February 8, 2004
Title: The Fruit of the Spirit: Peace
Text: Galatians 5:22-23
Introduction
1. The fruit of the Spirit is...Peace!
But how can we talk about peace?
We are a world at war...
war with terrorists...
war between Jews and Palestinians...
animosity between blacks and whites...
people fearful of being a victim of a crime...
2. People are trying to escape their troubles...and find peace...
they look for peace in alcohol...
they look for peace in drugs...
and they might anethetize themselves against their pain...
at least for a short time...
and when the effect wears off...
they are no better off than before...
Why is peace so elusive?
Why do so few people seem to find real peace?
3. Well, perhaps they are looking in the wrong places...
we need to look for answers from God’s Word...
Mankind searches for answers in the world...
But Christians look for answers from God Himself...
and since we know that God still speaks to us through His Word...
we will turn there tonight...
and open our ears to hear God’s voice as He speaks to us.
Let’s look to our text: Galatians 5:22-23, John 14:27
I. Peace in the OT
A. I did a search for "peace" and, depending on which version of the Bible you prefer...
I found that it appears between 250 times in the Bible in NIV...
to almost 500 times in the KJV.
153 times in the Old Testament...
97 times in the New Testament.
B. Many times, in the Old Testament...
the peace being talked about is peace between people...
For example, in Genesis 26, one of the first usages of the word "peace"...
is the story of Isaac and Abimelech...
God had begun prospering Isaac...
just as He promised He would through Isaac’s father, Abraham...
and as Isaac’s herds and family and servants grew in number...
there were squabbles over water rights...
between Isaac’s people and Abimelech’s people...
Isaac was wanting to live in peace on the land that God had promised his father, Abraham...
and Abimelech noticed how much God was blessing Isaac...
and how powerful he was becoming...
so he quickly realized that he should get on Isaac’s good side...
so Abimelech and Isaac made an agreement...
And Genesis 26:31 tells us, "Early the next morning the men swore an oath to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they left him in peace." Gen 26:31 (NIV)
In the Hebrew language of the Old Testament...
the word translated as "peace" is Shalom.
It is the word that is used between Isaac and Abimelech...
It has various shades of meaning...
but includes the thought of peace and prosperity between people.
Many times, Scripture will use the words, "go in peace"...
which means, basically, "you are free to go...
don’t worry...
no one will bother you now"
C. And many times, in the OT, when the word "peace" is used...
it is referring to that kind of peace...
people today view peace in the same way...
some people view peace as a lack of war...a peaceful society...
a peaceful neighborhood...
where there are no loud cars screeching their tires...
no teenagers blasting rock music...
Others will talk about peace with our fellowman...
getting along with others...
perhaps others of other races...
and othe religions...
the ability to talk and visit without getting into a fight...
And, technically speaking, all these can be defined as peace...
And societal peace is a wonderful thing...
and we could certainly use a BIG dose of peace between people...
in our day and time...
2. Peace in the New Testament
A. But as we look at the fruit of the Spirit...
I believe that God has something even better in mind for His people...
And as we look to the New Testament...
we will see something different...
sure, you will still find that aspect of peace between people...
Paul said, in Romans 12:18 "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12:18 (NIV)
B. But Paul also said, in Romans 5:1, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" Romans 5:1 (NIV)
which begins to hint at a different type of peace...
as we have mentioned before...
it is the fruit OF THE SPIRIT...
these 9 things that we call the fruit of the Spirit...
they aren’t the fruit of human effort...
it’s not the fruit of human ingenuity...
it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
2 neighbors can live at peace without being a Christian.
but there is an inner peace...
a peace that cannot be explained...
a peace with God...
a peace, that Haldor Lillenas wrote about when he wrote:
"I have found a deep peace that I never had known...
and a joy this world could not afford...
since I yielded control...
of my body and soul...
to my wonderful, wonderful Lord"
C. This peace...
the one that is listed as "the fruit of the Spirit is peace"...
is perhaps most perfectly described in the words of Jesus in John 14:27 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 14:27 (NIV)
1. Jesus says, "Peace, I leave with you"
it isn’t irony that in the verse just prior to this...
Jesus tells His disciples about sending the Comforter...
the Holy Spirit, Who will be with them...
When Jesus indicates that He is leaving "peace" with them...
it is directly tied to the promise of the Holy Spirit.
2. Jesus says, "My peace, I give you"
In other words, this isn’t the kind of peace that you can just pick up in a whiskey bottle down at the liquor store...
this isn’t the kind of peace that you can find on your own...
through drugs...
pills...
booze...
fame...
fortune...
pleasure...
hobbies...
fun...
this peace is a gift from God.
In fact, throughout Scripture, God is described as "the God of peace"
one such example is found in 2 Thessalonians 3:16, "Now may the God of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way" 2 Thess 3:16 (NIV)
3. Jesus goes on to say, "I do not give to you as the world gives"
the world’s brand of peace doesn’t last...
booze wears off...
drugs have side effects...
fame...
fortune...
pleasure...
all are fleeting...
Jesus doesn’t give us that kind of peace...
He gives us the peace that lasts and lasts...
He gives us the peace that isn’t dependant upon our circumstance...
He gives us the peace that is deeper...
abiding peace.
D. He gives us a peace that we can have...
even in the midst of war...
He gives us peace and tranquility...
even when all around is chaos...
He gives us His perfect peace...
even when life is troubling...
We can have a supernatural ability to be at peace in our soul...
not because of our own efforts...
but because of the power of the Holy Spirit at work within us.
E. This kind of peace is impossible any othe way...
people who aren’t Christians are unable to have that deep, abiding peace in their soul...
because it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
And yes, you can find that kind of peace in the Old Testament too...
Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)
Conclusion
1. Long ago a man wanted to find the perfect picture of peace.
He looked around various artist studios...
He looked at the artwork of the Masters...
Not finding a picture that satisfied him...
he announced a contest for artists to produce a masterpiece that was a perfect picture of peace...
The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere,
and paintings began to arrive from far and wide.
Finally the great day when the pictures would be unveiled...
and the judges would judge all the beautiful artwork.
The judges uncovered one peaceful scene after another,..
while the audience clapped and cheered each one.
Finally, only two pictures remained veiled.
As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd.
It was a beautiful picture of a mirror-smooth lake...
it reflected lacy, green birch trees ...
under the soft blush of the evening sky.
Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep grazed undisturbed.
Everyone thought, Surely this one was the winner.
Finally, that last picture was unveiled...
and the crowd gasped in surprise.
Could this be a picture of peace?
It was a tumultuous waterfall...
cascaded down a rocky precipice;
the crowd could almost feel its cold, penetrating spray.
Stormy-gray clouds threatened to explode with lightning, wind and rain.
In the midst of the thundering noises and bitter chill,...
there was a spindly little tree that clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls.
on one of the branches that reached out in front of the torrential waters...
A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch.
Content and undisturbed in her stormy surroundings,
she rested on her eggs.
With her eyes closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones,...
she was a picture of perfect peace in the midst of turmoil.
Berit Kjos, A Wardrobe from the King, pp. 45-46.
2. And that is the picture of perfect peace in the life of the Christian...
a Chrisian’s life isn’t all quiet and contemplation...
we face turmoil and trouble...
just like anyone else...
But the wonder of it all...
is that right in the midst of all that trouble...
life is crashing loudly all around us...
and yet we can live in perfect peace...
because the Holy Spirit has come in...
and a tree has grown...
and the fruit of the tree is...
PEACE.
