Future Focus Present Faithfulness Series Pt 5
“Pursuing Peace with ALL Men”
Scripture insists we continually maintain an eternal focus -- Colossians 3:1-4
Keep seeking the things above…Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Why? For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
What occupies our thinking throughout the day? How do we set our mind on the things above?
What are the things above? Our thoughts should center on Jesus. Our thoughts should center on what he has done for us. The character of his kingdom as opposed to the corruption of the kingdoms of this world should occupy our thinking. We should spend time thinking about life on the new earth. We spent time thinking about the glory of being in God’s presence.
In reality, there is no shortage of things to think about related to Heaven and eternity.
A healthy heavenly and the future focus…
1. Inspires faithful diligent service now
2. Encourages continued endurance to the end
3. Promotes holy living in the present
Hebrews 12 recorded three specific life goals to consider as individuals and as a church family.
A holy life is one whose direction is set by the principles and purposes of Scripture.
These goals nicely dovetail with the stated goals of our church. Perhaps most of them would fall under one of the three goals listed here.
Cultivate dynamic relationship with God
Pursue meaningful connection with people
Restore righteous living -- resist evil
Speaking the words of Christ.
Working the works of Christ.
Walking the walk of Christ.
So we may please God and impact our world for Christ. One could draw any number of life goals from Scripture. For the sake of clarity, I want to direct our attention to the specific goals listed here. The first is found in Hebrews 12:12, 13
a) Promote Healing among the body
Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
Both words used here are perfect passive participles. It describes a condition that happened to them at a point in time and still affected them. Passive indicates an action done TO them.
“the hands having become weak” This is a word that means to hang down. Basically they are hands that have been incapacitated and now unable to function.
The second word paints a very similar picture “the limbs having become feeble”. It means to loosen beside, to be paralyzed. Again incapacitated and unable to function.
Even though the reference is to the physical body, it has soul and spirit implication and application. It may be mental incapacitation, physical, emotional, spiritual, social, vocational, financial, marital, family, children or grand children. Something happened to incapacitate these believers so that they could no longer function. These believers were suffering some sort of paralysis. Something took place in their life to bring about such incapacitation. It may be sin, circumstances, life in a fallen world, demonic oppression, external persecution, and even God’s discipline. This church body needs to engage our community for Christ. We need to become healthy. A church is only as healthy as its individual members. Healthy parts make a healthy whole. A paralyzed church is designed of paralyzed members.
The passage calls for two actions.
First, “restore” the wounded.
It means to set straight; like setting a broken bone. Deal with whatever issues are paralyzing individual members. Depression, discouragement, disillusionment, confusion, contention, fear, guilt, anger, faulty thinking, inability to pray or draw near to God, bitterness, temporal values, a fleshly walk are only the symptoms of a broken connection with the source of spiritual life and vitality. These are only the symptoms of a life controlled by the flesh rather than the spirit.
Paul’s instruction for such a state is to walk by the direction and energy of the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. This is a heavenly focus. This is a surrendered life. This is a Christ centered life.
Restoration will involve repentance and surrender to Christ’s direction for my life.
Restoration may require addressing past wounds and those who inflicted them.
Restoration may include practical issues i.e. Financial counseling, physical fatigue, family intervention.
The nature of paralysis is that no matter how hard we try we cannot get the paralyzed member to function. We need to call for and submit to assistance from other members of the body of Christ.
Second, make straight paths to walk on.
This is an effort to eliminate the potholes, detours, wandering that may re-injure the limb or reopen a wound. It requires a reinforcement of Biblical thinking and the spiritual disciplines that restore strength. It involves establishing new patterns of living that facilitate spiritual growth. It requires an unfailing trust in God’s way of doing things.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
This is a Ministry for the whole body. Every member of the body must employ their gifts for the health and growth of the body. That includes teaching gifts. It also includes serving gifts.
Includes restoring biblical thinking that results in transformed living.
b) Purse peace with ALL men
Verse 14a introduces the next goal for the church.
“Pursue peace with all men…”
Grammar lesson for today. This is a present imperative second person plural.
Present meaning a continuous action – “continually pursue peace with all men”
Imperative means just like it sounds; an imperative action or a command.
This is not a friendly suggestion but a divine imperative. This is not an option but an obligation.
The second person plural directs the command to “ya all”. Every believer must “pursue peace with all men”
The Holy Spirit enlisted this word “pursue” 44 times in the New Testament.
In 28 of the usages it is translated “persecute”.
"But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5:44
What does this have to due with pursuing peace? How does “persecute” relate to “pursuit”?
If you think about it, those intent on persecuting someone have a strong determination.
They intend on doing you harm. It is not just a casual activity. They have set their whole attention to making your life miserable. God asks us to apply that same fervor to our relationships; not to harm but to heal. Pursue peace!
We embrace a gospel of peace. Peace stands as a core concept of both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The word appears over 250 times in the Bible. It appears in every single book of the New Testament except 1 John. The term itself has a broad range of meaning and application. It carries the idea of health, prosperity, rest, wholeness, security, completion, fulfillment, unity, restored relationship, harmony, tranquility, contentment, serenity, calmness, absence of conflict.
The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Ro14:17
It relates to our physical world, our relationship with God and our relationship with each others.
Here, we are commanded to pursue an atmosphere of peace with all men. Direct your attention to restoring healthy relationships with all men. God designed us for community; selfless service; forbearance; fellowship, mutual benefit. To live according to God’s design is to live in peace.
So much of scripture focuses on restoring healthy relationships between people and exposing unhealthy relationships; even in the church.
1 Cor 1:10-11; 3:1-4 Rom 14:19; 12:18 1 Pet 3:8-12 Eph 4:1-3 1 Thess 5:13b
What does a community like this look like? The transformed believer who continually seeks “the things above” looks like this. Colossians 3:12-17
What do your relationships look like? What does your community look like?
It is obvious that even the early church did not look like that. We encounter exhortation after exhortation to get along. Be careful lest you bite and devour one another. There are multiple admonitions to stop fighting. As long as fleshly ambition controls our life, there can be no peace.
James is very clear about the cause of conflict and unrest among people.
In fact, his whole letter deals with relational issues. Anger, a caustic tongue, partiality and favoritism, loving our neighbor as ourselves, adultery, murder, judgment, bitterness James 3:13-4:1-3
The true Christian community is to be known by its unmistakable love for one another.
When such community is not apparent, then the pursuit of pleasure rather than the pursuit of peace reigns. The peace of Christ is not given reign over the heart.
Such peace among God’s children is not automatic or we would not find commands like this to passionately pursue it. One day we will all live in perfect harmony. For now, one of the most attractive elements for a world in conflict; longing for what they were created, is just a taste of that heavenly harmony. I gathered up a list from a number of passages related to kingdom peace. I ended up with 66 characteristics of kingdom community. When I finished with the list, one glaring aspect grabbed my attention. All of these responses and actions have little to do with any response by the other person. All of these things can be practiced by us alone, yes even passionately pursued by us.
I ask you to do three things today before you leave.
First -- Reflect
Look over this list and honestly evaluate your relationship with people.
Failure to exhibit these characteristics indicates a self centered focus, a fleshly walk.
The quality of our relationship with people is a glaring indicator of the quality of our relationship with God.
Since the majority of them have nothing to do with how others respond to us the absence can only be attributed to something going on in our life.
We can’t blame others for not praying, pride, angry words, failure to sharing, serving, honoring, forgiving, forbearing.
Second – Repent
Take ownership and responsibility for my failure to Biblically respond to people.
Agree with God concerning my selfishness and my need for His forgiveness and those I have offended.
Third -- Resolve
I will pursue peace with all men.
Kingdom Relational Protocol
1. Be Harmonious
2. Be Sympathetic
3. Be Brotherly
4. Be Kindhearted
5. Be Humble in spirit
6. Give a blessing instead;
7. Seek peace and pursue it.
8. Demonstrate Humility
9. Demonstrate Gentleness
10. Suffer long
11. Forgive
12. Show tolerance for one another
13. Don’t return evil for evil or insult for insult.
14. Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
15. Be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
16. Bear with one another
17. Whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so should you.
18. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts
19. Demonstrate Thankfulness
20. Teach and admonish one another with all wisdom
21. Encourage and build up one another
22. Love Your Neighbor As Yourself. Galatians 5:14
23. Serve one another
24. Do good to all people (Gal 6:10
25. Speak the truth in love Eph 4:15
26. Speak the truth don’t lie Eph 4:24
27. Be angry but don’t sin
28. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger
29. Don’t steal but work to give to others
30. Speak words that build up
purge worthless and hurtful words
31. Love without hypocrisy
32. Be devoted to one another
33. Give preference in honor
34. Show love that is patient,
35. Show love that is kind
36. Show love that is not jealous;
37. Show love that does not brag
38. Show love that is not arrogant,
39. Show love that does not act unbecomingly;
40. Show love that does not seek its own,
41. Show love that is not easily provoked,
42. Show love that does not take into account a wrong
43. Show love that does not rejoice in unrighteousness,
44. Show love that rejoices with the truth;
45. Show love that bears all things,
46. Show love that believes all things,
47. Show love that hopes all things,
48. Show love that endures all things.
49. Show love that never fails
50. Build up one another
51. Pray for one another
52. Share with one another
53. Bless those who persecute
54. Love your enemies
55. Practice hospitality
56. Associate with the lowly
57. Be at peace with all men
58. Don’t judge
59. Accept the weaker brother
60. Pursue what makes for peace and growth
61. Please your neighbor rather than yourself
62. Bear the weakness of the weaker brother
63. Pray for those who despitefully use you
64. Stimulate one another to love and good deeds
65. Contribute to the needs of the saints
66. Gather together
