Peace, Wonderful Peace

Lesson: Philippians 4:6-9 Text:12-18 ("What then?")

THE SPIRIT OF JESUS
PEACE THROUGH A HIGHER FOCUS

Preface: If a man in prison can tell me how to experience real joy and
peace- tell me in practical terms- and can demonstrate the same- I'll
buy the book! But we all already have the book! Let's look at it
these four Sundays in August! [One would-be master writer ... with
means ... made an idyllic place to write (I've forgotten his name;)
... Paul wrote about LOVE and about JOY and about PEACE from prison!]

INTRO: 'DEFINING' "PEACE"

1. The word 'peace' is almost a cliché. What really is peace?
Defining "peace" is a little like defining "health." We usually use
negative terms: absence of disease. But health is MORE than just not
being sick; and God's peace is more than just absence of tension and
the storms of life. (Harmony/ tranquility/ serenity )

One thing we know is that Jesus gives peace to His people as
their right: He wills that we shall know His peace.

But having it in the "will" and appropriating real peace are two
different things.

2. 'Peace' does not mean we will never face tension or struggles or
storms of life. Peace does not mean we sail the wide seas no more.

Many of us struggle with emotions that will not behave at times;
some people know acute emotional stress. Still I believe that peace
that passes understanding, peace that keeps the heart and the mind are
for me and for you!

WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF THIS PEACE JESUS HAS FOR HIS PEOPLE?

I. The Foundation for God's peace is a FREEDOM from THE GUILT and the
DOMINION of SIN.

There is a lack of awareness of sin in much of our world today.
That does not erase the fact that existential unrest - lack of peace-
exists where SIN, its GUILT and its POWER have not been dealt with.

TO ENTER GOD'S PEACE WE MUST KNOW OUR SINS FORGIVEN, AND OPEN OUR
HEARTS TO GOD'S CLEANSING

II. The Structure of God's peace is a SELF-WORTH that comes from
belonging to God, to His family. This peace connects directly to
what we call VALUABLE in life.

We cannot have peace if our self-worth depends on secondary good
things. WE CAN NEVER HAVE REAL PEACE IF OUR GOALS IN LIFE ARE WRONG,
OR IF THEY ARE FUZZY!

1. Real PEACE is built upon a separation from the idols that the
world worships. Almighty God is the enemy of all false gods, and He
will never give peace to those who worship lesser deities, whether
they are pagan idols, or whether they are "things" and "positions" and
"feelings."

2. Many of the things that the world worships are good servants,
and God is not diametrically opposed to "things;" He simply will not
give peace to those who make "things" first in their lives.

3. TWO THINGS are wrong with setting our first priorities on
'lesser gods.' (1) If we don't achieve them they frustrate us! and
(2) If we DO achieve them they frustrate us! To know God's peace we
can deliberately surrender our goals for God's transforming light
... ask Him to show us the privilege of being His children, and ask
Him to show us His goals for our lives!

III. The Experiencing of God's peace COMES IN 'LETTING GOD BE GOD!'

[Easy to say; not always easy to do!] It is when we can find
'detachment' from God's work! (We don't have to do it ourselves!)

GOD IS SOVEREIGN, HE IS IN CONTROL! AND GOD IS THE MASTER-
BUILDER, HE WILL ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSE! We can trust Him that He will
do what He says He will do!

1. WE CAN EXPERIENCE Peace in the matter of CONTROL:

-WE DON'T HAVE TO SEEK TO CONTROL OTHER PEOPLE (We can't make
over that spouse! We are not living through that adult son or
daughter!) We cannot seek to STEER other people, situations!

-WE DON'T HAVE TO BE STEERED BY OUTSIDE PRESSURES!

2. AND WE CAN LEARN Peace in the matter of RESULTS!:

PAUL isn't building the church! Paul isn't RESPONSIBLE for
building the church! Paul IS responsible to do Paul's job! Paul
belongs to Jesus.

But when Paul has done his best and ends up in jail Paul can
honestly say, "So WHAT!" God WILL do what God alone can do! WE CAN
BE FREE FROM RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESULTS!

HOW CAN WE EXPERIENCE THIS PEACE THAT JESUS GIVES?

Conclusion:

A simplistic start toward renewed peace in your life ... foolish
enough to speak of three simple steps:

(1) We can OPEN UP to God! Don't hide anything! Tell Him how you
feel! But be sure to confess your sin, your need of Him. And that
doesn't END when you are soundly saved! STAY OPEN! That's the
foundation!

(2) We can continue to SEEK AFTER God! [Paul: This ONE thing I do!]
Don't insist on YOUR way -- and don't let any person or any group tell
you what God's will is! Surrender your claims, your rights to God
alone! Ask HIM to give you life goals and values! Don't stoop to be
a multi-millionaire if God wants you to be a servant!

(3) And, by God's grace we can learn to LET GOD BE GOD! (20 'Christ
will be exalted in my body') This is a LEARNED thing! But as we do our
faithful best to obey because we love ... Paul says: THE PEACE OF GOD
WILL KEEP YOU! AND THE GOD OF PEACE WILL BE WITH YOU! That's how Paul
could say: "So what!" Let HIM be responsible for the results!
Perhaps you and I are a bit behind Paul in the school of perfect
personal peace. But I am pretty certain that even Paul himself had to
work at the job of maintaining his peace.

You don't have to have a perfect setting to have peace .. nor [thank
God] do you have to be in jail, either!

#409 Singing I Go