Untitled Sermon

Intro: Galatians 5:22-23

Bible Project Definition

(Shalom & Eirene)

Shalom: Commonly used as a greeting

Hello & goodbye

In the bible shalom had 3 definitions: 1st a genuine wish for health, 2nd for prosperity.

But the 3rd definition is peace

When used to describe peace

It does mean the absence of war or troubles but it is also more than that

It describes a peace that is positive; a time, place, and condition that features love, righteousness, calmness, so much more than just political and moral uprightness

It is a word reserved for those who walk with God in a righteous relationship

The Old Testament usage of this word generally implied soundness, completeness, and total well-being

Eirene:(i-ray-nae) NT/greek word for peace draws its meaning from the Hebrew shalom

which encompasses far more than mere absence of conflict or war

This definition includes “completeness, soundness, welfare, peace,” with narrower expressions like friendship, tranquility, contentment, health, wealth, safety, and wholeness

express well-being, rest, reconciliation with God, and salvation in the fullest sense

Transition: Alina being the person who I think bears Peace really well

Recently went to the final round of tryouts for the Washington commanders cheerleaders

Initial tryouts had hundreds of contestants

She made it to the final 64 people

She was rejected and didn’t make the team

Before going into the tryouts she prayed for her peace to be rooted in Jesus regardless of if she made the team or not

The peace Jesus gives is more than a feeling, it is a deep rooted confidence in God’s promises and nature

That He will never let us go and that He has overcome sin, death, and this world

Book:

Peace is a character trait produced over time through the Spirit’s work

The Holy Spirit is the producer of the fruit, peace

Remember when cannot produce the true peace God offers on our own

Our own efforts and attempts at it will lead to rotten meaningless fruit

Our role is to abide and remain connected to the vine

When we do so, it doesn’t happen instantly but as days and years pass

The longer we stay committed to Jesus and continue to grow in our faith

The more likely we are to be able to bear the fruit

Bearing fruit is linear and won’t be perfect

Through obedience and perseverance that is how we bear the fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5 doesn’t specify what Peace Paul is talking about but we see in scripture these 3 types of Peace found in a relationship with Jesus

Types of Peace:

1) Internal- Peace of heart/soul/mind

This type of peace addresses the deepest dimension of human experience.

It involves the heart, soul, mind finding tranquility in God, satisfied by recognizing his goodness and presence on this earth

Peace in this context functions as an inner sense that Christ is in control despite external uncertainty, and it remains steadfast regardless of surrounding circumstances and storms of life

God gives us peace on this side of eternity, we can experience it even in this fallen world

We can dwell in his comfort and security knowing that we are held in the palm of his hands

Westside preschool whole world in his hands

We are called to pursue God with all heart soul mind and strength, abide in his presence

enjoying worship experiences both in group settings and personal, memorizing Scriptures, devoting ourselves to prayer

God calms all the anxiety of the world, gives rest to our heart, soul, mind

Psalm 4

Context of this psalm is believed to be David writing this prayer when He is on the run from His son Absalom

David pleading for God to hear his prayer and deal with his enemies

But David expresses a sense of internal peace because of His relationship with God

David shows us how real complaints and anger can coexist with deep trust in God

How to bring genuine requests through prayer

And ultimately experience the kind of peace that no circumstance can take

David is confident knowing that despite the suffering in front of him, God’s love and goodness follows Him in it

David could sleep well at night, even when His son wants to kill him because his safety was from the LORD, not from circumstances or even feelings

We bear the fruit of Peace when trust wholeheartedly on God

God doesn’t promise to remove all storms and challenges but in the midst of suffering His peace is still there

Jesus acknowledges troubles will await us yet he offers peace that remains in those troubles

2) External- Peace with others (Romans 12:18)

This is peace lived out in community—the harmony between believers

Because of the peace God gives us we get to enjoy the company of others

The Spirit empowers us to act as peacemakers, living in unity with those around us and even entering into conflicts in order to create peaceful resolution

Remember the early christians were not welcomed in open arms, they were typically persecuted or worse killed

Paul writes despite this reality, our new response shouldn't be to attack and retaliate

If possible, Paul isn’t being delusional he knows Peace is out of our hands

But if God provides the opportunity for Peace choose it

The larger context of the surrounding verses 14-21 is Paul refusing retaliation and leaving vengeance to God

which shows that pursuing peace doesn’t mean being passive to injustices or abandoning your convictions

Its WWJD

Christians are called to serve and minister God’s peace to a lost and hostile world Jesus is our model

3) Eternal- Peace with God (John 14:25-27)

This describes a relationship that we enter into with God through the finished work of Jesus Christ

Peace reaches its highest meaning in the context of faith in Jesus and a relationship with God

Jesus doesn’t merely offer peace as a gift or as a goal to achieve on your own

He instructs His followers to receive it by reorienting their trust toward him rather than toward the circumstances of their lives

The peace Jesus imparts to them as the fruit of his Spirit is born from a living personal relationship with God and deepened through a growing surrender of life to his gracious rule

Fixing on mind no longer on this earth but on the things of heaven, on an eternity spent in the physical presence of our Savior

Because of Jesus giving us His peace, we get to stand in full confidence that when we close our eyes on this earth, if we belong to him we will open them and see the face of Jesus

RECAP

Transition: More than a Feeling

The Spirit’s peace isn’t just a feeling that everything is fine; it’s the deep assurance that God is trustworthy despite everything being difficult

Yes God does offer to calm our hearts and sooth our aches but it is more than that

Romans 8:5-6

When God’s shalom/when God’s eirene is upon His people they are in the highest possible state of His grace

The flesh promises satisfaction through temporal desires, but delivers only death;

The Spirit offers life that accompanies living according to God’s design

Peace becomes the experiential fruit of this correct alignment

When God’s followers align their minds and choose the spirit over the natural desires and sin

We have access to peace in our hearts, we have the opportunity be at peace with others, and most importantly we have the peace of knowing our stance with God is secure forever

Close:

The world’s peace depends on external circumstances—the absence of conflict, material security, or favorable conditions.

When those conditions shift, worldly peace evaporates

Rather than a peace being achieved through military dominance or through favorable circumstances

Jesus offers us peace by his accepting His perfect sacrifice over our lives

By bearing the cross we deserved, his death and resurrection led to peace being offered to those who choose to humble themselves before his throne

He didn’t first walk this earth and achieve peace by slaughtering Rome and the Pharisees

He didn’t conquer Jerusalem riding on a war horse, He didn’t give peace through shedding the blood of his enemies

He rode in on a colt, he willingly rode into Jerusalem with you and I in his mind knowing what He was about to accomplish would lead to bring peace back between us and the Father

Christian peace represents a restored relationship with God and transformed human community

Jesus doesn’t give peace like the world, peace that is fleeting and failing

He gives us his peace

When we abide, and don’t waste time trying to produce our own peace

we get to experience the Peace of the Spirit that only found in walking in line with Spirit