Peace.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Welcome to Village Church. If this is your first time here, my name’s Steve and the Elf on a Shelf hasn’t caught me yet [0:08] So if you have your Bibles go ahead and open them to Luke chapter 2 [0:12] We’re gonna be starting in verse 8 this morning as we go into the second week of our Christmas series this morning [0:19] And so last week we started by going through the themes of Christmas love peace hope and joy today [0:28] We’re gonna talk specifically about the theme of peace and why the Christmas season is a season of peace [0:36] And then therefore should be a season of peace for you while it tends to not be that for many people

[0:45] It seems to kind of be a season of turmoil, a season of stress, a season of anxiety [0:52] Specifically if you are an adult if you’re not an adult Christmas Eve is that day of anxiety where you lay in bed [1:00] Waiting not so patiently one year. I actually woke my family up at 2 a.m. Because I could not wait any longer [1:09] It’s true story [1:11] but Christmas is this season of [1:16] Really where we reflect and we look at the most amazing

[1:21] Miracle of all time and it is specifically that miracle in which God entered into [1:28] the creation that he had made [1:31] All of the things that we look and we see around us were spoken into existence by God [1:37] Did not exist without God and then there was literally a point in history [1:43] where God himself entered into his creation and [1:48] Became part of that creation that in and of itself is amazing that in and of itself is a

[1:56] Remarkable thing the reason that he did it kind of expounds upon the amazing nature of it in that he did it in [2:05] order to redeem [2:06] people [2:07] Because we are sinners we have sinned against God [2:12] We have all rebelled against the purpose for which we exist [2:17] But God so rich in love so rich in mercy rather than just

[2:23] Completely condemning each and every one of us [2:27] He came he was born to Mary and Joseph [2:31] God became a human being and in that act we see his love [2:38] And last week when we talked about love it really set the stage and started to build a foundation [2:44] For everything that we’re going to talk about after that it is in fact the love of God [2:51] That’s going to be the the linchpin or the catalyst upon which you can have peace

[2:58] It’s the catalyst upon which you can have hope and of course the final week on Christmas Eve [3:04] We’re going to talk about this [3:05] It’s the ultimate catalyst for why you can know what real joy is but also understand that apart [3:13] From the incarnation or apart from the birth of Jesus into this world [3:19] You can know a form of all of these themes [3:23] Okay, you can know what really is a synthetic version or a counterfeit version

[3:30] it might pass as [3:32] Kind of looking like these things it might feel as though well now [3:37] I know what these things are apart from Jesus, but you can’t really truly know any of these things [3:45] without Jesus and [3:47] Specifically for today’s purpose you cannot know peace apart from Christ [3:52] You can think you know peace and you can have a form of peace, but you can never have the truly enduring and eternal

[4:00] Peace in your life [4:03] Apart from knowing Jesus Christ as your Savior [4:06] And what’s interesting about Christmas is that when we look at you know when we sing the songs of peace on earth [4:12] When we sing the thoughts of I would love to have peace if you’re really honest with yourself [4:18] Not much of what you do promotes peace [4:23] Not much of how you act in this life is peaceful I

[4:29] Mean not just between you and God. I mean you are a wretched sinner don’t forget that so so that really just [4:36] destroys the peace with God, but everything that you do and I’m being being kind of general there [4:43] And for the most part the things that you do even in looking for peace inside of you. How’s that working out for you? [4:52] I [4:52] Mean really? [4:53] Eventually you got to come back out of La La Land and remember that the life that you’re actually

[4:58] Building in the foundation upon which you are building all of the things in your life. They’re not peaceful [5:02] You might get a respite for a moment [5:06] You might be able to leave and have some solitude and maybe have a peaceful thought [5:10] But eventually you got to come back to the real world right? [5:13] And there’s not much peace there. There’s a lot of anxiety. There’s a lot of stress [5:18] There’s a lot of reasons that the most prescribed

[5:23] Medications in the United States are either anti-anxiety drugs or blood pressure medication [5:30] All right, and most of it’s because of the what you do [5:34] And most of it frankly is not because of inherited DNA or inherited genetics [5:39] Most of it’s because of the way that you act in this life. It doesn’t do anything to give yourself peace [5:45] All right, so I’ve gotten you all good and down. All right, which was my goal [5:51] All right. So you’re like, okay. Is that it? All right, let’s pray. No, I’m gonna I’m gonna bring you back up maybe all right

[5:58] Maybe so what I want to do today is talk about kind of last week [6:03] We kind of talked about what is the gospel today? I want to talk about three [6:09] implications that the gospel are going to have on your life where peace is [6:14] Concerned and to do that I want to get into what really is the most famous Christmas story when I was in elementary school [6:21] I memorized this passage in the King James English [6:25] So if that kind of breaks through that’s why but I want to look at Luke 2 specifically starting in verse 8

[6:31] So when we get to verse 8 Jesus has been born in a manger in Bethlehem [6:37] There was no room for him in the end then in verse 8 we remove ourselves from the actual [6:43] Event and we go out into the fields [6:48] Surrounding Bethlehem and here’s what we see and in the same region the same region that Jesus was born [6:54] there were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night and [6:59] An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were filled with great

[7:06] Fear and the angel said to them fear not for behold [7:09] I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people for unto us is [7:17] Born this day in the city of David a Savior whose Christ the Lord and this will be a sign for you [7:23] you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger and [7:30] Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts [7:34] praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth

[7:40] peace [7:41] Among those with whom he is pleased [7:44] So the first thing that you can get out of that passage is really what you saw on the end and that’s point number [7:50] One this morning that the birth of Jesus means peace with God is possible [7:54] The birth of Jesus means peace with God is possible and that is good news [8:00] if there is a God and believe me there is and

[8:06] He is not happy with you [8:09] That’s bad news. I [8:12] Mean, that’s the worst news mostly because you’re not God and he is that [8:17] Tends to assume that he has a little more say than you a little more clout a little more power a little more [8:24] Strength a little more ability to lay down law than you and I have so he’s not happy with me [8:32] All right, and he is a parent figure to me and he’s going to come down and he’s going to hold me accountable

[8:40] For my actions, that’s terrible news [8:44] But here in the fields we see these interesting people these characters in the record these [8:51] Shepherds and we know nothing else about them [8:53] But the fact that they were shepherds and that is enough for why I thank God includes them [9:00] All right, all that we know is that the angel showed up and told them hey [9:05] God has come

[9:07] He is a child and he’s bringing peace [9:12] That’s abundantly good news [9:14] specifically if you are a shepherd now [9:17] Why would God in speaking through people if this is his word to us and this is God’s record? [9:25] Through Luke of the record of Christmas to us [9:30] He begins by telling us a great deal in chapters 1 and then in the first 7 verses of chapter 2

[9:35] About the birth of his son on this earth and then just he kind of immediately in a strange break from the story [9:42] Goes out into the field and begins to talk about people who are completely [9:48] disconnected from the event [9:50] Now if you are studying the scriptures that’s something to pay attention to because that means that there is a great purpose [9:58] For which God did this in breaking from what he’s doing to actually [10:03] Intercede into the story of these people who are completely

[10:08] Disconnected from the event at hand [10:10] There’s something that God wants us to understand from this and the first thing that he wants us to understand is that this news [10:18] Of Jesus’s birth was not reserved for just the people involved [10:24] That it was to gather in [10:28] More than just Mary Joseph and a bunch of stable animals [10:34] But then beyond that there’s something interesting about the fact that he chose shepherds

[10:40] Shepherds were not these highly esteemed figures in society [10:46] All right [10:46] If you read Psalm 23 in the Old Testament you probably get what God wants you to have and that is a vision that God is [10:54] The chief shepherd that Jesus is our shepherd and he’s the good shepherd [10:59] But the reality of what was going on in the first century is that shepherds were not good dudes [11:06] All right shepherds lived in the countryside with their sheep and they rarely came into town

[11:13] And when they did come into town people tended to avoid them because shepherds were seen as vulgar people who were thieves [11:21] All right [11:22] And so if you were walking down the street and a band of shepherds was coming your way [11:27] You’re probably going to cross over to the other side and make sure that your children are holding your hand [11:32] All right. These are not good dudes. These are not societies looking at and saying oh my goodness [11:37] How blessed are we that the shepherds have made their presence known to us?

[11:41] No, the shepherds are the people you avoid [11:43] The shepherds are the weirdos that live on the outskirts of town in the rundown shack [11:48] All right [11:49] The shepherds are the guys that live in the countryside not just to take care of their sheep [11:54] but because they’ve removed themselves from society and [11:58] so God

[11:59] actually seeks out [12:02] these people who were seen not just as vile people but [12:07] Dangerous people who would steal from you in order to present the news of Jesus’s birth for the first time publicly

[12:17] That’s unique [12:18] That’s interesting [12:20] The shepherds would be the last people to find out what’s going on in the center of town [12:24] and so it adds to the intrigue of what God is doing in this remarkable story of [12:30] Bringing his son into this world. He there’s no room for him in the inn [12:35] He’s with these nameless faceless people these young teenagers and they’re having to go sleep in a manger

[12:42] Which is the hewned outside of a cave where they kept the animals and then more than that at the moment of Christ’s birth [12:49] The first people to know are not the people that are society’s norm [12:53] But instead God says I’m going to present this to the shepherds [12:58] Why?

[13:01] Because God seeks reconciliation [13:04] Because God seeks to show us that there is no barrier so high that he cannot redeem us [13:14] Because there is no barrier between God and man that can be built up to the extent [13:21] Where he looks and he says I can’t reach you [13:25] There’s nothing that I can do for you [13:28] So I believe based on the context of what we’re reading that God sought out the shepherds in order to show

[13:35] all of us that Jesus has come for a mission that is

[13:42] Unlikely because if you read stories if you watch movies if you read Greek mythology when the gods visit humans [13:49] It’s usually bad news for humans [13:53] It’s usually because they’re displeased they want to conquer they want to harm they want to pour out their wrath [14:00] But here God becomes human God comes into this earth [14:05] And the first thing that he does is he goes to the sinners

[14:11] And he says I’ve got good news

[14:15] God’s come to earth and he’s come that those with whom he is pleased would have peace [14:22] And if you’re like me you read verse 14 and if you think yourself the shepherd you’re like well clearly he ain’t pleased with me [14:27] So I think you’ve got the wrong place and that’s why the shepherds were terrified [14:31] I mean, I’d be terrified if an angel showed up [14:34] But they’re terrified too because of the implications of the message and the angels put them at peace

[14:44] I say God has come in order to bring peace [14:49] In 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 we see the coming of Christ [14:54] Explained as a mission of reconciliation. It says that in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself [15:01] Not counting their trespasses against them [15:04] And so we see this mission that Christ would have would actually be the most [15:11] applicable to a person like a shepherd who sees himself as

[15:15] Being far off not just from God but from people

[15:21] Reconciliation literally means to make peace between

[15:28] Literally means to bring peace into

[15:32] Conflict and so God’s message to us through the Christmas story his message [15:39] specifically to the shepherds is God is [15:43] Seeking to make peace in your conflict conflict with who? [15:50] Well primarily conflict with God [15:53] Primarily the separation that exists between sinful man, which we’ve already

[15:59] Seen and God this is not what we would want or what we would do if we were offended [16:06] God has never offended you he has it you may think he has [16:11] He may have brought something into your life or taken something away from your life [16:16] And you believe that God has offended you in that regard [16:20] But the only reason that God has offended you is because you first offended him [16:24] All right, you owe him way more than he will ever owe you because it doesn’t owe you anything

[16:32] In your great offense to God you owe him a great debt that you can never pay [16:37] And so when someone owes me something I mean when someone really ticks me off [16:42] All right, which happens like 75 times a day. All right. It’s part of the great moods that I have grumpy [16:49] All right [16:50] So it’s just part part of my sin problem and I know you you people that are so happy happy to write [16:55] You just need to repent

[16:57] It used to be 90 times a day. All right [17:01] So I’m getting somewhere [17:03] Progress all right, but when someone offends me, all right [17:08] I don’t immediately in my normal human nature think I got to seek them out and I’ve got to bring peace between us [17:16] You know, you know what? I think [17:17] Well when you’re ready to make peace with me bring apologies and restitution

[17:23] All right, don’t act like you’re better than me. All right, you’re not and I know it [17:28] All right, and so that’s what I think at best when there is conflict between us and someone else [17:36] We think how can I compromise here? How can we meet in the middle? [17:41] How can I put forward a little effort and he or she puts forward a little effort and we’ll just compromise and I’ll forgive [17:48] Or I’ll work on forgiveness, but I won’t forget [17:51] But it’s just this great work that we see where both parties have to put forward great effort

[17:57] And that’s the opposite of what God is saying here [18:01] God is saying that the reconciliation that he’s bring the peace [18:05] that he informs the shepherds of is [18:09] Holy on his shoulders that he [18:14] Has come to make peace that he has brought good news that the offense [18:20] That people have against God

[18:24] Is going to be vanquished there will be real true [18:28] Reconciliation where God will no longer hold sin [18:33] Against those with whom he is pleased now [18:38] This should have been expected [18:41] But even now we struggle 2,000 years later [18:45] As we said last week in Isaiah 9 6 one of the markers of the child that is born to us

[18:52] Is that he would be called the prince of peace

[18:56] And isn’t that what you’re looking for in your life [18:58] You see many of you think that the first thing that you’re looking for is peace within yourself [19:02] The second thing that you’re looking for is peace with other people and then when you can get around to it [19:07] You will look for peace with God [19:10] But friend I will tell you if you do not have peace with God you cannot have any other type of peace [19:15] Not truly because you will never have an ethic

[19:18] You will never have a basis upon which you can define peace and reconciliation [19:25] The way that God defines peace and reconciliation [19:28] If you struggle with holding things over people’s head, it is not a personal problem. It is a gospel problem [19:37] It is an issue where you do not trust the gospel enough to forgive [19:41] You do not trust God’s reconciliation with you is powerful enough to overcome the barriers in [19:48] that you have with other people so if you want peace you need to look at those shepherds the most

[19:55] undeserving the ones upon which society would say God will surely save me before he saves them and [20:05] God says well, they will be the first to hear the news

[20:11] Turning completely on its head the way that you and I look at reconciliation [20:18] The way that you and I look at what it means to make peace [20:23] with other people [20:24] God is fashioning for us what the gospel looks like. He says God does not wait for you to make amends [20:33] God comes and he makes amends for you [20:38] So you can have peace with God if you know Jesus

[20:42] You see there’s a very interesting phrase at the end [20:46] It’s not a caveat it’s a bit of a qualifier but God says peace with those whom he’s pleased [20:55] As he might say there it is [20:59] He’s not pleased with me [21:01] Surely he wasn’t pleased with the shepherds either was he? [21:06] They were sinners not unlike you

[21:09] They didn’t deserve God’s peace neither do you yet that is exactly what Jesus is bringing [21:15] So if he’s bringing us a different standard of reconciliation [21:18] We have to understand that that which pleases God is trust in the reconciliation that he brings [21:25] Not in the reconciliation that you think you deserve not in the reconciliation that you think that you can earn [21:31] Not in the peace that you think you deserve [21:33] Not in the peace that you think that you can make happen or the way that you think you are owed

[21:39] But rather in the peace and reconciliation that only comes from God [21:46] That is what it means to please him that is what it means to find peace with him in that what God says is [21:55] What you believe [21:58] Therefore number two this morning the birth of Jesus means that you can have a life of peace [22:03] The birth of Jesus means you can have it [22:06] If you trust Jesus, it’s yours you say well, yeah, you make it sound so easy now

[22:11] I believe that’s the hardest thing you will ever get [22:14] Faith is the most difficult thing that you will ever apply to your life [22:18] faith in God [22:19] Believing that God is telling the truth and that you are telling yourself lies is [22:25] The most difficult thing that can ever be overcome by a human being and it can only be overcome by God [22:30] It can only be overcome by God making it so abundantly clear that he himself comes

[22:37] Becomes a human being lives a life of perfect peace dies a death for those who don’t have that peace and then rises [22:45] From the dead in order that you can see that he has won victory over sin and death [22:50] It’s going to require that type of event that type of action that loving of a God that [22:58] Conciling nature of a God for you to have peace within [23:03] Yourself and if you say you believe that yet deny that you can have peace within [23:11] Yourself is a denial of the gospel

[23:15] When she understand that the peace of Christmas is that severe the peace of Christmas is that vital for your life [23:23] If God is pleased with you and you can only have that through trusting the gospel of Jesus [23:32] And [23:33] peace is an implication of [23:37] Faith in the gospel. It is a byproduct of it. It will come you must want it [23:45] You must desire it. You must believe it

[23:51] Note what the Apostle Paul says about the peace of God and Philippians 4 [23:55] He says rejoice in the Lord always again. I will say rejoice. There’s a command there [24:03] Then he goes on he says let your reasonableness be made be known to everyone the Lord is at hand again a [24:12] command [24:13] All right, if you’re seen as unreasonable, all right Bible yourself right there

[24:20] Okay, but then what does he say [24:22] He says how can you rejoice and how can you be reasonable? The Lord is at hand

[24:30] You can’t say the Lord is at hand without the birth of Jesus

[24:34] You see every implication that Paul writes about the gospel having in us is always followed or

[24:42] Began [24:44] With a declaration of the gospel see doesn’t just say hey, what’s your problem rejoice? Hey, what’s your problem be reasonable and [24:52] then stop [24:53] Now he declares the gospel over it. This is you can rejoice you can be reasonable because the Lord is at hand [25:00] And then he says and here’s the hard part. Oh man [25:04] Here’s the hard part

[25:05] Do not be anxious [25:09] But I got a couple of things no no no no no no no no [25:13] Don’t be anxious about anything anything anything all right you know what anything is in Greek anything

[25:22] But in everything by prayer and supplication with [25:27] Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and [25:32] the peace [25:33] There it is [25:36] the peace of God which surpasses all [25:41] Understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

[25:48] This is one of those sections where it’s three verses where the Apostle Paul puts so much [25:55] gospel so much [25:58] declaration and so much [26:00] Implication that you could just spend days [26:03] unpacking the vocabulary [26:06] That he uses but here is the key that you need to understand we can live a life that is

[26:14] absent of anxiety and [26:16] turmoil that tend to define the struggle that most of you are [26:23] enduring now I [26:25] Understand and I believe that today specifically what I’m going to say in this section is going to be the most [26:32] Difficult for many of you to believe and it’s going to be the most difficult for many of you to apply to your lives [26:39] Because you will spend the next ten minutes arguing with me in your brain

[26:44] All right, and I’m going to beg you to not do that [26:49] I’m going to ask that you tell the lawyer [26:52] You know that defense attorney that matlock that you think you’ve got in your head that [26:57] Explains away why your situation is always so different than everybody else’s I’m going to ask you to tell him or her to shut up [27:06] All right [27:07] Because that person is a liar

[27:11] Because God tells the truth God will not tell you to do something [27:19] to believe something or to act in any way that he doesn’t also [27:26] Empower you to apply to your life therefore if God says don’t be anxious for anything [27:32] It is not with this mindset where he’s in heaven saying oh man. They’re never gonna reach that in the gospel [27:41] No, he says it because that’s what the gospel can deliver and will deliver if you will build a life of trusting it in your [27:48] Life friend you need to let peace rule in your life

[27:55] This next sentence is needed by many of you and you’re not going to appreciate it at first [28:02] It is a sin to be anxious

[28:08] It is because if the Lord tells us to do something

[28:15] Command and we don’t do it that’s called disobedience

[28:23] That doesn’t mean it’s an easy one to obey [28:27] But we do need to be honest enough with ourselves [28:31] To define sin the way that God defines it and if he says don’t be anxious and I am anxious [28:38] Then what am I doing? I am necessarily sinning against God and that is very hard for us to admit [28:44] First anxiety is caused by the curse of sin [28:48] Okay, so when Adam and Eve sinned against God when they disobeyed God passing the sin nature down through all of the lines

[28:56] The reason that you have the struggles that you have whatever they may be are because of that original sin [29:04] therefore anxiety [29:05] exists because of the curse of sin and some of you struggle with it to one degree and some of you struggle with it to [29:12] Another degree but be honest with yourself that the reason that it exists is because of sin [29:17] But secondly, I want you to also understand that the act of being anxious is [29:24] an act of sin against God why

[29:27] Why could that possibly be true because it’s a struggle because the disease is it not? [29:34] And I’m fine with either of those [29:36] But understand the act of giving into the temptation to distrust God is what anxiety is. It’s the root

[29:44] So understand that anxiety does reveal a lack of trust in God and I tell you this as someone who is often anxious [29:53] I mean I’m on the edge of my seat most of the time saying is this gonna work out? Oh [29:58] Man, I don’t know [30:01] It’s a sin it’s wrong. It’s distrusting God if you trust Jesus [30:07] Here’s the key. Here’s what the gospel says for you [30:10] If you trust in Jesus then all conflict with God is reconciled

[30:17] Think about that all of it [30:20] He doesn’t hold anything against me any longer [30:22] He is for you in [30:27] No part of your life if you trust Jesus Christ then nothing in your life is [30:33] Because God is against you no part of it [30:36] No matter how unhappy these things will make you be and there will be things that are not pleasant many of them to one

[30:44] degree or to another degree [30:47] But none of it’s because God isn’t for you not if you trust in Jesus because if you trust in Jesus he says peace [30:54] To those with him he’s pleased [30:57] Let the peace of God rule your mind

[31:03] Friend [31:05] If you trust in Jesus he gives you peace with God [31:08] But peace with God is peace in life because it means that you trust God’s control

[31:17] That’s hard is it not [31:20] It’s hard to not be the one in control [31:23] it’s hard to do things and [31:25] Take steps of faith and and react in certain ways that you know line up with God’s Word [31:31] But not knowing how God’s going to turn that out for you

[31:36] You know that it’s good [31:39] But you don’t know what the goods gonna look like [31:41] It’s hard [31:43] It’s hard [31:45] But God’s for you, and if he’s for you then his control over you [31:51] Can be trusted with peace

[31:54] You [31:55] Trust in his love you trust in his favor you trust in his plan you trust in his purposes [32:02] whatever you need and want you take to him and let him reign and [32:08] have say [32:10] Over it that’s what Paul means when he says with prayer and supplication [32:14] Let your requests be made known to God. He’s saying this doesn’t mean you’re not gonna want things

[32:20] This doesn’t mean you’re gonna look at something and say I have a way that I want that to turn out [32:27] It doesn’t mean that what it means is when that happens you say I know what I can do with that because sitting here [32:35] fretting being anxiety ridden being manic getting overrun by the stress of the situation that cures [32:43] Nothing because what I’m saying in that moment is that I’m God [32:48] But what you should be saying in that moment is I’m powerless

[32:54] But thanks be to God someone is powerful [32:58] So he says take it to God [33:00] Take it to God why because God came

[33:05] Colossians 315 puts it this way [33:07] It says let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts to which indeed you were called in one body and be thankful [33:15] It’s an interesting word let

[33:20] That’s probably the most [33:22] under looked at word in the entire verse [33:26] Because he’s saying it’s not just gonna happen [33:31] He’s saying you need to repent [33:33] You need to turn away from the conflict that’s going on inside of you and you need to let [33:41] the peace of Christ

[33:44] Rule where heart core of who you are when he says the core the heart [33:51] What he’s saying is that means my reactions my feelings my desires [33:57] my emotions are now going to [34:01] emerge [34:02] from a heart [34:04] defined by the peace of Christ

[34:08] When peace is not the distinctive of your life you are denying God’s promise [34:14] Friend I want you to believe that you can live a life of peace if [34:19] You let the peace of Christ rule [34:22] Now that is an act of faith and it is only achieved by trusting that God is telling you the truth [34:31] Now if you believe that God’s a liar [34:34] And you don’t believe it, but if you believe that God is telling the truth

[34:37] I believe that I can have peace therefore when I’m anxious when I’m manic when I live a busy [34:45] conflict filled life of turmoil where I’m just running from one thing to another [34:50] Not because I want to be helpful [34:53] But because of the burning fire of anxiety that’s going on inside of me because I’ve always got to be touching something [34:59] I’ve always got to be doing something. I’m always gonna be helping something [35:02] I’ve always got to be building something when you cannot just sit down and rest

[35:08] Because of a lack of faith friend. I want you to understand [35:12] That you need desperately to remember the promise of God [35:18] You need to be brought to Jesus and reminded you can have [35:26] peace [35:28] You’re not gonna build it. You’re not gonna earn it [35:31] You’re going to be given it why because God became a human being

[35:36] Thirdly this morning [35:38] You can also have peace with others [35:42] You can also have peace with others what because of the birth of Jesus because the greatest miracle [35:47] It’s ever been happened and because of who he revealed himself to I mean [35:53] He reveals himself to the guys that really have conflict with everyone. I [35:58] Mean there’s nobody inviting them to Thanksgiving dinner

[36:01] Not without a hose [36:04] Hose those guys down. They smell like sheep [36:07] All right, and God says

[36:12] Peace good news go take a look enter into the present [36:18] Here’s somebody saying to the shepherds is an enter into the presence of the eternal God

[36:26] Beyond mom and dad

[36:29] Shepherds are the first visitors to the hospital

[36:34] Consider the privilege [36:36] Consider the favor with God that is seen on that day by shepherds [36:43] Men of whom did not deserve it and men of whom God said I will not hold your sins against you [36:49] I give you peace come into my presence literally

[36:56] You ever consider the people that you won’t have peace with [37:01] When I think about the shepherds that that Jesus jukes me, all right, that’s like [37:07] There’s people that I’m holding way less against than God could have to hold against me yet [37:12] He says I will forgive come into my presence [37:16] Look at what Jesus said in Mark chapter 9 verse 50. He says salt is good. This is adult Jesus [37:22] He says salt is good, but if the salt is lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again?

[37:28] Have salt in yourselves now Jesus is giving us [37:32] This is a salt and light passage just a little bit different than the way Matthew recorded it [37:36] And Jesus is saying when it comes to the culture around you [37:40] I want you to understand that you’re going to be a unique element in that culture that will help the culture flourish [37:47] You will build a culture within a culture that will be a preserving agent to all those around you [37:54] But then he says the most interesting command after he gives all these implications. He says be at peace

[38:00] with one another

[38:03] One of the most fundamental elements of having peace with God is having peace with other people

[38:12] One of the most fundamental things that God says will be unique about Christians is how peaceful they are with one another [38:20] That is so so difficult to believe

[38:28] If you are impossible to please

[38:33] And or feel that it is impossible to please others then there is a problem in your faith according to Jesus [38:41] because you’re not being very salty

[38:45] If you always feel as though someone is harming you or someone is doing things against you [38:51] or someone’s out to get you or someone’s going to harm you or if you feel the opposite because the vice versa is just as true [38:59] If you’re out to get others, they exist. If you’re out to make sure that you get the foot up on the competition [39:09] If you’re out to destroy other people so that you can have better than they’ve got [39:15] so that you can push them down while you’re pulling yourself up

[39:22] That’s a gospel problem [39:25] And the peace of Christmas needs to heal it [39:29] This is the way Paul puts it in Romans 12. He says in verse 18. He says if possible [39:35] So far as it depends on you live peaceably with all [39:39] I love the way he puts it because there are people who just won’t be at peace, but that’s not your problem. That’s their problem

[39:48] Your responsibility is to seek peace [39:50] Your responsibility is to offer peace. Your responsibility is to be a message of reconciliation as God is a messenger of reconciliation [40:01] So long as it depends on you is a big statement [40:05] And believe me, there will be many times when it does not depend on you because they won’t let it depend on you [40:12] But the imperative is that you are seeking to live as someone who seeks to give others the peace of Christ [40:20] Now friends, make no mistake. The holidays are a time ripe with conflict within and without

[40:25] There’s difficult family members. There’s disappointed people. There’s not enough to give and nowhere near enough to get [40:34] Christmas can be a powder keg [40:36] This is especially true if you are not putting your faith in Jesus [40:41] So how can you be at peace with others? [40:45] We have to have an agenda [40:47] And the agenda is the same agenda that God has on a revisit 2nd Corinthians 519

[40:53] When he says in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself not counting their trespasses against them [40:59] He follows it up with if you believe that then he has therefore entrusted to you the message of reconciliation [41:07] As we already said being a reconciler means being a peaceful person [41:13] How can you be at peace with others? [41:17] How can that be possible simply because you are at peace with God? [41:21] Because now peace is your agenda

[41:23] You are an ambassador of peace with a message of peace to give to everyone around you [41:28] Now friends, do you trust the good news that the angels brought to the shepherds that much?

[41:35] Do you trust it to the extent where yeah, I’ve got peace with God [41:38] Yes, I have peace within. I will seek peace with other people [41:43] And not just the synthetic peace [41:47] I’m just hugging it out or something. You know, I forgive you you forgive me [41:51] No, gospel centered peace where you’re truly saying hey, I want to have peace with you [41:59] Because of the peace I have with Jesus

[42:02] Because of what he’s done for me. I can truly forgive you [42:08] Your agenda needs to be defined by the peace of God [42:13] You need peace with God [42:16] You definitely need peace within yourself and you absolutely need peace with others [42:22] As I said, don’t sit there and say to yourself I wish it was that easy [42:26] I never said it was easy

[42:28] It’s the most difficult thing that you will ever chase after in your life [42:32] Faith always is but it is a gift [42:35] And if you trust Jesus it is yours [42:40] Follow him out of the anxiety [42:42] Follow Jesus out of the conflict and let the peace of Christ rule in your heart [42:51] This season and all seasons to follow

[42:55] As the band comes up [42:57] I want to transition into a time in which we reflect on [43:03] Not just that Jesus was born because the great miracle of his birth [43:08] Predated the great miracle of his death and resurrection [43:11] See that is where he accomplished the mission of peace [43:15] That is where he came and he delivered to each and every one of us the ultimate peace

[43:21] Because we can actually look at something and say that is how God earned me peace [43:28] That is how God accomplished my salvation [43:32] When Jesus was on the cross his body was broken [43:36] That is what the bread represents [43:37] His blood was shed and that is what the cup represents [43:40] And when we eat and when we drink

[43:43] What we proclaim is that I have that peace and I am seeking to trust that peace [43:51] It’s a tough road [43:52] Many moments of failure [43:55] Many moments of struggle [43:56] But every one of them needs to be marked by a realization [44:01] That you need to continuously turn away from the lie and believe the truth of Jesus

[44:08] He is for you [44:11] If you believe that you can have real peace [44:16] We eat and we drink to remember Christ is ours [44:22] If you believe that and you will live for that when you are ready