication) and give thanks.

A word on each…

PRAY

“Have no care, but much prayer. Prayer is the cure for care. If you are in trouble, “Let your requests be made known,” not to your neighbors, but “to God.” - Spurgeon

Prayer is the key to peace. Giving God our cares in prayer allows us to recenter our minds on the reality that God is in control and we are not. He is the one who handles everything including even the smallest details of our lives.

Maybe a more succinct way to say this is prayer is perspective.

The very act of praying should be a reminder to us that the one to whom we are praying is the one who holds our lives and grants our next breath.

Prayer is one of the places where we get to step out of this world of flesh and touch heaven.

We get to talk to God and He listens.

But seldom in the busy world that we live in do we actually take advantage of the gift of prayer.

Our lives are marked more by going from one task to the next than from one prayer to the next.

But how would your life be more filled with the peace you long for if you tapped in regularly to your purpose… Connection with God.

What if next time you were anxious, you said “Hey dad” instead of “Oh my God!”

“Have no care, but much prayer.”

PETITION

The word translated in my bible as “supplication” also means to plea, request or petition.

Did you know that God wants to be asked for things?

Yet, so often we are afraid to ask for fear of being annoying, thinking we are dumb or a lack of faith.

But God very clearly tells us to ask…

Luke 11:9–10 ESV

And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

One of the coolest things about being a father is that my children think I can do anything.

So when they need help they come and ask dad and I help them because there are things that they are just not yet capable of doing on their own.

You are God’s child and there are things in your life that only your Dad can help you with.

Do you lack peace? Go pull on your dad’s pant leg and ask Him for help.

He is excited and ready to answer His kids.

THANKSGIVING

Notice how Paul says Prayer and supplication WITH thanksgiving.

It is much harder to be anxious about our lives when we take even but a moment to reflect on all that we have already been given.

“God I am anxious about my finances, but Lord thank you for this house this bed and this food.”

“God, We want more children so badly but thank you for the ones that you have already given us to enjoy.”

“God, my health is declining but thank you that I am alive today!”

Thankfulness keeps us free from covetousness which is one of the greatest thieves of peace.

And when we combine these three things…

Philippians 4:7 ESV

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

CLOSING

If you are in Christ today, peace is not a probably, it is a promise.

A promise made possible by the arrival, the death and the resurrection of Jesus.

I wanna share one more line from that song I mentioned at the beginning, give you a challenge and then pray…

The first half of the chorus goes like this…

“This isn’t easy, this isn’t clear and you don’t need Jesus til you’re here.”

How true is that?!

We tend to come to Jesus when there is a problem. When the crisis arises.

What if instead of falling in front of Jesus only when we were in trouble, we walked at His side every day?

How much more peace would we have?

PRAY