Peace is here
Notes
Transcript
Peace - Shalom
More than just no conflict
More than just personal but it starts here
Things that kill peace
Conflict, Uncertainty, Loneliness, Ingratitude (self-focus)
Richard Schwartz/ trees
Script the announcement
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.
19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife,
25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
Just Decision-Making promotes Peace
Just Decision-Making promotes Peace
Justice today - cancel culture
10 “And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?’
11 Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?
Righteousness and Justice is not simply upholding the law but it’s interwoven by love with mercy and grace
Dilemmas you will face: Don’t be afraid to slow down and think on it
Don’t be afraid to do the right thing in a hard way
Don’t be afraid to deal with the problem in front of you rather than “trying to make an example”
Obedience to God’s Word promotes Peace
Obedience to God’s Word promotes Peace
God’s Word gives perspectivve
God’s Word gives directive even without perspective sometimes
Faith - TIthing, Job, Time
You can’t please everyone all the time.
You have to set your direction and focus on what’s most important.
Teens / Students / reading the Word and obeying it - brings success and comfort
it doesn’t solve all dilemmas but it does give perspective and direction
Praise and thank the church - invest the Word
Christ’s Presence Gives Peace
Christ’s Presence Gives Peace
Achieving peace is not something we do as much as we receive.
Telling your story but someone’s in the room
You’re no longer alone in your story
Richard Schwartz/ trees
Being a community of peace
In Community Groups
In ABFs
Serving
Investing in people
Do you have peace?
6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down)
7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Footprints
One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You'd walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me."
He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you."
One of the goals we have as a church in discipling people is to train them to be able to read and understand and apply God's Word themselves. This leads to a strong personal relationship with Christ for each person and the joy and peace that comes from that. In our youth group Jed and our youth leaders are working hard to help that happen. Teens, we know your still figuring out life, your relationships, and walking with God. But I'm excited to see how God continues to work in you. I've seen growth in love and wisdom. Growing up in this time in history has a lot of challenges but God hasn't left the building and being able to walk with him brings true success. So we pray for you as you pray for us and I'm grateful for your dedication and investment.
One of the things we want to emphasize this Christmas season is our gratefulness for the resources you have given to our church. Your giving helps our high school, middle school and elementary programs run and run well. Your time helps people grow in love for God and one another. We encourage you to continue to give As God has blessed you. Whether you give through the boxes in the back, mailing a check in to the office or using our church app or online, we are so grateful for how your Giving helps us together do what we believe God has called us to do.
1 Chronicles 29:14-17 ESV
[14] “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. [15] For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. [16] O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. [17] I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you.
https://bible.com/bible/59/1ch.29.14.ESV
During this time of the month we usually reflect on our deacons fund offering which helps those in need. We encourage you to give to that but we also wanted to thank you for the way you give each week or month. As we thank God for Christ, take a moment to give back because of what He's given to you or to thank God for the opportunity to give what you have already sent in because of His wonderful gift in Jesus.
Community Group questions
When have you run into a hard dilemma that required thought about how to promote peace? What did you learn through that process? What advice would you give regarding the process?
What is a passage of Scripture that you are meditating on over the holidays? What commands are in that passage? How will obeying those give you more peace in your life? When do you doubt that obeying those will give you peace?
What do you enjoy most about knowing that Jesus is in your life? What peace comes from knowing His love, faithfulness and power?
When do you feel alone? How does knowing Emmanuel is here help with that? What will you do this week to rest in His peace?
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