Joy and Peace Before Dawning

December 18, 1988

Philippians 4:4-8

Introduction:

Christmas is a magic time. But for grown-up children who read newspapers, and watch television, we sometimes are tempted to wonder: IS THERE ANY SUBSTANCE TO THIS TALK OF CHRISTMAS JOY? and Christmas PEACE?

When we think of all the pain and sorrow in our world it almost seems selfish to "rejoice always," and live with a "peace that passes comprehension."

HOW DO WE DARE TALK SERIOUSLY ABOUT "CHRISTMAS WONDER"? What does the Prince of Peace, and the Kingdom of JOY, have to say about such headlines and news items that we face daily?

Headlines like:

• Earthquake in Armenia, 56,000 killed; 500,000 homeless! ...to say nothing of a headline that isn't written:
• 350,000 die in America this year from LUNG CANCER! Could be prevented, but cigarette companies need your money! Or, in every paper in the land, we read:
• Epidemic of violence! Parents batter children ... children batter aged parents ... "5 bodies found along I-95"

TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS:

1. YES, THERE IS SUBSTANCE TO CHRISTMAS JOY! It is genuine and it is real and it is a legacy left us by Jesus Himself!
2. WE DARE TO SPEAK OF JOY AND PEACE IN THE FACE OF SORROW AND PAIN, BECAUSE JOY AND PEACE ARE PRECISELY WHAT THIS WORLD DESPERATELY NEEDS. It is not a question of whether or not we ought to have joy in our desperate times. We must have joy, and we must learn to share it! We must have peace ourselves, and we must learn to tell people that there is a voice of assurance in the darkness of our world's night!'

I. GOD INTENDS THAT WE SHALL HAVE A GENUINE PEACE

"Let not your hearts be troubled ... "

1. Genuine peace? Are there other kinds?

   Peace of ignorance - simplify all the issues! Spiritualize the problems! Don't face up to the complexity of real life.

   Peace of apathy - don't look at others less fortunate! Don't worry about great needs! Give a donation! Ease the conscience!

   Peace of fear - don't rock the boat; always being terrorized! Helpless! The only kind of "peace" that many know.

   Peace of surrender - "Why even try?"

   Peace of taking the popular way. "Go where it is popular ... take up the causes pushed by the media. Be a humanist! Accept humanist values. [Greatest good is to 'feel good about ME!']

   All these ways to "peace" will reduce the tensions of life and living. But somehow they seem empty, small, insufficient before the kind of peace God has promised us, such concepts as: "the peace of God that shall guard your heart and mind" and "the God of peace shall be with you!"

2. There IS a peace for the real here-and-now that passes understanding. For here and now, genuine peace IN the struggle— peace IN the disagreement— peace IN the disappointment ... not the kind of heavenly peace that we shall one day know, perhaps ... but a sense of being 'at home in God's will' and a sense of really being LOVED!
3. We should have this PEACE AS A WORTHY GOAL: Peace between members of the family [Euodia & Syntyche]
   1. when I am troubled, strive to make peace;
   2. when I perceive trouble, strive to truly help bring peace.

   [We will always have differences; potential strife. But by God's help we can be a loving community, a healing place.]

4. This PEACE has practical application for the Christian:
   1. Peace to RULE the heart (Colossians 3:15) "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts ..."; and
   2. (Here) Peace to GUARD the heart (Philippians 4:7) "The peace of God ... will stand guard over your hearts!"

II. THE PROMISES OF PEACE

1. One of the GIFTS that Jesus gave us is PEACE: "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you— let not your heart be troubled ..." But we "open" this GIFT by way of claiming God's straightforward promises. LOOK AT SOME OF THE PROMISES OF PEACE:
   1. Psalm 119:165 GREAT PEACE HAVE THEY WHICH LOVE THY LAW; AND NOTHING SHALL OFFEND THEM (Cause them to stumble and fall.) Peace COMES to us through the revealed Word/will of God: begin with the Bible!
   2. Romans 5:1 THEREFORE BEING JUSTIFIED BY FAITH WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD ... Peace BEGINS for us when we settle the SIN QUESTION! We cannot dodge the need for justification.
   3. Romans 8:6 NOW TO BE CARNALLY MINDED IS DEATH; BUT TO BE SPIRITUALLY MINDED IS LIFE AND PEACE. Peace GROWS AND DEVELOPS WITHIN US as we "walk in the Spirit": as we obey the leading of God in the new-found life we share with God Himself!
   4. Isaiah 26:3 THOU WILT KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE, WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE, BECAUSE HE TRUSTETH IN THEE. Finally, we catch on to the 'open secret:' that Peace COMES FROM BEING NEAR TO THE GOD OF PEACE!
2. B. But this is not automatic; nor is it a part-time assignment. It is the deliberate choice of commitment; it must be followed by a life-time of walking with God, committing our way to Him. Still, it is our promise here!

III. PEACE IS A PERSON

PEACE IS MORE THAN LEARNING LESSONS, PEACE IS A PERSON, PEACE IS JESUS CHRIST OF BETHLEHEM AND CALVARY AND NEW JERUSALEM!

A. THAT IS WHAT MAKES THIS A "CHRISTMAS/ADVENT MESSAGE!" All that we have, all of good and life and light— COME WITH HIM!

"To KNOW God!" This is the heart of Christian faith!

That last promise ("Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed ON THEE") is a KEY! God has many lessons and many blessings for His children. But all these blessings— the hope and the wonder and the mystery and the peace and the joy of Christmas— and perhaps particularly peace— are centered IN THE PERSON OF THE CHRIST OF CHRISTMAS. When we know Him, potentially we know them all. [This is the heart of ALL Christian truth!] So—

HOW DO WE MOTIVATE PEOPLE TO EVANGELISM?

We major in guilt, in "Shoulds" and "oughts", OR, WE HELP THEM FALL IN LOVE WITH JESUS CHRIST!

HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SUPPORT MISSIONS AND OUTREACH?

We multiply programs, and form new committees, OR, WE HELP THEM FALL IN LOVE WITH JESUS CHRIST!

HOW DO WE GROW A CHURCH?

We teach our people to apply all kinds of business techniques and promotion, OR, WE HELP THEM FALL IN LOVE WITH JESUS CHRIST!

B. And what is true in the life of the CHURCH is also true in the life of the individual: HOW DO I FIND PEACE WITHIN? I can follow this guru or that; I can exhaust the literature of pop psychology, OR, I CAN COME TO KNOW AND LOVE THE PRINCE OF PEACE!

WHEN WE ARE NEAR THE GOD OF PEACE, THEN WE WILL KNOW THE PEACE OF GOD!

Conclusion:

But what about all these tasks we need to address? What about being "stewards of the mysteries" of Christmas? Isn't that a tremendous responsibility? ...A generation ago in a great time of turmoil a man of peace wrote these words:

"Much of our acceptance of multitudes of obligations is due to our inability to say No. We calculated that the task had to be done, and we saw no one ready to undertake it. We calculated the need,and then calculated our time, and decided maybe we could squeeze it in somewhere. But the decision was a heady decision, not made within the sanctuary of the soul. When we say Yes or No to calls for service on the basis of heady decisions, we have to give reasons, to ourselves and to others. But when we say Yes or No to calls, on the basis of inner guidance and whispered promptings of encouragement from the Center of our life, or on the basis of a lack of any inward "rising" of the Life to encourage us in the call, we have no reason to give, except one— the will of God as we discern it. Then we have begun to live in guidance. And I find He never guides us into an intolerable scramble of panting feverishness. The Cosmic Patience becomes, in part, our patience, for after all God is at work in the world. It is not we alone who are at work in the world, frantically finishing a work to be offered to God.

"Life from the Center is a life of unhurried peace and power. It is simple. It is serene. It is amazing. It is triumphant. It is radiant. It takes no time, but it occupies all our time. And it makes our life programs new and overcoming. We need not get frantic. He is at the helm. And when our little day is done we lie down quietly in peace, for all is well."

-from A Testament of Devotion, by Thomas Kelly

To know God's peace does not mean we can live in this world, with its disconcerting headlines, and feel nothing, and do nothing.

Certainly we shall know sorrow and pain: God Himself grieves over injustice. But we do not sorrow as those who have no hope! We cannot be defeated if indeed the Prince of Peace is with us!

And where the Prince of Peace leads us by His Spirit, we have the JOY of bringing the offer of genuine PEACE WITH GOD, and a growing sense of THE PEACE OF GOD as we introduce people to THE GOD OF PEACE, whose name is IMMANUEL, a God who dwells with His people.

CHRISTMAS PEACE IS REAL PEACE!

CHRISTMAS JOY IS REAL JOY!

REAL PEACE AND REAL JOY IN THIS VERY REAL WORLD!

Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin? The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.

Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed? To do the will of Jesus, this is rest.

Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round? On Jesus' bosom nought but peace is found.

Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away? In Jesus' keeping we are safe, and they.

Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown? Jesus we know, and He is on the throne.

Peace, perfect peace, death shadowing us and ours? Jesus has vanquished death and all its powers.

It is enough: earth's struggles soon shall cease, And Jesus call us to heaven's perfect peace.

-Edward Henry Bickersteth, 1825-1906:

#41 EH - How Great Our Joy!