Advent Themes: Peace

SERMON OUTLINE:

God of Peace:

“May the God of peace…” (vs 20a)

God of Protection:

“…that great Shepherd of the sheep…” (vs 20b)

God of Power:

“who…brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus,” (vs 20c)

God of Provision:

“…equip you with everything good for doing his will…” (vs 21a)

God of Purpose:

“... …and may he work in us what is pleasing to him” (vs 21b)

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• An elderly Christian lady attended a Christian conference gathering;

• Similar to Kewick/Spring Harvest etc.

• For her it was really the first time she had mixed with Christians from other denominations,

• It was a brand new experience;

• The week really blessed her and opened her eyes to the richness of Christian traditions

• She especially liked it when the preacher suggested;

• Instead of using the normal greetings,

• Why not use one popularised by the early Church.

• He pointed out that the first Christians were so eagerly awaiting the return of Christ;

• That they used the word ‘maranatha’;

• An Aramaic word meaning ‘the Lord is coming’.

• The elderly lady took this idea on board;

• And the next day when people were on route to the restaurant for breakfast;

• She stood by the door enthusiastically greeting everyone with the words;

• “Marijuana, brother, marijuana”.

• TRANSITION: she was close phonetically;

• And yet not really close at all!

• The verses, the benediction, the doxology we read in Hebrews chapter 13;

• Is not a teaser, it is not a leg-puller, an unattainable expectation;

• Speaking of something we all want and need but actually we can never attain!

• In Jesus Christ we can enjoy and experience the ‘peace of God’ in our lives.

• These verses instruct us that the peace of God;

• Can and should be the experience of all God’s children.

• God does not want us to be consumed by worry, anxiety, fretfulness, concern.

Ill:

• A very worried, anxious, fretful looking Native American Indian walks into a bank;

• He looked at the bank manager and said;

• “Grass gone, well dry, sheep dead”

• The bank manager took him into the back room & the Indian opened up his security box;

• It contained a number of gold nuggets.

• The Indian the replied:

• “Grass green, well full, sheep happy”

• Now the man’s circumstances had not changed;

• But now he realised he had the resources to overcome his circumstances.

• That knowledge removed his worry, anxiety, fretfulness and concern.

• Quote: The Scottish preacher George Morrison defined peace as:

• “The possession of adequate resources”.

• ill: In other words if there is enough money in your bank account;

• You don’t worry when the postman delivers bills.

Now earthly resources are important:

• That is why we go to work to earn enough money to buy these assets;

• But in themselves earthly resources are never enough;

• They may make for a comfortable lifestyle;

• But they cannot bring into our lives that quality of peace that we are need in our lives.

• And of course they were never meant to!

• That is why the Bible calls us foolish when we look to earthly resources;

• For satisfaction, for quality of life and as a means of attaining peace;

• God himself is the source of our peace!

• And apart from him we will never experience true peace of heart and mind.

(1). God of peace

“May the God of peace”

• The apostle Paul uses the title “God of peace” six times in this letter;

• Quote: Charles Swindoll:

• He suggests a practical paraphrase of this term would be: ‘Mental health’.

• For God desires that there be a calm, a tranquil, a peace within our hearts;

• And not a panic or strife or discord.

• ill: Market stall lady; “You haven’t got any peace of mind for sale have you?”

• This benediction reminds us that we cannot buy it or earn it!

• But we can experience it!

• Quote: Ajahn Chah (Reflections)

• Looking for peace is like looking for a turtle with a moustache:

• You won't be able to find it.

• But…when your heart is ready, peace will come looking for you!

Note:

• The New Testament teaches that every Christian has “peace WITH God”;

• And as a result we can experience “the peace OF God”.

• This type of peace is divine in origin “Not as the world gives”;

• It is sourced in the very nature of God.

Many Bible commentators suggest:

• The reason the apostle Paul uses this title for God;

• Is because there was conflict and not peace in this Church fellowship;