Advent Of Peace
the Lord the Advent of peace now. I'm going to share the the the meaning of Advent and where that comes from. But there's something that we we desire or in our lives don't we desire to have a piece of peace in our lives that you don't we both mentally. I mean, I know some people thrive on conflict and and unless they're having a big fight or argument or whatever. It seems like they're they're not satisfied that used to be kind of a joke. When we were driving trucks and and somebody said, you know.
Arguing with the truck driver is like wrestling with a pig in the mud after after awhile. You realize they're enjoying it.
And there's some people that's just their nature that you know that they've just to argue with you is as is anything else. So for most of us, don't we desire? Peace? I mean, isn't it something with you if we were given a choice? I think we choose peace 99% of the time. No one asked questions about peas. Is it possible to have a peaceful family with without peaceful family members? Can you have a peaceful family but not peaceful family members. So so as we look at and what is the church folks the church is the family of God. Now, you may say brother Ed you you know, don't cross the line and think you going to talk to me about my family back at the house. But but I do have Liberty to talk about the family of God. This is part of what God has called me to do so, I can't talk about that but it translates to you your family and God's family should be one in the same. Eminem and the question remains is it possible to have a peaceful family without peaceful family members. And then next question I want to ask is it possible to have a peaceful family unless you yourself are peaceful. And we say we want we want peace in the church. We want to have the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.
But are we peaceful and I want and I want you to bits to examine that is Jesus came. He came as the prince of peace and what that means to us. Is that we two Should be people Desiring P because our team is the Prince of Peace. Amen ra 2 verses 1 through 4. No, wait, wait wait before we read the scripture the word Advent and you'll hear the Advent in terms of describing. You know, Jesus is coming his first coming and his second coming Advent comes from the Latin word Adventist and is defined as the the arrival of a notable person thing or event the arrival of a notable person thing or event so we know the first Advent was Jesus's first coming and we know the second Advent is going to be Jesus's Second Coming. Just so we understand the word and it's not something that we use very often especially over here in southeast Oklahoma, but it is a word that we should understand and is it is descriptive of Jesus is coming. Four Advent themes for things that we can understand about the coming of Jesus. First of all is going to be peace. Joy Love and Hope Bye-bye. Jesus coming. He brought these things to us. And in the we're going to look at we're going to look at peace this morning. Philippians chapter 2 verses 1 through 4 says so if there is any encouragement in Christ any comfort from love any participation in the spirit affection and sympathy complete my Joy by being of the same mind having the same love and being in full Accord and of one mind. Nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility count others more significant than yourself Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Look to the interests of others telling us in the scripture is that if we will be more concerned more concerned about our brother or sister and that their needs are being met and we make our needs secondary to their needs. It is going to create an atmosphere if each person is doing that within the body of Christ it will end in any said he believed is in a virtual assistant.
see if it was something that Paul Shaw and it brought him Joy when he saw this taking place in the church and being of the same mind having the same love being in full Accord and of one mind do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility others more significant than yourselves that each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others If we follow that, how can we go wrong? If we actually apply that to our lives that is there. Anyway that we can that we can watch that up if we actually begin to apply that I don't think there is I think if we become less focus on ourselves and more focus on the needs of our neighbors on our family members on the needs of others that we're going to begin to create an atmosphere that promotes love and promotes. Peace.
The Bible tells us to work for peace work for peace. Now. We know we're not saved by works. We know it's not anything that we can do that will give us salvation, but it doesn't say don't work. It says don't don't think that your salvation comes from works. There's a difference. Okay, some people misconstrue that that that concept that just because it's not by works that were saved. They think we're not supposed to work. We are supposed to work, but just don't think that it's your work and you work for peace your ability to pass the word for peace test will determine the quality of your relationships.
Folks we have relationships with one another we have relationships in the body of Christ. We have relationships at home. We have you know, husband-and-wife relationship. We have grandchildren relationships. We have all manner of relationships friend relationships acquaintance work relationships that require us to interact with other people and have a relationship with them.
And your ability to pass the work for peace test will determine the quality of your relationships. Do you realize that when you're driving up and down the highway in in in in the brother Nathan Hill? He'll appreciate this what I'm about to say on these highways. He's public highways there were actually in relationship with the other drivers on the highway. And if and if we're working for peace amongst the highways, you know, what we're not going to have we're not going to have road rage incident you're working for peace as we're driving in recognizing. Those are people in that other car that it's not just another car. They were actually kind of having a relationship as we're traveling together and even know what I'm talking about, but
That's me off. I'm going to get him back. Just watch this. Men next thing, you know, we got a full-blown, you know road rage incident going on and then for you know, it Nathan's got to come over and write reports and you know Nathan doesn't like riding report.
4 piece Matthew chapter 5 verse nine tails of God blesses those who work for peace For they will be called the children of God. Do you want a blessing you say man? I just really want a blessing from God today will work for God blesses those who work for peace for them will be called the children of God Hebrews chapter 12 verse 14 says we're cat leaving work at living in peace with everyone and work at Living a holy life for those who are not wholly will not see the Lord and I believe there's a reason why the writer is Hebrews connected the two both work out living in peace with everyone and work at Living a holy life because if you're saying that you're living a holy life, but you're not being a peaceful type person. I don't think you can live a holy life. And not be peaceful. I don't think I don't think the two are compatible if you're on peaceful and then you say you're a holy man, but yet you're unpeaceful. They they they conflict with each other for those who are not holding will not see the Lord wants to see the Lord Kansas work at living in peace with everyone and work at Living a holy life. Romans Chapter 14 verse 19 says let us therefore make every effort. every effort every effort every every what is that mean every effort? every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification if there is any way possible to be peaceful, if you're trying to find a way to be at peace in your family and in the church and in your community, listen, this is what the world is lacking the world is lacking people who are willing to make every effort to do what leads to peace people with paper and unfortunately you don't pay for is basically, you know, they take the police glad you're and and kind of ghetto Transpose it over to the newspaper and that's what we get for news. But his girlfriend or are about this man to the salt in his father or about this person that attacked a police officer or just person and what it is is a complete lack of effort. a complete lack of effort to do what leads to peace Know that tells me that we as Christians, we have a great opportunity. Don't we that we understand the peace we understand how God coming into our lives brings us peace and can bring peace to them as well and we should be sharing that piece to the mutual edification other words is not good for you. It's not just for me, but it's a mutual edification. It's for all of us. We all benefit everybody benefits when we try and and and and make every effort to do what leads to peace.
Do we have work for peace? But we also have Walk In Peace So we got work and walk.
Walking piece several things are going to begin to happen Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6 says for to us a child is born to us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders and his name Shall be Called. Wonderful. Do you know him counselor? Do you know him Mighty God. Do you know him and the prince of peace?
My God is wonderful. Wonderful. Jesus is to me.
He's a mighty God. Everlasting father and the prince of peace
fidgets to $0.14 for he himself is our peace he is our peace. Who has made the two groups one in has destroyed the barrier and the Dividing Walls of hostility. What was Paul talking to the Ephesians about he was talking about the dividing wall between the Gentiles and a Jew the conflict between the Jew and a gentile conflict.
Any destroyed the barrier, you know, the biggest problem that we have in relationships if we build walls with building walls folks build walls. Brick by Brick by Brick we build up walls that divide us you say what I can't have a relationship with that person.
You say well, you know, I don't understand there's wall here. I don't understand why this wall is here. Because there's something trying to stop you from having a relationship with somebody. And what we need to do instead of being wallbuilders. We need to be wall destroyers like the the walls of Jericho. We need to begin to take authority and understand that the walls that separate us in our relationships with people need to come down and we need to take a role in bringing them down. And as we start breaking down the walls of Separation God will begin to give opportunity to live in. Peace. Jericho after the walls came down with a very peaceful place Before it was very militaristic and in opposition to what God wanted, but man when the walls came down.
God had to God did some other things there that probably didn't seem too peaceful at the time. But now we understand that we brought peace to in the promise. I promise the fulfilling a promise.
I don't know if there's anybody here ever when you got saved. You said God. I want your love. I want I want to know you I want to have your blessing but no, peace. No. You know, it's like you're at a buffet serving line and they're dishing up your food and you know, you said yeah, I'll take extra extra hold I have plenty of God's love.
I don't know anybody like that you we want peace and peace for he himself is our peace. If you have Jesus you have to be in order to not have peace. You have to be resisting the work of God in your life.
John 14:27 listen to this 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. Jesus was telling the disciples, please I live with you. My peace. I give you we don't have just an ordinary piece church. We don't have to leave Iran in Christ's death in the giving your life to him. It's no ordinary self.
special order pizzas do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. Hahaha. Jesus he knew food near me he knew we were going to have troubles. And he knew there were times that we were going to need to be encouraged and he tells us do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
The Advent of Jesus is the Advent of peace. You remember what the definition of advent was arrival of a very special person? Or thing. The Advent of Jesus is the Advent of peace and just like Jesus is arrival in Bethlehem some 2000 years ago brought peace to Earth and Goodwill towards men. Jesus is arrival in your heart will bring peace in your life. The image of Christ arriving in Bethlehem and what he brought to Earth is a microcosm of what how what happens in our heart is a microcosm of Jesus's arrival at Bethlehem. This is a special moment then we celebrate. Just coming of Jesus. Is it is this very special moment in time? But more important than Jesus is coming to Bethlehem is Jesus's arrival. into the Bethlehem of your heart
easy there cuz he arrived yet. I mean noisy I can't judge whether he's arrived in your heart or not. But I do know this if he's there there will be a piece is that evidence of his occupation in your life is the Prince of Peace there or do you live in constant turmoil and conflict? Are you troubled? Are you angry? Why are you so angry? Why why is there such anger? Why is there such animosity?
Has nothing to do with Jesus.
grow tents I think about the times and the many children Young Folks if we had opportunity in a minister to and No, different places, but in my heart, I know we did the very best we could with what we had. It was the best effort possible under the circumstances. And it's in the Lord's hands how it all turned out in each other lies individually, but I praise God for that opportunity and I have a piece. I have a piece and those of us just rejoice and sister Tanya and others it and brother chance and others that were intimately involved with those that use group and we sacrificed time and money and invested in them in and look the results. We place in God's hand but the effort the trying to work for peace I have a peace in my heart about what happened. During those days. That's the kind of thing that you can't get just anywhere. Only God can give it. And today we have new opportunities right Gods opening new doors. God providing other opportunity for us to work for peace. What are we doing with it? What are we doing Church? What are we doing with these opportunities for a relationship? Do you have a piece? About the efforts that you're making for the kingdom of God. I hope you do. because if you're not making every effort.
There's a problem. And God wants to help us today. Hey, man, let's bow our heads and close.