Peace and Grace

Introduction

Paul has given much instruction in this second letter to the church at Thessalonica. He has commended them for their spiritual growth, he has given further instruction regarding Christ’s return and has revealed the details of the coming of the Anti-Christ and the falling away that would precede him, he has encouraged them to continue to remain stedfast in their faith even as some had chosen to live contrary to what they had been taught, he also instructed them regarding the discipline of those who were walking disorderly and who refused to work.

Now Paul closes the letter with a prayer for their peace and a signature statement regarding the grace of God.

The believers in the church at Thessalonica had many circumstances that could easily rob them of peace but ultimately it was Paul’s belief that the Lord could still enable them to be at peace.

They were experiencing regular persecution, there were false teachers who were intent on causing them to stray from the faith, and there were even those who were stirring up strife and contention from within the congregation, and yet they could still find peace.

This simple statement from the Apostle Paul will give us much insight into the peace that so many in our world long for.

First we must recognize the Lord himself as the:

The Giver of Peace

There are so many in our world who desire to see peace but they have failed to realize that peace can never be found without the Lord of Peace.

Circumstances can never truly bring peace to our lives, men have never been able to bring lasting peace to the world, it is God alone who has the ability to give true and lasting peace.

The peace that Paul speaks of here is not simply the absence of fighting but is actually a quiet tranquility free from worry and anxiety.

The Lord of Peace is none other than Jesus Christ. Isaiah 9:6- he is to be called the prince of peace

While upon earth Jesus Christ spoke to his disciple of a peace that only He could give. John 14:27- peace I leave with you

The cry of some in our society today is “No justice, no peace” when in reality a more truthful cry would be “No Jesus, No Peace” and in the positive sense “Know Jesus, Know Peace”.

Those who do not know the Lord of Peace are wholly incapable of understanding the peace that He gives. Philippians 4:7- peace passeth all understanding

Peace comes from Christ because it is He alone that can reconcile us to God and take away the enmity that exists between God and sinful men. Romans 5:1- peace with God through Jesus Christ.

Paul opened many of his letters to the churches with the exhortation “ Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 1:7, I Corinthians 1:3, II Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2, I Thessalonians 1:1, II Thessalonians 1:2, I Timothy 1:2, II Timothy 1:2, Titus 1:4, Philemon 1:3

The scriptures plainly show that peace is possible only through relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

The peace that Paul speaks of here is not a fleeting peace but is a lasting peace that can be ours always.

The Extent of Peace

Many have wrongly assumed that it is utterly impossible to be at peace when there is turmoil, trouble, and tribulation all around us.

We need only to take the example of the church at Thessalonica to recognize that this could not be further from the truth. The peace that God gives is an ever present reality.

It is possible to be always at peace even when circumstances are against us and trials threaten to overwhelm us. It is God’s desire to give us peace even in the midst of troubling times.

It is precisely at these moments that we stand most desperately in need of peace. When trials come, when evil threatens, when persecution prevails, in Christ we can yet find peace.

Acts 12:6- Peter knew of Herod’s plan to have him killed and being in prison the night prior to his execution was yet able to enjoy sleep in peace.

The difficulties that we experience in this life do not have to disrupt the peace the we have from God. Isaiah 26:3- peace whose mind stayed on thee.

The reason we so often are anxious and fearful is because our focus has shifted to the problems we are facing instead of being stayed upon the Lord. Matthew 14:29-30- Peter began to look around him rather than looking unto Jesus.

When we recognize God’s sovereign power over our lives and all that surrounds us we can rest in Him trusting that He will see us through the trials and troubles we face.

We can have peace always, as Paul’s prayer suggests, if we will settle our minds upon the Lord and seek his presence in the midst of the storms of life.

The close of this verse is vital to our understanding of what is necessary for us to have peace always and that is that we would dwell in the presence of God.

The Lord is certainly with us always as He has promised but so often we fail to recognize this reality in our experience and we behave as though he has forsaken us and left us alone to face the difficult circumstances that we must face.

God has promised that He will never leave nor forsake us and if we will live in light of this truth we need not be fearful or anxious no matter what our circumstances.

We must live in the light of his presence at all times if we are to experience the peace that he brings.

Paul now closes the letter in a familiar style which is intended to prove that he is the author and not a false teacher claiming his name.

Paul regularly closes his letters to the churches with a statement concerning the grace of God.

Grace Be With You All

Grace is most often defined as God’s unmerited favor towards us but this definition does not capture the full extent of the operation of the grace of God in our lives.

God’s grace is a common theme of the Apostle’s writings because he recognized the importance of grace in the Christian life.

It is the grace of God that is responsible for our salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9) Romans 5:20- grace much more abound

It is the grace of God that will enable us to live the Christian life. Hebrews 4:16- grace to help in time of need

It is the grace of God that will empower us to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. II Corinthians 9:8- able to make all grace abound to you

Paul stated in I Corinthians 15:10- that it was the grace of God who made him what he was.

It is the grace of God that gifts us with talents and abilities to be used for God’s glory. Ephesians 4:7- grace gifts

Without the grace of God you and I would be miserably lost and without hope or help in this world!

Conclusion

It is with good reason that Paul so often speaks of grace and peace as he wrote to these local new testament churches.

Paul recognized that their success was dependent upon the operations of these two factors.

Peace was vital amidst the turmoil and chaos that reigned throughout the time of the early church. Paul knew that without the peace of God the believers in the church at Thessalonica and in other churches as well would be paralyzed by fear and anxiety and would never accomplish what God had called them to accomplish.

He also recognized the importance of the grace of God for without it they would have no hope of success in living out their faith or in their service to the Lord.

It is the grace of God that sustains and strengthens us as we live the life that God has called us to live and as we carry out the work that God has called us to do.