True Peace

INTRO

Hello ladies!  It is so good to be together! Thank you for being here!

Our theme this year is peace.

In this era of COVID, disunity, and uncertainty, where do you find comfort and peace? 

I know for me there’s no place like home. I like to put on my slippers and cozy up with a blanket on the couch with a good book.

Even better, having all my kids and grandkids with us. There’s such comfort in being together, even if it’s not exactly a quiet time! 

Sometimes no matter how much I try though; peace is hard to find.

My heart is anxious about many things.

Life is filled with uncertainties, challenges, disappointments, and sometimes even heartbreaking losses, which I know someof you have experienced this year.

Yet God promises true peace to his children, even in the midst of trials. Like an anchor for our souls.

TEXT

Let’s read a passage from John 14 together and see.

Jesus said,

1 "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,

17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

23 If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Fatherwill love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. My peace I give you.”

PEACE FROM JESUS

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples soon before his death on the cross.

They were understandably very upset that He was about to leave them. They’d enjoyed 3 years by his side, the wisest,most loving friend you could imagine.

He tried to explain that the Holy Spirit would replace hisphysical presence with them. That this would be even better because He would dwell within them and never leave them. Hemakes this amazing promise, ‘the Father & I will come to you and make our home with you.' 

Think about the purpose of a home.  It provides shelter and comfort.

When we welcome Him, God makes his home in our hearts, moving in with his unending mercy and steadfast love. Even when there are storms around us, He is always available to comfort and console us. He even does the house cleaning! And He whispers precious promises to us.

Jesus’ said, “my peace I give to you”, and this is no an empty promise.

The word for ‘give’ here means to bestow, as in bestowing an inheritance. Think about that. The very same peace he enjoyed with his Father, he bestows upon us an our inheritance.

This peace was not achieved by military might but by the power of his perfect life, death and resurrection. 

You see, our sins had separated us from this Holy God, estranging us from a relationship with Him. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Yet God loved us so much He sent His one and only precious Son to bridge the gap our trespasses had caused.

Christ paid the death penalty for us and gives us the permanent blessing of a restored relationship with God! Perfect love and acceptance! This is what we all long for, because God wired us to need it.

This is the gift that he offers to us. We can’t earn it or pay for it ourselves. In fact, that would be kind of rude to ask the Giver, how much do I owe you?! 

He loves us and delights to give good gifts, salvation being the Ultimate One. Everyone who believes is reconciled to him freely by grace.

He has prepared this peace treaty for us, purchased by the cross. Our terms are simply to agree that we need a Savior and receive Him.

And in the place of enmity comes peace. And there is nothing sweeter in all the world than to be at peace with God. There is no more important and stable peace than this.

PEACE FOR TODAY

The expression peace, from the Hebrew word shalom, conveys the notion of positive blessing; that “all is well” in one’s life.

I know for me, my sense of well-being is often based on unpredictable things like friendships, finances or health.

I think that we as women like to try to fix everything, don’t we? Get all our ducks in a row and then we can have peace.It’s more like hearding cats, isn’t it?!  But that’s not the Lord’s experience. I love this verse from Matthew:

(10:29–31)

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

He knows us better than we know ourselves, even how many hairs are on our head before and after we take a shower!  And He is lovingly orchestrating our lives, every detail.Although many times we don’t understand what He’s up to, we can trust him.

When we surrender our perceived control and acknowledge that He is in control of it all, we can have peace. When we know that he listens to and answers our every prayer in his wisdom and timing, we can find peace.

The more we learn to trust the Lord for everything, the more secure we’ll feel. Like the daughter in this story:

During the WWI, a train carrying dispatches to the headquarters was compelled to go over sixty miles of very rough track, andreach its destination within an hour. The engineer and his wife and child were in the coach. Every moment threatened to pitch the train over the embankment or over a bridge, and, as it rolled from side to side, leaping at times almost in the air, rushing past stations, the few people inside held their breath and often cried out with terror as they sped along. There was one on that train who knew nothing of their fears and that was the child of the engineer. Happy as a bird, when asked if she was afraid, shelaughed aloud and looked up and answered, “Why, my father is at the engine.” A little later, the engineer came into the car to cheer up his wife and, as he wiped the great drops of sweat from his face, the child leaped into his arms and laid her head upon his bosom, as happy and peaceful as when at home.

That little girl had full confidence in her daddy to do his job and take care of her. 

Our heavenly Father made this whole world and has it all in his hands.  And He has promised to take care of us.

This peace is not an exemption from turmoil, danger, and duress. As Jesus was about to demonstrate soon after he spoke these words, it’s not the absence of conditions that intimidate,but rather the composure to be faithful in the face of adversity.

Rather than extracting us from danger, Jesus offers us poise and resolve amid even overwhelming circumstances.

His peace is given to us as we trust his promise to be with us always and to help us through trials. 

Do you have a favorite superhero?

I think mine is Spiderman, I guess I just like the romance between him and MJ, and how he rescues her.

Well, Jesus is better than the best superhero you can imagine! 

The prophet Isaiah described him like this: 

For unto us a child is born, unto 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.

PEACE FOR THE FUTURE

He grants us peace for the present as well as for the future. Often, it’s the fear of the unknown that makes us anxious, isn’t it? He assures us of what’s to come.

Not only has he made his home in us while we are on our journey here, but he has gone before us to prepare our forever home and will return to take us there to be with him.

In Jesus’ day, many dwelling units were combined to form an extended household. It was customary for sons to add to their father’s house once married, so that the entire estate grew into a large compound centered around a communal courtyard. 

I love this idea and dream about my kids moving into our neighborhood!

The image used by Jesus may have conjured up notions of luxurious Greco-Roman villas, replete with numerous terraces and buildings, situated among shady gardens with an abundance of trees and flowing water. 

Jesus conveys to his followers a vision of future heavenly living that surpasses even that enjoyed by the most exalted ruler or wealthy person of that day.

Ladies, we have a heavenly home better than the best fixer upper or mansion this world can offer! We have a beautiful, eternal dwelling place to look forward to in the new Kingdom.

When we understand that He will take us by the hand and lead us there on our final day, to the ultimate family gathering in heaven, we can have true, hopeful peace. This helps us endure the difficulties of this life.  Kind of like the feeling you mighthave when looking forward to a vacation after a hard season of work.  We have heaven to set our hearts on.

And we have Jesus, the  wisest, most loving  friend you could imagine. Immanuel. He is with us now, He will be with usforever.

PEACE TO SHARE

And if that weren’t enough, He also provides family for us in our spiritual homes, the local church,

so we can enjoy this peace together and invite others to experience it as well. The gospel mends our relationship with God and with others as we follow His call to forgive as we have been forgiven.  

CONCLUSION

So, this Christmas, may you know the Prince of Peace by welcoming Him into your heart and enjoying His Presence.  May we set our hearts on our future, glorious home in the everlasting kingdom of peace. And may we extend His peace toeveryone we know.

Let me close by reminding you of Jesus’ parting words to his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. My peace I give you.”

If you'd like to talk or receive prayer afterwards, some of uswill be up front and happy to meet with you.