A Blockbuster Christmas - No Peace

A Blockbuster Christmas Series – No Peace

Sunday, December 23, 2007

“Imagine a world without Jesus . . . No Hope.”

“Imagine a world without Jesus . . . No Forgiveness…only Bitterness.”

“Imagine a world without Jesus . . . No Boundaries…No Freedom.”

And Today, sums up entire series – “No Hope/Forgiveness/Boundaries = No Peace”

“Imagine a world without Jesus . . . No Peace.”

During this time of year, so many people are innundated with the busyness of the season. Shopping, parties, banquets, and so much more keep us running incessantly. And in the midst of this time, a time which is supposed to bring such happiness and joy and peace, statistics show that people are far more lonely and unhappy during the Christmas season than any other time of the year. Why is that?

I believe it relates directly to those who seek their joy and their peace in the wrong place. We’ve looked at several movie clips over these past few weeks and we’ve seen examples of people who choose the wrong things in their lives. And, we’ve seen where the right choices would bring them everything they are looking for.

Today, we continue and we see that if Jesus had never been born, this indeed would be a world without peace. The world is clamoring for peace. Conferences, meetings, speeches, demonstrations all over the world are taking place calling for peace. Looking for peace. But yet, it does not come. Why is that? It is because peace is a choice . . .

“Imagine a world without Jesus? It would be our own futile attempts at peace. And in our attempt for peace, we would attempt to pursue things related to our 1) job, 2) studies, or 3) wealth…only to be encumbered, entangled, and frustrated by the very things we thought would bring us peace, the things that we thought would bring us joy.

1. God’s Peace is not of this world.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

We must understand that true peace doesn’t come from our hearts, it doesn’t come from government, it doesn’t come from the results of war. Peace only comes from the giver of peace. Here Jesus made it very clear that it His peace that will truly bring peace. And that peace is only available from Him. Notice what it says in the previous verse:

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

Jesus tells us here that it is through the Holy Spirit that today we can recall . . . remember . . . what it is that Jesus came to give. The peace that Jesus came to this world to give is available to us and the Holy Spirit will come alongside each of us to help to live it!

Jesus wanted to stress the special quality of the peace that only He can give and emphasize that He has a peace that they have never seen or experienced!!! Supernatural Peace – not of this world. A world without Jesus? The world’s quote/unquote “peace” that the would not even compare.

2. But God’s Peace is available to the world

The word “reconcile” means “to make peace” When God forgives us, He makes a way to where we can have peace with God! The Bible also uses the imagery of being “afar off” or “far away” or “separated” or “excluded” from God . . . and God brings us near.

Notice these two very vivid passages of scripture that describe how we were once far away . . . and God brought us near to Him through peace & forgiveness:

Col. 1:20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—

Paul puts it this way in Ephesians 2:12-15…that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,