Text: “The LORD will give strength to His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace” (Psalm 29:11).
What is peace?
The American Heritage Dictionary tells us that “peace is the absence of war or other hostilities; Freedom from quarrels or disagreements”.
Scripture tells us that “The LORD will bless His people with peace” (Psalm 29:11), but people are not at peace with themselves, their families or their neighbors. Many parts of the world have never been free of war, yet “the LORD will bless His people with peace”. By the same token, some parts of the world have never experienced war, but people still are not at peace.
We are the children of God. God is the Father of all humankind. God has blessed humankind numerous times, so why isn’t humankind at peace with themselves and with each other? Is peace just being free of quarrels and/or disagreements? Is peace just the absence of wars?
God’s word is talking about an inner peace that is acquired only through knowing His Son, as our personal Lord and Savior. This is a peace above all other peace. This is a lasting peace. This is a peace that gives meaning to life and makes life worth living.
Listen to what Dr. George W. Crane wrote in the Chicago Daily News.
He wrote, a prominent judge said, “It seems to me that people have more mental disorders today. Or is it just that I have my attention focused on such things?”
“What would you advise as the best way to eliminate psychiatric problems?”
Dr. Crane said, “There would be much less strain on men and women if they teamed up with God as a daily partner. Indeed, in that event, psychiatry would almost pass out of existence.
People, who try to live independently and ignore God, are soon overwhelmed with innumerable fears and worries. They become the typical hypochondriacs, always fretting about gall bladder or ulcer or appendix or impending cancer or insanity.
If more people learned to team up with God, the human race would soon be able to throw off the 50 per cent of its ailments that medical educators admit are psychological.”
Some people who give God no consideration think they are living the best life. They are doing what they want to do. They are living as if life here on earth is forever. These people believe that they can solve their own problems. God is not needed because God doesn’t exist. They only believe in what they can visually see.
These people have all the money they need. They have a house larger than most other houses and furnished with top quality furniture and fixtures. Their cars are the best. All their efforts are concentrated on climbing the corporate ladder. They visualize their office in the ivy tower and put forth all effort to reach that office. These people are searching for peace in the wrong places.
God’s word says, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you” (Psalm 26:3). Each one of us will pass through trials and tribulations in life that we cannot avoid. Even during these times, we can have perfect peace when we are teamed with God the Father through His Son Jesus Christ.
We are disturbed and shaken by the trials of life we encounter, but God, who loves us and has a great strong impressive power is never shaken or moved. God’s word as related to the Philippians by Paul is as follows: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
True peace, the type of peace God offers is entirely different that any kind of peace the world has to offer. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
Real peace comes into our life by the work of the Holy Spirit. This peace is a peace that covers every kind of situation, conflict or disturbance we may ever encounter. This type of peace gives meaning to life. God never intended for us to be worried or stressed about anything.
Jesus said, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25).
It is really a sin for us to worry. Worry brings stress into our life. Worry and stress cause us to turn away from Almighty God when in reality; we should cast all of our burdens upon Him. Worry and stress gives Satan an opportunity to gain access to our inner being. When Satan enters into our life, we do things and commit acts contrary to the will of God.
When we devote our time, energy and effort to God, our life will stay on course, our issues will be taken care of and our needs met. When God is in control of our life, there is peace and tranquility within us.
Story: “The Peace of God”
How many thousands of lips have lingered lovingly over those sweet, strong words: “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
It is God’s peace. It acts as an armed guard drawn up around heart and thoughts to keep unrest out. It is too subtle for intellectual analysis, but it steals into the steadies the heart. You cannot understand it, but you can feel it. You cannot get hold of it with your head, but you can with your heart. You do not get it. It gets you. You need not understand in order to experience. Blessed are they that have not understood and yet have yielded and experienced.
-------------------------S. D. Gordon
God’s peace is like when husband and wife wrap their arms around each other with the feeling that nothing else matters. God’s peace is like when a mother nestles her baby close to her breast forgetting all the other things going on around her. God’s peace is given to us when we accept His Son Jesus as our own personal Lord and Savior.
God’s peace is given out of love. “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” (John 3:16).
When we love our spouse and our children, we are willing to do the utmost for them and to go the second mile for them. Our love goes out to them assuring them that we will be present and ready to help them in their time of need because they believe us and accept our love and concern for them.
Scripture says, “For He Himself is our peace…” (Ephesians 2:14). When Jesus walked upon the face of the earth there were two groups of people. There were Jews and there were Gentiles. There was a barrier between these two groups although both were God’s children.
Barriers between people bring about unrest instead of peace. The temple was so constructed so there were barriers or walls between. There were four walled courtyards that surrounded the temple. The Court of the Gentiles was the first courtyard. Since this was not holy ground, Gentiles could enter and walk upon this area.
This is the area John talks about (John 2:14-17) when he said, “And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.”
This first courtyard is where buying and selling took place. This is where the Gentiles were permitted. The temple was in the confines of this first courtyard. The temple design was rather neat. The temple rested on a platform built twenty-two feet above the floor of the Court of the Gentiles. There was a stone wall surrounding the temple. The temple was accessible by stairs.
This temple area was only for Jews. Non-Jews were not allowed to enter this area. Within the temple was the inner court which was considered holy ground. This inner court was also surrounded by a high wall. This inner court was divided into two areas that were not of equal size. Jewish men and women were permitted in the eastern court.
This eastern inner court is where the woman gave two copper coins. Mark 12:42 tells us, “Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites…” A mite was like our penny. It was the smallest coin of the day. A mite was worth 1/4 of a cent.
The western court was strictly for the Priests. The altar, in this room, is where the animal sacrifices took place.
I am trying to get you to see that the walls in the temple placed barriers between the people. The barriers separated the Jews and the Gentiles. There was no peace in the hearts of these two groups.
Jesus came to bring peace to all God’s children by breaking down or destroying the barriers separating them. God’s people are all one. Jesus died for all humankind and when He did, the barrier of hostility was put to death.
“For He himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividng wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations” (Ephesians 2:14-15).
When Jesus died for us, He gave us peace. That peace gives us the assurance of access to our Father, Almighty God. We have access via the Holy Spirit. We are not left on the outside like a foreigner or alien or stranger. We are part of God’s holy temple. Our body is the temple of God and Jesus is the Cornerstone. Being a part of God’s temple brings peace into our heart.
There are no barriers in God’s temple. Nothing will divide us from other people. Things like age, theology, belief, looks, status in life, race, color or creed should not be barriers separating us from other people. As Christians, these barriers have been buried at the foot of the Cross.
Our focus should be on the Cross and not the ground below the Cross. We should be looking up and not down. By focusing on the Cross, barriers disappear and peace enters the inner chambers of our heart. The Holy Spirit will give us the strength and power to look beyond any barrier we encounter.
When Jesus died, the anger, hatred and resentment the Jews and Gentiles had for one another no longer was present. “His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace” (Ephesians 2:15).
In other words, all believer were merged or combined together and became one in Jesus. The Jews knew they were near God because they were acquainted with Him. The Gentiles were at distance from God because they lacked the knowledge of God that the Jews possessed. No matter what good things these two groups did, they could not be saved.
Jesus came to make peace and justification possible for both groups. “…a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Galatians 2:16).
Jesus invites both Jews and Gentiles to come to Him and receive the peace He has to offer. “He Himself is our peace…” (v. 14).
Conclusion:
Poem: “Peace on Earth”
Peace on earth, with a world at war?
O what were the angels singing for
That far-away night when the Star shown down
With a glorious light on Bethlehem’s town?
Peace on earth! They were singing of Him
Who was born that night to redeem from sin;
Who still has the power to cleanse and to heal
The contrite heart who is willing to kneel.
Peace on earth, amid sorrow and loss?
Yes, peace indeed, at the foot of the cross!
Peace in a world that is troubled and torn,
Peace in each heart where the Savior is born.
Peace on earth, while the nations rage?
And history is making its darkest page?
Yes, peace on earth, for its steadfast light
Is burning in thousands of hearts tonight!
-----------------A. H. M.
Amen!
