Peace

Dismiss kids to Bright Lights.

Encourage to open Bibles to 1 Peter 1.

Where are we going from here?

Current series, Oscar, Me, Mark 15-16.

Responsive reading- invite to stand.

Pray.

Read 1 Peter 1:1-2- Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Defining peace.

Shalom in the OT, Eirene in the NT.

Difficult concept to pin down- NIV- shalom translated seventy different ways.

Most basic understanding in the OT is to be complete, or to be sound.

E.E. Carpenter- “As used by the Christian community, the expression of ‘grace and peace be with you,’ conveys total well-being, prosperity, and security- all emanating from God’s presence with His people.”

Important to understand that these words- well being, prosperity, security, must be defined in relation to God by Scripture, not by worldly definitions.

Not difficult to imagine- Serenity on the cruise ship on our honeymoon.

Problem- when we consider peace, we presume a lack of conflict, a lack of threat.

Easy to imagine peace in such circumstances, but remember the context of verses this morning- people in the midst of trials and grief.

Peter offers peace that not only exists in terrible circumstances, but is meant to multiply, to grow.

How can this be? Certainly not if we are responsible for it.

Peace is an extension of God’s grace.

O.L. Joseph- “The early preachers felt that these two blessings travelled hand in hand, and comprised everything which a believer could need: God’s favour and the happiness which is its fruit.”

Philippians 4:6-7- Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

By guarding hearts and minds, it protects, even in dire situations.

1. Multiplied in you.

What brings peace?

Getting into the how of God gives peace.

What provides the fuel and what siphons off the fuel?

Isaiah 26:3-4- You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

Work backwards in the text- God is worthy of our trust. We ought not to trust in anything else but the sovereignty, the omnipotence, the omnipresence, the omniscience and the immutability of God.

If we trust in God, then our mind is stayed on God.

We consider often the source of our trust.

Roller Coaster illustration.

Throughout the OT, this shalom is reserved for those who walk in right relationship with God.

Consider the garden- existing at peace with God, until sin introduces discord.

This was sought after, an abiding in the presence of God.

Psalm 24:3-6- Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Psalm 105:4- Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!

Why do so many Christians seem to lack peace?

Everything seems to knock Christians from their peace.

Find ourselves like Peter in Matthew 14, our gaze has fallen from Jesus.

The world is frenzied, and the church has not been immune. Why is this the case?

Could it be that Christians today have not pursued the presence of God? That we have little peace because God is little on our minds?

This idea is unheard of in the NT- the church were together to bask in the presence of God.

Strange occurence today of Christians desiring to be a part of the Church yet looking and living and thinking and speaking just like the rest of the world around them.

No such thing in Scripture. Only bad examples- Ananias and Sapphira, Judas.

Maybe time to evaluate- where is our mind? Where is our devotion? Where is our worship?

Here is the difficulty- seeking the presence of God is absolutely a noble idea for which we all seek.

Our desire is to abide in Christ, as in John 15.

Everything calls us away from His presence.

The morning for me.

If we truly want peace, to rightly experience it and be growing in it, then our hearts and minds and selves better be given over fully to God.

2. Multiplied from you.

What we receive from God is typically meant to be given to others.

Matthew 18- Forgiving the insurmountable amount of debt to the ungrateful servant.

Matthew 18:32-33- Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’

John 13- Washing the feet of the disciples.

John 13:12-15- When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

That which we receive is meant to be shared.

No surprise to find Jesus calling people to be makers and spreaders of peace- Matthew 5:9- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Notice the language- As we make and spread peace, we resemble the Father as we are children of the Father.

Are we truly able to live at peace with all people?

Romans 12:18- If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Why so far as it depends on you?

We cannot change others- We cannot even change ourselves.

So what is our approach? Constant prayer.

Remember the Philippians 4 passage? Don’t be anxious about anything but bring your supplications and thanksgivings and requests to God.

A peacemaker does not simply cut people loose. We better be doing everything we can to live at peace.

And when we can’t do anything more, when we simply cannot “get along,”we better be on our knees pleading to our Father on their behalf.

Receive peace from God, be built up in peace from God, and extend God’s peace to everyone.

Finally, what has all of this to do with Christmas? Well, Jesus is the Prince of Peace.

3. Trusting the Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6- For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

What does it mean for this Messiah to be a prince of peace? Could be taken two ways, both of which are likely true.

The prince rules in such a way that makes peace possible.

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

Ultimately, Jesus makes possible the highest peace, that which was most costly, and that peace that was least likely.

Luke 2:13-14 - And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

This we celebrate at Christmas.

Christmas must be a time of reminder, that Christ was entering our world as one who not only brought peace, but enabled peace.

May we well remember the words of Jesus from John 16:33- I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.