THE PEACE OF GOD
INTRODUCTION
Sometimes in the struggles of life even we Christians…
Who trust and believe… in Jesus Christ…
Forget about… the Peace of God that passes all understanding!!
In the struggles and heartaches of life it is so easy to get burdened down…
To fret and to worry… and to become anxious!!
Unfortunately becoming a Christian… does not set us free from the troubles of this life!
As Christian…We do not have freedom… from the troubles and cares of this world…
But we can have freedom from… anxiety, fear, and worry!
Jesus Himself made us the promise… to give us peace in this world!
So I ask… why is it, we find it so difficult to trust him?
Often it is because… we are afraid things won’t go the way want them to unless…
We control them… ourselves!!
The less… we are in control…
The more anxious… and worried we become!
It is hard to let go… And let God worry for us!!
Christian author Hannah Smith wrote… Our Daily Bread
It is not hard… you find, to trust the management of the universe, and…
Of all the outward creation… to the Lord.
Can your case then… be so much more complex and difficult than these…
That you need to be anxious… or troubled about His management of you?
That puts it all in perspective doesn’t it!!
If God can handle… this whole universe…
He can handle… our problems too!!
But we are all guilty of forgetting about…
That promise Jesus left… with his disciples before He left to be at the right hand of God!!
He said to them… Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you!!
That is the same promise… He makes to all of us today who trust Him as Lord and Savior!!
Main Thought: This evening I want to talk about the Peace that Jesus has promised to give us!
I want to answer 3 Questions…
What is… The Peace that Jesus gives?
Where do we find… The Peace that Jesus gives?
How do we keep… The Peace that Jesus gives?
TEXT: 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.
PRAYER
I. What is the peace that Jesus gives?
A. The same peace that He had!!
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; “MY” peace I give you.
We are given the very same peace that Jesus had when He was in this world!!
What was… His peace like?
If we can think about… the peace He had…
We can get a good picture… of the kind of peace He has promised us!!
Matthew 16:21-23
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
Jesus was completely at peace… talking about His death!
I must… Go to Jerusalem!
I must… suffer many things!
I must… I must be killed!
Jesus was completely at peace… with all he was going to endure!!
When Peter… tried to change His mind!!
Jesus… rebuked Him!
Get behind me… Satan!!
You do not have in mind… the things of God…
But the things… of Satan!!
1. Are we completely at Peace… talking about our death?
2. Are we completely at Peace… talking about what lies ahead for us? Grief… pain… hard situations?
Look at another passage which illustrates the Peace that Jesus had!
Luke 9:51-52
51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
When the time came for Jesus to go to Jerusalem to be offered as a sacrifice…
He didn’t… fret and worry!
He steadfastly… set His face to go the cross!
He resolved… to go!
He even sent messengers ahead… to make everything ready for Him!!
He knew what His task was
He knew… what the Father asked!
He knew… their would pain!
He knew… their would be trouble!
But he was at peace… because He knew His Father was with Him!!
He knew His Father… was in control!
He knew His Father… would take care of Him!
He knew His Father… was always right!
He knew His Father… could be trusted!
He had much trouble and heartache and pain But He still had… peace!!
That is the same peace… He has promised to give us!!
In our troubles… and heartaches and pain In this world today…
Jesus has promised us… His same peace!!
Isn’t that wonderful that we can have the very same peace that Jesus had??
But to further understand what this peace is like that Jesus gives us I must ask you to turn with me to Phil 4
Here we are told that Peace that Jesus gives us…
B. Passes all understanding!!
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Jesus gives us a peace that Passes all understanding
The peace that Jesus gives us doesn’t make sense by…
The worlds… standards
Common… sense
Even our… own understanding
The Peace that Jesus gives is a peace that comes because you realize…
You have everything…
you need or want…
In this life… and the life to come, Because of Him!
You realize… your sufficiency is in Christ!!
Jesus gives us a peace that allows us to say…
It is well with my soul… even though it doesn’t make sense!!
A peace that… when it would be normal to fall apart
You… don’t!!
The world looks on in amazement
We ourselves… are amazed!!
We don’t… understand it!
We can’t… explain it!
All we know is… that because of Him…
It is O.K.!!
Jesus gives us a peace that passes all understanding
We can sing… it is well with my soul!!
When peace like a river… attendeth my way
When sorrows… like sea billows roll
Thou hast… taught me to say
It is well… It is well with my soul!!
We are told that Peace that Jesus gives…
C. It is like a river
Psalm 46:1-5
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
But O… Brothers and Sisters…
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
There is a river… it is a river of peace
The song says… I have Peace like a river!!
I have peace… like a river
I have peace… like a river
I have peace… like a river… in my soul!!
Not like the Snake River…
Rushing… white water!!
Rocks and dangers… and water falls!!
But like the Swanny River!!
Gentle… easy… Tranquility!!
Slowly… moving along!!
Deep… flowing… liver waters!!
The Peace that Jesus gives is like…
Peaceful… boat ride!
Gently… sailing along!
Magnolias… hanging over head!
The Sun shining… in your face!
A gentle breeze… blowing!
And while all the world rages around on the outside
Though the earth give way… and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
Though its waters roar and foam… and the mountains quake with their surging.
Inside… all is at peace
All is… at rest!!
You are bouncing along… the river of peace!!
Peace like a river
I have peace… like a river
I have peace… like a river
I have peace… like a river… in my soul!!
II. Where do we find such Peace?
According to our text…
A. Our peace comes from Jesus
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
B. Our peace comes from God
Ps 29:11 The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.
Salvation!
Blessed Assurance… that Jesus is mine
Knowing we are saved… clean… right with God
The Song says… Thou has taught me to say it is well with my soul!!
Our peace comes from remembering… what God has done in the past
He has taught us… that He is trustworthy!
He has taught us… that He is a rock in a weary land!
He has taught us… that we can run into him and find shelter!!
He has taught us… That He really is a friend who will stick closer than brother!
He has taught us… That He loves us and cares!!
We find the Peace that Jesus gives by remembering those past experiences!! He has taught us well!!
Remembering those times… God showed up just in time!!
Remembering… His faithfulness!!
Remembering… He has never let us down before!!
Remembering… His promises!!
Remembering… He said, “MY PEACE” I leave with you!! My peace I give you!!
If we want to find the peace that Jesus gives… We must take His Peace
C. Our peace comes by claiming it!!
Col. 3:15 “Let the Peace of God rule in your heart!”
When there doesn’t seem like there is a way…
Claim His Peace… Take His Peace!!
When the Doctor’s say… there is nothing they can do
When you are sinking… in the sea of life…
When the rocks of this world… are pulling you under..
When you loved ones… refuse Christ…
When you are… alone and afraid…
III. How do we keep the peace that Jesus gives us in the storms?
Many times in the storms of life our peace is disrupted!
It seems like it is… more than we can endure!
It seems like… Jesus has forgotten us!
How do we keep the peace reigning in our hearts during the storms of life??
A. Remembering he will not put more on us then we can endure!!
1 Corinthians 10:13 “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.”
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
How do we keep the peace reigning in our hearts during the storms of life??
B. Through Prayer
Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
How do we keep the peace reigning in our hearts during the storms of life??
C. Through Keeping our mind on Christ
Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
We will have perfect peace in every situation if we keep our mind on…
1. His promises
2. His nature
3. His Goodness
4. His sacrifice
If we keep focused on Christ we can keep the Peace of God in tact through any trial or pressure of life!!
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
