HoHum:
Two painters were commissioned to paint a picture of peace. The first chose for his canvass a scene of tranquillity of a still lake among beautiful far off mountains. The second threw across his canvass a thundering waterfall with a fragile little tree suspended over the foam. There at the fork of the branch, dampened by the spray, sat a robin on its nest. The first picture was one of “stagnation.” The second one of “peace.” Talking about Christian peace tonight.
WBTU:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace” Galatians 5:22, NIV.
A major attraction of many of the therapies and philosophies of today are of achieving a sense of peace, a relief from anxieties, fears and griefs, anger, guilt, and a sense of inadequacy. Such negative emotions are not only upsetting; they cause our work to suffer, our relationships to be poor, and our bodies to react with sickness. With all the anti anxiety and anti depressant drugs, anger and grief counseling, a good question needs to be asked, “Where is all the peace?” Peace is promised but rarely achieved.
During his ministry Jesus was meeting distraught, troubled, anxious, worried, fearful, and disturbed people. When they met with Jesus, many of them experienced peace. Jesus would heal them and they would have peace. Or they would listen to his teachings and experience peace like with his teaching here: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29, NIV. Before he went to the cross, Jesus said to his disciples, ““Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” “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 14:1, 27, NIV.
Now, “tranquility,” or “contentment” or “calm” is not always the way that people experienced peace in response to Jesus’ words and actions. The peace that Zacchaeus found was an excited peace, a joyful, grateful state that led him to action. To the morally and spiritually complacent, Jesus did not bring calm, but upset: “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.” Luke 12:51, NIV. It is a safe guess that he raised the anxiety level of the rich young ruler and others who witnessed this event. Many of his parables aim to disturb the religious, and Jesus certainly did not promote feelings of peace in the money changers he drove with a whip from the Temple courtyard. The ideal person is not always calm.
Thesis: Let’s talk about the Christian concept of peace, then the negative emotions of upset and how to deal with them
For instances:
Peace in the NT is referring to one of 4 things:
1. Our relationship with God. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” Romans 5:1, NIV.
2. Accompanying the first, peace can refer to the state of a Christian’s soul. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15, NIV.
3. Sometimes peace is talking about the status of a human relationship. “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3
4. This last one ties in with the OT idea of peace, “Shalom.” Biblical concept of shalom can be defined as flourishing, wholeness, and delight. More than just the absence of conflict but that all the pieces of life fit together.
Unfulfilled in the OT, is that true, lasting peace comes through Jesus Christ. ““Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”” Luke 2:14, NIV. Shalom is centered on human beings living in intimacy with God and by God’s looking on them with joy and blessing them with the fruits of righteousness. This is called peace because it is the opposite of the opposition and hostility between God and humanity that Christ’s incarnation, ministry, death, and resurrection are intended to overcome. Shalom is also marked by relationships of love and respect and mutual helpfulness among human beings that reflect the character of their Father, the opposite of the hostility and division from which Christ came to save us. “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” Ephesians 2:14-16, NIV.
“He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” Ephesians 2:17, 18, NIV. When we obey the gospel commands, the peace that God has created in Christ can take up home in our souls. This peace needs to rule “in our hearts.”
Negative emotions of upset and how to deal with them
Anxiety, grief, anger, guilt
1. Anxiety- “distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune”
“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:31-33, NIV. Instead of setting our minds and hearts on earthly satisfactions, seek God’s kingdom, and our anxiety will be quieted. Jesus is urging that we focus our minds on God’s shalom rather than on the details of our survival. God gives us his promise that he will take care of us and so we have shalom. This emotion cancels the perception of insecurity that is anxiety.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6, 7, NIV. Prayer with thanksgiving can overrule anxiety because we are talking to the God of peace, the Author of Shalom. As other Scriptures elude, God is the mother hen who covers us with the security of the everlasting wings in the cross and resurrection of Jesus. Here Shalom is definitely emotion, and it alleviates anxiety.
2. Grief- This describes our emotions over losing something of value to us, usually a loved one lost to us through death. God’s peace helps us with our grief in different ways. If our spouse dies, we have consolation through our faith in Christ, that we will see them again. Grief for the dead child is softened by the hope that in God’s grace that child one day will be restored at the resurrection. What about those who are outside of Christ who have died? Well, the greatest grief buster is when we see Jesus: “I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no-one will take away your joy.” John 16:20-22, NIV.
3. Anger- a strong feeling of displeasure and belligerence aroused by a wrong. With anger one wishes to be treated fairly or respectful by others, or one wishes this treatment for some other party, but somebody or some group frustrates this by an offense. Often when we are angry at others, we look down on them from a position of holier than thou. “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” James 1:19, 20, NIV. Many times we place ourselves in a superior position when only God should be there. There are times when we should be good and angry like Jesus, but most of the time we are angry because of some offense against ourselves. What should we do with our anger? Once we have control of ourselves, follow the advice of Jesus in Matthew 18, one on one, then with witnesses. This is serious in the church where we are all brothers and sisters of God the Father. Christian peace is at odds with the division caused by anger. Christian peace, when one really has it, chases away anger and tends to bring conflict to an end and fellowship to a beginning. Probably why Paul said, ““In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,” Ephesians 4:26, NIV.
4. Guilt- The deserving of punishment because of breaking God’s law. Peace, Shalom, is viewing ourselves as loved, forgiven, washed clean, reconciled to God, and destined for heaven. Now there needs to be repentance, but all of our sins are forgiven through Christ. “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,” Colossians 2:13, NIV.
So what?
With all of that said, Christianity is not a faith for those who wish never to be upset. A Christian knows about the shalom of God and experiences it regularly. However, we should also perceive with our hearts the evils of this world. Inability to recognize this evil and failing to have negative emotions from it, is unacceptable blindness and a fault of character. Sometimes we do become anxious or angry, we grieve, we feel guilt from sins of commission or omission. On the other hand, the Christian faith should fill us with love, joy and peace. And, as one Scripture puts it, a peace that passeth all understanding.
