Joe Bedy
Central Christian Church
St. Petersburg, FL
Songs: Jesus There is something about that name
Our God is a Strong Tower
I want to know you More
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Gal 5:23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Tonight we resume our series on leading this Spirit led life and our focus is on peace.
The worldview of peace is different than the Christian view and hopefully we as Christians will have a different view of peace and a different source of that peace than what the world has.
The world believes that peace comes from control, people of the world believe that if they can control the circumstances around them, if they can control the people around them, if they can control their things and other peoples things this control will bring peace.
Our own government tries in vain to bring us its constituents to a sense of peace, by control.
Most of you remember “walk softly and carry a big stick.”
Our leaders believed that if they had enough nuclear armament to destroy the world 100 times over, they could control the world and this would lead to peace. The truth is that what resulted from that was called the “Cold War” and it was far from peaceful.
Those of you who lived in the Tampa Bay area during the Cold War may have heard like I did, that if we were attacked by nuclear missiles (Inter-continental ballistic missiles) to be exact, they would be targeted at McDill AFB and the G.E. plant on Brian Dairy Road that was operated by the Atomic Energy Commission.
I can remember the civil defense sirens that hung on telephone poles, which would sound the alarm of an imminent nuclear attack. I remember the drills in school, when we were told to hide under our desk and put our hands over our heads.
Now, I can tell you that even as a fifth grader, I had my doubts as to how that $9.95 plywood desk could save me in the case of a nuclear attack. But the system was designed to give us peace, to give us some control in a situation where we could have NO control.
People will go to GREAT extremes to protect themselves, control their situation and gain a sense of peace.
Do you remember the bomb shelters people built in their back yards, stocked with canned foods and fresh water, where they could stay for 40-50 days? Then what? Designed and created sold to them to give them control and peace in a situation over which they had no control. Trust me trying to get into that bomb shelter if a nuclear attack was imminent would have been far from peaceful. Try chaotic and violent!
Who could control the terrorists’ attacks that occurred on American soil September 11th of last year? Yet, people continue to look to the government to control evil and give them peace of mind. I tell you tonight, if you look to the government, to the world, to the world systems for your peace you have the kind of peace that the world gives-it is NO peace at all, because they will fail.
There are many things in this world that will steal our peace and create anxiety in us.
I think of the fellow who walked into the doctor’s office the reception said to him “what do you have?” He said “Shingles.” She said “ OK, fill out this form and the nurse will be right with you.” The nurse came out took him into the examining room and she asked the man “what do you have.” He said “shingles” she said “ok,” she took his temperature, his blood pressure and his pulse she told him to “take of his clothes put on this skimpy robe have a seat on the examining table and the doctor would be right with him.” An hour later the doctor comes in gives him a thorough examination, most of you guys in here know the kind I am talking about. The doctor looks him all over ands says “man what have you got.” The man answered
“ shingles!” The doctor says “well where are they?” In the back of my pick up truck now where do you want them delivered?
Jesus tells His disciples and all believers about the troubles we will have in this world.
Jesus knew that the Devil would try to create for us a false sense of peace through the government, through possessions and through our control of people and things.
So Jesus said at 10:34 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
1. I did not come to protect you from a nuclear attack and do away with evil people.
2. I did not come so terrorists would not be a threat to life and property in the United States of America.
3. I did not come so you could have the resources, the power and the authority to control people, places and things.
But He did say John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
Why couldn’t He just do away with evil on the earth, why did He have to let terrorists succeed, why does he allow nuclear weapons or children to be abused?
If He wants to give us peace, why doesn’t He?
The truth is He does give us peace, but not the way the world does. Jesus is talking about the peace we get from leading a Spirit filled life.
In the verse right before the one I just read we see the connection between peace and the Spirit led life, Jesus is giving us the power through the Holy Spirit to have peace when your principle asks you to cover your head under a $9.95 desk or when terrorists invade a country.
He says John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
If you are still trying to find peace in your life by controlling your circumstances, your marriage, the church, people or things you are trying to find peace in the way the world finds peace.
OK you say I understand that, but tell me how can I find the peace that Jesus gives?
Jesus is our example in every aspect of our lives is He not?
Listen to what He says, listen to how He tells His disciple to have peace as He prepares to leave this earth.
In John 16 He tells them to pray, to ask for what they want in His name, which is really saying not my way, not my kingdom, not my will, but your will Father, just as Jesus did.
If I am to die under this $9.95 desk or in a Billion dollar building or crucified upside down on a cross may I die to Christ and glorify you Him in the final moments.
Jesus is talking about Peace from prayer, He is talking about drawing near to the Father when the world tries to steal your peace and the Father will come nigh to you.
I can remember a time in the not too distant past that I was going through a very difficult time, I did not even have words to pray, I was in a tree stand and I was just praying Oh God, Oh Father can you help? I sang Jesus, Jesus, Jesus there is something about that name. Oh what peace came over me .All of the trials, the troubles the burdens gone and I was left with a peace that only God could bring.
Brothers and sisters, you don’t need a bomb shelter, because our God is a strong tower. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Phil 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
Phil 4:5 Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
Phil 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Guard your heart, by being near to God, because your heart is the wellspring of your life, your body, your things, your circumstances, other people they are not. But your hearts and minds shall live forever, if you are anxious, if you do not have peace- draw near to God. Oh Jesus there is just something about that name!
He says: John 16:32 "Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
Isn’t it interesting that the prophet Isaiah gives Jesus the name “Prince of Peace?” He is not called the Prince of Love although that would fit Him, He is not called the Prince of Faith and that would be appropriate. He is called the Prince of Peace. Peace during warfare, peace during nuclear attack, peace during the loss of loved ones, peace during the death of unsaved loved ones, run into the Lord He is a strong tower and the righteous are SAFE in Him, He is there guarding the part of us that will live forever.
Yoc cannot be any safer than that!
What is stopping you tonight from having peace is it something in our control, like our attitude, our lack of forgiveness our dislike or hatred for somebody. Is it outside of our control like the people we work with?
We do not have to be anxious about anything, we choose to be anxious about it, we are simply not near to God.
You see if we do not have peace we have allowed the circumstances of our lives to outweigh the promises of God. We have focused on things, or people and not God. In so doing we have distanced ourselves from God. God has not moved away, we have moved away from God. Once again come near to God and He will be right there with you.
The battle is His not mine, not yours, His.
And taking our eyes off God can happen so fast can’t it. I mean one minute you are focused on God and the next a person or a situation surrounds us, we take our eyes off Jesus and we sink.
Remember Peter on the water?
Mat 14:28 "Lord, if it’s you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
Mat 14:29 "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
Mat 14:30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Mat 14:31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
He saw the high waves, believed what he was doing was impossible and those waves were going to sweep him away, drown him.
Draw near to God, keep your eyes on Jesus.
I tell you the truth folks about the very worst thing that can happen to any of us we believe is death. But if you keep your eyes on Jesus, if your time comes to die by a nuclear blast under a $9.95 desk or by the hand of a terrorist in a billion dollar building, you and Jesus will walk out together.
If He can walk you out of the fire in your death can he not walk us out of these temporary trials and tribulations, problems we currently face.
If He cannot than I have made a really bad career change!
Let’s pray
