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,
I love all the imagery here . . . the 1 century person latched on quickly to what Paul was saying. Let me explain:
You noticed the words “far off” . . . “brought near” in verse 13?
And “destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility” in verse 14?
You see, in the first century, there was a temple in Jerusalem where both Jew & Gentile were edible to visit and worship. But the gentiles were restricted to the “Gentile Court” and not allowed to proceed any further – into the more intimate areas of the temple. The were relegated to the common area.
So, how did they know how far to go and where their area came to an end?
There was a “wall of partition” that made a clear demarcation between the two areas. So, even if the Gentile wanted to worship the one true God in the temple, they were always held afar off and had to pray in the common area.
Of course, this caused a lot of hostility as many deemed it “unfair” because some lacked the ‘privilege’ or ‘opportunity’ to draw near to God. That’s why it is referred in Ephesians to the “dividing wall of hostility.”
This verse says that for Jew or Gentile, God longs to have peace and intimacy with anyone who asks for forgiveness from Him. Therefore, getting saved is like God tearing down any barrier that has kept you from having peace and intimacy with him…and you can now approach God’s Throne because you are his child!
Eph 2:16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
You see, it is through the cross that we can have peace . . . that we can come directly to the God of peace. On October 21, 2007, I shared this wonderful truth about how a Child of God can run to the God of Peace ANYTIME – by virtue of his relationship with Christ – as His child.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
You see, prior to accepting Christ as your savior, we were not “at peace” with Him.
And because of our sin, God must judge us and punish us for the sin that we deserve.
But, upon requesting forgiveness from God, we become NOT recipients of His wrath . . . but recipients of his grace, peace, and mercy!
3. God’s Peace can change the world.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
. . . and He will allow you to make a change!…Don’t try to change your habits . . . THEN come to Jesus. You can come to come to Jesus & He will give you a new life SO THAT you CAN change!!!
John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
The peace that comes from the cross of Christ is the peace that can change us. That can take us from where we are to where we should be. Not in our power, but in His power. NOT I, BUT CHRIST! It is a choice that we make.
You see, as Scrooge looked at his dark future. A future that involved no joy, no peace, no hope, he had a choice to make. He could choose to continue the path that he was on, or he could choose to change.
This is the choice that we are each faced with. Christ came to give us LIFE and to give it to us in abundance, but we must choose to accept that life. We must see and understand that Jesus is the one who gives us life . . . Jesus through His love and sacrifice gives us peace . . . Jesus through the Holy Spirit gives us joy . . . Jesus through His example of forgiveness takes away our bitterness . . . Jesus through His atonement for our sins brings us near to Him . . . Jesus covers us in His love . . . Jesus forgives us of our sins . . . Jesus cleanses us from our unrighteousness . . . and through His cross, through His birth in Bethlehem, because He did come to us as a little baby . . . JESUS SAVES!
Imagine a world without Jesus?
No Hope – Full of Bitterness – No Boundaries – No Freedom – and No Peace”
But here’s the good news -
Scrooge said: “Are these the things that WILL BE or things that MAY be?”
Meaning, that it is a choice!
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
