OUTLINE
“With Us” - Part 2 - Peace
Steele Creek Church
December 13, 2020
A worldly approach to personal peace
• Look within for it
“If there’s no inner peace, people can’t give it to you. . . You have to give it to you.” —Linda Evans
• Think really hard
“Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.” —Wayne W. Dyer
• It can’t be found
“We will forever be at war with ourselves.” ? Anthony T. Hincks
Four Peace Thieves That Live Rent Free in Your Mind
• Your past ungodly actions (guilt)
• Your broken relationships (grudges)
• Your moments of heartache (grief)
• Your unsettled life direction (guidance needed)
10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:8-13 (NKJV)
A message from God: “I bring you. . . peace. . .”
GOD’S PRESCRIPTION FOR YOUR PERSONAL PEACE
IS A PERSON!
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
• Guilty and confused? Jesus is your Wonderful Counselor
o Prescription: Psalm 32:4-5 (ESV)
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Psalm 32:4-5 (ESV)
Key: Confess what you did to Jesus the Wonderful Counselor
• Broken relationships? Jesus is your Mighty God
o Prescription: Psalm 147:3-5 (ESV)
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. Psalm 147:3–5 (ESV)
Key: Allow your Mighty God to heal your broken-heart
• Regrets and sorrows? He is your Everlasting Father
o Prescription: Genesis 50:20 + Romans 8:28
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. . . And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Genesis 50:20 + Romans 8:28 (ESV)
Key: See your Everlasting Father at work even in the hard things
• Lacking direction? Jesus is your Prince of Peace
o Prescription: Psalm 37:37 (NIV)
Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace. Psalm 37:37 (NIV)
Key: Surrender your future to the direction of the Prince of Peace
MANUSCRIPT
“With Us” - Part 2 - Peace
Steele Creek Church
December 13, 2020
ME
Good morning.
Well, here we are just 12 days from Christmas. Now the song and the tradition called “The 12 days of Christmas” is based on a supposed timeline between Jesus birth and the arrival of the Magi, wise men who sought the birth of the Messiah. Now, some have said that being men, these guys showed up late to the big event because as is the fashion of “men”, they didn’t stop and ask for directions.
Someone has said that if the 3 wise-men were woman, they would have stopped and asked for directions, arrived in time to help with the delivery, tidied up the place, made breakfast and relieved the young mother! (LOL)
Anyhow, these wise men were seekers of truth and they had discovered messages in the Old Testament that led them to the place where One who would be called the Prince of Peace, the Promised One of God would be born.
If we’re honest, we’re all looking for something. It seems to me that most people today, now more than ever simply want inner peace. Less stress, a sense of wellbeing and moments of time where their mind is not occupied with thoughts of, “I must”, “what if” or “I wonder why”?
Some may actually wonder if personal peace is achievable. If you look to the natural, a worldly approach to peace you’ll find lots of advice.
A worldly approach to personal peace
Some will say. . .
• Look within for it
“If there’s no inner peace, people can’t give it to you. . . You have to give it to you.” —Linda Evans
Many people think that peace is found by looking deep within yourself. Others will say you have to. . .
• Think really hard
“Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.” —Wayne W. Dyer
If you just focus enough, then peace can be yours, while some have concluded that it’s simply not possible at all and that. . .
• It can’t be found
“We will forever be at war with ourselves.” ? Anthony T. Hincks
Well, I think we can all agree that peace is something that is highly sought after but seldom achieved in this world. There are many things that rob us of inner peace. If these things could be dealt with, then surely, we would find that peace.
I’d say when it comes to the stresses in our lives that many of us obsess over things that cost us a lot but deliver nothing. These stressors are like free loaders living rent free in your mind! Here’s a few.
Four Peace Thieves That Live Rent Free in Your Mind
• Your past ungodly actions (guilt)
• Your broken relationships (grudges)
• Your moments of heartache (grief)
• Your unsettled life direction (guidance needed)
These are the things of life and they are very things that cause our attention to turn away from what really matters. Yet could it be that right in the middle of the Christmas story that we can find the answer to the ever so allusive thing called peace? Let’s look.
10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:8-13 (NKJV)
The angels meet the shepherds, they extend a message from God, a message of peace on earth!
A message from God: “I bring you. . . peace. . .”
The Christmas story is filled with wonder and that wonder surrounds around the birth of this Promised Savior of God. You see the world may have differing opinions on how to achieve peace, but God’s prescription for peace is not to look within, or without, but to look up! His prescription is not pill, or a philosophy, or a book, it’s a person!
GOD’S PRESCRIPTION FOR YOUR PERSONAL PEACE
IS A PERSON!
700 years before Christ was born the prophet Isaiah would make some bold predictions about His coming and His work. One of the most famous passages concerning the coming Messiah is found in chapter 9.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
What does all this mean to you and me? Well, Jesus didn’t come to put some heavy load on us, He came to be the answer to the issues we face including that needed peace.
Let’s look at this verse with 4 questions and see if Jesus can answer them all.
• Guilty and confused? Jesus is your Wonderful Counselor
If you feel that way, you’re not experiencing peace. David felt the same way when he wrote Psalm 32. He had done the most treacherous and vile things you could imagine, yet God was there to forgive him.
o Prescription: Psalm 32:4-5 (ESV)
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Psalm 32:4-5 (ESV)
The only way to cleanse your soul is to confess what you have done to the only One who can truly forgive; God.
Don’t carry a heavy load, regardless of what you’ve done, He stands ready to lift that off of you. David stole a man’s wife, had her husband killed and lied about it all. Is your sin worse than that? I doubt it. God is able!
Key: Confess what you did to Jesus the Wonderful Counselor
Maybe today your peace is being robbed because of relational problems. You can try all you want but unless you’re God you cannot change the situations of life. And while God may not change the situation you face, He is Almighty and He can change you in the middle of it.
• Broken relationships? Jesus is your Mighty God
Here’s the prescription from the Psalms again.
o Prescription: Psalm 147:3-5 (ESV)
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. Psalm 147:3–5 (ESV)
Looking to the Almighty is the first best step you can take. The One who made the stars and calls them by name can heal your broken-heart. His power is abundant and beyond measure. Why look to created things, or within when the answer is up?
Key: Allow your Mighty God to heal your broken-heart
How about your past mistakes?
• Regrets and sorrows? He is your Everlasting Father
The reality is that God lives outside of time and space. Long before you messed up, He knew and He already had a plan to weave it into His plan for you. Since He is everlasting, He sees you before, during, and after, all at once.
o Prescription: Genesis 50:20 + Romans 8:28
Long before Joseph in Genesis 50 or his family knew that there would be a famine in the land, God orchestrated even the events of Josephs’ brothers in such a way that God would make provision for them years later. God accounts for your mistakes. Your failures are not final.
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. . . And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Genesis 50:20 + Romans 8:28 (ESV)
Maybe it’s a tough time for you right now. Entrust yourself to the Lord and watch Him work on your behalf.
Key: See your Everlasting Father at work even in the hard things
Finally, are you. . .
• Lacking direction? Jesus is your Prince of Peace
o Prescription: Psalm 37:37 (NIV)
In Psalm 37 the scripture teaches us to seek peace. It’s associated with a life that is blameless or lived for the glory of God.
Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace. Psalm 37:37 (NIV)
Know that Jesus is the Almighty God, Everlasting, Prince of Peace, why not surrender to Him and His direction for your life?
Key: Surrender your future to the direction of the Prince of Peace
This begins when God becomes your King. When you submit yourself to His ruling authority over your life. You can try and manipulate, control, contrive, scheme and pressure people to do as you want, or you can relax knowing that God is in control of all things. The war is over when you surrender to Him. He fights the battels we can and cannot see.
TESTIMONIAL – Abby Lowery shares her personal story of coming to Christ
Close
