Peace & Truth Series

Sermon Brief

Date Written: September 29, 2011

Date Preached: October 2, 2011

Where Preached: OPBC (AM)

Sermon Details:

Series Title: A Series from Philippians

Sermon Title: Peace & Truth

Sermon Text: Philippians 4:5-9 [ESV]

Introduction:

If I had a title to give this sermon this morning it would be “A Focus on Real Truth and TRUE Peace!”

As believers, we know that this [hold up Bible] is God’s word and it is our belief that God’s Word is TRUE in every aspect and in every precept… From Genesis to Revelation God’s word is truth and there is NO error found in it!

If you don’t believe ALL the Bible, then how can you believe in ANY part of it? If you can pick and choose what you want to believe, where do you draw the line?

For believers this is a question of FAITH… you either believe the Bible is God’s Word or you don’t…and if you don’t, how can you even and WHY would you even claim to be a Christian!

For the TRUE believer, THIS is truth [hold up Bible again]! But that is NOT so in our world today… TODAY people are not looking for real truth, they want situational ethics and relative truth! They want only the truth that suits them… but that is not REAL truth!

But even tho’ people don’t want real truth, I find that they spend a lifetime looking peace in their lives! We all know that in our world today real TRUTH has been relegated to the relative and subjective and is focused around our thoughts and selfish desires… but TRUE peace… WE ALL are seeking after TRUE peace!

Everyone wants peace… FROM the most left wing radical to the most right wing conservative… everyone desires peace! Where our trouble comes as a society is how that peace can be achieved…

There are people all over the world who are crying out for peace… they want to see all military aggression stop and that we would all get along… and as noble of a wish that is… and great as that desire is for us all to aspire to… we cannot find REAL peace in this world.

However, for the believer, the TRUTH of Scripture reveals things about this peace the whole world is seeking… The Bible reveals to us that the peace the world desires cannot be achieved by our human means… It cannot be found because we are ALL sinful and out for ourselves! Don’t get me wrong, there ARE those who will do good things for others and may portray to the world a sense that they are doing this for the greater good… but deep in their hearts it is for their own satisfaction… it is a selfish motive!

In Scripture we are told that we ALL are all sinners and have all fallen short of God’s glory and perfection… and it also says that we have to pay the price of that sin… and that price is death and an eternity without God!

AND that is where the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ comes in… We have all fallen short, but God made a way for our forgiveness thru His Son Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary!

So the key FACT that we MUST remember AND understand is that TRUE peace cannot be obtained outside of REAL truth! AND the REAL truth is solid and unchanging! The REAL truth is not relative to any one particular situation or life circumstance…

The fact of the matter is that REAL truth is the ONLY truth! Contrary to what many in this world may tell you, truth is not what WE make it out to be, but truth is what it is… and we can find REAL truth… we can KNOW real truth… Real Truth is found in the person of Jesus Christ… and that TIMELESS truth of Him is revealed in God’s Word.

So let’s take a look at Scripture this morning and see what Paul had to say to the Philippian believers about peace and truth…

[read Phil 4:5-9 (ESV) here…show on screen – follow me as I read it…]

FOUNDATIONAL ISSUE…Be Christlike! – v.5

As Christians, we are called to be a witness to the world around us, but for us to be a witness and for people to actually listen to what we say… we have to live out our faith… we have to wear it proudly in our daily lives… we are called to be the representatives of Jesus here in our world today!

Paul understood this… and Paul knew the importance of relating to the world around him, and wanted the Philippian believers to know this as well…

In v.5 Paul writes, “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.”