Gode's PEACE in the Mess

Well as We Gather this morning, let's pray for the Holy Spirit to open up our hearts to receive God's word. Have my Lord as we come before you this morning. We pray Lord for your Holy Spirit to come upon us and open us up. We pray Lord that you would give us your word for our lives. You would give us your promises and I in our hearing low. We also ask your Holy Spirit to be upon your servant Douglas Lord anoint me to Proclaim your good news in our hearing and all God's people agreed and said amen.

Was with a couple of folks this week. We're talking about how much? Cell phones have changed the way we live and you know just the whole digital age is so much different. You know we used to be you remember you would not be home and someone would call you and you wouldn't be there and and they would have to wait to call you back some other time. You remember those days. It was way bad decades and decades ago. I don't even know if we can remember that far back but there was like that there was a Sarah fader. She's a 38 year old social media consultant. She lives in Brooklyn and she has a generalized anxiety disorder and she was in conversation with a friend who was going to be visiting her from Oregon that last winter in this impending visit and she texted texted her and she didn't get a quick response. And Sarah went in too short of a fit and she posted on Twitter, but you are sixteen thousand followers. She wrote. I didn't hear from my friend for a Day game. I thought they don't want to be my friend anymore and she has tagged. This is what anxiety feels like. Well it's struck a chord because thousands of people were soon offering up their own examples of anxiety and some of these were retweeted more than a thousand times. And so you know, what is the money thing is Sarah said if you were a human being living in 2018, and you're not anxious there's something wrong with you.

And that's the thing with the with the with our cell phones and with all the digital age. It's like we expect this immediate response and we expect things to just be resolved so quickly and we just are so anxious. We're in such a rush. And then we bring that stuff home, right? Like there isn't enough things at home already to get anxious about And we bring that stuff home. We know that in our homes. They're there is Discord, right? We just we get in a why did you buy that loaf of bread while I was it was on sale. So I don't like that loaf of bread. I mean these kind of things little things right we get we get a name is in the little things that we get upset over let alone other things that come up words that are said misinterpreted or may be interpreted rightly and you know blows into something else in this Discord is just everywhere. It's in everyone of Our Lives is in every one of our families and then you start multiplying all that Discord. By family and Society each country. Each nation in our world is just Rife. with the mess of Discord This morning we hear from the prophet Zephaniah talking about how the Lord promises to restore the people of Judah the southern Kingdom the the nation around Jerusalem because the northern kingdom has been is gone. And it will definitely talk. It was interesting in that passage. He says in there.

He said I will in verse 18 He said I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals. We were talking about that in the bible study on Monday. And there was one commentator had a great Insight that what it was was that there was a group of folks who are deemed that they didn't fit in and so they were excluded from the worship. And so they were a morning not because of the religious. Festival being taken away, but that they were excluded. Think about how we feel when we're excluded because of Discord because someone says we didn't do the right thing. You're not righteous enough. We all have had that that feeling at times that shame or that guilt. Lord also talks about how he will deal with those who oppressed judah's they were overtaken by their enemies

and he says I'm going to rescue the lame. The X-Files There's times when we want when we limp into December. Sometimes we have periods in our lives where we've had a rough year, and we look forward to the year ending. I'm hoping that the next year will bring something else. Maybe this year that's the way you feel.

We go through times when we just feel. That Discord deep in our hearts and Zephaniah speak to that. And then this morning we hear of John the Baptist John the Baptist Jesus himself is sent by God to be his messenger. Remember that we were we heard about John the Baptist last Sunday about how John Wooden was out there preaching in the wilderness and John remember that he himself is the miraculous birth. Elizabeth and Zechariah their way Beyond retirement age their way up there and Elizabeth gets pregnant to the shock of everyone and especially imagine that Elizabeth and didn't care of a baby. The reason why John ended up out in the wilderness. I'm not going to go too far into that. You can even imagine what these grandparents who aren't grandparent. I've never been grandparents are taking care of their young shot imagine. They were great parents, but just think about that being 70 years old and caring for a baby. Yeah, but he is a promise child. He is a the holy spirit is upon him while he's in the womb God is moving in. His life is being shipped by God to be a messenger saying that the Lord is coming to bring his promised Messiah that God is going to restore the people of face. But the last thing we heard about John last week was after he preached the gospel. The good news that the Messiah was coming that Herod. This wicked King had decided to throw him in jail. now we sort of remember that story. I mean this guy was just he was just a nasty guy in all kinds of ways. He's murdered his own children, and he was a pervert he had he was dating his brother's wife and the date. Luyster Mary she was living with him and she her daughter is with her and he's throwing this this drunk and Bash his party and she does some seductive seductive dance and and he gets all excited says I'll give you anything you want. I mean talk about a tip. And she's she goes back to her. Mom who's in on all this. I mean, this is just some real dysfunctional kind of behavior and she says why don't you ask him for the head of John the Baptist? Are all the Christmas gift I've ever wanted a deadhead is never something I've asked for never occurred to me. so we know that this story is coming and so on we hear John the Baptist ask his disciples go ask Jesus my cousin if he's the one Or should we look be looking for someone else? John is in in jail and looking. We're some answers because there's this dissonance. He thought you know, he's he's the messenger of God and he's in jail facing death and it's like this isn't quite I mean, I sort of know that this was going to happen, but How is this part of God's plan? There's a dissonance a Discord with God over this.

Is we look yet? Christmas and we think about the the hope of of of what we have. There was a there was an ad that one time reading the New York Times said the meaning of Christmas is that love will Triumph and that we will be able to put together a world of unity and peace.

Christmas is at love will Triumph and we will all be able to put together or world of unity and peace. It's funny. I was watching I think it's called the Christmas Chronicles or something who's on Netflix with Kurt Russell playing Santa Claus and he said Christmas reminds us about how good we all can all should be or can be and then in the next thing, you know, he's in jail and he's he's like talking with people who are on the naughty list and telling them and it just like, you know Christmas is this hope and yet what's the Hope founded on? Religious idea with Akright a Christmas without Christ that we have the light within us. And so we're the ones who can dispel the darkness of this world that we can overcome poverty Injustice violence and evil if we simply work together, we can create a world of unity and peace.

When we think about the the last night just the last year for the last 2 years but really the last couple decades in their own country. And how are united are we as people let alone what's going on in the world?

You know someone who has a really good perspective on this was about Cloud Havel who was the first president of the Czech Republic after the the Iron Curtain fell and he was one of the most thoughtful leaders of the late 20th century and having lived through communism and socialism and and then seeing capitalism take off in Czech Czech Republic. He was not optimistic that the world could by itself solve the greatest human problems and he knew that science unguided by principal gave us the Holocaust and you can cluded he was he wrote that neither technology nor the state nor the market alone could save us from nuclear degradation. He wrote The Pursuit Of of the good life will not help Humanity save itself nor is democracy democracy alone enough. He's smarter things. He said is that too often? The human race constantly forgets that it is, not God.

Deep within us is this broken this this Discord and the thing is is we think about this and you know this like this anxiety because it's someone didn't call us back right away. This Discord is deep within all in each and every one of us. And so how do we get through this mess of the Discord? The good news for all of us is the promises of God. God says to Zephaniah that that he's going to come and be amongst them and bring healing to all of them. God promises and he says he can reminds the people of Judah his his his people he says that he will Nation sing and rejoice that they that the Lord will has taken away their promise their punishment and over over again. He says not to fear to be harmed but you remind them he says this repeatedly that the Lord is with them and that the Lord takes Delight in you the Lord rejoices over you that the lord loves you. part of our Discord as we get so caught up with how we see ourselves or how the world sees us and we're anxious about ourselves and yet the Lord sees you through his eyes of Grace and love each one of you of infinite value to him and it's amazing to us. Anyone could value was so highly. of infinite value

God promises to bring his peace to rescue the lame to gather the X-Files to give them praise to bring bring them back home to gather them back to himself. Do we trust God restore us? the beginning of the of the Luke reading was that

he says that they did disciples went back and reported something. What did they report? What what happens right before this in the Gospel of Luke is that Jesus was traveling along with siples. He called a small town called name and there's a funeral going on and it's not a happy funeral, but this is not a happy funeral because A Widow's only child her only son and died. Her whole life, isn't it is in turmoil. Not just because he's her he's her financial and social support. He's our only child is the only one she has left.

And as his funeral is making his way through town and there's this deep grief. Jesus comes up and puts his hand on the coffin and stops the funeral procession. I mean talk about interrupting.

And he raises the son up from the dead story that is a story and the John's disciples. They find out about the John and John again s. Are you the one or should we wait for someone else? And here again this the same question gets asked because in Luke when he read when he writes this he asked this question twice. And that tells us something cuz when Luke repeat something you try to emphasize something for us. Are you the one or are we supposed to wait for someone else when Luke wrote his story of Jesus when he wrote his gospel. He said I have study these things and I'm setting them out to you Theophilus. That's why he writes his gospels to you lover of God so that you can know this story. This is the essential question is Jesus Christ the one or should we wait for someone else in Zephaniah John promises that he will come to be the warrior to be the champion for his people and so God sent his son Jesus Christ and Christ takes on our Discord is the Bible tells us John the Baptist simself. This PC if you can't see it as well and gets paid it out on this all the light in this space. But John the Baptist was over there with his little bony finger pointing to Jesus who he said was the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and as we sing in our liturgy later when we have to go Wee Sing it or second service the Lamb of God gives us. Peace. Jesus Christ comes to crush under his cross and under his foot. the power of sin the power of death He defeats them. He is our champion and because he overcomes death he brings healing to our lives and he gives here to the blind. He doesn't give him a braille book. He gives him sight to the to the death. He doesn't give you no hearing aids. He gives hearing truhearing to the lame not a cane. But stronger skeletons and muscles. to the Dead Not a fancy or coughing but raises them up to life. Jesus Christ comes to change our lives in to bring the healing power of God into our lives. They can give us peace in the midst of the Discord and dissidents that we experienced each and every day and that this world is just steeped in. How do we find this piece the god brings Peace by giving us first is by giving us face by giving us the spirit. If you have an inkling that Jesus Christ is Lord. If you have an inkling that Jesus Christ is in fact, the one then you have then you have peace, you know is we wouldn't want him. It's so much like I like I might I might be I like to have one of minutes that sort of mean something to me. So like one ornament that I'm missing is this little drum that when I was a kid, I used to play with it at least a little little drumsticks by Broken But I'm missing that I got to try to find that a lot of us probably have dubs. Honor Birds on our trees, right? And what's. It's a symbol of peace. It's also the spirit the symbol of the Holy Spirit, right? If you have faith if you have an inkling that Jesus Christ is Lord, then you have the Holy Spirit because you cannot have faith in Christ without the gift of the holy spirit. So you can be assured my brothers and sisters that the spirit of God rest upon you and if you have the presence of God, that means that the peace of God is also there for you. It's right there. You just have to recognize it and well, it's it's already been given to you. It's in your heart. You know. Paul says to us in Philippians. He says Rejoice again. I say rejoice always because Paul right now. He's at this incredible party. There's there's like there the drinks are flowing. Once again that that trouble Baker for going around and telling people that Jesus Christ is Lord is in jail, and he's telling the Philippians. Don't worry about me. I'm great. I'm at the Lord is with me and I want you. no matter what your circumstances are you can rejoice you can Rejoice because he says this the Lord is near. The Lord is near the Lord is near to you because you have the Holy Spirit. The Lord is near because Christ has broken into our world. God is broken into our world to bring about his peace and impulse that with a couple different ways forbearance reasonableness gentleness. Patience, but we can have forbearance. We can have patience we can have confidence because God is at work in our lives and it's like if God is for you then who can be against you if God is with you then why should we be anxious about anything? God is with you. God is near you. God is blessing your life. With salvation God is blessing your life with forgiveness. God is blessing your life with Redemption. God is blessing your life with hope. And we could go on and on all of these blessings are right there in your life already cuz you have the Holy Spirit, and if you have all those blessings then you also have you have peace. It is there.

The peace that got offers just not grounded in the circumstances of what's going on around us. The peace that got offers you is not based on your own goodness or your own righteousness. Good news. I know for me. the peace that God gives is not is not based on what we can say or do or what we can grab onto the peace that God gives us is based on God on the very presence of God. And again, it's nothing less than the holy spirit. So you have God's peace. And you guys you have that Assurance then? How do we how do we live in to that? How do we have God's peace in the midst of the mess? Paul says in every circumstance you should be praying with thankfulness. And so the first part of having that pieces to remember to go back and look at all the things that God is doing in your life. The sea the God is faithful. You have faith in Christ. He forgives you. He loves you. He's your you're breathing today. You're on the right side of the dirt. Right? I mean the list goes on and on there are so many blessings. God has given you. And we live in a world of losses, right? We lose something all the time and yet God is consoling blessing us with his presence and bringing us towards his future. And so when we we have that thankfulness, we're able to focus on God and to trust God so praying for peace begins with right recognizing who God is and what God does in the next thing is to look for God's peace. To look for it. To see that the satellite lot. Allow God to settle us down to remember that what he is done is greater than anything else in all of creation. Like I said earlier today and I went to the gas station. I was riled up wasn't like, you know, I didn't get out of the car and start shaking in my fist at anyone but you know, it's like out of the way, how are you

and then the person on the other end of the phone reminded me that I had a lot of things to be thankful for and I needed to be quiet.

MVP's filled And so we have to look for God's peace because the Discord comes at us, right the anxiety is streaming at us and we need to look for God's peace and find his peace part of that is coming to worship. I hope that when you come on Sunday mornings, you leave more peaceful. Although part of my role is to as the pastors to preach words that challenge you I still hope that you leave with. Peace. And when we take communion part of that is as you received the real presence of the Lord and Savior you have peace with God and you have we have peace with one another and as you receive that piece you were sent off. It's part of the reason we a we share the peace at the beginning of the worship because God makes us one. And the last thing is is that weird to tell others of this piece to share it.

Just like John the Baptist was sent to go until and the disciples go and tell what they saw was Jesus a done at name. So too weird to share that piece in our Our Daily World. How can we do that? And you say Quan I better than John the Baptist. Will Jackson Lee John John his old was rue the greatest of all who are born but he's born before the cross in the resurrection and in while he has a Holy Spirit. You have the Holy Spirit to but he did not get to see in this life the cross and the resurrection and you do have that and you have received multiple blessings from Jesus Christ himself. And so Jesus says you're even greater. You can be sent out as The Messengers who prepare the way of the Lord for others.

That is our calling as a church is to receive Christ peace in this in this space and with each other to be a Community of Peace, but we are also called to be a Community of Peace that reaches out and welcomes others first place to do it is at home to share the peace with people in your home at work. At the gas station may be on the roads lots of places where we can share peace. That's our calling as God's people. The Peace of the Lord be with you and also with you. Amen.