Peace of Jesus - November 29

Good morning, Chapel next. For those of you who don't recognize me on top of Byron Denman. I am honored to serve the congregation of Chapel next Fort Carson here along with so many of the other chaplains that you probably meant. Maybe they're even from your unit. But as you've heard this morning starts are Advent Series in Chaplin Cattleman talked about what it looks like to to see through the eyes of the shepherd. So we're going to take a look at them. Old Testament prophecies specifically because Jesus himself says during his life. I didn't come to abolish the law or the prophets but to fulfill And if Jesus says this is one of the reasons he's here then I think that we should also be aware of what those prophecies are. We should be willing to take a look in to see where those things connect with us. We're going to do it in a way that did lines up with some of our traditional Advent themes in peace, Joy Love and Hope until those the scriptures that we've chosen. Will Point them in the direction of those four ideas over the next four weeks. We're also going to do it Through The Eyes Of The Shepherd. We're going to take a look at what it looks like to be a first-century common person and what he or she would have anticipated as he or she awaits the coming of the Messiah.

And our series begins all the way back in Genesis. with a story that the many of you remember It's the story of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve were created by God. To the have dominion over all of life and to be in fellowship with him. I meant that they had a good life. Honestly, they got to walk side-by-side with God and 4 for many of us. This is an unimaginable dream that we would love to see in our own lives. And one day I think we will. But something happens and and the serpent is able to whisper in your ear and they've been given one tree that's off-limits. But the serpent convinces them. Hey, don't don't worry about what God said. You're going to be. All right, if you take a bite of that that fruit, everything's going to be. Okay. God said you're going to die. But I promise you're not going to die. Instead you're going to be a little bit more like him. until Adam and Eve They take the bite. and beginning in chapter 3 verse 8 dealsea What God's response to that whole thing is?

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God Walking In The Garden at the time of the evening Breeze. And they hid from the Lord God Among the Trees of the garden. So the Lord God called out to the man and said to him. Where are you? Not first, it's important that you recognize God doesn't actually doubt where Adam is. He knows exactly where Adam is. He's calling Adam to speak up. If you don't get the high for me, man, don't you understand? That's a random said I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked so I hid then he asked who told you that you were naked. Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from? The man replied the woman you gave me she gave me some fruit. from that tree and I ate So the Lord God ask the woman. What is this you've done and woman said the serpent deceived me and I ate.

For the 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 on your belly and eat dust all of the days of your life. I will put hostility between you and the woman and between your Offspring and her Offspring. He will strike your head and you will strike his heel. Heavenly father. I thank you so much for your words for your guidance in scripture. Got to ask that you be with us today. We continue to worship you through study of the Bible. I ask that you help us to understand your will and I ask that you. You helped the congregation here and those online to understand what it means to be filled with your peace.

amen So as our series goes into the the idea of Through The Eyes Of The Shepherd. One of the things that we discussed was trying to do some sort of dialogue with the shepherd. And I can tell you that I didn't have peace about that. I wrote the message and it might have been okay. But the reality in my heart was that it was going to be very difficult to exercise the kind of peace and the kind of theatrical Flair that would be necessary to pull off a discussion between me and maybe myself. We also discussed a disembodied Voice who would who would speak into a microphone from somewhere else stage until I be talking into the air Maybe Either either way, I wasn't I wasn't comfortable with that.

And there are so many things in our lives they cause us to miss out on peace. But just like my discomfort with that delivery Style. I can tell you that most of the time we missed the mark of the kind of peace that we get from Christ. We focus on these things about whether or not I'm comfortable up here on stage. We focus on other things and I think that if we can imagine what that Shepherd would say to us regarding this passage in Genesis 3, I think he might also have missed the mark on what the piece that the Messiah is bringing really mean.

Maybe if we asked him maybe we travel back in time, maybe travels up to us and it doesn't really matter if you guys are familiar with the rules of time travel. It's dangerous no matter what.

But maybe we have this conversation and we asked him. To tell us what is this the first mean to you what it would of these passages or the scripture mean to you because they would have known this story. They would have been telling it over and over again. So he would be familiar with everything that happened in Genesis 3. Maybe he says by I think that this scripture think it highlights the generational struggle between the people of God and the serpent grace of God has created us to be his people. But because of the deceit of the serpent. We're no longer connected to him the way that we're supposed to be and the serpent is obviously opposed to God, right? He stands against God and he wants to drive a wedge between us and God or else. Why would he have selling those seeds of Deceit?

And I think that if we go one step further the serpent kind of represents the world here.

So as we can see an ongoing conflict that is prophesied between The Serpent and the seed of woman. We can see that the serpent is also serving as the world in this imagery. And we as God people will constantly be at war with the world until the Messiah comes. It takes him down a notch. Our history early shows that over and over again the world stands against the people of God. Even if you go back to the Abel and Cain right after the scripture that we read and there's a chosen person for one reason or another. And and the one who isn't chosen. Describes why I'm not going to deal with that. And take some out and over the years. We have seen the same thing happen over and over again. Look what happens with Noah? As he's building the ark the ridicule. He becomes a social pariah. Don't be like that guy.

Or take a look at what happened with Joseph who goes into Egypt? Has all of this nonsense happen, but basically saved Egypt from famine. A couple of generations later what happens? Egypt turns against them.

And with Moses and the conflict there with the midianites with the Canaanites with a Philistine year after year after year. We have been oppressed.

And it's killing me. I can't wait. I can't wait until the Messiah shows up because I know that when he makes it to us, she will kill all of those who have stood against him. He will bring military power. Just like we had in the Maccabee in age see the strength of God push down two enemies who stand against us. Steven says that in Proverbs.

And this idea of Peace against our enemies is dependent upon the young Messiah to take care of that.

So while some of that might have been a little bit dramatized much of that actually comes from what we know to have been a first-century perspective of the Messiah. Isaiah gone through conflict after conflict after conflict. They thought that the Messiah was going to come and going to eliminate the Earthly enemies of God. what they thought

we as people who live in 2020 we have the did very clear advantage of History. We have the advantage of the New Testament. We we know that this same prophecy. Probably applies a little bit differently. I'm not really bothered by how the shepherd might have understood. The serpent is representing the world write it stands in opposition to God. Okay. I'm not really trouble by the idea that the Messiah is coming to bring peace to the people of God. But I do think that the shepherd's account doesn't fully encapsulate what we see in Genesis 3. How the shepherd might have understood how there is conflict between God's people in the serpent or got people in the world while that's very clear throughout history. And whether or not you see it now. There are people who think that there is oppression against the church happening today.

And if you're in a different part of the world, maybe it's even more prominent. But throughout history we've had this issue. And that's an important conflict. But when Adam and Eve decided to take a bite. Whether or not you see something else happen, they they basically turned their backs on God for that moment. So the Messiah comes to bring peace.

All of the conflict at the shepherd might have described is a result of sin. Humanity struggles with a desire for power with a desire for control Some people don't struggle with it at all. Some people just let it take them over.

And all of this sin exists and it stands between humanity and got the while the world does have conflict with the people of God. What happened to Genesis 3 Is we? We Humanity we introduce conflict between us and God.

And that's the conflict the Christ comes to resolve.

I don't think that the shepherd would understand it. They win Humanity chose to listen to The Serpent.

They chose to stand against God. And we still have at the end of this passage. We still have the prophecy at the end where it says The Offspring of woman will crush the head of the serpent of The Offspring of the serpent. Right? And I think that Paul would tend to agree with us or with the Shepherd that this prophecy is referencing the Messiah. In his letter to Rome we see him bringing this idea back up. He pulls the same imagery Ford talking about the role of Jesus Christ. But I also think did it could be about generational struggle. 4 year after year from one generation to the next our sins have gotten more acceptable in our minds. We've come to the place where win the world around us Whispers in our ear like the serpent did. It's a little bit easier for us to take a bite of that apple or sorry that fruit. Not an apple. Well, maybe it was an apple a fruit.

But it's the same argument that they used back. Then that the world uses today. It's the argument that you can be more like God. It's the argument that God's not actually going to kill you if you do this thing. That's not what he wants. You see because the world takes a look at this and they see people who have done absolutely horrible things and they live and they get away with it.

And when when we try to explain to them that it's not about this life this death, it's not about what we have here when we try to explain to him that it is about eternal life. Eternal death being a steak the world simply pushes a different agenda.

they push for us to try to the please man to please the world to find a way to make ourselves fit in and we've seen it over years. I think the idea of enlightenment.

The idea of political correctness being tolerant being woke whatever the word is. There's an idea that it is pushing us toward acceptable behavior in Humanities eyes. Versus acceptable behavior in God's eye and I'm not saying that the two are always at odds. There are some things that Humanity wants us to do that are good things.

But they do off Austin stand against God. The way I see it. This is a fight that we're never going to win.

Is that there's a lyric that I really enjoy where guy says fighting against God is like a kid with a super soaker trying to conquer Spain. Right. It's never going to happen. We don't even have the authority or the ability to call for a ceasefire.

Because we continue our assault against God everyday. And so that's where the Messiah comes in. We need God's mercy. And in his mercy God sends the Messiah to bring peace not just to the world. to our souls

to my soul to your soul You see we've seen the Messiah. And we've heard him speak truth. We've we've seen him. Bring to life God's will. And if we're honest about it, and we have this conversation with that same Shepherd, I think that it would be difficult for him to accept. That when the Messiah came he didn't come with military might. All kinds of people were tremendously disappointed that Jesus didn't just wipe out the Romans. Give us back our land give us back. All right to govern ourselves only a handful understood that something different was coming.

And Jesus didn't help himself as far as their understanding was concerned when he said things like this. I didn't come to bring peace to the world. I didn't come to bring peace but a sword so all of the sudden there's a man we're going after it. But that would have been a difficult thing for someone who thought that the Messiah was supposed to bring peace to God people.

Because they don't understand the difference between the peace with the world that they wanted and the peace with God that the Messiah actually brain is he he he never came to stop physical conflict. On the other hand, he was actually here to bring peace with the sole to the individual and he says it and John he says I'm leaving my peace with you and he says it to these disciples who have been following him and striving after him.

And all of them end up in Conflict, so Jesus is bringing. Peace.

But everyone still has to endure conflict than that piece has to be something different.

And this is what happens when you start to understand who the Messiah is when you feel that piece you no longer line up with the world's vision of peace.

Your brothers and your sisters my fight with you. It's possible that that you and your in your own world. Had become reunited with the Messiah you've accepted Jesus Christ as your lord and savior and you have peace. but the person to your left or your right doesn't

and they don't understand that spiritual peace is at the heart of the messiah's mission.

Even said that as he's approaching Jerusalem, and he looks at the city. He says in Luke if you knew this day, what would bring peace but now it's hidden from your eyes. The world doesn't understand the Peace of Christ and it would have been incredibly difficult for Our Shepherd to accept it as well. It would have been very difficult because he would have wanted victory over the oppressors. It would have wanted to see the nation's struck down and vanquished and I get that. I would want that too. I think.

But we live in a place of relative freedom. And we aren't under constant physical assault for the most part.

So just like I don't think he understands us. Maybe we don't fully understand him. But if the Messiah comes to bring peace to your soul instead of the Nations. Then it's not the group of the oppressors. But he's trying to end. It's the grip of sin on your life. Just like I don't think he's trying to Vanquish the evil that desperately fights to separate you from God.

And this would have been a huge shift from what the shepherd would have thought. Even today there are billions of people who don't I don't understand the idea of Peace like this. Are we seeing the Messiah throughout history. We know all of these different things and we still don't accept spiritual peace for what it is. It's the ability to come back to a right relationship with God. Peace between God reunites us. What the Shepherds and if we have that piece? Maybe we don't get so worked up about little things.

Baby cobras fictions tightening around us doesn't bother us maybe we can be at peace and Christ through that situation. Maybe our our job progression doesn't go the direction. We want it to we can be at peace with that in Christ.

and and maybe we can be at peace with the idea that we're not going to get Christmas presents this year or we're not going to see family this year as much as all of us want to

If we understand that the gift of truth and life but to us. By Christ is the peace. That we should be seeking.

I usually wear ties to church. Today, I don't have one on. And honestly is I Was preparing for what I was going to wear today. I decided against the tie and it was a deliberate action. And it made me a little uncomfortable.

I don't wear a tie because I think that you need to wear a tie to come to church. I don't believe that I wear a tie because I like them. I like the way they look I like tying different knots it's fun for me. And so when chaplain Cattleman sent me a message this morning asking me about a possibility of a bowtie. There was a little bit inside of me that. I'll man. I got to tell him that I'm not even wearing one.

Because just for that little thing that little bit of time. I got distracted. by his opinion of me instead of the peace and Christ that I have that allows me to wear this.

She happens to all of us. But from this side of History. We can see that we're supposed to have that piece. We are supposed to be reunited in a way that allows us to live out. Peace.

Infusions to Paul talks about it. I'd invite you guys to to read along with me. Should starting at verse 14. He's talking about Jesus Christ. For he is our peace who made both groups 1 and tore down the dividing wall of hostility in his flash. He made no affect the law consisting of commands and expressed and regulations so that he may might create in himself one new man from the two resulting in. Peace. He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the process by which he put the hostility to death. He came and proclaim the good news of peace to you who are far away and peace to those who were near.

This is the Peace of Christ.

It's that piece that reunites us. That piece that brings us back to God.

And as we look at the the serpent. And the prophecy of of The Offspring of woman. crushing the head of the serpent

This is the result of that Victory the peace in your soul.

And as Believers with hindsight working in our favor. We need to be living out our peace in this way. In Colossians, we see that we're supposed to let the peace rule our hearts and a promise of Peace rules your heart. Then your life will reflect it. If you're not a Believer yet if you don't understand what that piece means. Then I pray that that happens to you soon. I pray that you open yourself up to the conviction of the holy spirit in the moving in the stirring of God in your life. In a way that allows you to find. Peace. As we await the coming of Christ. We get wrapped up in anxiety.

We get wrapped up in all of the things that we have to do.

And I'm not saying that we don't do them. but I'm saying remember this the time of Advent this time of waiting. It's not about everything that the world wants to see. It's about the piece that Jesus Christ brings to your soul.

The next week you'll hear about the joy that he brings. His chaplain dice continues are series Through The Eyes Of The Shepherd. But this week we invite you to work through. The handout or the Facebook flyer. each day I don't understand the peace. The God wants you to understand. Heavenly father. Thank you so much. For your love for your life. Thank you so much for the piece that you've brought us. I ask that you help us to focus on that piece.

I asked that you be with each one of us. As we go about the busy times that exist around us. in Jesus name