Reflections on: Peace (2023)

Peace Man!

When you think about peace, what do you think about?

Peace is something that is a virtue that is well worth pondering, considering, meditating upon as we continue in our series on reflections.

John 14:27 NASB95

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Jesus leaves His peace not only with the apostles but for us too when we believe God’s word and the the words the apostles recorded for us.

Peace is an element of the kingdom of God (Rom14:17)

Romans 14:17 NASB95

for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

It is an element of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal5:22)

Galatians 5:22 NASB95

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

In general peace is a word that conveys wonderful concepts

A state of harmony, tranquility

The absence of hostility, the absence of mental stress or anxiety.

Now in the Biblical perspective

(insert slide Shalom)

Hebrew word meaning peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility and can be used idiomatically to mean both hello and goodbye

In the NT it is the word Eirene (Greek)

Original Word: εἰρήνη, ης, ἡ Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: eiréné Phonetic Spelling: (i-ray'-nay) Short Definition: peace, peace of mind Definition: peace, peace of mind; invocation of peace a common Jewish farewell, in the Hebraistic sense of the health (welfare) of an individual

Nelson’s bible dictionary says refers to :inner tranquility and poise of the Christian whose trust is in God through Christ.”

We know the world needs peace and we should pray for peace, but the church, the body of believers need peace too, don’t they, don’t we?

I. Peace is for everyone

The Wicked do not enjoy peace (Isa48:22, 59:2)

Isaiah 48:22 NASB95

“There is no peace for the wicked,” says the Lord.

Or one you may be familiar with

Isaiah 59:2 NASB95

2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

Wicked behavior, iniquity, sin destroy’s (Gal5:19-21)

Galatians 5:19–20 NASB95

19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,

Galatians 5:21 NASB95

21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Sin prevents true peace of mind (Isa57:20-21)

Isaiah 57:20–21 NASB95

20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up refuse and mud. 21 “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

So the wicked, the sinful are in dire need of peace. For they have no peace, and with no peace they cannot enjoy peace.

Next is the troubled disciple

How about Martha (Lk10:41-42)

Luke 10:41 NASB95

41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;

Martha while had the right intention, lacked peace because of worry, she was troubled, she was bothered.

We can lose our peace, or give it away when we let life get to complicated. So we should simplify our priorities

Luke 10:42 NASB95

42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

We can get choked out by the world and lose our peace if we are not careful (Lk8:14)

Luke 8:14 NASB95

14 “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

Or when we think our peace comes in riches (1Tim6:10-11)

1 Timothy 6:10–11 NASB95

10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

these words are to the disciples, the believers the righteous need peace

Then there is the

The Concerned Servant

The one who worries, is concerned for their brethren (2Cor7:5; 11:28-29)

2 Corinthians 7:5 NASB95

5 For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within.

Or how about

2 Corinthians 11:28–29 NASB95

28 Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?

We need peace when we hear bad news (Act20:37-38)

Acts 20:37–38 NASB95

37 And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, 38 grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they were accompanying him to the ship.

Paul saying good bye to the elders in Ephesus and they would not see him again.

Even the righteous, the dedicated, the commited Christians need peace in abundance at times don’t they?

Peace is available, when there is a need there is a way.

II. Peace that surpasses all

First, peace with God (Rom5:1, 15:33; Isa26:3)

Romans 5:1 NASB95

1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

For without peace with God there is no peace at all. For He is the God of peace

Romans 15:33 NASB95

33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

HE is the offerer of peace

Isaiah 26:3 NASB95

3 “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.

when we accept His offer, we then can become steadfast and keep the peace because of our trust, faith in Him

Not only does He offer peace; we have the result of peace (Isa48:18)

Isaiah 48:18 NASB95

18 “If only you had paid attention to My commandments! Then your well-being would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

your peace, your righteousness will be like waves of the sea. Have you ever tried to hold back a wave?

But to the unrighteous, the unrepentant, the unforgiven makes peace impossible (Isa59:1-2; 57:20-21)

Isaiah 59:1–2 NASB95

1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

God can do it, but sin hides His face from you if you are an unrepentant sinner.

Already mentioned

Isaiah 57:20–21 NASB95

20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up refuse and mud. 21 “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

Through Jesus Christ, God offers peace to the sinner (Rom5:1-2, 6-11; 2Cor5:18-21)

Romans 5:1–2 NASB95

1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

through faith in Christ Jesus we can be or are justified and we have peace with God! -

God’s love that is available to all makes peace possible

Romans 5:6–7 NASB95

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.

Romans 5:8–9 NASB95

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

In Christ we can have reconciliation with God

Romans 5:10–11 NASB95

10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

or but there is another verse that works well with this

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 NASB95

18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:20–21 NASB95

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

My need the peace that only God can provide, real peace that is from out of this world. Peace that Jesus brought with Him from God to us and for us and that through us we can share it with others.

I said for us so let me go from there just for a couple of minutes.

Peace with oneself (Jn14:27)

Jesus offers peace personally, individually, relationally, peace that the world cannot provide

John 14:27 NASB95

27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Peace that the world cannot steal away from you even in the midst of tribulations (Jn16:33

John 16:33 NASB95

33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus accomplishes this through His teaching, through His Word

To have faith (Mt6:25, 30; Jn14:1

Matthew 6:25 NASB95

25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Matthew 6:30 NASB95

30 “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

to have faith is to believe

John 14:1 NASB95

1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.

Jesus teaching brings us ways to simplify our life and and our walk. by

not getting choked out by the world (Lk8:14)

by choosing the One thing that matters (Lk10:41-42)

Another way to have peace with yourself, or within oneself is through prayer (Php4:6-7)

Philippians 4:6 NASB95

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Prayers, supplication with thanksgiving. And that leads to

Philippians 4:7 NASB95

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

Jesus gives peace with God, from God that surpasses all comprehension, all understanding.

Drawing to a conclusion regarding peace

First and foremost we need peace with God so we can have the peace of God

When we have the peace of God we can have true peace, inner peace, and peace with ourselves in spite of circumstances we may face

Don’t let anything, wicked practices, misplaced priorities or even bona fide concerns steal your peace and fill you with anxiety.

(Lead to invitation; God’s peace plan)

Want peace, obey the gospel

Want peace come to the brotherhood of God, the family of God

Follow Jesus, for He is the Way the Truth and the Life and when you do this

1The5:23 “23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

(Song) (Prayer) (Exit)