This week we looked at God's idea of peace. We often living life with the feeling of incompleteness and emptiness. Often what we are missing is the peace of God. The peace of God is about wholeness and completeness and not just an absence of conflict. Listen to learn more about how to discover the lasting peace of God for your life.
Follow the link for audio. http://www.mediafire.com/file/qw9ysius02fvkzt/6%BA%20of%20Peace.mp3
6º of Peace: Bagdad & Bethlehem
Brimfield Faith UMC / December 5, 2010
1º Baghdad was built in the 8th Century by Muslims and today is the capital city of Iraq. It is the second largest city in the Arab world at around 7 million people On April 9, 2003 Baghdad fell to U.S. Forces as a part of the Iraq War. Almost eight years later, it is still being rebuilt and it continues to be a place of unrest.
2 º Iraq is located in the Middle East. While the Middle East is a largely hot and dry, there are two major rivers that run through Iraq. The land between and around the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers has, historically, been called the Mesopotamia from the Greek meaning, “land between rivers.” This land is rich and fertile, especially compared to the surrounding region.
3 º Mesopotamia is where the Garden of Eden is believed to have been. While it is impossible to verify an actual location, the Bible mentions by name the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in relation to the Garden. Additional support lies in the name Baghdad, which means “the Fair Garden.”
4 º The Garden of Eden is described in the Book of Genesis as a place of Paradise. The Garden was where God walked and was in perfect relationship with human beings. The first man and woman were named Adam and Eve. Life in the Garden was good for Adam and Eve until one tragic day.
5 º Adam and Eve committed disobedience by eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They succumbed to the temptations of the serpent and allowed evil into the world. Their punishment was to be sent out of the Garden. Human beings have been trying to reconnect with God ever since. In 1 Corinthians 15:45, Paul refers to Jesus Christ as the last Adam because he was God’s redemption plan for the world.
6º Jesus Christ grew up in Nazareth but the Gospel of Matthew tells us his parents traveled to Bethlehem because a census had been ordered by the Emperor Augustus. Joseph, who was of the house of David, was required to return to the city of David called Bethlehem. Bethlehem is where Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was born.
THE MISSING PEACE
So we see it is possible to move from Baghdad a place of war and unrest to a Bethlehem a place where the Prince of Peace. Moving from our own place of unrest can be a struggle. More than any other means of attack I believe Satan attempts to steal our peace. For most of us, it doesn’t take much to steal our peace. Waking up late, bad traffic, a sick child, all can easily steal our peace. There are countless numbers of things that try to sneak in and steal our peace at any given time. I think many of the problems of society are caused by people seeking to find peace in their lives. We know something is missing and we will try to find anything to replace it. As we seek to move out of unrest and into peace, I think it is important that you name that which tries to steal your peace. What casts doubt into your mind? What strikes fear into your heart? What causes you to worry and fret?
SHALOM
Once we have identified what steals our peace, the next question is how do we recover and sustain peace in our lives? I believe that finding peace begins by having a vision for peace. We must have a clear picture in our mind of where we are going if we are going to get there. The directions are only helpful if you have an address or know what you are looking for. When I say we should have a vision of peace, it is important that we have a biblical vision of peace.
The Hebrew word for peace may be one that you have heard of, shalom. Shalom isn’t the absence of war or conflict, but rather wholeness and well-being. Think of it in terms of modern day Baghdad. Seven years ago, Baghdad was invaded by U.S. Forces. Bombs were being set off, guns were being fired, buildings were being destroyed and people were being killed. There was no debate. There was no peace in Baghdad. But consider this, is there peace in Baghdad today? The majority of the violence has stopped. Buildings aren’t being destroyed. People aren’t being killed, but is there really peace. If we define peace as shalom, the answer is, no, there isn’t peace in Baghdad. The city has not been restored to a place of wholeness and beauty again. There is much that needs to be restored before the city will be a city of peace of again.
God’s heart for his children is the same way. Our vision of peace might simply be there isn’t complete chaos in our lives. We picture no one yelling when we get home from work. We envision the end of the month with a few dollars left over. God’s picture is much different than ours. God sees our families filled with love, support and joy. God envisions us living out of his abundant provision. God defines peace as wholeness and well-being where we see lack of conflict and survival.
Consider God’s picture of peace for Israel, in Isaiah 11. We see a beautiful picture of what peace was supposed to look like for Israel. Listen to some of the images. The wolf with the lamb, the calf and the lion, the cow and the bear. The child will reach into the snakes den. In verse 9 it says, “They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for all the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” The understanding is that God will bring peace and harmony to those things which are traditionally in conflict with one another. At the beginning of the passage, the person with peace has the Spirit of the Lord resting upon him. There is a spirit of wisdom and understanding. There is counsel and might. There is knowledge and honor of the Lord. That is a compelling vision of peace that goes beyond a lack of conflict and survival. It is marked by fullness, wholeness, and well-being.
FINDING PEACE
Peace is something that is offered conditional in our lives. While we are given freely the gift of salvation, the Lord calls us to a place of obedience if we are going to discover the peace of shalom in our lives. In Luke 11:24-26, Jesus gives an example of a person seeking peace in his life.
“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but it finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ When it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So will it be also with this evil generation.”
The unclean spirits in this person would have caused great turmoil and strive in his life. There would have certainly been a lack of peace until the spirit was cast out. That peace would only have been sustained for as long as the spirits were gone. From this passage, I want to draw two ideas to help us discover the shalom of God in our lives.
#1. Peace requires cleaning house.
We have to clean out our house. Disruptions of peace come from internal actions and from external forces. Internal actions that cause turmoil and unrest are typically born out of a disobedience to the ways of God. The first order of house cleaning is internal. If there are places of disobedience to the way of God, then we need to bring them into conformity. This cannot be a legalistic pursuit, but the reality is that there are things in our lives that aren’t good for us. We know what many of these things are and we know they aren’t good for us, and yet many of we continue to do them. If we want the shalom of God, we have to stop. You cannot be a serial gossip and expect to have loving, trusting relationships. You cannot smoke and expect to have healthy lungs.
Disruptions in peace are not only internal but there are also external forces as well. People, circumstances, and events can easily cause unrest. To the extent that we can control the situations that disrupt peace, I would encourage you to eliminate them. We will never be able to eliminate outside stressors, which is why it is important to reduce internal stressors as much as possible. Nonetheless, work towards resolving conflicts and stressful situations as quickly as possible. As you work towards peace, it is important to reflect on the situations and actions that are robbing you of peace. What robs your peace that you need to stop doing?
#2. Peace requires redecorating.
As we work on cleaning our houses, it is important to redecorate. In the illustration of the unclean spirits, the spirit returns and brings along his friends because the person hasn’t filled his soul with anything else. In the same way, once the house is cleaned out, it is important to bring in new furnishings. When you stop doing something harmful in your life or eliminate a stressor, it is important that you replace is with something else. As we all know, life is full of constant stressors and we must be diligent in maintain peace in our lives. When you stop a harmful action, it creates a void that needs to be filled. Redecorating is about creating a lifestyle that pursues God.
It is important not to become legalistic about this. Creating a list of things not to do won’t create peace. God really isn’t about rules. God does have a certain way that he wants us to live. While there are some don’t do’s, God’s emphasis is on finding fullness of life. God really is about loving relationships and restoring fullness into people’s lives. God wants you to be filled with joy not keep you from having fun. This is why he sets forth a model for engaging in life.
Therefore, if we want lasting heavenly peace in our lives, we need to proactively pursue it. We need to build practices and habits into our lives that will be life-giving. We need to develop defaults that will bring us closer to God and provide the centeredness that promotes peace in our lives. Jesus teaches us to seek first the kingdom of God and all else will be added unto us. Personally, I have a list of things that I know bring me back to a place of peace. Things like reading, exercising, swimming, walking, regular prayer and devotional time all are life-giving for me. They bring me to a place of centeredness and peace in God. After all, peace is about wholeness and fullness so we need to decorate and fill our lives with things that foster that peace of God. I would encourage you to reflect then. What do you need to start doing that will bring you closer to God? What will bring goodness and wholeness into your life?
GOD’S GIFT
Finally, if you truly long for peace in your life, we must look to the Lord. In our own strength, we can only find so much peace. In fact, in our own strength we cannot discover the shalom of God. In John 14, Jesus teaches us an important lesson about peace. He says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” Jesus is known as the Prince of Peace for a reason. It is part of his heart for us to live out of his peace. God wants to give us more than worldly peace, he wants to give us shalom. He wants us to have wholeness and well-being so that we won’t be afraid or troubled. If we will clean house and redecorate, if we will live obediently and pursue God, we will be given the peace of God. Many of us talk about wanting peace, but we fail to pursue it. As we conclude this morning, I would ask a simple question. Are you ready to receive the peace of God this Christmas season? There is no better gift that God would want to offer us.
Let’s pray for peace in our lives.
Brimfield Faith UMC / December 5, 2010
1º Baghdad was built in the 8th Century by Muslims and today is the capital city of Iraq. It is the second largest city in the Arab world at around 7 million people On April 9, 2003 Baghdad fell to U.S. Forces as a part of the Iraq War. Almost eight years later, it is still being rebuilt and it continues to be a place of unrest.
2 º Iraq is located in the Middle East. While the Middle East is a largely hot and dry, there are two major rivers that run through Iraq. The land between and around the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers has, historically, been called the Mesopotamia from the Greek meaning, “land between rivers.” This land is rich and fertile, especially compared to the surrounding region.
3 º Mesopotamia is where the Garden of Eden is believed to have been. While it is impossible to verify an actual location, the Bible mentions by name the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in relation to the Garden. Additional support lies in the name Baghdad, which means “the Fair Garden.”
4 º The Garden of Eden is described in the Book of Genesis as a place of Paradise. The Garden was where God walked and was in perfect relationship with human beings. The first man and woman were named Adam and Eve. Life in the Garden was good for Adam and Eve until one tragic day.
5 º Adam and Eve committed disobedience by eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They succumbed to the temptations of the serpent and allowed evil into the world. Their punishment was to be sent out of the Garden. Human beings have been trying to reconnect with God ever since. In 1 Corinthians 15:45, Paul refers to Jesus Christ as the last Adam because he was God’s redemption plan for the world.
6º Jesus Christ grew up in Nazareth but the Gospel of Matthew tells us his parents traveled to Bethlehem because a census had been ordered by the Emperor Augustus. Joseph, who was of the house of David, was required to return to the city of David called Bethlehem. Bethlehem is where Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was born.
THE MISSING PEACE
So we see it is possible to move from Baghdad a place of war and unrest to a Bethlehem a place where the Prince of Peace. Moving from our own place of unrest can be a struggle. More than any other means of attack I believe Satan attempts to steal our peace. For most of us, it doesn’t take much to steal our peace. Waking up late, bad traffic, a sick child, all can easily steal our peace. There are countless numbers of things that try to sneak in and steal our peace at any given time. I think many of the problems of society are caused by people seeking to find peace in their lives. We know something is missing and we will try to find anything to replace it. As we seek to move out of unrest and into peace, I think it is important that you name that which tries to steal your peace. What casts doubt into your mind? What strikes fear into your heart? What causes you to worry and fret?
SHALOM
Once we have identified what steals our peace, the next question is how do we recover and sustain peace in our lives? I believe that finding peace begins by having a vision for peace. We must have a clear picture in our mind of where we are going if we are going to get there. The directions are only helpful if you have an address or know what you are looking for. When I say we should have a vision of peace, it is important that we have a biblical vision of peace.
The Hebrew word for peace may be one that you have heard of, shalom. Shalom isn’t the absence of war or conflict, but rather wholeness and well-being. Think of it in terms of modern day Baghdad. Seven years ago, Baghdad was invaded by U.S. Forces. Bombs were being set off, guns were being fired, buildings were being destroyed and people were being killed. There was no debate. There was no peace in Baghdad. But consider this, is there peace in Baghdad today? The majority of the violence has stopped. Buildings aren’t being destroyed. People aren’t being killed, but is there really peace. If we define peace as shalom, the answer is, no, there isn’t peace in Baghdad. The city has not been restored to a place of wholeness and beauty again. There is much that needs to be restored before the city will be a city of peace of again.
God’s heart for his children is the same way. Our vision of peace might simply be there isn’t complete chaos in our lives. We picture no one yelling when we get home from work. We envision the end of the month with a few dollars left over. God’s picture is much different than ours. God sees our families filled with love, support and joy. God envisions us living out of his abundant provision. God defines peace as wholeness and well-being where we see lack of conflict and survival.
Consider God’s picture of peace for Israel, in Isaiah 11. We see a beautiful picture of what peace was supposed to look like for Israel. Listen to some of the images. The wolf with the lamb, the calf and the lion, the cow and the bear. The child will reach into the snakes den. In verse 9 it says, “They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for all the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” The understanding is that God will bring peace and harmony to those things which are traditionally in conflict with one another. At the beginning of the passage, the person with peace has the Spirit of the Lord resting upon him. There is a spirit of wisdom and understanding. There is counsel and might. There is knowledge and honor of the Lord. That is a compelling vision of peace that goes beyond a lack of conflict and survival. It is marked by fullness, wholeness, and well-being.
FINDING PEACE
Peace is something that is offered conditional in our lives. While we are given freely the gift of salvation, the Lord calls us to a place of obedience if we are going to discover the peace of shalom in our lives. In Luke 11:24-26, Jesus gives an example of a person seeking peace in his life.
“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but it finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ When it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So will it be also with this evil generation.”
The unclean spirits in this person would have caused great turmoil and strive in his life. There would have certainly been a lack of peace until the spirit was cast out. That peace would only have been sustained for as long as the spirits were gone. From this passage, I want to draw two ideas to help us discover the shalom of God in our lives.
#1. Peace requires cleaning house.
We have to clean out our house. Disruptions of peace come from internal actions and from external forces. Internal actions that cause turmoil and unrest are typically born out of a disobedience to the ways of God. The first order of house cleaning is internal. If there are places of disobedience to the way of God, then we need to bring them into conformity. This cannot be a legalistic pursuit, but the reality is that there are things in our lives that aren’t good for us. We know what many of these things are and we know they aren’t good for us, and yet many of we continue to do them. If we want the shalom of God, we have to stop. You cannot be a serial gossip and expect to have loving, trusting relationships. You cannot smoke and expect to have healthy lungs.
Disruptions in peace are not only internal but there are also external forces as well. People, circumstances, and events can easily cause unrest. To the extent that we can control the situations that disrupt peace, I would encourage you to eliminate them. We will never be able to eliminate outside stressors, which is why it is important to reduce internal stressors as much as possible. Nonetheless, work towards resolving conflicts and stressful situations as quickly as possible. As you work towards peace, it is important to reflect on the situations and actions that are robbing you of peace. What robs your peace that you need to stop doing?
#2. Peace requires redecorating.
As we work on cleaning our houses, it is important to redecorate. In the illustration of the unclean spirits, the spirit returns and brings along his friends because the person hasn’t filled his soul with anything else. In the same way, once the house is cleaned out, it is important to bring in new furnishings. When you stop doing something harmful in your life or eliminate a stressor, it is important that you replace is with something else. As we all know, life is full of constant stressors and we must be diligent in maintain peace in our lives. When you stop a harmful action, it creates a void that needs to be filled. Redecorating is about creating a lifestyle that pursues God.
It is important not to become legalistic about this. Creating a list of things not to do won’t create peace. God really isn’t about rules. God does have a certain way that he wants us to live. While there are some don’t do’s, God’s emphasis is on finding fullness of life. God really is about loving relationships and restoring fullness into people’s lives. God wants you to be filled with joy not keep you from having fun. This is why he sets forth a model for engaging in life.
Therefore, if we want lasting heavenly peace in our lives, we need to proactively pursue it. We need to build practices and habits into our lives that will be life-giving. We need to develop defaults that will bring us closer to God and provide the centeredness that promotes peace in our lives. Jesus teaches us to seek first the kingdom of God and all else will be added unto us. Personally, I have a list of things that I know bring me back to a place of peace. Things like reading, exercising, swimming, walking, regular prayer and devotional time all are life-giving for me. They bring me to a place of centeredness and peace in God. After all, peace is about wholeness and fullness so we need to decorate and fill our lives with things that foster that peace of God. I would encourage you to reflect then. What do you need to start doing that will bring you closer to God? What will bring goodness and wholeness into your life?
GOD’S GIFT
Finally, if you truly long for peace in your life, we must look to the Lord. In our own strength, we can only find so much peace. In fact, in our own strength we cannot discover the shalom of God. In John 14, Jesus teaches us an important lesson about peace. He says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” Jesus is known as the Prince of Peace for a reason. It is part of his heart for us to live out of his peace. God wants to give us more than worldly peace, he wants to give us shalom. He wants us to have wholeness and well-being so that we won’t be afraid or troubled. If we will clean house and redecorate, if we will live obediently and pursue God, we will be given the peace of God. Many of us talk about wanting peace, but we fail to pursue it. As we conclude this morning, I would ask a simple question. Are you ready to receive the peace of God this Christmas season? There is no better gift that God would want to offer us.
Let’s pray for peace in our lives.
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