Peace

[0:00] You've got your Bibles, 2 Thessalonians 3 verse 16.! I know someone was talking lately about the 316s, weren't you brother? Back there, the 316s. This is one of the 316s.

[0:10] 2 Thessalonians 3 verse 16. So we're going to start with a prayer if you like.

[0:30] 2 Thessalonians 3 verse 16. Paul writes to the Thessalonians there.

[0:42] Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. Peace. Peace is needed.

[0:55] Some places in our world today, it's hard to find peace. Places like Iraq, Syria, Israel. There's a lot of conflict and tension.

[1:11] Warring going on. An uncertain peace in some lands. And you go to some of these lands like Greece, Israel, other nations.

[1:23] And it's not uncommon to see the local constabulary, the police, walking around with military machine guns. And when you're there for a little bit, it almost becomes routine.

[1:38] You don't even notice it after a while because that's just what they do. They carry these submachine guns around at every street corner, it seems at times, in the cities of these lands.

[1:48] And I heard lately that even in the UK, in London, the bobbies there traditionally haven't carried firearms. But they're apparently bringing in more weaponry for the police force because the world's just gone crazy lately, hasn't it?

[2:05] And then I saw another article recently about Melbourne. They've just suddenly put all these big, huge concrete blocks at some of the main thoroughfares of Melbourne because of the danger of people who want to drive on the footpath and mow people down.

[2:24] You know, it's a very dangerous world, a hostile world at times, isn't it? The way it's moving more and more in such a direction. Peace is needed.

[2:35] Peace is needed.

[3:05] Peace is needed.

[3:36] It's a kind of illusory, a false, shaky kind of sense of peace. Some will try to find peace through a life lived for themselves or through the bottle, as they might try, or through drugs or through other temporary measures that bring them some fake kind of peace that's just short-lived.

[4:01] And it's so easily shattered by a hangover or a broken relationship or just some other outcome that leaves us feeling empty and disappointed.

[4:12] Peace is needed. Peace is needed. All of us deep down have this longing for real peace in our lives today. And deep down we all cry out for something more than an uncertain peace.

[4:26] Now my family and I lived for some time up near Darwin and in northern Queensland. And cyclones were always a constant menace at certain times of the year.

[4:40] And most of us would have heard of Cyclone Tracy and the devastation left by Cyclone Tracy as it caused to Darwin at Christmas time, 1974.

[4:50] The houses up in that area were flattened and many were destroyed and obliterated and just became a pile of rubble. And now houses built up in Darwin and that region require a special cyclone proof standard so that they can withstand the tremendous forces of a cyclone.

[5:13] And now people who take shelter in such buildings as these can now be assured of safety from the storms. People can now have much more confidence because of the real protection provided by such buildings.

[5:26] We see that that has been ramped up and people feel a lot more secure and safe. And friends, a storm is coming.

[5:37] A storm is coming. It's been forecast. I'm not talking about today's weather or the weather ahead as it were in the natural sense of storm.

[5:49] But the supernatural storm that lies ahead for planet Earth. And we can have much more confidence in our Lord if we are taking those safety measures.

[6:06] There's a kind of storm that the Bible speaks of. A time coming soon when the Lord God will judge this planet. This earth will be judged.

[6:17] And world peace is coming after the storm. When the Lord Jesus returns to take up his rightful place as the king. But first will come the storm of judgment. And what matters is that we're in a place of safety.

[6:30] That we find a place of safety. That we're in that shelter. And what is the shelter for this coming storm? What is the shelter that we need for the coming storm of God's wrath against sin?

[6:42] God now commands all men everywhere to repent. He's provided for us a reliable, a certain way of escape.

[6:53] A place that we can be safe. A way of escape from this coming judgment. So, firstly, notice peace is needed. We know peace is needed.

[7:04] This world is at war. But there's people that are torn up inside. There's hearts that are torn and full of strife and upheaval.

[7:15] And there's great need for peace on the inward of men. The second point I'd like to make is that peace is a person. Peace is a person.

[7:26] Who's ever heard, there's no rest for the wicked? People heard that saying. And some people don't realise. You know, they say this saying. There's no rest for the wicked.

[7:37] It's kind of a... People use it as a kind of... A joke. A kind of sarcastic thing. That you say this of someone who's a busy person.

[7:48] Oh, there's no peace for the wicked. But in fact it was actually written down about 2,800 years ago. In the pages of the Bible. It's actually... They're quoting the Bible.

[7:59] People, unknowingly, many of them. The full quotation actually goes along the lines of... But the wicked are like the troubled sea. When it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

[8:12] There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. The wicked are like a troubled sea. It's just like a mucky, miry, dirty water that's...

[8:25] That's... That's... Rolling around like a troubled, murky, dirty set of water. They cannot rest. The wicked are like that.

[8:37] There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. And so this saying, there's no rest for the wicked, is often used about a sarcastic comment to a busy person.

[8:49] When they're saying, oh, I'm so rushed and stressed out. But it is so very easy to be too busy for God. To be too busy.

[9:00] To think about God. To not take the time. To think through the awesome consequences of rejecting God. In the word, the Lord says, My spirit shall not always strive with men.

[9:12] Genesis 6, verse 3. He is patient. But there is an end to his time of waiting for us.

[9:25] And many people search endlessly in a fruitless search for peace. They try, as I said, drugs, drink. They try maybe at the point of a needle.

[9:36] Or chasing after different relationships as if that's their source of peace. Only to find despair and disappointment. So where can I find this true peace?

[9:49] Peace with a capital P. In this troubled world. The answer is again found in the pages of the Bible. It's found here. In God's life guide.

[10:03] I've said it before. B-I-B-L-E. Basic instructions before leaving earth. There's the instructions here. How to find peace with God. And we see that in John 14, verse 12.

[10:16] You might want to turn there. One person offers peace. Peace is a person. With a capital P.

[10:27] The Lord Jesus. Offers peace. That will not be taken away. His peace is lasting. His peace is lasting. His peace is not uncertain.

[10:39] We know it is guaranteed. Because he will not let us down. He says in John 14, verse 12. Actually, that's not the right one.

[10:58] Actually, that's not the right one. I've got the wrong reference.

[11:09] But he says, I thought it was John 16, perhaps. Who can find it first? He says, peace I leave with you.

[11:22] My peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled. Neither let it be afraid. I just can't locate that one.

[11:39] But he says, my peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives, give I unto you. Oh, John 14, 27.

[11:51] There he goes. Yeah, thanks, Stuart. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled. Neither let it be afraid.

[12:02] John 14, 27. So the peace that the Lord Jesus gives will not be taken away. And there is an answer here for all our fears and troubles.

[12:13] There is a way to find lasting peace in our world of war. There's a place of security, of safety, of shelter, where we can take our refuge from the coming storm.

[12:25] And the Lord Jesus speaks of two buildings in another place. One built on the solid rock and the other built on the shifting sands. And he likened the one, as it were, of this builder who builds his life on the rock as the man, the woman, the one who puts their life and founds their life upon him and his teachings, upon his word.

[12:50] They're like the house built upon the rock. But the other one was the house built on the sand. It had no foundation. And when the storm came, the house that is built on the rock will last.

[13:03] It stands firm. How about you? Are we building our lives on the rock? Building our lives upon Christ and his word, his truth? Are we in that right place with God today?

[13:17] Peace is needed. Peace is a person. Let's not settle for the world's kind of peace, which passes away. But he says, my peace I give unto you.

[13:28] My peace is lasting. My peace will, not as the world gives. Give I unto you.

[13:38] It's assured. It's promised by God. And that's the next point here, is that peace is promised. Peace is offered to all. It's promised. It's a promise from God.

[13:49] The very gospel, the good news, in Ephesians 6.15, it's called the gospel of peace. The gospel of peace. It's the good news of peace.

[14:00] That's Ephesians 6.15. One of the articles of the armour that we wear, as soldiers of God, is the very gospel, the good news, the message of peace, with God, and from God.

[14:14] So peace is promised. It's promised to us. The kind of peace I'm referring to today, is not some peace that some might look for in some mystical temple, in ceremonies of incense and chanting, in religious rituals and acts.

[14:33] It's not found by blanking out your mind, and sitting at the feet of some guru, or working yourself up into some frenzy, or trance. The kind of peace that we're talking about, is that which I can recommend to you, is found in a person, with a capital P, the Lord Jesus Christ.

[14:56] And it says in his word, that the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus.

[15:08] The peace of God, shall keep, act like a guard, a sentry, mount a guard, a garrison, around our hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus.

[15:22] It's got that transcending, that inexpressible quality, that it's beyond our understanding, it passeth all understanding.

[15:33] We can't reckon it in human language, really. There's peace from God, the peace of God. And the Bible describes the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Prince of Peace.

[15:44] It's one of his very names, one of the many names of our Lord, is he is the Prince of Peace. And we know that, he brings peace through the blood, of his cross.

[15:56] That's Colossians 1, verse 20. It says, and having made peace through the, blood of his cross. It tells how he reconciles the world, through the blood of his cross.

[16:09] So this one, the Prince of Peace, is the one who brings peace, to people's aching, broken lives, through the blood of his cross. And the wonderful kind of peace, that he extends, that he promises, is a lasting, wonderful, and eternal peace.

[16:26] And he offers this as a gift to us, as we recognise and receive, and accept that precious price, that he paid, for us on the cross. Peace, through the blood, of his cross.

[16:40] That's the answer, for us. There was a, man who, wrote a book, called Peace Child. Peace Child. Written by a man, called Don Richardson.

[16:54] And he gave a moving account, as he was a missionary, to the Sarwee people, of Irian Jire. To help them to understand, the gospel. To help them to, understand salvation, through the Lord Jesus Christ.

[17:08] And we know, in diverse cultures, sometimes it's hard, to put, the gospel truth, into a, meaning that they can, understand.

[17:20] And for many months, this man, Don Richardson, sought with his family, to communicate the gospel, to this tribe. And then he discovered, the key for which, they'd been praying.

[17:33] All demonstrations, of kindness, expressed by the, Sarwee people, were regarded with suspicion, except one act. Now they were always, a very suspicious people.

[17:44] But there was this one act, that, made, a dramatic difference. And that was where, a father, gave his own son, to his enemy. To, his, sacrificial deed, showed, that he could be trusted.

[17:58] I guess, he was kind of adopted, into the family. I'm, I'm presuming here. And so, everyone who touched, that child, was brought into, a friendly relationship, with the father. So, the, the son, gave, a, brought harmony, and peace, and, and a, reconciliation.

[18:18] And so, this preacher, this missionary, used this, as an illustration, of how, likewise, God's beloved son, brings, eternal peace.

[18:30] The father, gave the son, that we can have, peace with God. And so, he was able to, communicate the gospel, by relating that, alike, to, their custom.

[18:43] The giving of the son, brought peace. And as we receive, Christ into our hearts, and lives, we receive his peace. And he wants to give us, that, that joy, that purpose, beyond anything else, beyond any compare, that we can, make.

[18:59] It's not a false, kind of peace. Again, as some would live, some, attempt at peace, some short-lived, measure of, peace, as they would reckon it.

[19:11] As they would, glug, glug, glug, try to bring peace, to their mind. To blank out their mind. To, ease their, their thoughts, by, such means as that.

[19:24] Or through drugs, or whatever it be. But it really, just leaves people, with a hangover. Leaves people feeling empty, and wasted. And so this kind of peace, that we speak of here, is a real, genuine, and beautiful, new purpose in life.

[19:40] A brand new start. A brand new heart. And the Lord Jesus Christ, is that only, true, and reliable, source of peace. In our world today, in this war-torn world, we need the Prince of Peace.

[19:53] We need the one, who is, our peace. It tells us in, 1 Peter, I think, it is 1 Peter, or 2 Peter, where it says, He is our peace.

[20:05] He is our peace. And we know that, He says unto us, in Matthew 11, verse 30, He says, Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, unto your souls.

[20:17] I will give you peace. I will give you that rest, that heart peace, that heart rest, for your soul. When nations are at war, how does peace come?

[20:29] It comes through a surrender. One of the nations surrenders to the other. And so likewise, for us to know peace with God, we must come to that place of surrender, and know that victory, that as we surrender, the control of our lives to the Lord, as we give over, our sins, our failings, our hurts, our needs, as we let Him, take charge, and give Him our lives, we experience, as we give our surrender, we experience His victory.

[21:03] And we experience that joy, beyond compare, beyond any kind of thrill, that we can ever know, the joy of a surrendered will, unto God. And this keeps us, through life's trials, and tests.

[21:24] There was one night, many years ago, where there was a preacher, in an evangelistic meeting, in Chicago. And this preacher, Tucker, was preaching on the sympathy, of Christ.

[21:40] And, after his message, a man approached him, and said, if your wife had just died, like mine has, and your babies were crying, for their mother, who would never come back, you wouldn't be saying, what you're saying.

[21:53] He was talking about, the compassion, of Christ. Christ. And this man, who heard the preacher, challenged the preacher, and said, it's alright for you to say. Tragically, a few days later, Tucker's wife, was killed, in a train wreck.

[22:10] And her body, was brought to Chicago, and carried to that same, meeting place, for the funeral. And after the service, the bereaved preacher, looked down, into the silent face, of his wife, and then turned, to those attending.

[22:25] The other day, a man told me, I wouldn't speak, of the sympathy, of Jesus, if my wife, had just died. If that man is here, I want to tell him, that Christ, is sufficient.

[22:42] My heart, is broken, but it has a song, put there by, Jesus. I want that man, to know that, Jesus Christ, speaks comfort, to me today.

[22:58] Christ, is sufficient. He is our peace. He is our peace. Another preacher, said this, I rest, beneath, the almighty's shade.

[23:10] My griefs, expire, my troubles, cease. Thou Lord, on whom, my soul is stayed, wilt keep me still, in perfect, peace.

[23:22] Perfect peace. In the Hebrew, it's shalom, shalom. Perfect peace. It's peace, peace. Perfect peace.

[23:34] And we know, it says in the word, that thou will keep him, in perfect peace, his mind is stayed on thee. Perfect peace.

[23:46] peace. If our mind is stayed upon God, we can know that perfect peace. And, again, as I say, a world at war. A world at war today.

[23:57] I, uh, uh, picked up this article here, that some historians were, were searching through, the record of history.

[24:10] And someone has reckoned here, since, 3,600 BC, the world has only known, 292 years of peace. During this period, there's been, 15,351 wars, large and small, in which, 3.64 billion people, have died.

[24:28] The value of the property destroyed, would pay for a golden belt, around the world, 97.2 miles wide, and 33 feet thick. And since 650 BC, there's also been, 1,656 arms races, only 16 of which, have not ended in war.

[24:49] The remainder ended, in the economic collapse, of the countries involved. Peace. They're trying to, to pay for peace, by buying weaponry, or by, fighting wars, here and there.

[25:02] But really, the only, true, source of world peace, is the Prince of Peace. It's only then, that peace will truly come. And, yet, we can know that peace, personally, each one.

[25:16] And, we can recommend that, today. We that know the Lord, can recommend that, as the ultimate, and absolute, to make our peace, with God, through Christ, and his cross.

[25:33] And, I don't know where, each one is out here today, where we're at, whatever our situation, in life, whatever the storm, that we're going through. But, Christ's call, is still the same.

[25:45] Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I shall give you rest. Rest unto your souls. Right through the word, we see, this, expression of peace.

[26:00] In the last book in your Bible, Revelation 1, verse 4, we see, the combination, as John wrote, to the seven churches, which are in Asia.

[26:14] grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come.

[26:27] Grace and peace, from him which is, which was, and which is to come, and from the seven spirits, which are before the throne, his throne.

[26:37] Grace be unto you, and peace. We see, the words, grace and peace, often paired together, in, numbers of scriptures.

[26:48] That's just one example. Colossians 3, 15, Paul prays, let the peace of God, rule in your hearts. Now come unto his reign, his, his godly, righteous reign.

[27:03] He's the king of kings, and the lord of lords. And he wants his peace, to rule in our hearts. His rulership, is not an onerous, irksome thing, that he's some, domineering despot.

[27:16] But he wants, his peace to reign, to rule, to, to thrive, to blossom, to have authority, over our hearts. Let the peace of God, rule in your hearts.

[27:28] We see, Romans 5, verse 1, it says, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our lord, Jesus Christ. Peace with God.

[27:39] Then we see, Philippians 4, verse 7, it tells of the, peace of God. Peace with God, the peace of God. Philippians 4, verse 7.

[27:51] And then, in Philippians 4, verse 9, it tells us, the God of peace, be with you. You know, Philippians 4, that's a, you might want to check that later, I'll just refer to that, just one more time.

[28:04] Philippians 4, Philippians 4, verse 7, let, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus.

[28:16] Then it goes on about, whatsoever things, think on these things. And then we see, Philippians 4, verse 9, the God of peace, shall be with you. So we see, the peace of God, and the God of peace.

[28:34] And as we referred, in Romans 5, verse 1, peace with God. He is the source of it, he is the, the very nature of God, is peace.

[28:46] To know him, is peace. And he's, the peace of God, can rule in our hearts. whatever our situation in life, we might be like that preacher Tucker, and we think, wow, even in such a circumstance, Christ is sufficient.

[29:06] He is the God of peace. He is my peace. There was a, a preacher, years, years ago, at the time of the Inquisition, when, the, establishment church of the day, which was corrupt, and wicked, took upon itself, to kill, Bible believing Christians.

[29:36] And one of them, was a man called Ridley. In 1555. And Ridley was, burnt at the stake, merely because he was a, a believer in the gospel.

[29:48] He was a faithful, messenger of God's, gospel. But he didn't come under the, wicked authority of the, establishment church of the time.

[30:00] The, the evil Roman Catholic church. And so, Ridley was burnt at the stake, because of his outspoken witness for Christ. And on the night before Ridley's execution, his brother came to visit Ridley, and offered to remain with him in the prison chamber, and to be of assistance and comfort.

[30:19] This was his last night on earth. His brother thought he needed some comfort. But, Nicholas Ridley declined the offer, and replied, that he meant to go to bed, and sleep, as quietly, as he ever did, in his life.

[30:35] because, because, he knew, the peace of God. And he could rest in the strength of that. He could rest in the everlasting arms, safe in the arms of Jesus.

[30:48] Underneath are the everlasting, everlasting arms. He knew the peace of God. He knew Christ is sufficient for me. And he knew that the Lord would meet his need.

[31:02] I aim to go to bed, and sleep as quietly, as ever I did, in my life. He knew the execution was the next morning. But he had peace with God.

[31:14] And so can we, brothers and sisters, we can know, we can rest in the Almighty's refuge. I'll end with the scripture we started with.

[31:26] 2 Thessalonians 3.16 Now the Lord of peace, himself, give you peace, always, by all means.

[31:37] The Lord be with you all. Amen. I urge you, make peace with God. If you're fighting him, surrender.

[31:50] Let us pray. Our Lord and God, we thank you, you are the God of peace. That the peace of God is beyond our understanding.

[32:01] We can't express it, Lord, the peace that you grant those who put their trust in you. That by faith, we can know your peace within and without.

[32:14] Lord, we know that life has many storms and conflicts and tragic circumstance and heartache.

[32:26] We know, Lord, we're not immune to that. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. We know life's troubles will affect us just like they affect anyone.

[32:38] Yet, Lord, we know we have your sustaining power. We know we have the everlasting, everlasting arms underneath us. We know that you are sufficient.

[32:49] We know, Lord, that we can come unto you and know rest for our souls. We pray for our loved ones and friends and family that they might know that peace. Help us, Lord, to whatever storm faces us, whatever hardship, whatever hurt, whatever burden, we can know peace that passes all understanding and we can know the Lord of peace yourself.

[33:19] You will give us peace always by all means. We thank you, Lord, in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.