Peace
I love this season. Don't you what a wonderful time it is to just feel the growing excitement of celebrating the fact that God loves us God cares for us. And that's so much Saudi stuffed into our world and will and lived in our world. Did you notice the connection this morning? Oh wait before it before I get in that. I do have an announcement for all of the kids who are here the past couple months. We've been doing this experiment keeping the kids in the service. I have good news for you. After Christmas is over children's church will start back up again. I really expected you guys to say Amen to that. But I see you dancing in your seats. That's sufficient. You guys have been very well behaved and you guys have you guys have done good? So I appreciate that. Did you notice the connection this morning with our songs of the king? The first song We sang Joy to the World. The Lord is come. You know, that's a millennial song Don't you? That's not a Christmas song. It's the millennial song. You know what I mean by Millennial song Don't yet, right? The song will be sung in the millennium. Because where we are right now the Earth has not received her key and the heavens and the fields don't Rejoice right now. They're still under the curse, but when we get to the Millennium Christ will make all things right and there will be peace and he will rule and we will sing Joy to the World the Lord has come so but it's the fact that he can he should be received this game, but he's not I II referred to him in terms of our response to him as king. We bring an offering to him which is appropriate because for those of us who know Christ is our savior, Jesus is the King right? He is our King. Jesus is the king forever over all things.
But not ruling the Earth yet, but he should be ruling in our lives. So we should be worth kind of millennial people. We should live as a millennial people in a fallen world today as witnesses to God's goodness. And then the third song we we sang talked about how he left his throne above to come into our world be a servant and a savior and died on the cross for our sins. So we have that common in with the theme of the the readings at the Barnes family did this morning when the wise men came to Bethlehem to worship. The new born King of the Jews he is he is King and he did come as king interesting thought there and they came to worship him as king.
You don't we don't know who the wise men were. Do you know what we know about the wise men? We don't even know how many wise men there were all we know is that wise men came from the East sought out the Christ child and they worship Him and brought him great gifts. Are we think there's three because there's three gifts that are mentioned gold frankincense. And myrrh, but we don't we don't know how many wise men they were we don't know for sure where they came from. We don't know if they were Kings some have the Kings coming from the Orient. We don't know if they were Kings or if they were advisors to Kings if they were astrologers. We know they were men of prominence and wealth because of the gifts that they brought to Jesus. We also know that they had some knowledge About Israel's history and the promises that were made to his real because they came to seek out this King that was born. So here's an interesting thought. Just before we got in the Christmas season. We did this series in the Book of Daniel. I believe there's a strong connection between Daniel and the wise men. Add and remember Daniel was Daniel lived in Babylon Evelyn's in the Fertile Crescent to the east they were it was to the east of Israel Northeast and Daniel was a wise man and advisor in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar and the following Kings of Babylon and the First Kings of medo-persia in that Empire. We know that Jewish men as well. We're strong. We probably left a strong emphasis there in Babylon was put in charge of all the all the other wise men of the kingdom and so, you know that he exposed them not only to the wisdom that God gave but he expose them to all of the Jewish literature and the promises that God had made We know for sure for sure that Daniel knew that Cyrus was going to come eventually as the King of Persia and Cyrus would give the command for Israel to go back to the promised land and rebuild Jerusalem because Isaiah writes about that over a hundred years before Cyrus ever lived and so that you know, all this stuff has to leave a huge impression back there in babbling. Do you also know that when the Jews when the Exile was done and the Jews returned to Jerusalem, it was only a minority of the Jews did actually went back to rebuild Jerusalem. The majority of Jews had resettled in the areas of Babylon and Persia and they and they Foreign businesses and we're involved in life and extended family and they stayed in those Regents. So here's an interesting thought. I wonder if the wise men who came from the East we're not in fact of Jewish heritage.
When that being isn't that an interesting thought if not a Jewish Heritage certainly among men who who held Daniel in high esteem and the writings of scripture and Jehovah and high esteem enough. So they win this event took place in the event which by the way if you look at the time-table in the writings of Daniel himself, he is projected ahead when Messiah would come so I could very well be that there were those in those camps of who studied those things and we're aware of them who took note of the star that got put in the heavens and connected it with the promises that were made about the Jewish key who came to find this King and to worship Him We don't know any of that for sure. The Bible doesn't tell us all it tells us is that wise men came from somewhere in the East and brought gifts to Christ but interesting connection none the less. Is it night in one of the lessons I draw from that is we're always leaving a legacy. Sometimes the things that God intends to happen to our lives happen in our lifetime and through US sometimes it happens in the lives of our children. Sometimes they can even happen Generations removed from where we are God working out his plans. And by the way, you do know don't you think God has a plan? I got his had a plan from the beginning one thing's not disassociated from another all works together. Accomplishing his purpose of it in the New Testament. What does it tell us about Jesus tells us when the time was just right. God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law. To redeem those of us who are under the curse of the law. So I he certainly is our King. There's another Illusion and that's Jesus writer. Cells that Jesus was a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. And I don't know if you are familiar with who milk is a dick is no cancel. That was a guy who shows up in the pages of Genesis just shows up out of the blue. We're not told any history about him. Abraham had defeated the Kings who had taken the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah as Abraham had gone to rescue them for the sake of his nephew lot. And as he was coming back home. He came across the sky milk is a deck who was the priest of the most high God and king of Salem. And he pays have a ties. And then he went on his way. And when I told me think more about it till we get to the New Testament and we're told that Jesus was a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. And I personally I personally I think no kisses Act was a it was a theophany theophany or christophany pre incarnate appearance of Christ and Abraham recognized him for who he wasn't paid him homage and worship them could be that there was a could be that there was a guy that was there who had the Renown of being a priest of the most high God and the same with no kissing day, but we don't find them. We don't find any other reference to him in history. So I kind of think it was a christophany, but the point is The crate is he's a type of Christ clearly in the in the Bible. He's a type of Christ. So Christ is of course our high priest who sits now and intercedes for us. He also is Christ is the king of Salem and you all are aware that Salem is the Hebrew word. That means peace and he was the king of peace and appropriately Isaiah looking forward to the coming Messiah and he shall be called wonderful counselor, Mighty God Everlasting father. Prince of Peace, that's who he is. So today we celebrate the fact that God offers to us. Peace. I love the great stories. I can just as enjoyable to me. I hope it is to you as well. Just sit and contemplate with those seams look like I love thinking about you talk about how the wise men came to Jerusalem to king herod's court and they're saying we're looking for the one born King of the Jews. Appreciate this stuff. Was a was paranoid. Was a nasty meme frightened person. Kid killed off all of his anybody weather all of his children and grandchildren Levi who might have claimed to his throne. He killed them all off. Cuz he was so afraid somebody's going to take his place and not these guys from the East is born King of the Jews. And so it says that when Herod heard this he was troubled boy, you better believe he was trouble and all Jerusalem with him. Cuz they know it's never a good thing when here it is trouble. So they were trouble to right come from time machine and go back there and just observe knowing what's going to happen. Just observe the first. First mention these guys have us there talking to Herod. We've come to find the newborn king of the Jews.
What do you suppose his face look like?
Or or seeing these men who traveled for all these miles bringing these rich gifts. Go out and see the star in the Stars miraculous star try to explain it. Anyway, you want to but at some point it becomes absolutely miraculous because when they left Jerusalem, they followed the star remember it took him right to Bethlehem and pointed them to the house where the Christ child is at, you know? Stars going to do that you can follow a star and you just keep following rights cuz she's never you never catch up with a Starbucks. This star actually pointed them to where Christ was their surprise as they come to a place of loneliness. I don't know what this at this point. This is after the birth in the manger Joseph and Mary and their son or still in Bethlehem, but the place where there's residing has to be a meager place. They don't have they're not they don't have great resources.
So they come to this lonely place and the star is made it clear. This is where the child is and they come in these men of influence and prosperity come in and they don't miss a beat as they bow and worship a baby. Leaving Rich guess in worship to him in worship to him. Does great stuff in it. God warned them not to go back cuz Herod was going to try to reap his his vengeance upon then we know that the hair did do that. They went back a different way and God warned Mary and Joseph. They needed to leave immediately and go to Egypt to protect the baby Jesus. So it's it's another interesting thought you know of how God's Watching God watches over all of us certainly God watched over his son. Right? And here's this family of little resources who have to take care of this child and yet they have to flee from the power of Herod do it ever occur to you through the gifts that God brought through the wise man God provided for all that. They would need for their time in Egypt until he had died. God knows ahead of time and God knows what to give us and God knows how to give it and sometimes those things come in unexpected ways. We can trust God. And then of course we talked about the Shepherds last week. I don't want to go back and revisit that for just a minute because when the angel appeared to the Shepherds don't look don't be afraid. I bring you good tidings of great. Joy, which will be for all people for to you is Born This Day in the city of David a savior. Who is Christ the lord and then the text tells us in Luke Chapter 2 that does suddenly there were with that angel host of heavenly beings. we suppose that look like the brightness of the one Angel was so start startling. that the the shepherd's fell down in fear of him. And now there's the skies are filled with a host of heavenly beings. Who are all proclaiming together glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace among those with whom he is well pleased. This is a strange thing, isn't it? This will explore this little bit of talk just for a few minutes about peace this morning.
And what do we have peace in our life or not? I heard you think about this is this what the angel said glory to God in the highest North Peace, you know, the glory should go to God God is God. None of us are sometimes we think we are God sometimes we think we know better than God often we argue with God that life is not going as we think it should or not being fair to different people or or whatever and we think things should be different but it still doesn't change the fact that God is God doesn't change the fact that someday all of us will stand before God and give account doesn't change the fact that all glory will go to him my discipleship group. We just finished last week reading through the Book of Malachi last book of the Old Testament or Old Testament after all this history of God's dealing with the nation of Israel and show himself strong on their behalf. It is with God telling him, you know,
So do you you robbed me you you you've put others before me and the ants like he said he says in the money yourself you're saying we are offering sweet Express allegiance to you as our God because you know you bring me bring me blind sacrifices you bring me blemished sacrifice. If you took those to the governors of your territory, would they be will they be real pleased with you? So how generous of you to bring this deformed animal to me? So now your hearts are far from me? In the end they had they had just rejected him. And God says I want you to know that I am God and I will be glorified in all the Earth. That's who God is. so here are these Heavenly beings Angels by the way in in Peter Peters riding in his letter and he says that he's talking about how the prophets of old wrote about these things that would happen with Jesus coming there Hearts to be able to see through the future and see what those things would be like And then he says even angels long to look into these things. Can you imagine?
The thoughts of the Angels who made this declaration glory to God in the highest you bet they know that they've been in the presence of God. They know that she rules. But what they can't get over is how in the world can God the son have step from his throne and enter into Humanity as as as a little baby.
They can't begin to explain what this is all about or why God would go to these links, but they do know enough that they know it is a Act of peace that God is making towards Humanity glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace among those with whom he is well placed for what kind of Peace will come in. Peace was this supposed to be it's not the It's not International Peace. That's for sure. Right. There's never been a time. Jesus came at the time of the Roman Empire and they had the one that was happily was Pax Romana the Roman peace. Rome took seriously maintaining peace within its Kingdom. And so you had the appointment of Roman soldiers all over the world. They were there to maintain the peace. This was one of the things that caused so much in Israel because the Jews hated having the Roman presence in their country and these Roman soldiers who are constantly lording it over them, but they were there to preserve the peace. But there was no peace. There's never been peace among among nations. There's always a nation's rising up one place or another or there's Discord if not within between nations. There's Discord within Nations the song Sometimes I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, right? You know who that was written by written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow only recognize that name somewhere in in literature. If you gone as far as high school, you have been required to read something written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow a he wrote it in 1862. Now if you know your history a little bit, you know that during 1862 what was going on? The Civil War was hot in Pursuit. And so Wadsworth wrote this says I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day their old familiar carols play in wild and sweet with words repeat of peace on Earth Goodwill to men and then there's several stanzas are last names and where stanzas than we ever sing with the Sun but one of them that we do sing is a response then it comes to the bells of Christmas Day bringing out the carols says and in despair, I bowed my head. There is no peace on Earth I said for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on Earth Goodwill to men.
Then feel the bells more loud and deep God is not dead nor. Does he sleep for wrong shall fail and right Prevail with peace on Earth Goodwill to men. So is that what it means that same piece to peace to Men on whom his favor rests. There's that sooner or later right will rule sooner or later. There will be peace. Doesn't seem much of a great declaration either if that's simply what it's all about. Matter fact even interpersonal relationships, you know, not to mention relationships between governments and and things that go on within a nation lot of turmoil in our world today write a day you turn on the news you're going to read about turmoil in our world, but how about just simple personal personal? piece relationships with others We all know how little really sometimes it takes to make a lack of peace between you and a neighbor. We just don't quite get the how they should live as a neighbor or you in a co-worker. I should be home even have to go outside the house.
You and your sister are you and your brother? Are you and your wife?
Piece of the New Testament tells us as much as it depends on you live at peace with everyone. Wow got to go so far as to say Hey, you have enemies love your enemy. Hey, you have somebody who's cursing you and doing harm towards you you pray for them and do good towards them. pictures of whole different level the peace that God expects us to have to be peacemakers in our interpersonal relationships with that doesn't come throughout our world as we know it doesn't we all you have to do is listen to the political rhetoric in our culture today to know. There's no peace in America. All you have to do is look at the number of murders and
just like chaos to turn our country. There's no peace was this mean glory to God in the highest and peace on Earth. Romanian soccer, it is not talk about interpersonal peace and all this maybe it's just talking about personal inner peace in her face. I saw on the news this week a guy who's he's building a business of a, you know, either go on the Internet or on phone and you can call and and he talks the talk to you to get a five-minute message for the day. You got it. He's got a nice deep mellow voice is giving you the giving you the stuff my life. So, you know your life's okay. It's going to be alright, I'll listen to bet you he'll give you a message or promoting it from the standpoint that you know, you'd be surprised how much good this could do you if you just everyday make your phone call I get on the internet and listen it, should inside. Give you a piece I even saw some a clip of in a school where they're teaching kids to meditate and you know, just kind of go to your go to your personal go to your personal quiet space. By the way, if I was asked if I was a parent with a child in that class, I would immediately be protesting with her teaching to my kids cuz that's not the course to peace either. And it's not peace the last. Text to call in every day to get that V Sometimes some days may be more than one. Why because people don't have inner. Peace. Think about how many things can steal your inner peace for those of us? Who are we even Believers Center piece? Worrying about our kids or concerned about your parents or concerned about finances or you've received some disturbing medical news, or is it just a thousand things that can take the peace away from us don't be anxious about anything but in everything with prayer and Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God that passes understanding will set up Fortress around your hearts and Minds in Christ. Jesus Is that real? It's real. It's real the piece that got offers to us of the inner. Peace. They got offers isn't the passes understand and it is available to us we can drop on it. We can have that piece regardless of the circumstances that we are in or the people who are around us we can have God's peace. What does everyone have that piece? No, they don't we know they don't know until someone has peace with God. They cannot know interpersonal. Peace. They might know if it's a bit here and there there may be some people they have peace with usually as people have something in common with and they agree with but somewhere they are having conflict in their life with other people because you can't have the peace of God wants us to have with other people unless you first made your peace with God and you cannot have personal until you've made your peace with God because that personal inner peace is a Ministry of the holy spirit of God who lives in us when we received Christ, and we do not have them until we receive Christ and so it is not available to us nor can we make it available to someone else unless they have peace with God So what's he talking about glory to God in the highest and peace on Earth to men with whom he is well pleased. The song about the fact that God is making a declaration of Peace To The World God is saying to the world the day has come. That we can have. Peace. For this is a message of great. Joy for unto you is Born This Day in the city of David a savior. Who is Christ the lord? You know, we dwell under the wrath of God. We don't like to think about that. But that is the case of where we're at if there's any place on it if there's any country in the world, where where this should be true if this is you if this is true just about knowing who God is and knowing the Heritage that there should be peace on Earth. It should be in the United States. We have a history that rich with knowledge of and teaching of the word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ and and the 10 commandments and all of this stuff is rich in our history. Our nation is built up on it. and yet and yet we've lost it if ever we really had it because it does not just automatically go to all men s only Romans chapter 1 if you have your Bibles United suggest you look over Romans chapter 1 verse 18
says that the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who buy their unrighteousness suppress. The truth. The wrath of God is being revealed. Some people think they like to think of you know, there's this Old Testament God who would really angry for whatever and he really really reached out and anger and did some Greenville things to people and then there's this new testament God who's the god of love and God of Grace and we come we asked him and he forgives us and everything is cool between us and God that's not accurate. You understand that God is the same yesterday today and forever. God has not changed how we come to God really has not changed either. It's become more clarified with the gospel and with understanding what Jesus accomplished but he's the same God. So we ask people you need to receive Christ and be saved. What is it that someone is safe from if they're saved, you know, somebody if if someone is drowning in Lake Michigan and you happened by and you throw them, you know or something so that they can float in you draw them in you save them. Right? Would you save them from but you saved them from Lake Michigan? You said you saved him from drowning you saved them from death. Well, we we say people need to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and be safe. What do you mean say from? Well you is true. You say a lot of ways you're you're being safe from yourself. Be safe from your own send your own willfulness of the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and then righteousness of men who buy their own righteousness to press the truth. Who is that who is this ungodly unrighteous people who are suppressing truth?
That's who we are and the wrath of God is address towards us. So he was able to God's not going to be certain because we all are living soul silver going for eternity and the wrath of God will be visited out against those who buy their unrighteousness continue in their own way. Ignoring God. To whom all glory is due. so so
For being safe from you're being safe from yourself. You're being safe from you're being safe from hell. That's huge. How is fraternity separated from God in any display of his goodness and kindness, you know, everybody saved and unsaved in our world are beneficiaries of the mercies of God that are new every day. The mercy and the goodness of God is displayed in his universe and all of creation and in life itself. We tend to complain sometimes if life gets hard we get cancer or something like that. This isn't right, but we don't stop and think of all the days that we have drawn breath all of the sunshine. We've enjoyed all of the health. We've enjoyed all the times that are hardest a million have gone, right because God's mercy and compassion are real. but when it comes to Eternity in hell There will be none of that. None of the mercies and goodness of God are going to be in that place.
We think that the curse of Hell is Fire and we think what it must be like to feel like you're on fire all the time. The curse of Hell is What must it be like to be separated from any thing? That's good. and left with yourself But anyway, so we're safe from those things were delivered from them. But another way of saying what do you say from? We don't often say it this way. But we are saved from the wrath of God. We are safe from the wrath of God Scott God who made hell? Scott who made Heaven Scott Who provided the the way for us to be able to come to him? So I'll God's Provisions. So truly the Angels understood what they were saying glory to God in the highest on Earth. Peace. To those with whom you swapalease and who was it that got swept police with any who will listen to him and come to him his way. That's who God's police with time this morning. You should take time to read through the rest of Romans chapter 1 here talks how how people refuse to acknowledge God and God gave them over to their sinful ways and they continue to refuse the guy that got worse and worse and their behavior God gave them over to deeper depravity and they continue to refuse was completely
Because they continually choose to instead of turning to God for peace and turn it in and making peace with God in their own Pride that says here in Romans 1 professing themselves to be wise. They became fools.
So that's what that's what's happened in American culture. American culture is getting worse conflict is getting worse lack of pieces increasing because we are continuing as a culture to turn more and more away from God and turn a cold shoulder to God we have this, okay. How many people are you talking about? What is your relationship with God like? Oh my God, we're good. We're good or you are which I pray to God all the time.
Pray for the car. You want your prey to get out of the mess you've gotten into you you pray for all kind of things God never by the way even gives attention to those prayers.
Because you are not his child. And you and God you are not sure not good.
If you give no thought to God the primary considerations for your life or only continually selfish. What I want to do pleases me, what will it improve my stay will make me more comfortable. What will make me more happy if it's all about me or my family.
You don't know God. You don't you don't understand you haven't gotten it you haven't gotten it.
God is not in a place of coming to negotiate with us. Tom and here's what I want from you, but but whatever you can give whatever you think if you pray this prayer in Jesus sends will cover you whatever you can give. You give it and we'll work it out. That's not some.
Senile grandfather who lives up in the sky who doesn't care about what you do with your life.
God offers peace real. Peace But that piece. Requires a total surrender of yourself and yours to him. What does it take to be safe only takes safe. It doesn't only takes a simple prayer of confession believing and trusting in the blood of Christ. It was shed for you is sufficient to cover your since you don't have to earn it. You don't have to work for it. Absolutely true.
Shana one side is just really simple.
Be up, but the other side is it we come to a place of understanding that it is a surrender. The New Testament says things like this that says don't you know that your body is the Temple of the holy spirit of God, which is in you and you are not your own. therefore glorify God in your body which is his
think about that. Think about all the past week with your mouth all the things you look at with your eyes all the things you thought about all the things you did with your hands all the places you went with your seat.
Did it day all glorify God? Your body's a temple of God. So you've given to him because you're not your own. Do you understand? You are not your own. I've been saved by grace. I don't have to earn it. This is absolutely true. But make no mistake about it. It's not some empty philosophical thought of you know, okay if there is a house and have a nice covered myself cuz I prayed the prayer, you know, and I'm okay. You don't understand if that's what it is to you. You do not understand.
Please listen to me because I fear that there are people among us even and certainly abundant numbers of people in the in our in our nation Corps. They have been immunized from the real disease of knowing the transformational work of a holy God. They've been immunized by because we've heard the message that we prayed prayers and we go to our worship services and we're just like those on my way.
Don't bring that garbage to me. I'm God will be glorified.
The piece is real.
the pieces required awesome piece that settles in so we feel good about life. It's the fact that you abide under the Wrath of the almighty God. And he is coming said listen, I will make peace with you.
And there is no other there is no other offer. He is the way he's the only way this transformational work of of God, you know, it's important. We didn't even go to our tax return. Look at Roman 5 this morning. We don't we don't have time to go to Romans 5:12. Let me go to the first one at least Romans 5:1.
Since therefore since we have been justified by faith. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. we have peace with God through or just gradually through the text that talks about how we
God shows his love for his forsake. God shows his left for us while we were still sinners Christ died for us while we were enemies while we were under his wrath he died for us. That's the only way we could be provided for. Then versus 9 since therefore we have not been justified by his blood. Which what more shall we be saved by him? Much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God saved from the wrath of God for us while we were enemies. We were reconciled to God by the death of his son. How much more Now that we are reconciled should we be saved by his life?
You're sending these important moments we come to in life when God puts it in front of us, and we're required to choose. This may be that kind of a moment for you or for somebody here this morning.
It's a dangerous thing to turn. A deaf ear to God to dangerous thing to think you can handle it on your own. You don't need to do that or or you can come back in the dress that later and I acted a whole list of examples. team brought his sacrifice guy didn't receive the king gotten mad. You took Abel sacrifice will label it brother blood sacrifice. When God says the king, can you listen to me? I love you if you bring an acceptable offering when I take that as well. So we can listen to God that is over. There is an offering of Peace there. You understand bring an acceptable offering. I will your sins can be covered. murdering his brother Because he was angry that he didn't think God was fair. Didn't help us cars, but that's the end that led to. I want the Israelites to know that the Israelites were delivered by God all these miraculous things. They saw we got brought them out of Egypt in the cross the Red Sea and gave them water from a rock and appears actually appeared in their presents at Mount Sinai In This Cloud and Thunder and And they get to the edge of the promised land and they remember they spend the spies in and spice come back in 10 of them say, oh man that enemies to they're too powerful. We can't take them all the word village house Lord give it to us. We need to go in. But the but the Israelites is a whole were filled with fear because of the report of the 10 remember? remember what God did
They turn they said they were complaining against Moses and God said, you know this dinner and Moses stolen because of your unbelief. This generation will die in the wilderness. You will not go into that. Land. God promised you.
You know if she read the text you and tells us the next day the next.
They slept on it overnight. They thought about it. I thought you know God is on our side we can go in there the next day they came to Moses. It said, you know, we're with you we're behind this will go in. And you know what the word that came back to them was? Too late too late. In a Paris a generation died in that wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. the importance of moments of decision that we come to so in Hebrews do not Harden your heart.
Because we don't ever know when we come to that place that we've hardened are hard in this the last opportunity we get. Jesus told a story of a rich man. Who have a great great year. Great crop. He said to himself enjoy life. Because I got it made. And God said you. Night I'll take your soul and what will you give in exchange for that? He completely left got out of the picture and it's a blessing. There was no asking God. What do you want me to do with this? There was no, how should I handle this? Was just totally self-absorbed to the to the to the absence of God in his thought and God said, you know, if you lose your soul, what's it worth to you?
I do think there are times we come to before God works important the decision. We make my question to you this morning is have you accepted God's terms? Have you accepted God terms for freedom for peace terms for peace? There is there are no lies. There's nobody else offering. God's only one who can give it Jesus is the only way you can get he's the only provision he is the Peace Child they got offered. This child came to be our savior. Do you know I miss your savior?
So if you don't would you turn to the right now in the heart. God knows your heart. I know she thought she don't even have to say it out loud. But you can surrender in your heart. You can call up the God so, you know God I maybe you've heard the message many times. Maybe today you understand. You know, I've heard the message. It's all just been a part of my little religious night. It's not really been a part of my surrender to God. Will you surrender to Christ this morning? Will you surrender and say God your way not mine?
Will you understand that he's the only way you can be saved and ask him to come into your life? And if you do that right now right where you're sitting, if you do that when we close the service, I want to ask you to go back to the room in the back. There will be Elders back there. They would love to pray with you and share with you rejoice with you before the Lord that you have come home to him. You need to do that, by the way, just to solidify that decision moments of decision are important things in our lives for those of us here who are Christian. We do know the Lord and we do know that he is the way of Peace. Do you know all those people in your life? Around you so many people in your community and in that your workplace, they didn't your family need to know Christ as their savior. It's our responsibility to be peacemakers. Move time to turn to it.
James 3:18 the JB Phillips translation of that verse James 3:18 on your note thing there so you can look it up later. It says it says it this way the wise are peacemakers who go about sewing for a harvest of righteousness in themselves and other people if you know this piece the Peace of knowing Christ the piece that is the piece that was talked about by the Angels by the way, peace offer to anyone who will come in his terms if you know that. Then you have a responsibility to share that knowledge with other people so that they can come to peace with God's love cuz they're just not they're not going to just somehow magically automatically know it you just not going to just don't. You've got to tell you've got to ask. We're supposed to be peacemakers Central thing. We started this morning with wise men coming to worship Him and we in this morning with wise men and women who are going out. In worship to the king to be peacemakers in our world.
Chris Frey Heavenly Father
Thank you for loving us. Thank you for providing a way for us to be at peace with you. And then enjoy the peace that comes in our relationships and in our heart as we walk in obedience to your Holy Spirit in Jesus name. Amen.
