Notes for
The Advent of Jesus-3
Biblical Peace
Matthew 2:1,11 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem, On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
1. GIVING IS AN ACT OF WORSHIP
WORSHIP MEANS THAT WE PORTRAY GOD’S WORTH IN OUR LIVES BY WHAT WE GIVE.
THAT IS WHY GOD IS SO INSULTED BY AN UNWORTHY GIFT
MALACHI 1:6-8
"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty. " When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty.
*This Christmas, we are believing God for $30,000 to help two churches-one in Africa and one in the Philippines.
Luke 2:13-14 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." …”And on earth peace to men…
Matthew 24:6-7 that… “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.”
II Timothy 3:1-4 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--
Matthew 10:34-36 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn "'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'
The truth is that there is a more pressing war than the one with Venezuela, Russia or China, a more notorious violation than the crime and hatred we see, and a deadlier menace than any terrorist could dream up.
Ephesians 2:1-3 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
Our issue is that we were born dead-our spirits, the eternal person inside us was born dead because we inherited the sin nature of our parents.
Deuteronomy 30: 19 "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,
We broke God’s covenant of life and gained death.
Hosea 6:7 But like Adam they have transgressed the covenant; There they have dealt treacherously against Me.
Romans 3:10-12 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Isaiah 57:20-21 But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. "There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."
Mark 8:36 What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?
The angels’ message was that from the fall of Adam to that very moment there was no peace between God and humanity and no peace inside us.
Ephesians 2:17-19 Jesus came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,
Romans 5:1 Therefore having been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”
Acts 10: 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
Colossians 1:20 and through Jesus to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Ephesians 2:14 For He Himself is our peace…
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
Worldly peace is always the absence of something. But biblical peace is the presence of Someone.
Key #1 is repentance. When I lose my peace, I repent, confess my sin, and pick up my peace again.
Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything.
Worry is when I fear about the possibility of evil happening in my life.
Hebrews 13:5 God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Revelation 2:4-5 You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.
Key #2: take the situation that is causing me stress and anxiety and bring it before the Lord in prayer.
Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
Philippians 4:7-8 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Key #3: is Focus my thoughts on the right things after I have given the situation to God.
Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
In every situation I go through I have the responsibility to keep my peace.
