Sunday Worship 12/16/18

Now is the time and as they head out for children's church. I want to say another special thing before I get to the sermon. We didn't have a special prayer time with all the activities, but we want to continue to pray for brother Tom Kent as we know he lost his wife his daughter Carrie pray for him and the church is helping take care of the funeral expenses for that family. If you want to contribute to that. You're welcome to it. Also, I want you to pray for for Julie. Julie's mother is facing some difficult health issues. And Julie is going to be right there walking through those issues with her and that she needs your prayer. And so she'll be going to Dallas tomorrow to be with her mother and so would you be be be sure to be lifting up that family? What's up, Ray one more time. And then we're going to jump into God's word father. I thank you again father for the privilege. It is father to know you and be known by you Godfather for the Lord for the unique and create full creative being that you have made me Father him and all these other folks in here today Laura biagiotti. We know because of our relationship with you father Lord, we can understand Lord for the creative nature of our existence God. We can understand why we exist on this Earth father. Thank you for bringing peace to our lives by the warden. I just the absence of conflict or some type of a whole feeling guy that we can get through meditation, but got to know that we're at peace with you and finally got no matter the circumstances of Life father Lord. We can thrive in a relationship father the spot the storms around us. We gotta pray this morning as we look to your word father that we would have a true and genuine picture of what real Pieces by the knot of counterfeit father. I don't want anything Lord. That is a knockoff what I want the genuine article in. Where do you promise in your son? Jesus God that we could have that and so we asked for it now as we look to your word we pray this in his name Jesus. Amen, amen. So this morning we are going to look at the important topic of peace and like I told you it's definitely a topical sermon. We're going to be all over the place and scripture, but just following along with me as we as we kind of had this discussion together about peace. now the first thing that I want to point out, is that the peace when we talked about peace and what it means as far as the season of Advent what it means for the in the Christian Life piece, at least by the words of Jesus is not necessarily what the world says. Peace is, you know, my my first thought is that piece is just you know the absence of conflict, you know, when we're not you know, what your husbands and wives, you know, when things are or not peaceful in your house, you know, whenever you're you know, there's times where you're just so, you know arguing a lot or going at it or or maybe it's Dad when you're sitting there and the kids are so noisy and the living room. You can't thank you just have to have an outburst to bring peace and calm to the situation. You know, anybody else do that. I know I do that sometimes but you know, those are all you know without conflict of state of calmness. Those are all just good, you know outcomes of true peace, but but Jesus Tells us in his word that peace I leave with you. My peace I give you I do not give to you as the world gives don't let your heart be troubled and when we really think about what true pieces I'm not talking about just picking up the pieces of your life or trying to end arguments would have been lingering four years or things have been gnawing at you just to finally you don't make it right and there might be some those things you need to do. But whenever we talk about peace in the Bible, it's a lot more than that. And I and I don't want you to limit yourself just to the plans of this world has for you when it comes to these ideas. I want what God wants for you and it's so think about that. Give me what do you think the world says pieces of me pieces one through four pieces one through diplomacy pieces one through compromise. What what is that look like for you and Lisa your perspective from the world standards, but then what is the type of P? God offers you and maybe you're not at peace in your own life because that's something that you haven't grasped yet. It says in Philippians chapter 4 verse 7 and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and Minds in Christ Jesus. I mean what what is it? What is all-encompassing piece that we can have in this relationship with God where we can not be budged any longer and a state of conflict or in state of worry or state of care. What is it that he's talking about here in Ezekiel chapter 3 chapter 37 verse 26. The prophet promise is a time when peace would come to God's people on the Earth of the New Covenant and then we have this understanding the piece that that is promise is already here before us we have an opportunity to take advantage of it. But in Jeremiah chapter 6 verse 14 The Prophet there speaks of those in the wind that say, no all is well. All izz well everything's at peace don't worry anymore. It's all good and sure am I so there are counterfeit there always lying. And you know when I when I was studying this work this week and thinking about this idea of peace. I think there's probably a lot of us that that have just not the quad right understanding of what piece is all about her or we're just praying and hoping and in waiting and watching for the Lord to finally bring peace on this Earth. But you know, the only time we're going to see true peace on the earth as far as around the whole globe is when King Jesus comes back and he finishes a something that we're going to talk about today, but we have an opportunity that had be at peace right here in right now peace is the completeness of God's plan for your life think of that again pieces, the the completeness of God's plan for your life. Imagine what your life is supposed to look like how many of you can say, you know what I know what my wife looks like, but I know what I think my wife is supposed to look like, you know, There's so many things that give you stress and concern and worry and others just this idea that you never can reach me. Just just think about this this this is base here. You know, it's just it's just a you know, just just imagine that there's no room. There's no chips in this is no cracks. This is brand-new is a very nice expensive piece. I got at Walmart yesterday, but just imagine him in the pristine look up this is imagine. It's Crystal. It's not really crystal in a better not because what I'm fixing to do with it, but but just imagine you know what lash should be like, you know, and then you may have noticed earlier we're going to talk about in in Genesis chapter 3 is that you know before sin entered the world everything was as it should be everything in existence before there was sand before there was conflict was before there was heartbreak disease or death the way it should be and whenever Jesus talks about peace and a piece is a constant theme. The Old Testament asking for looking forward to a time of peace and the End by Jesus talks about it to he's bringing in he's offering it. Okay, if it's all it's the trying to get back to that ideal that was lost in the garden when but whenever sin entered the world and it's something that you are not able to obtain on your own it has to do with what Jesus came to do it this time as we look at Advent but living in a state of calm and a lack of conflict is not what God has in mind. It's only the promise. Holy spirit of God that comes in your life and you and Brace who he is and what he's called you to do it is called you to be can you really know what pieces cuz here's the thing if you just strive not to walk in a relationship with Christ. And if you just strive to to take with this offer gives and you take the read that than the next greatest and best self-help book, which is like 2 million to billion dollar industry a year and you try to get the best advice in the best counseling to get your your life together. There's a good chance that you'll finally kind of get some peace. But we also know that's what you rely on. It's just a matter of time before it all falls apart. Again. It's on to this relationship with Jesus that you can have true and Lasting peace. So I'm going to talk about this offered peace. I hope you want some of this piece. If you don't know that piece already and the origins of this offered peace that I want to talk about it. It's not found in the gospels. Okay in the Jesus talks about it quite a bit. We celebrate the coming of the Messiah rings that promised peace, but the origin of this offering of Peace comes all the way back from Genesis chapter 3. It says in there in the in the Book of Genesis, especially and then chapter 2 verse 14 after God to place Adam and Eve in them in the guard. I got told them in the center of the garden. They were two trees where the tree of life is also the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil and and God told them do not eat or touch that tree because the moment that you do you say it says you will surely die the actual translation in the Hebrew is dying you will die. And I think it's awesome translation what it means because dying you will die is the state that each of us or living before before send happen before the corruption occurred there there live in this in this great pristine existence, but the moment that sin entered the world that again is what first the begin dying and they begin to experience physical death every one of us, you know, that this is a tough truth to Grapple with I've had to I talk to all my kids about it, you know living right now physically our bodies are dying. Okay. It is just a medic one. One more second of life is one second. Closer to the Grave, you know, I talked about that at funerals all the time. I always try to share the gospel at funeral saying there's only more than likely you are guaranteed one more funeral, but you're not guaranteed to be sitting in the audience. Okay. I mean, it's just a matter of truth. But dying you will surely die. But also as you're dying, if you do this thing, you will surely dies almost it's also a promise of spiritual death in Jesus warned them about Sin, but we know there in an in chapter 3 what happened when the serpent King and he tempted Eve eve took the fruit in + 1/8 of it and gave it to her husband and he ate as well in as soon as that happened this beautiful pristine object. The guy who trained in the garden was completely Destroyed that's why it's not Crystal. It's from Walmart. But yeah, think about it. It was shattered. It was broken. And then I'm sure I'm sure the very moment. It happened. It says their eyes were open. They realize they were naked. I'm sure the very moment they wanted to pick up the pieces and in the end they wanted to to put it back together somehow they they were and I'm sure that they had was thinking. Oh, no, I remember what he said. I remember what God told us, but but it's an issue since it's in a million pieces. There's no way.

It was shattered and there's nothing they could do about it. Jesus says a thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy I have come so that you may have life and have it in abundance. Jesus is talking about this. He's talking about the shattered image of God that we were created in and how it has been taken away. And how we desperately needed. That's why Jesus came here. That's what Advance about that's what he manual is about. I would have looked in some greater detail in Genesis chapter 3 about about this story because he see an amazing beautiful picture about what Jesus has done to put this back together. To follow along with me if you have in Genesis chapter 3 will just read a couple of verses it's not on the screen. I haven't arranged for that. But or you can just listen so after the sandicor, okay after it happened God found Adam and Eve and then you'll have the conversation with him the villain in in three. There's a curse that did it that is spelled out against is a consequence for the saint but I want to focus specifically in the matter of time we have is Jesus talks about the curse of the serpent the one who deceived I said while ago I read that scripture that a thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy Jesus names that person specifically God name that person specifically in Genesis chapter 3. It's saying it's the end of the author of evil Lord. God said to the serpent because you have done this you are cursed more than any livestock and more than any wild animal you will move only on Only your belly and you eat dust all the days of your life. I will put hostility between you and the woman in between your Offspring and her Offspring. He will strike your head and you will strike his heel now, I won't completely and fully and pack what this means but the serpent is Satan and you know exactly what this look like specifically in the literal workings of the garden. I'm not quite sure but there's some symmetry there as the serpent now would be eating the dust of the earth. He tempted the woman to eat the dust of to eat the fruit of the tree gas and now I'm going to tell you what we're going to eat. I told the serpent you will be humiliated now, but also you will always be a sign of hostility in this world, you know, the sound of a serpent a bit of a serpent, you know ranchers Farmers or just residents of Mason, you're always looking out for snakes servants you you know, it's something you need to be on the watch for you don't want to get bit by one. It's dangerous. You know that that's who Satan is the Author of evil and I want you to know it's a scary thing to know we live in a country where the vast majority of the population and the fast majority of people that claim to be Christians don't believe that there's a real Satan they believe he was just a litter. It was just a figure. Okay, the word of God tells us over and over who he is and in there is something going on in this world that that's why this this this vase is shatter. That's why this pieces destroyed but God has a plan for this devil and John 8 verse 44 listen to this text real quickly. It's naming the who the enemy is. Jesus says to the Pharisees. Just imagine being a Pharisee or imagine being a stuck-up religious person that has no care or desire for lost people. It says here in the text. Satan was a murderer from the beginning your father. The devil. Jesus is talking about these Pharisees. He said a murderer from the beginning your father the devil Me and the devil he is the murderer of mankind. He is the one that is responsible Adam and Eve bore responsibility, but there's a deceiver and he had a plan and he accomplish this plan by bringing about this sin on the earth. You don't believe me and then let's go into some more detail about this curse and what it says here, but George there and verse 15 there towards the bottom. He says what the serpent is going to do, but look at it where it says, I will put hostility between you and the woman God's got a plan for this devil guys and it and you got to pay attention to this plan because the penalty of what Satan has coming is also the plan for your Redemption to put this back together. It says here in this text of first off. I will put hostility between you and the woman in between your Offspring and her Offspring up a lot of your translations have different words for the word hostility. Okay, the very best Translated word is in the tea in that the okay. I don't know. What yours says would you understand is because of what has happened here. There is going to now be a violent hatred between Satan and his offspring and between the seed of the woman. Okay, there's going to be this this great and amazing. I mean hatred and in in hostility. I mean, it just doesn't sound right but you've got to understand this. I think we have to lie of a picture of what Sin is Sin is something that a horse God send as something that destroys God's plan for your life. That doesn't mean God is weak. It means that we have circum and sin. Every time we engage him is something dangerous and I don't think we completely comprehend the full scope of what it means, but he says here in the word of God says I will put this hostility between you and the woman But think about what that means there. Is this Cosmic conflict going on between the seed of the woman and between the seat of the nekroz, we know if you see the woman is imma let you know we talked about this two weeks ago. We were using the word seed about the Seed of Abraham. I mean in that went in in the Apostle Paul says the book of Galatians of the seed is is the Christ OK and whenever we are living in a relationship with Jesus Christ, and we are following him. We have the opportunity to engage in this hostility. Not just so we can just get up, you know, you know be bad in 5 minutes to understand there is a conflict going on here. And here's the other thing too. You cannot be neutral in this conflict. You cannot just stand by and say I'm going to be Switzerland here. I'm not going to participate either you're working for the king for King Jesus or you're on the other side of this conflict in your sin. You have to make a decision. And how do you get the get engaged in this combat will following Jesus living according to his word sharing his gospel. You want to do some of the ticks off Staton and Swartz his plan share the truth of who Jesus is but there is an internal conflict that is going on also some other and cooling important things to look at here in this text. It says that there will be this hostility this enmity between the seat of the woman to see the man. He says he will strike your head and you will strike his heel the word in the Hebrew for strike. Tell me what your translations has can also mean to be to crush OK and this is understanding that there will be a wound that Jesus or the seed will will receive but it also says there's going to be a deathblow to Satan. Okay, and in the deathblow to Satan came in my life when I was 7 years old the final death blow won't occur until Jesus comes back and Satan is finally and completely defeated and that's going to happen someday, but scripture is clear. He still active on this Earth. His days are numbered but it's still a present in an active thing. But but I want to focus more now on the seed of the woman. Is there some cool stuff here to unpack and just a few moments will do it. Oh, I also mention this like I said 2 weeks ago with that word Offspring means OK the best translated word in the English translations. As far as the literal meaning is in the King James is Vince a Offspring is his seed okay and in so there's a promise here. What is going to happen to you say there's going to be at the scene of a woman but there's something very bizarre about this promise. Okay, because until we've lost the contacts are some of the languages but they are the original translation of Hebrew. Genesis was written in Hebrew in about two hundred years before the birth of Christ. There was a Greek translation made of the Hebrew Bible is called the Septuagint and so they they had this Greek translation and a lot of the words. We have an English we do get from Greek and in that translation, it says that the sperm of the woman will crush the head of the sir. Now we know what that word sperm and how will we get from that emit. It's a something that comes from a man of the sea does not come from a woman. It was a very bizarre curse that Jesus or God was spell out here, but the woman would have a seat coming from her because I don't remember this guy's there is a reason there had to be something special in Divine in order to say this because there is no way Adam or Eve or you or me can put this back together something Devine and special had to occur. And so he he told them what it would be the seed of a woman now, we understand that the seed here it is the hero The Cedars the hero and there would be born a woman without there will be a hero would be born of a woman without the assistance of a man. Dave I got ahead of myself and let's just do that there would be that that that's how the Lord would come now it says in Isaiah chapter 9 follows you just for taking us a a chapter 9 verse 6. It says for child will be born for us a child will be given to us in the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named wonderful counselor, Mighty God Eternal Father Prince of Peace. Jesus is the hero this promise from the very beginning. He is the one that's coming to ride all of these wrongs but in Jeremiah chapter 31 verse 22 and says, how long will you turn here in their faith was daughter for the Lord create something new in the land a female will shelter a man and I'm not going to go through all the scriptures with all the promises over and over that there would be a seed something unique something special be born from a woman without the assistance of a man there had to be something totally. Worldly in order to correct these issues at the shattering of this glass. And that's why whenever the angel came to Mary in Luke chapter 1 and told her what was going to happen, you know that you know that this idea of a seed. This is Mary's response. Mary Ashley Angel, how can this be since I have not had sexual relations with a man. They and you replied to her the holy spirit will come upon you in the power of the most high will overshadow you there for the Holy One to be born will be called The Son of God the hero in the story is the Son of God that the only one that can put this back together. The only one that can engage in this conflict and have short Victory is the son of God. But also I want it I want to give you another glimpse of hope they'll on how this actually happens. How how did how does this get put back together? Because it still seems completely impossible and we're almost done here, but I'm going to read a little bit more from Genesis. Just hanging out with me just a bit. It says in Genesis 34427. This is again going back to the deception of the serpent is his know you will not die. The serpent said the woman and fat God knows what does that whenever you eat it that your eyes will be open and you will be like God knowing good and evil, the woman saw that the tree was good for food and delighted to look at it and that it was desirable for a painting wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and aided she also gave some to her husband who was with her and he hated this is Danita in the eyes of both of them were open and they knew that they were naked so they sewed fig leaves together and make coverings for themselves that check this out real quick. Whatever. The broken thing happened whenever they were shattered. Their Spirit was was dying their physical bodies were dying and they became aware of what they have done that before that date that had been living, you know naked in the garden is what it is, but all of a sudden they realized oh, no, they became so enlightened to all these issues and all the sentences. They took these figleaves now, I don't know if you're familiar with fig leaves, but if you took fresh fig leaves and you sold something around there a couple things would happen. It would be really is like a like a gourd leave it be really prickly. Okay. It was really stick in your skin that would irritate you it wouldn't be comfortable at all and also the milk from a fig Leaf it would stain your skin. And the picture here is they tried to cover themselves up when they realize what it happen, but it didn't matter you can't cover that up in the end of the things that people try to do to cover up the sin build a try-hard. It's still not going to accomplish. The plan that that's the picture here of this and it has that you have to have this understanding we talked about peace. You have to have this understand we talked about Advan about the other necessity for Jesus to come for us to have any hope it all is knowing that we have to have him because any attempted we make is futile. But God has a solution here and Genesis 3:21. It says the Lord God made clothing from skins for the man and his wife and he close them even though they had already made these these crude coverings with these fig leaves. It wasn't sufficient. It wouldn't it wouldn't fix the problem that they had. So what are you doing since he made something from them from animal skins, but what also do we know about that in order for there to be animal skins made for proper coverings something had to die something had to die in order to cover up this issue. Guys, that's why the hero of the story had to dye it we we get this understanding of yesterday Heroes going to come the seed of the woman is going to come and have Victory. It's all gravy Christmas time, but I just think we have to remember what happened this great promised. He wrote that the that the word of God says existed before the creation of the world in the New Testament says that all things were created for him through him and by him that very same one had to be born and had to be killed in order to cover my sin. But here's the truth though. Here's the amazing picture guys because of what Christ has done because of what he has brought us in this relationship with him if I put my full trust in him and if I turn my life over to his covering of my sin cuz here's the reality every single one of us will stand before God someday and he died either going to see the stain of sin on our lives and he's going to he's going to be able to see Kai Run Holiness and righteousness and we will receive the full penalty do us because of our sin. Are you going to see the covering? You know, what's going to happen every to the covering of Jesus's blood it's going to be like we were in the very beginning. It's going to be completely put back together. It's not going to be glued together. It's not going to try to refashion and some unique way. You are a brand new creation in Christ. And if you do not have that relationship with him, if you're still living broken, you're still living with regret. You're still living with pain. You're still living with all these symptoms of this Fallen broken world. You don't know what real peace is. But I want you to have that piece. Would you pray with me Father father God? I thank you Lord for the the pictures that you give us in your word father about what it means to have a relationship with you the father God I Want to Thank You Lord that you have been putting me back together father and my son and God the same day as I stand before you God that I will be completely made new father. The reality hasn't it doesn't matter what I've done in my past my present and my future father. I am whole in your eyes again because of what you've done for me. And God I want to fully take advantage of that piece that not not just living in the absence of conflict and living in this idea of wholeness. But God to know that I am perfect and righteous in your eyes and I can know who I am before you and I can know how to live my life For Your Glory the father God. I I I believe there's not many folks who they were both are really broken and never had truly given their last. Do you need Jesus would you help him with that? But also Father some of us that have been put back together father. Sometimes we try to go back and deliver broken life again or father. We just left the stress and the pressures of this world bother the worries in this world father Mount Upon Us father God. I pray that this morning father's we had this time limitation God, you will leave everybody in this room father to take whatever is Bergen them. Got to bring up your father and laying on this altar father that was shattered with with with our broken image. New with the foot of the cross father. I pray every Christian. Do you believe me? There's nothing you need to worry about on this Earth that it's not a promise of death. It's not a promise of financial struggle. It's not a feeling of loss in morning. No because King Jesus is coming. He has brought you. Peace. Take a hold of a piece. How old would you give that piece to us this morning? Or hold nothing back as you did not hold anything back father hold nothing back father to help us to be made whole again. Would you stand on your feet of God has called you to respond in any way. Maybe it's the best Jesus Christ as your savior of the first time to make new again. Maybe God wants you to come and lay something heavy and hard down up here on this altar. Maybe just need to pray and don't leave the day without the Peace of Christ.

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Father God I thank you Lord. Lord God I thank you Father to the north of The Reckless nature that you have father word. Got to Lorton be a God of Peace. So strong and mighty and holy and righteous the father God for the enter into the conflict father for our hearts dinner into the conflict father break sacrificing cost of you fathers the we can have peace and father. I just want to ask this morning father's we conclude the service work out. If there's a worry I can share a concern with a matter of great stress God that you would encourage your children that a father to lay it down. It's not necessary to give it to the trust you for your provision to trust you for the outcome father if we will trust you with our lives and our faith, but God also follow you wherever you lead us got to the circumstance and to the difficulty. Forgot we know that you're going to rain in Victorious was thank you for that promise and thank you for the peace to pray this in Christ name. Amen. Amen Brother John lyrics app