Lost, wanting to find
Part of Peace on Earth
December 10, 2023

PEACE (5).png

Lost, wanting to find…

What is peace?

“The nonwarring condition of a nation” – dictionary.com

Peace is not the absence of conflict. It’s the presence of something very good.

Even Pastor Zach’s sister who lived in a hut out in the African “bush” still had stress.

Peace is an attribute of God

This is the 10,000 foot, “Up in the air” answer. In the coming weeks we’ll look at it up close from the ground.

There are a lot of attributes of God.
- Attributes is the term we use to describe the qualities of God’s character and nature

God’s attributes are:

  • Spirituality
  • Omniscience
  • Omnipresence
  • Omnipotent
  • Wisdom
  • Truthfulness
  • Faithfulness
  • Goodness
  • Love
  • Mercy
  • Holiness
  • Peace
  • Justice
  • Jealousy
  • Wrath
  • Will
  • Freedom
  • Perfection
  • Glory

It’s important for us to understand when it comes to the attributes of God that these are fully who God is in His being.

  • God’s Being is not a collection of attributes added together.
    • God isn’t just nice things put together where He can be more one than another given the day.

  • God’s Attributes are not additions to His real Being

  • God is Love, Justice, Holiness, Peace, and so on, simultaneously
  • So when we say that peace is an attribute of God, then that means God is always in the business of peace because it stems from His nature.

“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace”
1 Corinthians 14:33a

Peace is not the lack of conflict, but is the active fulfillment of the will of God.

  • When we follow God’s will, we experience His peace. When we are connected in relationship to God, we experience his peace.

We have peace - not because our circumstances are comfortable - but because we know Who sits on the throne.

  • It is out of the peace of God that comes hope, our contentment, satisfaction in life, our purpose. All those wonderful things are wrapped up in the peace of God – His sovereign reign and active will.
  • We don’t have an answer for why every bad thing happens or for why we sometimes struggle but we live by faith and trust that God is still on His throne and so we have peace.

We don’t have peace because we are separated from God

We were created to live in peace with God.

God made the first human beings to live in an amazing garden and God would meet them there walk with them in the garden.

Those first humans (Adam and Eve) rebelled against God, they chose their own way instead of God’s. That’s called sin.

The consequences of sin is separation from God.

Because of that separation, we do not experience the direct presence of God like they did in the garden. We live now in a broken world.

Stress, anxiety, and fear are byproducts of the brokenness of sin.
We think stress, anxiety, and fear are because of our circumstances…and if we can just change our circumstances then everything will get better.

But there will always be stress, anxiety, and fear in our lives when we are disconnected from God. Sin has created this brokenness.

We look for peace in the wrong places

Our world lacks peace because people are looking for it in the wrong places

The woman at the well is a great example

  • John 4:4-19, 28-29
  • Like the woman at the well, we drink water from the wrong well thinking it will satisfy but it won’t.

All the “wrong wells” that we turn to can be put into these categories:

  • Approval
  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Pride

Coping
When we don’t find the peace we’re looking for or it fades, we push further into the wrong area trying to make it work.

  • “Coping is the thoughts and actions used to manage internal and external stress.”
  • When we don’t find the peace we’re looking for, we turn to substances and things we can control in life to cope with it. We drink, overeat, do drugs, go from relationship to relationship, buy new shiny things, go on another vacation
  • All trying to find a peace that can’t be found in that stuff.

Peace is not found in circumstances

Stress and anxiety are part of life. You can’t completely remove it. We think we can, so we try to manage and control every area of our life to provide comfort and cut out difficulties. And when that doesn’t work, we just try to cope.

Managing our circumstances won’t create peace. It never will because that’s not where peace comes from.

  • We get frustrated and stressed over really small things that don’t even matter.

    • Like when someone cuts you off in traffic, it doesn’t really matter but we take it personally and get all upset and use the only sign language we know.

  • Or we stress out over really good things that should make us happy but just make us miserable.

    • Like hosting a kid’s birthday party. Everything about a kids birthday party is good and fun! Cake, friends, presents. It’s all happy stuff.
    • At the beginning, the host parents always seem excited and eager. There is a shine in their eyes. Then 2 hours later when the party is over, the parents look like they just walked out of a warzone. Stuff is hanging from the ceiling, their shirt is ripped, and the dog is eating cake off the couch.
    • It’s good fun! But even good circumstances don’t bring peace because peace is not tied to our circumstances.

Peace is found in one really important relationship

Jesus said “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

Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

Jesus restores us to God.
Through Jesus, we know God once more and experience His attribute of peace.

That’s what Christmas is all about
God restoring us to Himself through Jesus stepping into our mess.

What are the wrong “wells” you have been drinking from to find peace?

Name it

Especially in this Christmas season, our culture is going to tell you lie after lie.

So name the lie that you have been told to find peace in and pray to God to help you overcome in and grow in your relationship with Him.

Share it with God.

Ask God for His peace to reign in your life.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
Colossians 3:15

As believers, we need to consciously let God’s peace rule in our hearts.
We’re caught in the middle of a world that is trying to find peace in dry wells. But we have hope and confidence knowing that Christ overcame the world and so our peace is found in Him.