Peace of God

Peace or Piece

Isaiah 9:6-7

INTRODUCTION:

Peace or Piece (A sign with Peace of God or a piece of god)

(Have my Andy Stanley TV with me to put Scriptures on so they appear in the video - lol)

What did Jesus bring us, give us and purpose for us?

To have peace with God or to have “a piece” of a god?

If you do not receive the peace of God, then you only have a piece of a god which is not peace at all and not at all at peace with God!

I believe many of us believe with all that is in us that we are fully living for God and yet peace eludes us.

Four weeks ago we were in our Pandemic of Thankfulness and we talked about “Peace and Thanks” and how they go hand in hand…

“When you are at peace your heart is thankful,

when you give thanks your heart is at peace”

I said that Sunday morning that we would be talking about peace again this month, and here we are today!!!

Remember, we are in a Christmas series that is talking about the PRESENTS that we gain from Jesus being born, coming in the flesh!

And today we are looking at Jesus gifting us with PEACE!

Christmas time celebrates that Jesus is our peace

If Jesus is our Peace - what does that mean for us, what does it mean for Israel, what does it mean for our future, here, before there?

BIBLE:

What peace means for Israel.

First, let’s start with Israel! Last week we talked about God with us - Immanuel from Isaiah for peace for Israel let’s look back at Isaiah again, this time in Chapter 9! Another familiar Christmas verse...

Isaiah 9:6-7 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’ throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”

Isaiah says in verse 7, “of the increase of his government AND PEACE there will be no end!!!”

As you read the Old Testament you can see one repeated thing happening…

The people of Israel want the best life now AND they want to find, create it and make it their own and in their own way!

This includes, (but not limited to):

Being individualistic yet look like everybody else (have a king like other nations)

Being free to do as they please yet having no consequences for their choices (unrealistic)

Being their own boss/authority, having no other nations rule them (without paying the bills)

Because of this, peace eluded them.

They were not having their cake and eating it too!

They were just like other pagan nations

They were enslaved and exiled

They were longing for peace whether they realized it or not…(and we are often in the same boat!)

Time and again, God warned the people of Israel through prophet after prophet that if they didn’t return to God they would pay the price - often being exiled!

Subconsciously they longed for peace from their own bad decisions!

Peace - completeness, soundness, welfare, peace completeness (in number). safety, soundness (in body). welfare, health, prosperity. peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment

They longed for a peace that the Psalmist talked about...

Psalm 4:8 “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”

But they didn’t want to do their part! (Sounds like spoiled children, right)

Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”

Steadfast is a word that means “to prop” - so God will keep you in perfect peace when you lean on God, prop yourself up against HIM because you trust in HIM!

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge HIM, and HE will make your paths straight.”

But Israel wanted to lean on their own understanding - and they didn’t have google!

But God longed to give them the peace they needed and the peace they longed for that could only be found in HIM and found through HIM

This is why God had Isaiah prophesy what he did in our section of Scripture today!

Isaiah 9:6-7 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’ throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”

Part of the solution for Peace for Israel would be peace from themselves!

Maybe we can relate too much to their need because it looks just like our need!

What peace means for us?

Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:14 NASB “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

Jesus came to bring peace on earth to those who please God…

That’s why Paul says to the Ephesians church...

Ephesians 5:10 “and find out what pleases the Lord.”

That’s to you and me also!

Paul wrote...

Romans 5:1 “Therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

What Paul was saying for us and what would be true for us is that Jesus gives us peace…

So why don’t we experience it ALL THE TIME!?

Sadly, the reason is because we find ourselves looking more like the exiled Israel rather than the blood bought saints we are meant to be!

Jesus said to HIS disciples and for us to hear today through the pages of Scripture...

John 14:27 “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.”

The beginning of Chapter 14, Jesus says,

John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”

Some versions say, “Believe in God; believe also in me.”

The word used as “Believe” or “Trust” is most often translated as believe.

And the definition is “to think ot be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in…”

So believe to the depths of you so that you trust its validity!!!

For Paul is was a part of who he was as a follower of Jesus that’s why he always began his letters with a blessing of “grace and peace”

My point: If we believe and trust in God and Jesus, then we have to believe the words of Jesus specifically where HE tells us that HE gives us peace!

So peace is here for us to have and enjoy, but we have to receive it just like we did with all HIS presents that HE brings us!

Paul said that

Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

That’s the kingdom HE meant to leave with us!

So that we could download Paul’s words directly to our hearts...

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Remember what Paul said the the Ephesians...

Ephesians 2:13-14 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. 14 For HE HIMSELF is our peace...

SO WHAT?

For us the peace that Jesus brings frees us from the trappings of this world…

Again this is not our home - but our home is full of Peace which gives us rest for our souls, not just a piece of rest!

What peace means for the future (on earth til Jesus takes us home)

Receiving the Peace that Jesus brings gives us a responsibility with peace...specificlly the call to be peacemakers!

Peacemakers!!! - receive peace and live at peace - being a peacemaker

And we bring peace to those around us...neighbors too!

Jesus taught us what we call the Beattitudes - 8 characteristics of those who follow HIM.

Charles Spurgeon says that the 7th one has specific meaning in being the 7th one for 7 always is a perfect, complete number. He goes on to say that the seventh beatitude follows the 6th - the pure in heart!

You cannot be at peace without first pursuing HIM with a pure heart!!!

After that we become peacemakers! And that brings a title of sons (and daughters) of God.

Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God.”

We live in a world where we often avoid pursuing peace and instead pursue being right!

But this is backwards thinking. The opposite of the way God tells us to live!

Why not be wronged? (Paul)

1 Corinthians 6:7 “The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?”

Find peace in Jesus not in your standings among men!

This translates as Jeff Walling says in his understanding of the sermon on the mount, “Let me be the first to forgive.”

CHALLENGE:

Peacemakers - offer peace and forgiveness!

Who do you need to offer forgiveness to?

Who do you need to ask for forgiveness from?

Can you really look at the purpose of Christmas and not receive the gift of peace!?

PRAY: