It's Time For Peace

Intro: Hope is the motivation for living in the Will of God…Peace is the Fruit of our salvation that fuels our ability to remain in Christ no matter the circumstance we find ourselves in.

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

If by Kipling

This poem by Kipling is a wonderful example of the the peace we are talking about…it is an inner peace one that leads people to a palce of trust in God even in the midst of uncertainty.

Even though such a peace seems impossible it is in fact more than possible. It is possible becuase it is a truly a gift from God.

Paul exemplifies this truth by writing this letter from prison. He was not writing this to the Philippians from the comfort of an easy chair or even the damp confines of a cave some place…he was writing this from a place of uncertainty.

I grew up in a prison town and understand that even thought the conditions of such a place are less than ideal it is not the physical confines so much as the uncertainty of the next that makes these places so intense.

Paul is writing this to us uncertain as to his fate not uncertain to his circumstance. Everything is completely out of Pauls control....so in order for Paul to preach peace and live in peace he had to turn over the future to God.

While we are not in a physical prison there are many of us that can understand the idea of uncertainty.

Yet Paul proves that even in the midst of uncertainty we are offered Peace beyond understanding.

Philippians 1: 3-11

Philippians 1:3–11 NLT

3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, 5 for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. 7 So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. 8 God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus. 9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

The emotional turmoil we face is often as or more devastating to us than actual physical abuse…but if one did not know Paul was in prison while reading this they would never know.

Paul was Thankful in his circumstance

Paul was outward focused in his circumstance

Paul was encouraging despite his circumstance

Paul was focused on what was truly important in his circumstance.

Paul reminds us that discipleship is key to living the fruit of our salvation…which is an inner peace.

Peace is not something that we can define or developed it is only granted to us by God. This Peace that comes from our salvation is available to us when we choose to live in the invitation of salvation. a way of life that leads to it.

We need peace…The World is not peaceful, Our government is not peaceful, Our society is not peaceful…The world needs peace and we have it becuase of our salvation…and becuase we have received it as a gift it is our responsibility to re-gift it to the world.

We cannot call ourselves people of peace and contribute to the dumpster fire that is our current situation.

I am not trying to be harsh…I am trying to convey that peace is not just a gift for us it is a gift to the world…This is what Paul modeled to us in this passage…He did not develop Peace he accepted it and then he lived it.

It is time for the Church of Jesus Christ to be the Peace that the world is in desperate need of.

6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end….

Is 9:6-7

You Can seek peace in all kinds of places and not find Jesus…but if you are seeking Jesus you will always find Peace.

Communion: As you come to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus and return to your seat we want to sing a blessing to you....Then I will pray a blessing of peace over you as our dismissal.

Numbers 6:24-26

Numbers 6:24–26 NLT

24 ‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. 25 May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. 26 May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’