Peace-Ing Together Series

1. What if. . .

a. . . . Our congregation ceased to exist? Would our community know? Would they care? Would the kingdom of heaven be impacted by our absence?

b. . . . We re-evaluate our purpose, what would we find?

1) Worship?

2) Study?

3) Fellowship?

4) Benevolence?

c. . . . Join God in HIS Mission?

1) That is, to bring Shalom (peace; wholeness) to people -- 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 hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

2) Motivated by a deep love and concern even for those out of our comfort zones

2. We are generally a bundle of chaos and confusion

a. Disease

b. Addictions

c. Job Stress

d. Families in turmoil

e. Fears

f. Mayhem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo7XYBiMRz0

3. Mark 4.35-41

I. Jesus on Mission -- To Bring Shalom (Peace) to the Other Side

A. A Center for Pagans: The Decapolis

1. Galilee -- devotion to God; Bible belt

2. Avoided Uncleanness at all costs (Matthew and Luke -- unclean stories precede this one)

16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6.16-18 (CF Isaiah 52.11-12)

3. The Other side had people in need as the Legion demoniac

B. Chaos Demonstrated -- an Interference to Jesus' Mission to the Other Side

1. The beginning -- The earth was without form [tohu] and void [v'vohu], and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1.2

2. Sea represents chaos (no Sea in Heaven -- Revelation 21.1)

3. Storm on the sea is HIGH chaos -- note it was at night as well

[Have you had those highly chaotic times when all seems distorted? A woman was in the checkout line in a grocery store. When it was her turn to pay she had trouble finding her wallet in her enormous purse. She finally began dumping things out onto the counter. One of the things she dropped was a TV remote. The man behind her could not contain himself and approached her. The woman thought he as angry for the delay, but he calmed her and asked about the remote. She replied that she and her husband had a giant fight just before she left to come to the store. She took the remote because that was the worst thing she could think of to do to him. CHAOS!

4. God settled the initial chaos with speaking -- Let there be. Light and creates stars, land, plants, animals, people, "tov and tov meod" Jesus settle the chaos here

C. Concern Displayed in Jesus' Mission

1. House of Israel and Other sheep

2. Confrontation of Evil

3. Mission to fix the broken -- even an unclean, demon-possessed man on the other side

II. Resistance to Jesus' Mission

A. It Appears that the Disciples Hesitated to Go on this Mission

1. Every time on the sea with Jesus, there is a storm

2. Feared the Sea -- "Abyss"

3. We realize that there are always storms -- whether or not we obey God

4. They are so hesitant that they do not get out of the boat when the reach the other side

B. The Devil Hampered This Mission

1. The King of Tohu -- Isaiah 5.20 (evil good; good, evil)

2. Jesus challenges the Evil One on the sea and with the Legion of demons

3. The storm was to disrupt Jesus' Mission

* [Qs: Does Satan ever disrupt the church on mission from God? Greek widows; persecution that caused dispersion; issue of circumcision; US? Would you say our congregation is at peace or in turmoil? Why? The Adversary even misuses scripture on occasion to disrupt Christians.

* Since God is not the author of confusion but shalom (1 Corinthians 14.33), would it be safe to say that if we are living in chaos and turmoil, God is not reigning?

4. Jesus rebukes Satan -- "SHUT UP!" (Literally)

And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Zechariah 3.2

The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts// "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Psalm 46.6, 10