Peace – The Way of God

Intro: Our world is full of violence, and our daily lives are marred by conflict, turmoil and a lack of peace. But God promises His people a peace that surpasses all understanding. God’s way is always the way of peace because He is a God of peace. (Romans 15:33)

I. Peace is a gift from Jesus. (John 14:27)(NLT)  “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

  a.The peace Jesus offers his disciples isn’t like the peace the world gives. The peace Jesus is speaking of enables believers to remain calm in the most wildly fearful circumstances. It enables them to hush a cry, still a riot, rejoice in pain and trial, and sing in the middle of suffering as did Paul and Silas while they were in prison. This peace is never by circumstances, but instead affects and even overrules them. It is his peace, the peace he modeled every day of his life. Jesus’ peace did not flee conflict, pain, or death. In fact, the more intense the difficulties, the more apparent Jesus’ peace became. Jesus derived his peace from his relationship with the Father and by being the sacrifice for our sins. He has put us in a relationship with the Father that brings us our peace. We are to let the peace of Christ judge, decide, govern, and rule in our hearts like an umpire. We allow the peace of Christ to make all the calls for the actions and attitudes in our lives. (Colossians 3:15)

II. Peace with God. Romans 5:1 (NLT) Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

 a. Peace has been made with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, which fact is demonstrated by God’s justification of us. A believer is not responsible for having peace in the sense of making it but in the sense of enjoying it. Ephesians 2:14a (NKJV)  For  (Christ) Himself is our peace.  We now can approach God at any time because we are no longer His enemy, but His children having been born again by the Spirit of God, baptized into the body of Christ. True peace is not found in positive thinking, in absence of conflict, or in good feelings; it comes from knowing that God is in control. Believers are given peace with God when they believe. Nothing on this earth can bring you true peace, it will always leave you empty.

   

III. Peace of God should rule our actions. How do we let the peace of God rule in our lives?

      Philippians 4:6-9 (NKJV) ⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. ⁹ The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

 a. When the exhortations of verse 6 are heeded, the peace of God in (v. 7) will flood one’s troubled soul. Eph. 2:14 Says The Lord Jesus Christ is a believer’s peace, and every child of God has peace with God through justification by faith in Jesus as stated in Rom. 5:1. But the peace of (or from) God relates to the inner tranquility of a believer’s close walk with God. True peace is not found in positive thinking, in absence of conflict, or in good feelings; it comes from thinking on godly things as described in verse 8. True peace is knowing that God is in control. Believers are given peace with God when they believe, and we have the inner quietness of the peace of God as we daily walk with him. This peace of God transcends all understanding, that is, it is beyond man’s ability to comprehend. This peace guards the believers. Guard translates a military term which means “to protect or garrison by guarding.” Like soldiers assigned to watch over a certain area, God’s peace garrisons (protects) the heart and mind, that is, the emotions and thoughts, of His children. Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT) You (God) will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! ⁴ Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

   Invitation: Do you have peace with God through the forgiveness of your sins? If not now is the time to confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you of your sins against God and give you a home in Heaven. No Jesus, no peace. Know Jesus, know peace!