PEACE (2)

The Peace of God

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    When men people think of God, they think of a God of vengeance and rage.

 

B.      Biblical movies often depict events that display the judgment of God.

1.        Noah and the flood

2.       The Ten Commandments and God’s deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage

 

C.     God is a God of peace.  How many of us as His children have this as our main image of Him?

 

D.    In a previous lesson about peace, we looked at the Definition of Peace.

 

E.      In this lesson, we want to look at “The Peace of God.”

 

I.             A GODHEAD OF PEACE

 

A.    The Godhead is composed of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

 

B.      The nature of all three of them involves peace.

1.        God the Father

a.       Romans 15:33

 

Now the God of peace be with you all.  Amen.

 

b.      Romans 16:20

 

And the God peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.

 

c.       II Corinthians 13:11

 

Finally, brethren, farewell.  Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

 

d.      Philippians 4:9; I Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:20

2.       The Son of God is called “the Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6).

 

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:  and the government shall be upon his shoulder:  and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

 

3.       The Spirit is also associated with peace (Gal. 5:22)

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…

 

C.     When we say that God is the God of peace, we mean:

1.        He is the source of all peace that exists.

2.       If there is peace at any spot in the world, it sprang first from God.

3.       God longs for all men to experience peace.

4.       Peace was the ultimate end of His work on earth.

5.       Without God, there would be no peace at all.

 

 

 

II.           PEACE DISRUPTED

 

A.    The account of the early days of men in the Garden of Eden is very brief.

 

B.      Peace existed in the Garden in its highest form.  It is almost impossible for us to comprehend the peaceful state of man that existed in Eden.

 

C.     That peace, however, was disrupted by Satan.

1.        Truth was replaced with a lie.

2.       Obedience was replaced with disobedience.

3.       Innocence was replaced with shame.

4.       Fellowship was replaced with fear.

5.       Calm gave way to righteous indignation.

6.       Blessings were replaced with curses.

7.       Comfort was replaced with struggle.

8.       What was pristine began to decay.

9.       Life would now give way to death.

 

D.    Verses that indicate that peace was no more:

1.        “…and they knew they were naked…” (Gen. 3:7)

2.       “…and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord…” (Gen. 3:8).

3.       “…and I was afraid…” (Gen. 3:10).

4.       “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat” (Gen. 3:13).

5.       “I will greatly multiply thy sorrow…” (Gen. 3:16).

6.       “Cursed is the ground for thy sake…” (Gen. 3:17).

7.       “…till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken:  for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Gen. 3:19).

8.       “Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden” (Gen. 3:23).

9.       “So he drove out the man…” (Gen. 3:24).

 

E.      NOTE:  Once peace had been removed between God and man, there was nothing man could do to restore it.

 

III.         THE GOD OF PEACE HAD A PLAN

 

A.    God created man in His image and likeness (Gen. 1:26-27).  He loved man.  He did not desire to destroy what He had created for Himself.

 

B.      Therefore, God implemented a plan of peace.

1.        It was hinted at in the Old Testament (Isa. 11:1, 6-8).

a.       Isaiah prophesied that a rod would spring forth from Jesse and a Branch would grow out of his roots.  This was none other than the Christ.

b.      He would smite the earth, slay the wicked, and rule with righteousness and faithfulness.

c.       His kingdom would be one of peace.

 

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

 

2.       It was announced to the shepherds at the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:13-14).

 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

 

3.       Jesus affirmed that he came to bring peace

a.       John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:  not as the world giveth, give I unto you…

 

b.      John 16:33a

 

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace…

 

C.     Jesus executed the Father’s plan the Friday He was crucified on Calvary.

1.        He became the sacrificial Lamb who would pay the penalty for the sins of the world (I John 2:2).

 

And he is the propitiation for our sins:  and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

2.       Listen to Paul’s words about Jesus’ sacrifice

a.       Ephesians 2:14-15

 

For he is our peace, who hath broken down the middle wall of partition which was between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.

 

b.      Colossians 1:20

 

And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

 

3.       The prophet Isaiah spoke these words in the long ago about the suffering servant:  “…the chastisement of our peace was upon him…” (Isa. 53:5).

4.       The penalty for sin was paid.

Man’s sins no longer had to be held against him.

Fellowship between God and man could be restored.

There could be peace between God and all men once again.

 

D.    The directions for receiving the benefits of this plan had to be given to man.

1.        They are found in the gospel.  For this cause, the gospel is often described as the gospel of peace (Rom. 10:15; Eph. 6:15).

 

And how shall they preach, except they be sent:  as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things?

 

2.       The directions are simple, but they do require the expression of love and the exercise of faith.

a.       Man hears the story of Jesus’ death on Calvary. 

1)       His love for us causes love to swell in our hearts for Him (I John 4:19).  This love expresses itself in obedience His will (John 14:15).

2)      The words regarding the story of Jesus are divine, they are the truth, and we believe them with all of our heart.  This is faith, an essential element in receiving the peace of God (Rom. 5:1).

 

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

b.      Faith and love combine and complete the rest of the instructions needed for the blood of Jesus to be received in our life.

1)       We are willing to repent of our sins (Luke 13:3).

2)      We are willing to confess the name of Jesus (Matt. 10:32).

3)      We are willing to be immersed for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38).

4)      NOTE:  Many people deny the necessity of being baptized.  In other words, they do not feel that one must be baptized in order to be saved.  This, however, is the only step in the plan of salvation that puts one in contact with the death of Christ, the place wherein He shed His blood (Rom. 6:3-4).

 

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:  that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

 

3.       An interesting side note.

a.       When a person is immersed into Christ, he is added by the Lord to the church, the body of Christ (Acts 2:47; I Cor. 12:13).

 

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body…

 

b.      The church is also referred to as the kingdom (Matt. 16:18-19; Col. 1:13).

c.       Now listen to Paul’s words found in Romans 14:17.

 

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

 

d.      Righteousness, joy, and peace are found in the kingdom of God.

 

IV.        JESUS:  I CAME NOT TO BRING PEACE

 

A.    Jesus makes a very interesting statement that appears to contradict the very things we have been teaching up to this point in Matthew 10:34-36.

 

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth:  I came not to send peace, but a sword.  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

 

B.      Jesus is not referencing God’s plan to bring peace between God and man.  He has reference to the effects of His plan upon human relationships.

1.        Some would obey the gospel and some would not.

2.       This would put family members at odds with one another. 

3.       This outcome of His mission did not deter Him.  He simply warned that peace between individuals would not always take place.

 

C.     Knowing this, individuals have a choice to make when it comes to their salvation (Matt. 10:37).

 

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me:  and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    Ignorance abounds in our world about the spiritual condition of the souls of men.

1.        Some do not know they have a soul.

2.       Some do not realize what sin is and what it has done to their soul.

3.       Some do not know that they are enemies of God.

4.       Many, who may have a surface knowledge of these things, don’t care.

5.       Some do not realize that they have not submitted to the proper plan that will bring peace between them and God.

 

B.      So many in the conditions listed above are not concerned about the end of the world either.  But, listen to the admonition from the pen of the apostle Peter (II Pet. 3:14).

 

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.