Peace - Advent #1

Good Morning…Merry Christmas…Welcome to New Hope!

It’s really impossible to know the earliest dating of Advent, but what we find is some mention of it as early as the 4th century. Now Easter and Christmas had become the 2 main celebrations in the life of the church.

So these big dates, these big celebrations in the church calendar would have times of preparation, times of gearing up. Easter had passover and Christmas would ultimately adopt Advent.

The earliest dating we have of this is 380AD at the Council of Sargossa - in the modern era of Spain / France. The Council met to deal with a heresy called Priscillianism - Basically believed that all things physical were evil, physical body and physical world was evil, and all things spiritual were good.

If that were the case, then the churches understanding of the Christmas holiday sure seems to make a lot of sense. We celebrate the coming of Jesus who is very God in flesh.

Over time Advent took on new significance. The word Adventus is a Latin translation of a word in the Greek New Testament “parousia” which means the coming, the entrance of the Lord. The word “parousia” has a dual meaning - the coming of Jesus in flesh, but also the second coming of Jesus.

So historically Advent had two weeks set aside to reflect on the fact that Jesus will come again and restore all things, and then two weeks to reflect on the original coming of Jesus as a baby in a manger.

Advent today is a way that we help keep focused on the real meaning of Christmas and what it represents - the One who came to save, and the One who will come again.

That was the best Christmas ever!

How about you? Can you think of your best Christmas ever?

Received the perfect gift

Gave that perfect gift to someone

Maybe it was the year you were able to spend it with that special family member.

Able to spend the season with someone special

Maybe it was the year when you were able to give that someone special what they’ve always wanted.

What I’d like to suggest this morning is that the best Christmas ever is one that has PEACE. I believe sometime we can take it for granted when it’s so readily available. But if you’re going through a time in your life right now without peace, I believe you know exactly what I’m talking about.

It was written that peace removes hatred, settles wars, restrains wrath, tramples on pride, loves the humble, and pacifies the conflicted. For peace is pleasing to everyone. It does not seek what belongs to another or consider anything as its own. It teaches people to love because it does not know how to get angry or become inflated with pride. It is meek and humble to everyone, possessing rest and tranquility within itself.

If that’s an idea of what peace is… Where does peace come from?

The Bible has much to say about PEACE.

(NLT)

6Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

7Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

In the midst of worry and doubt, the Bible points us towards prayer - towards a conversation with God. The One who is sovereign and powerful enough to answer and fulfill every weakness and void in our lives.

When we worry - pray - not forgetting to give thanks for all God has done on our behalf. And when we do, we’re told that we will experience God’s peace - the peace that passes all understanding… the peace that is exceedingly, abundantly greater than anything we can ask or imagine. It will guard our hearts & minds as we live in Christ Jesus.

The second verse I want to look at this morning is similar to the first. It’s , where Jesus shares these words of comfort with his disciples...

In , Jesus shares these words of comfort with his disciples...

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

This, in context with the surrounding verses, Jesus is speaking of his departure…Tells the disciples that’s it’s better that I go, because if I don’t the Holy Spirit won’t come. And what’s completely amazing about the Spirit is that He comes and dwells within us. And He’s able to usher in the PEACE that passes all understanding.

27“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

Direct connection between the Holy Spirit and Jesus’ gift of peace

Romans 14:17 NLT

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22 NLT

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

All that’s fine and dandy…But tell me HOW do we obtain peace? I believe it’s out there. I believe it’s available. I believe it’s attainable. I’ve seen it in other’s lives. But how do I get it for myself?

It was written that peace removes hatred, settles wars, restrains wrath, tramples on pride, loves the humble, and pacifies the disagreeing. For it is pleasing to everyone. It does not seek what belongs to another or consider anything as its own. it teaches people to love because it does not know how to get angry or become inflated with pride. It is meek and humble to everyone, possessing rest and tranquility within itself.

All that’s fine and dandy…But tell me HOW do we obtain peace? I believe it’s out there. I believe it’s available. I believe it’s attainable. I’ve seen it in other’s lives. But how do I get it for myself?

New Testament IVb: John 11–21 Peace Defines a Christian

It removes hatred, settles wars, restrains wrath, tramples on pride, loves the humble, pacifies the discordant and makes enemies agree. For it is pleasing to everyone. It does not seek what belongs to another or consider anything as its own. It teaches people to love because it does not know how to get angry, or to extol itself or become inflated with pride. It is meek and humble to everyone, possessing rest and tranquility within itself.

How do we have peace?

(NLT)

8And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Jesus calms the storms of this life

9Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Jesus

#1. Think about such things

The human mind will always be set on something. And if we set our minds on something often enough, we will come to the point where we cannot escape it. Emerson said, “You are what you think all day long.”

Our thoughts impact emotions, feelings, and moods, which impact self-confidence, self-worth, and self-esteem, which impacts behaviors and choices, which impacts the course of our lives.

Someone has stated…What we think about we ultimately become. Seems that the apostle Paul / Holy Spirit knew what they were talking about in the letter to Philippi.

Fix your thoughts on what is...

True

True

“What really is; What is so; What has happened”

True & False / Right & Wrong / Black & White

So much in this world is deceptive. We are bombarded with trickery / smoke & mirrors / false promises / overcommitted expectations. There seems to be so much “Gray area” in the world today.

I rarely answer the phone if I don’t know who’s calling. Emails are one of the last things I look at because there’s so much junk. Social messaging schemes...

“Then the God of peace will be with you.”

So where do we find truth? That’s why it’s so important for us to read the Word; to meditate on the Word; to memorize the Word. Because the Word is true. And in a world that seems to have so many slippery slopes, we need a firm foundation.

Ask yourself the question, “Is this true or is it my perception?”

Honorable

This is a more difficult word to translate from the Greek

Typically used to describe something that is worthy or reverent. It describes something that is dignified. We call judges and politicians “honorable”

The word means honest, fair, worthy of respect. People in these type positions need to have this character trait because the power and influence they have.

Ask yourself the question, “Does this honor or dishonor God?” Does this movie honor God?

Right

Some translations use the word just.

Today’s world seems to be much about setting our minds on what brings me pleasure, what is comfortable, what is the easy way. Paul writes, set your mind on the things that are right.

Ask yourself, “Is this right towards God? Right towards others? Third, right towards me?”

Pure

This word means: Morally good; that which has been cleansed and is fit to be brought into the presence of God.

Would you be thinking these thoughts and have these things dwell in your mind if you were in the presence of God, or if Jesus were with you? Would you be thinking these thoughts if your spouse, family, or friends were around?

“Then the God of peace will be with you.”

Lovely

One commentator suggests that the best translation is the word “winsome” - pleasing, charming, attractive, appealing.

You look at social media and it’s a hot-bed for rants; airing grievances; smearing people, places, & things because of indiscretion. We criticize, rebuke, speak our mind…because we can and it’s our right.

Ask this, “Would this be pleasing, attractive, appealing for others?”

Admirable

Literally means fair-speaking; Also could be suggested “good report, high-toned, gracious, whatever has a good name.” One writer suggests is as “Things which are fit for God to hear”.

Things which are fit for God to hear:

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

#2. Keep putting into practice

Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.

29Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

4Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.

Ask this, “Would this be fit for anyone to hear?”

“Think about things that are excellent & worthy of praise.”

The Greek word Paul uses for excellent is a great classical word of his day. He only uses it once in all of his writings. It’s used to describe every kind of excellence.

“It could describe the excellence of the ground in a field, the excellence of a tool for its purpose, the physical excellence of an animal, the excellence of the courage of a soldier, and the virtue of an individual.

It could describe the excellence of the ground in a field, the excellence of a tool for its purpose, the physical excellence of an animal, the excellence of the courage of a soldier, and the virtue of an individual. Lightfoot suggests that with this word Paul calls in as an ally all that was excellent in the non-Christian background of his friends. It is as if he were saying: ‘If the idea of excellence held by the religions in which you were brought up has any influence over you—think of that. Think of your past life at its very highest, to spur you on to the new heights of the Christian way.’ The world has its impurities and its degradations, but it also has its fine qualities and its brave actions, and it is of the high things that Christians must think.

Barclay, W.

But not only thinking about such things will usher in the God of peace, but we also must put them into practice.

These are so much more than a self-help, positive-thinking, 7 steps to a better life program. They are the very words and ideas inspired by the Holy Spirit - who is the ONE who produces PEACE in our lives.

But in order to receive peace in your life, in order to experience peace this Christmas season, we must do more than simply think on such things. We must keep putting all of them into practice.

#2. Keep putting into practice

true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, worthy of praise

My guess is that one of these from Paul’s list stuck out to you more than the rest. There’s something you’re dealing with in your life that as we worked through them, God’s Spirit either hit you like a ton of bricks or softly nudged you in some way - start there. Write that word down& meditate on it this Christmas season…And watch the God of peace do a mighty work in your life! Let’s pray!

Offertory: As the ushers make their way forward this morning, you may or may not have noticed that once per month we have been including our budget information - YTD budget vs. YTD giving - and just wanted to say Thank You! for how you give towards the mission of the church. We can’t do what we do without your support.