Experience the Joy of Peace
If you’ve been here the last four weeks, you would have learned some very practical and eternal truths for experiencing a life of joy. We talked about how joy is a matter of our spirit, the part of us that relates to God.
We need to know, joy requires effort and discipline, while happiness only requires favorable circumstances. Joy requires obedience to God in the areas of our thinking, our actions and our relationships.
In terms of our thinking, we looked at how when we expect God to give us favor, can do the impossible and to keep His promises, we will experience joy day to day and for the future. In terms of our actions, we looked at the life of John the Baptist and Mary, Mother of Jesus, to learn how to receive and give in ways that produce joy in our lives. This morning, we look at how three kinds of relationships, when they are at peace, can lead to joyful living.
We all desire to experience peace. Peace can be defined as the absence of war and disagreement, or the presence of security and calm. But very few people know how to experience peace. Some use drugs; others live in denial, and still others apply force to bring about peace.
Since the beginning of recorded history, the entire world has been at peace less than 8 percent of the time! Of the almost 4000 years of recorded history, less than 300 years saw peace. Furthermore, over 8000 peace treaties were made-and broken.
Cyprian, a Bishop of the church at Carthage in the third century, once wrote to his young friend, Donatus:
"This is a cheerful world as I see it from my garden under the shadows of my vines. But if I were to ascend some high mountain and look out over the wide lands, you know very well what I should see: [Thieves] on the highways, pirates on the sea, armies fighting and cities burning. In the amphitheaters men murdered to please applauding crowds; selfishness and cruelty and misery and despair under all roofs. It is a bad world, Donatus.... It is an incredibly bad world."
Today, we don’t need to ascend to some high mountain to see the lack of peace. We have CNN World News, and we have talk shows and The Osbornes to display selfishness, cruelty, misery and despair under all roofs.
Yet, God promised peace to mankind, and during Christmas, we are reminded of this promise. Luke 2:14 tells us, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." Apparently the angels are saying that peace is given to those who receive God’s favor or goodness. Let’s look together at what God has given out of His favor toward mankind, and how they offer peace to mankind..
First, God gave us Jesus Christ that we might have peace with Him.
Colossians 1:19-20 tells us, "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in [Jesus Christ], and through him to reconcile to [God] all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."
In other words, Jesus Christ was God’s own peace offering, to restore mankind to God. You might be thinking, "But I never fought or argued with God. Why do I need to make peace with God?"
Each time we knew what God expected of us, but we ignored His instruction, we argued with God. Each time God speaks through our conscience, and we violate our own conscience, we fought with God. Each time science and philosophy leads us to conclude there is a God, but we refuse to believe, we argued with God.
When our lives war against God, we fight a losing battle. Yet, because of our stubbornness or foolishness, we are unwilling to admit our wrong. God could have allowed us to fight to our death; instead, God gave us Jesus Christ to die on the cross as a peace offering. Therefore, when we receive what Jesus Christ has done for us as a peace offering, we experience peace with God, the end of the war between you and God.
Second, God gave us His instruction that we might have peace with others.
I have read many of the writings by human relations specialists on how to deal with difficult people. Most of the methods work to manipulate the situation to one person’s advantage rather than achieve relational peace. Only God’s instruction gives us peace with others.
Romans 12:17-21 tells us, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
These are God’s instructions for experiencing peace with others, to overcome evil with good. When we reject God’s instruction, we reject the possibility of peace with others. When we receive and live according to God’s instruction, we may not avoid all conflict, but we will as much as it depends on us live at peace with everyone.
Third, God gave us His confidence that we might have peace of mind.
Without peace of mind, prestige, possessions and power are of little value. One can possess the whole world, but have no joy, when he or she does not have peace of mind.
Isaiah 26:3 tells us, "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."
Security and peace of mind come when we recognize that even though we cannot control certain circumstances, God can. Annie Johnson Flint, almost an invalid, understood how confidence in God leads to peace of mind when she wrote a poem titled, "But God":
I know not, but God knows;
Oh, blessed rest from fear!
All my unfolding days
To Him are plain and clear.
Each anxious, puzzled "Why?"
From doubt or dread that grows,
Finds answer in this thought:
I know not, but He knows.
I cannot, but God can;
Oh, balm for all my care!
The burden that I drop
His hand will lift and bear.
Though eagle pinions tire,
I walk where once I ran,
This is my strength to know
I cannot, but He can.
I see not, but God sees;
Oh, all sufficient light!
My dark and hidden way
To Him is always bright.
My strained and peering eyes
May close in restful ease,
And I in peace may sleep;
I see not, but He sees.
God promised peace to those whom His favor rests. Let me close with the words from a hymn that Annie Johnson Flint wrote: "What God Hath Promised"
God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.
God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain rocky and steep,
Never a river turbid and deep.
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
Along with these promises, God has given us peace with Himself through Jesus Christ, peace with others through His instructions, and peace of mind through confidence in Him. When we have no peace, we have no joy. But when we know peace, we know joy.
