Fruit of the Spirit October 11, 2009
Peace
Galatians 5:22-23
Peace – definition
First thing we think of is lack of war, lack of strife – yes
Paul would have had Shalom in mind – beyond lack of strife - general well being, even prosperity
Good relationships between people, families, nations and groups
Good relationship with God
Good relationship with creation
Inner peace or serenity
What robs you of peace?
Exterior
Interior
Peace in the Storm
Jesus sleeping in the boat – Jesus as a picture of peace in the storm
Matthew 8:23-27
23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!"
26 He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
27 The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"
How does the Holy Spirit grow peace with in us?
Peace with others
Much lack of peace in the world comes from people grasping for more at the expense of others – we are heirs of the kingdom. – no need to grasp
Romans 8:14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Listening to the Spirit should turn off our need to grasp at more.
It should also help us when others are grasping at what we feel is rightfully ours.
As far as it is up to you…
Romans 8:6
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind controlled by the sinful nature is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.
Peace within
Philippians 4
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
I could teach you to do these things to gain inner peace – rejoice, instead of expressing anxiety, but instead pray and ask God for what you need, and give him thanks for the things that has already given you. Do that and you will have peace! But Paul promises a peace that goes beyond my understanding – I can understand gaining peace through worship, prayer and thanksgiving – God promises to go beyond what we understand, so that when people see that you are in the midst of a storm and they come up to you and say “I don’t understand how you can be so peaceful!” You can say, “neither do I!”
The Holy Spirit living in us can give us a supernatural peace that you cannot explain except that it is a gift from God.
John 14:16-17, 27I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. …
27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
True peace is a gift from God through the Holy Spirit
How do we cultivate peace?
We need to remember that the Fruit of the spirit are given in contrast to the deeds of the flesh, or the sinful nature in Galatians 5
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
In that list of the “acts of the sinful nature”, you may notice that the translators have added in commas and semicolons. The semicolons break the list up in easier to digest sections. the evangelical church has traditionally focused on the first and last section: “sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; …drunkenness, orgies, and the like.” The Charismatics have added a focus on “idolatry & witchcraft,” with our own contexualized definition of what that means. The section that most Christians have avoided is the section that Paul actually emphasizes - hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; He brackets this whole section with verse15: “If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other and 26: Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
This group is an obvious group of “the acts of the sinful nature” in our society today – I seem to be party to one side of a cell phone call where the person I hear is bragging about how they let someone else have it! TV is full of people treating each other badly – on both the “reality shows” and the dramas.
Part of cultivating peace in our lives, in partnership with the Holy Spirit is to get rid of the rocks! We need to realize that these things have no place in the Christian life. If we cut out the acts of hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy, we will find that we will have much greater peace with the people around us. – Recognize them for what they are, cut out the acts – let god work on the feelings.
Philippians 4
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
What the Spirit gives us is Supernatural, but we must partner
Rejoice
Be gentle
Don’t be anxious
Instead, pray
Ask
Thank God
Meditate on the good
Practice truth.
Remember that Jesus is in the boat with you.
Conclusion
Luke 19:41-2As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.
Some of us are living in turmoil when we don’t have to.
Do you want God’s peace?
