Fruit of the Spirit - Peace
Notes
Transcript
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
The fruit of the Spirit is...Peace! Today we are going to continue our look at the fruit of the Spirit as we talk about SLIDE peace.
But how can we talk about peace?
We are a world at war...
war with terrorists...
war between Jews and Palestinians...
animosity between people of different color...
people fearful of being a victim of a crime...
people more focused on politics and the Kingdoms of this world versus the Kingdom of God...
people fearful of this corona virus pandemic and those who think its a hoax.
People are trying to escape their troubles...and find peace...
they look for peace in alcohol...
they look for peace in drugs...
and they might anethetize themselves against their pain...
at least for a short time...
and when the effect wears off...
they are no better off than before...
Why is peace so elusive?
Why do so few people seem to find real peace?
Well, perhaps they are looking in the wrong places...
we need to look for answers from God’s Word...
Mankind searches for answers in the world...
But Christians look for answers from God Himself...
and since we know that God still speaks to us through His Word...
we will turn there tonight...
and open our ears to hear God’s voice as He speaks to us.
I did a search for "peace" and I found that it appears approximately 250 times in the Bible in the NIV. It appears 153 times in the Old Testament and 97 times in the New Testament.
Like I have mentioned the last couple weeks, I am going to guess that there is something important about this idea of peace since we see it used so many times.
Robert Louis Stevenson tells of a storm that caught a vessel off a rocky coast and threatened to drive it and its passengers to destruction. In the midst of the terror, one daring man, contrary to orders, went to the deck, made a dangerous passage to the pilot house and saw the steerman, lashed fast at his post of holding the wheel unwaveringly, and inch by inch, turning the ship out, once more, to sea. The pilot saw the watcher and smiled.
Then, the daring passenger went below and gave out a note of cheer: "I have seen the face of the pilot, and he smiled. All is well."
In 1987, Douglas Maurer, 15, of Creve Coeur, Missouri, had been feeling bad for several days. His temperature was ranging between 103 and 105 degrees, and he was suffering from severe flu-like symptoms. Finally, his mother took him to the hospital in St. Louis. Douglas Maurer was diagnosed as having leukemia. The doctors told him in frank terms about his disease. They said that for the next three years, he would have to undergo chemotherapy. They didn't sugarcoat the side effects. They told Douglas he would go bald and that his body would most likely bloat. Upon learning this, he went into a deep depression. His aunt called a floral shop to send Douglas an arrangement of flowers. She told the clerk that it was for her teenage nephew who has leukemia.
When the flowers arrived at the hospital, they were beautiful. Douglas read the card from his aunt. Then he saw a second card. It said: "Douglas I took your order. I work at Brix florist. I had leukemia when I was 7 years old. I'm 22 years old now. Good luck. My heart goes out to you. Sincerely, Laura Bradley."
His face lit up. He said, "Oh!" It's funny: Douglas Maurer was in a hospital filled with millions of dollars of the most sophisticated medical equipment. He was being treated by expert doctors and nurses with medical training totaling in the hundreds of years. But it was a salesclerk in a flower shop, a woman making $170 a week, who by taking the time to care, and by being willing to go with what her heart told her to do gave Douglas hope and the will to carry on.
Peace is not always something that we understand. We might be thinking that being in a hospital with all the right doctors and equipment would bring us peace, but oftentimes we find the opposite. Douglass finds a peace in a small gesture, in a caring act. We do not know if this salesclerk was a believer, but this is the way we should be caring for people as believers whether we know them or not.
But as we look at the fruit of the Spirit, I believe that God has something even better in mind for His people. And as we look to the New Testament, we will see something different. Sure, you will still find that aspect of peace between people. Paul said, in
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
That’s a tough challenge, especially in this day and age where it is so common to be downright mean and nasty to those who hold a different view point. But that is the challenge Paul is giving us. However, it is also important that we see what Paul tells us in Romans 5:1:
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
What we see here in Romans 5 is Paul beginning to hint at a different type of peace. SLIDE Peace is a fruit of the Spirit. These 9 things that we call the fruit of the Spirit aren’t the fruit of human effort, or the fruit of human ingenuity, it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is manifested through our lives if we are truly growing and being transformed into a more Christlike being.
Two neighbors can live at peace without being a Christian, but there is an inner peace, a peace that cannot be explained, that passes all understanding. A peace with God, a peace, that Haldor Lillenas wrote about when he wrote:
"I have found a deep peace that I never had known
and a joy this world could not afford
since I yielded control
of my body and soul
to my wonderful, wonderful Lord"
This peace, the one that is listed as "the fruit of the Spirit is peace" is perhaps most perfectly described in the words of Jesus in
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
SLIDE Jesus says, "Peace, I leave with you.” It isn’t irony that in the verse just prior to this, Jesus tells His disciples about sending the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who will be with them. When Jesus indicates that He is leaving "peace" with them it is directly tied to the promise of the Holy Spirit.
SLIDE Jesus says, "My peace, I give you.” In other words, this isn’t the kind of peace that you can just pick up in a whiskey bottle down at the liquor store. This isn’t the kind of peace that you can find on your own through drugs, pills, booze, fame, fortune, pleasure, hobbies, or fun. This peace is a gift from God.
In fact, throughout Scripture, God is described as "the God of peace.” Oone such example is found in
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
SLIDE Jesus goes on to say, "I do not give to you as the world gives." The world’s brand of peace doesn’t last. Booze wears off. Drugs have side effects. Fame, fortune, and pleasure all are fleeting. Jesus doesn’t give us that kind of peace. He gives us the peace that lasts and lasts. He gives us the peace that isn’t dependent upon our circumstances. He gives us the peace that is a deeper, abiding peace.
He gives us a peace that we can have even in the midst of war. He gives us peace and tranquility even when all around is chaos. He gives us His perfect peace even when life is troubling. We can have a supernatural ability to be at peace in our soul not because of our own efforts, but because of the power of the Holy Spirit at work within us.
This kind of peace is impossible any other way. People who aren’t Christians are unable to have that deep, abiding peace in their soul, because it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
And yes, you can find that kind of peace in the Old Testament too.
You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.
Matthew Henry said, “"Safety consists not in the absence of danger but in the presence of God." Peace that Jesus gives is not the absence of trouble, but is rather the confidence that He is there with you always. Peace is such a precious jewel, that I would give anything for it but truth.”
In A Wardrobe from the King, Berit Kjos writes:
Long ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace. Not finding one that satisfied, he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece. The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide. Finally the great day of revelation arrived. The judges uncovered one peaceful scene after another, while the viewers clapped and cheered. The tensions grew. Only two pictures remained veiled. As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd. A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy, green birches under the soft blush of the evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep grazed undisturbed. Surely this was the winner.
The man with the vision uncovered the second painting himself, and the crowd gasped in surprise. Could this be peace? A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice; the crowd could almost feel its cold, penetrating spray. Stormy-gray clouds threatened to explode with lightning, wind and rain. In the midst of the thundering noises and bitter chill, a spindly tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls. One of its branches reached out in front of the torrential waters as if foolishly seeking to experience its full power. A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch. Content and undisturbed in her stormy surroundings, she rested on her eggs. With her eyes closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones, she manifested peace that transcends all earthly turmoil.
The peace that we see in this bird, resting on her eggs in the nest is a great picture for us to imagine this peace that is a fruit of the Spirit. We can be peaceful and rest secure in the hands of the almighty no matter the storm that rages around us.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Do not be anxious about anything! ANYTHING! Paul wrote this letter to the church in Philippi while he was a prisoner in Rome facing possible and probable execution. Paul and Silas had formerly been in prison in Philippi on an earlier visit there. They had been surrounded by a mob. The magistrates had ordered them to be stripped, beaten with rods and placed in stocks in an inner cell.
Were they worried? Not one bit!
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
Apparently Paul and Silas either were not worried or anxious or they did not understand the meaning of the words!
What makes you anxious? Would being in prison make you anxious?
Some people just seem naturally wired for worry.
Listen to this description of worry
Worry is the misuse of imagination. - Unknown
So, if we are worried or anxious, filled with cares, and not feeling this peace we have been talking about, what should we do?
Let’s look back at:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The peace of God transcends all understanding. We can experience this peace as people who are in relationship with Christ, but the world cannot comprehend.
One night while conducting an evangelistic meeting in the Salvation Army Citadel in Chicago, Booth Tucker preached on the sympathy of Jesus. After his message a man approached him and said, "If your wife had just died, like mine has, and your babies were crying for their mother, who would never come back, you wouldn't be saying what you're saying."
Tragically, a few days later, Tucker's wife was killed in a train wreck. Her body was brought to Chicago and carried to the same Citadel for the funeral. After the service the bereaved preacher looked down into the silent face of his wife and then turned to those attending. "The other day a man told me I wouldn't speak of the sympathy of Jesus if my wife had just died. If that man is here, I want to tell him that Christ is sufficient. My heart is broken, but it has a song put there by Jesus. I want that man to know that Jesus Christ speaks comfort to me today." (Today in the Word, MBI, October 1991)
An old hymn of the church says:
Are you weary, are you heavy hearted?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you grieving over joys departed?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Have you sins that to men’s eyes are hidden?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Are you troubled at the thought of dying?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
For Christ’s coming kingdom are you sighing?
Tell it to Jesus alone.
SLIDE In a world saturated with violence, it seems so difficult for us to imagine an alternative, hard to imagine this type of peace of which we are speaking. It seems impossible, sometimes even unattractive, to our human nature. It seems to be too big a problem to really solve. We often read Jesus’ words of “turning the other cheek” and Paul’s admonition to “repay evil with good” and assume that these are merely suggestions. Perfect peace is too idealistic for our fallen world. Yet, Paul included peace as one of the first items in his list of the fruit of the Spirit. Just like Paul, we need to imagine another way. We need to dare to think that not only is another way possible, but it is commanded of us. What is the biblical definition of peace and how do we live “peace” out in our lives?
In Greek thought, eirēnē (the Greek word for peace) primarily consisted of the absence of war or conflict. It denoted a specific state, not so much an attitude or relationship. This ideology is especially demonstrated in the pax Romana, when the Roman Empire had attained legal “peace” or security. Although a Roman citizen, it appears that Paul primarily gathered his understanding of peace from his Jewish heritage. Paul undoubtedly appreciated the pax Romana, but his ministry was inspired by the pax Christi (peace of Christ).
However, the Hebrew word shalom informs the Christian understanding of peace in the New Testament. It has a sense of totality or wholeness behind it and often refers to restoring something to the way it was intended, so that the end result is “complete.” Thus, peace is not merely the absence of war or disaster; it is the presence of something. We typically only talk about “peace” as the void of conflict and turmoil. However, a city without political conflict is not true peace according to the biblical definition. For a city to experience real peace there must be friendly relations with the “enemy.” Those are hard words for us to hear in today’s culture. Jesus meant what he said when he told us to love others - and that includes those we might see as enemies.
If you are a child of God your eternal life is owed to God! He gave His life for you and He deserves your life! You have been saved from hell. You have been given forgiveness. You have been brought into a relationship with Him. He has made you into a new creation and you are now in a position to walk through life with Him instead of facing eternity on your own. Only a child of God will truly be able to pray “with thanksgiving.”
If you are saved and you do not find yourself praying with thanksgiving you need to go back to the time when the Lord rescued you from your sin and gave you new life in Christ! “in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
A life marked by the fruit of the Spirit will have peace that will remind us in the midst to present your requests to God! To God alone. My challenge to us this morning is to remember that peace is a fruit of the Spirit. If you are not experiencing that in your life, trust in Jesus more. Spend more time with him. Let His Spirit work through you to continue to transform your life into one that exhibits these fruit.
It won’t happen overnight. It won’t be a necessarily easy process, but if we draw near to God he will draw near to us through His Spirit.
So I challenge you today with this question. Do you have a sense of this peace that passes all understanding? Do you have a peace that you rely on even when the situation that you find yourself in is less than ideal? What about when that situation is downright awful? Growing in our relationship with God will allow the Spirit to develop these fruits in our lives. Let’s continue to praise him this morning as we close.
Benediction: As we close, let me pray this benediction over you:
“ ‘ “The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.” ’