Peace Expressed

Peace is really a universal desire of people… Western History is full of peace treaties and negotiations between nation desiring to protect the interests of the people… but at the same time.... Peace is also this illusive aspiration of unrealized hope…

So peace on one hand peace is highly desirable and yet virtually unobtainable for many people

I read recently that - only 8 percent of the time since the beginning of recorded history has the world been entirely at peace.

In over 3,100 years, only 286 have been warless and 8,000 treaties have been broken in this time. There are around 10 major wars going on right now.. with about 1000 battle fields.

Here is the thing is that..

Peace is more than the absence of war or freedom from civil disorder. Even in peacetime when a country is not at war many people are not at peace. Peace is not always related to external conditions and circumstances. A person might live in a peaceful environment and not be at peace within

This morning we are going to be looking at the Expression of Peace… The Fruit is an Expression because it is not something that is to be inward… but it is to be expressed in and through our lives.. Jesus told us that his disciples were not be know for their beliefs… not to be known for their gifts and talents...Rather the clearest evidence of the follows of Jesus the Expression of Fruit..

Jesus we would be known as his disciples… by our Fruit...

The Fruit of the Spirit is not manufactured --..

Millions have sought (and are still seeking today) peace with God in the wrong place and in the wrong way. Peace with God is not found in religious ritual. Peace with God is not found through good works. Peace with God is not found through the giving of one’s possessions. Peace with God is not obtained through a monastic or cloistered life of asceticism

Galatians 5:22 ESV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

The Fruit is produced in our lives organically thorough our relationship of Abiding in Christ… It’s about Abiding in Christ and then living through God’s love…

God himself is the source of Peace… Paul often prayed referred to God as the God of Peace..

Rom 15:33 May the God of Peace be with your all. Amen.

Rom 16:20 the God of peace will soon crush satan

Colossians 3:15 ESV

15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

When it comes to having Peace… we have to Realize that there is no peace outside of his peace..

The Theologian Augustine… said “ ‘

Thou hast made us for Thyself and our hearts are restless, until they find their rest in Thee” Augustine

The Spiritual Fruit of Peace is part of our Spiritual growth and Formation..

Maybe some of you here remember those plaster Molding kits.. Where you had that mix the dry mix of plaster paris into a thick paste… Then your poured the paster into a mold and then you waited a coupled hours for the molds to Set… Once it was dry you could remove it from the Mold… When it comes to Spiritual Formation… it is all the things that God has given to us in Salvation that transforms us into his likeness.... In the book of Philippians Paul deals with the issue of Peace and especially in the context of our relationships… Well having the Peace of God ruling in our lives comes from having the same attitude and mind that is Christ… It comes from all the things that have been poured into our lives… Paul mentions what some these things..

Philippians 2:1–2 ESV

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Paul uses the these “If then” clauses to make the point that there are “benefits” things that we ourselves have received from being in Christ...

If there is encouragement in Christ..

if there is comfort in from love

if there is participation in the Spirit.

These are the things that have been poured into the mold… When these things become the reality in our lives they become the mindset or the attitude that we face life... When your take the mold out of it’s rubber casing.. it is going to resemble Christ… Our attitudes are going to different… We are going be of the same mind toward each other… we are going share the same love… likemindedness… This makes total sense --- If you have two people that are moving towards Christ… being molded by the life Christ… they are going be similar…

What Paul desires for us is that we have healthy relationships with each other… You will notice that

In every healthy relationship your are going find … Encouragement… comfort… participation.... These are essential to any relationships… Take a moment just think through your friendships… Do your friends encourage you? Do they provide safe place where you can get comfort? Do they communicate? The most difficult friendships are the ones that you have do all the work...

Paul says if these things are True…Make the effort…to have the right attitude of being of One mind..The challenge of living with peace is that we live in a world that challenges our Peace with Conflicts… ..

T/S How do live from the place of Peace...

1. Develop a Healthy Attitude towards Others.

A Man had been struggling with his neighbor for many years and decided to finally write him a letter to express his feelings..

A letter to a neighbor reads:

Dear Jim. We've been neighbors for six tumultuous years. When you borrowed my tiller, you returned it in pieces. When I was sick, you blasted rap music. And when your dog went to the bathroom all over my lawn and you laughed.

I could go on, but I'm certainly not one to hold grudges.

So I am writing this letter to tell you that your house is on fire. Cordially, Bob.

That’s unhealthy view of how to deal conflict…

Philippian chapter 4 - is Paul’s final appeal to the church to stand together in unity… Paul deals with in his final words to the church at Philippi… He brings up a conflict between two women who are key leaders in the church… .

Philippians 4:2–5 ESV

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;

Paul presents the Problem —

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Two women, Euodia (Euodias in some translations) and Syntyche had been workers for Christ in the church, perhaps deacons.

Their broken relationship was no small matter: Many had become believers through their efforts (see 4:3), but their quarrel was causing dissension in the church (hence Paul’s plea for unity in 2:1–4)

It was more than a passing disagreement. It had the potential of splitting the church into two groups.

You could turn this into modern day parable --- where there have been influential people that have split up churches.. it could have been Joe and Sandra…

We can imagine how easily conflicts happen in your own house… they normally start out over the smallest things and esculate… When it comes to conflict in your home or in the church… the faster you resolve something the better… the longer we let something fester the less chance you are going to resolve the issue…

There doesn’t seem to be any sin or theological discrepancies.

. What was needed was they were to work out there difference --- the faster the better so..Paul pleased with them to set aside their differences and agree with each other in the Lord.

Paul simply say deal with these offenses..

Paul involves Clement and others who would help mediate and help restore these two women in their relationship… Paul sees the church as a place of cooperation.. where we together… work through … to advance the cause of Christ and the gospel....

We all understand the potential of offenses... that…they should get our attention… However we should also allow God grace to be at work in our lives…

Health Does not mean perfection.... Rather

Healthy communities work through conflict… heathy Marriages, Healthy families, Healthy people… Help each other and grow through conflict so that we become better people.

Paul goes beyond just admonishing these two women. Embedded here is an entire manual of conflict resolution. He gives step-by-step instructions for restoring peace in the face of animosity and bitterness

How? How do we Get to the place of being like minded?

a. Be filled with His Joy... Lead from the place of Joy..

One of the ways we can deal with Conflict is to maintain our joy..

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Paul’s admonition to the church to be full of the Joy of the Lord.. Paul says, Rejoice in the Lord and again I say rejoice… The message Bible Celebrate God all day...revel in Him..

These words do not sound like the words of a man stuck in prison… Don’t you think it is a little unusual for someone in prayer to be talking about Joy and Peace.

Paul is chained as a prisoner in jail, and he's writing this letter about joy. This letter is about contentment. Now, if you are in a prison cell by yourself, separated from your family, your friends, and everyone, and you can write a letter back to the church, what are you going to write about? Telling everyone else to be happy? Telling everyone else to be content? It doesn't make any sense that Paul was somehow at peace. But he was saying: I'm okay. I'm in a prison cell, I'm fine. I'm over here, I'm fine. *Francis Chan

But Paul tells us that he has learned some important lessons through the difficulties of life…

Philippians 4:11–13 ESV

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Paul learned something about Joy… that he has learned to content in all situations… but it is because His joy came from within…

Paul’s attitude teaches us an important lesson.. Our inner attitudes do not have to reflect our outward circumstances… Paul is full of Joy because he knew that regardless what happened, Jesus was with him…

The difference between happiness and Joy… Happiness is all about happenings… if good things happen we are happy… but when bad things happen we can get depressed… Joy on the other hand is connect to delighting in the Lord… Things are always in flux… and change… but if our joy is fixed in Christ it will hold us...

Rejoicing doesn’t only guard our hearts against discouragement but also against devisions… it is impossible to rejoice and to harbor resentment towards someone...

If I am choosing to rejoice in the Lord over my circumstances or situation, it will be nearly impossible to hold a grudge against those with whom I am involved. It is an either/or proposition. A natural consequence of truly rejoicing in the Lord about something is the inability to complain about the same thing. If I’m going to forgive someone, it will require me to let go of any bitterness or resentment I might harbor toward them. If you’re resentful, you’re not rejoicing

b. Be Positive - have a positive mindset toward other people —

We lead with the Christlike attitude .

.Paul exhorts us to both positive thinking and critical thinking. Positive thinking, because he wants us to see the good in everything and everyone. There was a day Euodia and Syntyche had no problem seeing the good in one another. That's how they became friends of one another and servants of the gospel. But whatever came between them affected their eyesight, and now they can't see one good thing in the other. Paul asks them to reverse that: practice seeking virtues, not shortcomings. Practice singing each other's praises, not catcalling each other's vices. Confess your own sins, not one another'

Instead… of being critical..

Paul says let your reasonableness or gentleness be made known to EVERYONE… We can miss that small detail… we tend to pick and choose who we are going to be kind and considerate towards… But this kind of acceptance is directed to everyone..

Several months ago Ashley gave us this wonderful sign for our house... it Simply says, “Come as you are...” I love that sign… because it

It is a great reminder of the kind of acceptance that we should have towards one another...

Making our reasonableness be know to everyone.. means that we have to make it as clear as possible that to everyone you meet that you are on their side... that you are working for them and not against them!

We have the tendency when facing conflict to view it in terms of war… It is them against us… we start to use phrases like… you never… or you always do to this… what this does is it strips us of being able to see anything good or noble in the other person...

Paul pushes this tendency in the opposite direction. He pushes us toward pursuing and embracing joy, gentleness, absolute trust in God, absolute celebration of the good, the right, the true, and the lovely.

It’s Changing our Position we are no … No longer facing someone as opponent but standing next to them as your partner..…You are no longer competing against each other but collaborating to resolve the issue… When we approach conflict as partners…

There is no way that you can continue in a conflict by holding a grudge and exemplify gentleness — you have to chose one or the other…

Paul is calling us to Consider others.. by showing our gentleness. Paul tells us what that looks likes

Philippians 2:3–4 ESV

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

By displaying gentleness toward all people—believers and unbelievers alike—Christians reveal the gospel’s power to transform and reconcile

c. Be Prepared - Paul adds to the phrase let your reasonableness be known… Because the Lord is hand..

The early Christians lived with a sense of urgency because they believed the Lord’s return was imminent (compare Matt 24:36–44; 2 Pet 3:1–13)

There is this wisdom in the Bible that calls for God people to recognize the brevity of life…Time is short…

Psalm 90:12 ESV

12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

That time needs to be redeemed…The psalmist even gives a number of the average life span — in vrs 10 he says that our years of our life are seventy or eighty… anything over that is a bonus.. Paul tells us that we are to use our time wisely.

Ephesians 5:15–16 ESV

15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

Living in the Light of Christ’s return gives us a sense of urgency in the light of our relationships.. What is interesting is that..

Evangelism is quite obviously important to Paul, who was a missionary himself, but his examples of “redeeming the time” never mention it. Paul apparently saw no contradiction between the importance of work and the importance of evangelism. The two do not have to be in competition.

T/S How do live from the place of Peace...

2. Develop a healthy Attitude towards Prayer

Have you noticed how many people offer you advice during adversity? Many times they are not facing troubles themselves, but will readily say “just pray” when you don’t feel like praying, or “just take the next step” when you can barely walk.

This advice is from Paul, who at this point was in prison, in chains, not planting churches or encouraging others, but falsely accused, confined, and limited. Yet he wrote a Book called Philippians, the theme of which was “joy.” Does that get your attention? Paul gave us three practical steps to have joy regardless of circumstance.

First is this negative imperative.. Do not be anxious!

Philippians 4:6–7 ESV

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

What does it mean to be anxious? In the text the word anxious is a verb written in the present tense - It means to be in a continual state of worry… Worry is something that is so common in our world.. According world news report...

Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook, 2002 Edition Stats, Stories and More

Half of all people will have at least one serious mental disorder during their lifetime, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, and nearly 1 in 3 will experience a significant mental problem—such as depression, phobia, panic disorder, or anxiety—in any given year

There are lots of things that come up that can trigger anxiety… to be honest worry at times is going to be unavoidable… we are not stoics who pretend that ignore pain… What to my sister in law this past week — Who suddenly lost her brother....to an accident… Well we can’t ignore that kind of trouble when it comes our way… There are times we ought to be concerned… That’s not what Paul is telling us... What he is saying is the we should not live in a constant state of anxiety

How? through

a. Prayer… thanksgiving … Supplication

Charles Spurgeon the Prince of preachers ...would use the illustration of taking a telescope, breathing on it with the hot breath of our anxiety, putting it to our eye, and then saying that we cannot see anything but clouds. Of course we cannot, and we never shall while we breathe upon it. If we were but calm, quiet, self-possessed, and God-possessed, we should do the right thing. We should be, as we say, “all there” in the time of difficulty.

The man who has the presence of mind also has the presence of God

Paul said “Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything!”

In other words take all the energy that is expended in worrying and use it for prayer. This includes praying about everything..

Spurgeon said...

“Baptize every anxiety into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and so make it into a blessing” Spurgeon..

We are prone to pray about the “big things” in life and forget to pray about the so-called “little things”—until they grow and become big things! Talking to God about everything that concerns us and Him is the first step toward victory over worry

It may seem impossible not to worry about anything, but Paul explained that this can happen if believers truly give their worries to God. Worry and prayer cannot coexist.

When we take our worries and transform them to prayers… the Result is the Peace of God..

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

- God Peace will surpass or overtake your understanding… Wonderful thing about prayer is we we come to God… whose will is perfect.. who knows all things in regards to life… Paul gives us a formula to receive the peace of God......

Thanksgiving + prayer and Supplications - (less) anxiety = Peace of God.

It is peace that Jesus promised his disciples and all those who would follow him

John 14:27 ESV

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

True peace is not found in positive thinking, in absence of conflict, or in good feelings; it comes from knowing that God is in control. Believers are given peace with God when they believe (Romans 5:1), and they have the inner quiet of the peace of God as they daily walk with him.

God’s peace is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. Such peace cannot be self-generated; it comes from God alone; it is his gift to us in a difficult world. As with so much of God’s dealings with humanity, we cannot understand it, but we can accept and experience God’s peace because of his great love for us.

Paul envisions God’s peace as a soldier who protects the hearts and minds of believes from anxiety, fear, and doubt -

The Greek word for “guard” is a military term that means to surround and protect a garrison or city. The Philippians, living in a garrison town, were familiar with the Roman guards who maintained watch, guarding the city from any outside attack.

Whatever is causing you worry and Anxiety… just picture God’s peace surrounding your problem...

God’s peace is like soldiers surrounding believers’ hearts and minds (that is, emotions and thoughts), securing them against threatening and harmful outside forces.

In the OT in the book of 2 Kings there is this scene when Elisha the prophet is with his servant… and the King of Syria enemies launch a surprise attack on Israel… Elijah servant wakes up in the morning and stunned to see that they are surrounded by horses and chariots of their enemies… The servant says to Elisha what are we going to do?… Elisha says Do not be afraid because those who are with us are greater than those who are against us…Then Elisha prays that his servants eyes would be opened that he would see… The bible says that Lord opened up the eyes of the young man… and he saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of the army of the Lord…

This is the power of Prayer… We don’t always see it.. and God sometimes answers in ways that we could never imagine..

Ephesians 3:20 ESV

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

Elisha prays that the Lord would blind the Syrians — then he leads them blind int to the middle of Samaria —before the King of Israel…Elisha prays and God opens their eyes.. and the Kings asks shall I strike them.. here they are vulnerable… obviously defeated…The logical move would be to destroy your enemy.. The King asks Elisha what shall I do? Elisha says feed them bread and water…The Bible says the Kings prepared a huge feast for the Syrain army… they ate and then he sent them a way full… Talk about loving your enemies.. The result was incredible.. The bible say.

This was the last time that the Syrians came on raids into Israel.... Not the result that one would have expected..

This is why Prayer… is important.

T/S How do live from the place of Peace...

1. Develop a right attitude towards others.

2. Develop a healthy Attitude towards prayer

3. Develop a Healthy attitude towards Ourselves.

Anxiety doesn’t start… in the present.... the panic attack that we had was result of accumulated worry and stress… I

Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook, 2002 Edition Stats, Stories and More

“Worry is a small trickle of fear that meanders through the mind until it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.”

—Anonymous

The Bible encourages us to stay focused, but how and on what?

Philippians 4:8–9 ESV

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

1. Practice Filtering your thinking…

Those of us who live in Richvale know that all about hard water… Every couple of months our dishwasher… stops working and I have to pull it out and clean the filters… Because nothing is getting clean…

Paul is talking about focusing on the right things… because if we don’t filter our thoughts they are going to impact our lives.

The book of Proverbs says: ‘… as he thinks in his heart, so is he’ (Prov. 23:7)

Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes The Battleground

Our defeat or victory begins with what we think, and if we guard our thoughts we shall not have much trouble anywhere else along the line.—Vance Havner

What’s your filter? Paul’s series of whatever statements serve as a grid to filter what we should dwell upon. It eliminates the negative influences without hindering the flow of the positive ones.Paul gives us seven qualities that we should Fix our thoughts…in order to experience peace,

Focus what What is true..

Truth - Truth includes facts and statements that are in accordance with reality (not lies, rumors, or embellishments

Honorable are things that are “noble,” to be respected. There are some thoughts that are not worthy of time...

Just is giving people what they deserve.

Pure is holy in relation to God.

Lovely, those things that are attractive.

Commendable, are worthy of Praise.

When Paul deal with these two women that are in this conflict… What he is saying to them… “Don’t you remember what you have in common? Don’t you see the big picture? Lift up your thoughts.” Change the way that you are thinking about each other… Filter your thoughts… what things are true.. honorable… just… pure… lovely… commentable...

We need a redundancy plan when it comes to out thoughts… Paul says once you have done it --- do it again… keeping on practicing the things you have received and have learned and seen...

..Having a healthy mindset … is not going to happen by accident… Paul tells us that it’s going to take practice… Practice means repetition.. learning..

I was reading an article on how we develop different skills… like riding a bike, playing tennis… or an instrument… Even though these skills take motor skills these skills are not the result of muscle memory… rather it is part of our brain called …d the motor cortex… it here where we develop stronger connections between neurons that serve as the representation for the motion, and it's these connections that make the memory better and easier to access. People who play stringed instruments, for example, have stored muscle memories related to their left hands, which are pressing on strings in particular patterns to play certain notes. Accordingly, studies show that their motor cortex have unusually large representative areas for their left hands.

Philippians 4:9 ESV

9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

The result of practicing converting our worry into prayer and to possitive thoughts is that you will experience the God’s peace… You are not experiencing inner peace —God’s peace...

Conclusion

At the end of the day.. Jesus himself is our Peace… it’s not a principle but a person...

Peace is not the absence of trials, but the presence of Jesus.– Garrett Kell

This kind of peace that Jesus presence offers us … does not come from better circumstance…It is kind of peace that is offered to all of God’s people regardless if you living in first world or third world country.. Regardless if you living in the suburbs or living in low income housing…regardless is you are in sickness or in health...

This peace our of a relationship with Jesus-

Isaiah 26:3 ESV

3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

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