"A Time for Peace" Romans 14: 17-19
"A Time To...." • Sermon • Submitted
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· 3 viewsThrough prayers for the present and future we will view our need for peace in these difficult times.
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Introduction
Introduction
English Standard Version (Romans 14:17–19)
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
Sunday Prayer- from the Shalem Institute
In the face of war I’m so small. Yet love is big.
I can’t make the
world be peaceful
I can’t stall tanks
from roaring down roads
I can’t prevent children
from having to hide in bunkers
I can’t convince the news to
stop turning war into a video game
I can’t silence the sound of bombs
tearing neighborhoods apart
I can’t turn a guided missile
into a bouquet of flowers
I can’t make a warmonger
have an ounce of empathy
I can’t convince ambassadors
to quit playing truth or dare
I can’t deflect a sniper’s bullet
from turning a wife into a widow
I can’t stave off a country being
reduced to ash and rubble
I can’t do any of that
the only thing I can do
is love the next person I encounter
without any conditions or strings
to love my neighbor
so fearlessly that
it starts a ripple
that stretches from
one horizon to the next
I can’t force peace
on the world
but I can become a force
of peace in the world
because
sometimes all it takes
is a single lit candle
in the darkness
to start a movement
“Lord, make me a candle
of comfort in this world
let me burn with peace”
~ john roedel
Amen.
TODAY BELOVEDS, WE COME TO OUR GOD HUMBLY, CONCERNED ABOUT OUR WORLD
AND THE STATE OF THINGS....SO
THIS SERMON BEGAN WITH PRAYER AND WE SHALL CLOSE WITH
PRAYER......TOGETHER, IN COMMUNITY WITH ONE
ANOTHER, WE CONFESS THAT OUR TASK IS TO IMAGINE AND ANTICIPATE WHAT
PEACE FEELS LIKE SO WE CAN
EXPERIENCE IT AGAIN.....IN A COMPILATION OF ONE OF OUR TIMES MOST POPULAR
PAINTER’S WORKS, THE
PAINTER THOMAS KINKADE ASKS READERS TO ENGAGE IN AN EXERCISE; ONE OF
BEAUTY, SIMPLICITY AND GRACE....
I WOULD INVITE YOU TO ENGAGE IT NOW:
IMAGINE A LIFE WHERE THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME, PLENTY OF ENERGY, PLENTY OF
OPPORTUNITY FOR
EVERYTHING YOU FEEL IS IMPORTANT — PLUS A LITTLE LEFT OVER FOR SOME
THINGS YOU SIMPLY ENJOY.
THINK ABOUT A LIFE WHERE WORK COMMANDS YOUR ENERGY AND INVOLVEMENT
BUT DOES NOT REQUIRE YOU
TO SELL YOUR SOUL, WHERE LEISURE TIME RELAXES AND RESTORES YOU,
(RETIREES) WHERE YOU ENJOY BOTH
SOLITUDE AND FRIENDSHIPS. A LIFE WHERE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, INTELLECTUAL
PURSUITS, EMOTIONAL
INVOLVEMENTS AND SPIRITUAL DEVOTION SUPPORT EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF
FIGHTING FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
KINKADE CALLS THIS A “BALANCED AND HARMONIOUS EXISTENCE”- I’D LIKE TO
MAKE A CASE FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL
PICTURE BEING A PICTURE OF PEACE.....A PEACE WORTH HOPING FOR, A PEACE
WORTH STRIVING FOR BELOVEDS....
THOUGH THE GREEK WORD FOR PEACE MEANS THE ABSENCE OF WAR OR CONFLICT,
THE NEW TESTAMENT HELPS
US SEE MANY MORE DIMENSIONS OF PEACE.......
PAUL’S ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE ROMANS
PAUL’S ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE ROMANS
HERE IN PAUL’S LETTER TO THE ROMANS WE HEAR PAUL EXTENDING THE VISION FOR
PEACE FROM THE EARTHLY
REALM TO WHAT PEACE IN THE KIN-DOM OF GOD IS LIKE......IT’S AS IF PAUL IS SAYING
PEACE IS BEYOND THE
LIMITATIONS EARTH PUTS ON IT, WHERE CHIEF AMONG OUR CONCERNS IS THE
EATING AND DRINKING THAT WE
MUST DO TO SURVIVE......IN HIS LETTERS TO THE CORINTHIANS PAUL EVEN POINTS
OUT HOW THE TABLE WHERE
EATING AND DRINKING IN THE COMMUNION PRACTICES OF THE COMMUNITY WAS
CAUSING DIVISION AND STRIFE
EATING AND DRINKING IN THE CORINTHIAN COMMUNITY WAS CAUSING THEM TO
LOSE THEIR PEACE.....HERE IN
THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS PAUL IS SAYING, PURSUE PEACE BY RECOGNIZING JOY,
RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PEACE
IN THE HOLY SPIRIT........IN EVERY GENERATION SINCE BIBLE TIMES WE’VE HAD
THEOLOGIANS AND RELIGIOUS
LEADERS ENCOURAGING US TO PURSUE AND STRIVE FOR PEACE WHETHER WE
ACHIEVE IT OR NOT.......WHAT IF
THAT IS THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT’S POWER AND PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES AND
HEARTS?....WHAT IF THE GIFT
OF THE COMFORTER, THAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ALWAYS THERE INVITING US TO
ENTER INTO GOD’S PEACE?
300 Quotations for Preachers from the Modern Church Enter into God’s Peace
A great many people are trying to make peace. But that has already been done. God has not left it for us to do; all that we have to do is to enter into it.
DWIGHT L. MOODY*
THE STORY OF THE WOMAN WHO WANTED PEACE
THE STORY OF THE WOMAN WHO WANTED PEACE
THE STORY IS TOLD OF A WOMAN WHO WANTED PEACE IN THE WORLD AND PEACE
IN HER HEART AND ALL SORTS
OF GOOD THINGS, BUT SHE WAS VERY FRUSTRATED. THE WORLD SEEMED TO BE
FALLING APART. SHE WOULD
READ THE PAPERS AND GET DEPRESSED. ONE DAY SHE DECIDED TO GO SHOPPING,
AND SHE WENT INTO A MALL
AND PICKED A STORE AT RANDOM. SHE WALKED IN AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE
JESUS BEHIND THE COUNTER.
SHE KNEW IT WAS JESUS, BECAUSE HE LOOKED LIKE THE PICTURES SHE’D SEEN
ON HOLY CARDS AND
DEVOTIONAL PICTURES. SHE LOOKED AGAIN AND AGAIN AT HIM, AND FINALLY SHE
GOT UP THE NERVE AND
ASKED,
“EXCUSE ME, ARE YOU JESUS?” “I AM,” HE RESPONDED. “DO YOU WORK HERE?”
“NO,” JESUS SAID, “I OWN THE
STORE.” “OH, THE WOMAN SAID, “WHAT DO YOU SELL HERE?” “OH, JUST ABOUT
ANYTHING....ANYTHING? SHE
RESPONDED. YEAH, JESUS SAID, ANYTHING YOU WANT. WHAT DO YOU WANT?”
SHE SAID, I DON’T KNOW” WELL,
JESUS SAID, WALK UP AND DOWN THE AISLES, MAKE A LIST, SEE WHAT IT IS YOU
WANT AND THEN COME BACK AND
WE’LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU. SHE DID JUST THAT. AS SHE WALKED UP
AND DOWN THE AISLES THERE
WAS PEACE ON EARTH, NO MORE WAR, CLEAN AIR, NO MORE HUNGER OR POVERTY,
PEACE IN FAMILIES, NO MORE
DRUGS, HARMONY, AND CAREFUL USE OF RESOURCES. SHE WROTE OUT HER LIST
FURIOUSLY. BY THE TIME SHE
GOT BACK TO THE COUNTER SHE HAD A LONG LIST. JESUS LOOKED IT UP AND
DOWN, SKIMMED THROUGH IT,
LOOKED UP AT HER AND SMILED. “NO PROBLEM” HE SAID. AND THEN HE BENT
DOWN BEHIND THE COUNTER AND
PICKED OUT ALL SORTS OF THINGS, STOOD UP AND LAID OUT THE PACKETS. THE
WOMAN ASKED, “WHAT ARE
THESE?” JESUS REPLIED, “SEED PACKETS. THIS IS A CATALOG STORE.” SHE SAID,
“YOU MEAN I DON’T GET THE
FINISHED PRODUCT?” “NO, JESUS SAID, THIS IS A PLACE OF DREAMS. YOU COME
AND SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE,
AND I GIVE YOU THE SEEDS. YOU PLANT THE SEEDS. YOU GO HOME AND NURTURE
THEM AND HELP THEM TO
GROW AND SOMEONE ELSE REAPS THE BENEFITS.......” AND SO THE WOMAN LEFT
THE STORE WITHOUT BUYING
ANYTHING.
SO I WONDER, DID THE WOMAN COME INTO THE STORE MORE FRUSTRATED OR
LEAVE MORE FRUSTRATED TO
KNOW SHE COULD ONLY BUY SEEDS?
WITH ALL THE YEARS OF LIFE EXPERIENCE THAT FILLS THE PAGES OF THE 3rd
CHAPTER OF ECCLESIASTES THE
FRUSTRATION OF FAITHFUL LIVING WAS NAMED IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY........A TIME
FOR EVERY SEASON MEANS
THERE’S A TIME FOR WAR AND A TIME FOR PEACE......IT DOESN’T SAY WE HAVE TO
LIKE IT THAT WAY, OR THAT GOD
WILL CHANGE IT ALL WITH A MAGIC WAND OVERNIGHT........
PEACE, FOR HERE AND NOW OR PEACE FOR THE HEREAFTER? IS THAT REALLY THE
QUESTION FOR US TO LIVE
FAITHFULLY IN OUR YEARS ON EARTH?
PAUL ASSURES THE ROMANS THAT AS WE SERVE CHRIST JESUS, WE WILL FIND
PEACE......THE PEACE THAT COMES
WITH BEING ACCEPTABLE TO GOD........
PAUL ASSURES THE ROMANS THAT PART OF FINDING PEACE IS IN PURSUING IT.....
JUST LIKE THE WOMAN IN THE STORE, WE PURSUE THE SEEDS OF WHAT WE WANT
TO SEE, THINGS LIKE PEACE IN
OUR HEARTS, OUR HOMES AND IN THE WORLD......OUR TASK IS TO KEEP
AFTER IT.....AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT WHEN THOSE SEEDS GROW FULLY INTO
MATURITY......
KEEP DESIRING GOD & PURSUING PEACE
KEEP DESIRING GOD & PURSUING PEACE
GOD IS STILL IN THE GUT CHECK BUSINESS BELOVEDS, SO HERE IS OUR TASK
SUMMED UP SO BEAUTIFULLY:
300 Quotations for Preachers from the Reformation Desire to See God, and You Will Live in Peace
Desire to see God; fear to lose Him; grieve to be so far from Him; rejoice to be brought near Him—thus you will live in profound peace.
TERESA OF ÁVILA*
ALLOW GOD’S JOY TO BE YOUR LIGHT IN THIS PRESENT DARKNESS, RECOGNIZE THAT
ALONG THE WAY GOD STILL
GIVES US GLIMPSES AND SNAPSHOTS OF PEACE, THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US THE GIFT
OF THEOLOGIANS AND
FAITHFUL ANCESTORS WHO LIVED THROUGH WARS, PLAGUES, CENTURIES OF
SLAVERY AND SERVITUDE, TIMES
BEFORE ALL THE CREATURE COMFORTS WE KNOW WERE EVER CREATED OR EVEN
THOUGHT OF.........
AND PLEASE KNOW, AS WE SHARE THE COMMUNION TABLE TODAY, THERE ARE STILL
MANY FOLKS WE NEED TO
KEEP HOLDING IN PRAYER, FOLKS WHO DO NOT YET KNOW WHAT WE KNOW AND
SHARE AND SEEK TO SPREAD
MORE WIDELY....IT IS WHAT WE BELIEVE WHEN CONFUSION SURROUNDS US, WHEN
FRUSTRATIONS SEEM TO FIND
US FEELING FRAIL.......WHEN THE ANSWER IS WAITING RATHER THAN RECEIVING........
You cannot have the peace of God until you know the God of peace.
1 Croft M. Pentz, The Complete Book of Zingers: Over 5,000 Perfect One-Liners (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc., 1990), 240.
CLOSING PRAYER: A CREED OF PEACE
CLOSING PRAYER: A CREED OF PEACE
I CLOSE TODAY WITH THE BEAUTIFUL PRAYER I’VE SHARED WITH CHURCH COUNCIL
BEFORE, FROM
PROGRESSIVECHRISTIANITY.ORG........IT’S CALLED “A CREED OF PEACE”
I believe in faiths of compassion
And I nurture benevolent hopes;
I treasure loves without borders
And value simple truths
I believe in the peace of One Peace;
Redeeming, unending, sublime
For my peace is always your peace
As your peace is always mine
Peace makes us One with each other
Where faiths, hopes and loves combine