Enjoying His Peace

Introduction

Well, good evening to everyone tonight. I appreciate you being here. And there’s a train out there, so I know a few people got caught by that and were coming in, and that almost foiled my ability to present a lesson here because I’ve been on a very forgetful street the last couple days. I’ve been forgetting everything everywhere. Which, by the way, if anyone was at the cook off yesterday and found a pair of sunglasses out on a picnic table, those are mine. Dad got them. Thank you so much. Because those are prescription. Alright, so that got that taken care of. But then we were at the Olympics this afternoon, of course. I brought my stuff, and I was gonna go over it, and then I left their house without it.

So called Sean frantically, he turns around and goes back and gets his stuff, gets my Bible and my lesson, and then gets caught by the train. So Tim’s up here leading, and they’re not here, and I’m like, okay, Bethlehem might be doing this again, but we got here. And what’s up, so we’re good to go, but I also forgot clothes over this house. A little absent minded today. But in any case, hopefully what I have to bring this afternoon will be helpful to all of you, and something we can think about as we go on throughout the rest of this week. as Tim mentioned, this afternoon service could be a little bit different in that there’ll be songs interspersed throughout the lesson, and I’ll be kind of presenting one common theme and expounding upon the words of words of the songs as we go through them.

And that central three theme is the theme of peace. As you read up there, Daniel got slides together for me, John 14, verse 27 Peace I lead with you, my peace I give you. Not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Peace is something that is integral to the Christian’s life. The Lord expects us to have peace. Because we’re living a life in Him. And because we are trusting in Him. And yet, how many of us would say that we truly have peace? The peace that God calls us to have, the peace that passes understanding. It’s something I think that is very difficult for us to grasp. When there are so many things that go wrong in our lives, when there are so many struggles that we face, temptations that we have, so many uncertainties.

And yet God calls us to peace.

1. Peace Is Contentment With the Things We Have

Peace is a lack of struggle. A lack of strife, confrontation, or restlessness. It’s feeling that everything is going to be alright. Vines describes it as harmonious relationships between men and nations, friendliness, freedom of molestation, order in the churches, and especially like this last definition, the harmonized relationships between God and man, accomplished through the gospel. And the sense of rest and contentment consequent thereon. We say that again, the sense of rest and contentment consequent upon the relationships harmonized between God and man through the gospel. In other words, there’s nothing wrong. Because we have been harmonized with God. There is no strife. There’s no enmity. There’s happiness and contentment. There’s no worry about what we’re going to eat or what we’re going to drink or what we’re going to wear.

There’s no anxiousness. There’s inner calm, knowing that the Lord will provide. And does that mean that everything is just going to be wonderful all the time, that we’re going to have everything that we want or everything that we ask? No.

It’s finding contentment. Calm. Despite not having everything that we want. Despite the struggles and the difficulties. Contentment. Happy with what we have, no desire for more. That’s easier said than done.

We’re always, I mean, it’s just the American mindset. We’re always striving for more. It’s been instilled in us. We ought to aspire to greatness. And we need to work hard. And again, obviously we need to work hard. But it’s that idea that it’s never good enough. And if you’re not working and you’re not just devoting yourself to your work and making as much money as you possibly can, then you’re just not doing it right. You don’t have all the stuff that everybody else has, you’re just not doing it right. Peace is contentment with the things that we have. And it’s the recognition that the Lord is the one and only who brings true peace. In Philippians chapter 4 and verse 4. Paul writes, Rejoice in the Lord always.

Again, I will say, rejoice. How, what condition is Paul in when he’s writing this? He’s in prison. Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, in verse 8. Whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there’s any excellence, if there’s anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Backing up to verse 5 or verse 6. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. This verse tells us that we have to rejoice.

2. Let the Peace of Christ Rule in Your Hearts

No matter the circumstances. We cannot be anxious because we are relying on God because we are praying often to him. In verse 8, we need to be focusing on all these things that are worthy of praise. If we do those things, the peace of God will guard our hearts. In other words, if we are pursuing excellence, and we are relying on God, Paul says, we will have peace. Flip over a page or two in your Bible to Colossians 3 and verse 15. Paul again writes, Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. We’re to let this peace rule in our hearts. If something is ruling, that means that it has command, it has the power.

It has prominence. There’s no room for anything else to sneak in, to push that which is ruling out. There’s no room for anxiousness. If peace is ruling in our hearts, there’s no room for worry. There is no room for doubt and faithlessness. There’s only the peace that comes from Christ. And this comes not just from constant prayer, but also from love and from the Word of God. If you back up and read the two verses around verse 15, verse 14, and above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you are called in one body and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing songs and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

I want us to take a moment and look at what the common denominator is in those three verses. The common denominator is our brother. If we are working together, if we have put on love that binds everything together in perfect harmony, we’re binding together our relationships. We’re working together in harmony. And in verse 16, we’re encouraged to let the word of Christ dwell in us, teaching and monishing who? One another. In wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. And I’m reminded of Ephesians chapter 4 in verse 3. It says, You ought to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. What I take from this is that if we want peace, not only do we have to have faith in God, but we need to rely on our brethren.

We need to work together. Spend time with one another. Because our brothers and sisters in Christ in our church. They’re the ones that give us encouragement that we need when we’re down. They’re the ones who lift us up. And of course, I mean, I’m reminded of Sherry this morning. And she needed our prayers and our comfort and our encouragement. And we gave that to her because we’re working together. And I think she probably found some peace from that. The Lord is the one who brings us true peace through his word and through the love of the brother. Even when things seem like they are dire.

3. Faith That God Has Control

Of course, the song comes from the story of Jesus calming the seas in Matthew chapter 8. Before this, if we sing the song when we look there, Matthew chapter 8. Beginning of verse 23.

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves. But he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, Save us, Lord, for we are perishing. They thought they were going to die. And he said to them, Why are you afraid? Oh, you of little faith. And he rose and rebuked the winds in the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, What sort of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obeyed him.

And of course, it’s impossible to read this without noting the stark contrast between Jesus’ disciples who were on this boat and they were awake and they were frantically trying not to go overboard, you know, just frantically hoping that they weren’t going to die.

And Jesus, who was dead asleep.

There couldn’t be more of a contrast there. Because Jesus, he was a thieves. And yet these disciples forgot who it was that they were with. They were with the Son of God. They were with Jesus. They were with this man who they had seen work miracles. They forgot who it was that was in control. How often do we do that same thing? We forget who it is who is in control. And when I read this, and it goes from this immediate storm that’s just the waves just crashing over this boat. And it says that there was a great calm. And I don’t think it means that everything just went back to normal. I think it means that this was the calmest, stillest, flattest body of water you had ever seen in your life.

Because he was in control of it.

The key to their fear, Jesus says, was their lack of faith. He says, You of little faith. We have to have faith that God has controlled if we want to have the peace he calls us to have.

So often our lives when they’re in disarray and the waves are crashing high, and we feel like we have no control.

Master the entry of fear I know in my grief today for wick and say my prayer so it’s not my sweet soul as I pray it’s I for his God and take control for wisdom we shall obey I will eat too sea or demons or may or what it be no one can fall for share where I must be one is And with joy I shall make up my father and rest on the place for soon always shall obey my will see or deep no one heaven with me. No water can follow the shape when so May God shall speak me all day I will still may hold shall speak me all day I will You know, wow. It just hit me as we were singing that song that not only the words are perfect, but the music is.

The way that it ebbs and flows, it rises and it falls, as the waves of the sea, and then it crescindos and decrescendos and finally ends with peace. Be still. That is the kind of calm that it concludes with that Jesus calls us to have. This verse, and as we look at the words, the first verse puts forth the thoughts of the disciples on that boat when they are saying, Master, the waves are crashing in, we’re going to die. Do you even care? You’re asleep. How can you care? You’re asleep. We’re about to be thrown overboard. And I think we feel that way sometimes. God, how can you let this happen?

Do you even care? He does care. And the problem is that we lack faith.

And then the course shows us everything is in subject to his will. Everything obeys him. Nothing can overcome him. He’s triumphed over death. And everything has been put in subjection to him. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. Romans chapter 8, verse 37 through 39. When he says peace, the ways of life will be still. And I also see in the three verses of this song three stages of progression in our faith or in our spiritual life. The first verse is that of complete faithlessness. O ye of little faith. And the second verse is this intermediate stage in our faith where we finally realize that the troubles of life, the torrents of sin and of anguish, they, as we begin to perish, we give it over to the Lord.

4. Prince of Peace, Control My Will

We realize that we have to rely on him, to whom all things are in subjection. And finally, in verse 3, once we’ve given him that control, the terror is over. Master, the terror is over, the elements sweetly rest. We resolve to rest and have peace in that blessed harbor and we plead with him to never leave us alone. The second song I want to look at tonight is number 138. Prince of Peace, control my will.

It’s a difficult song to sing. Because of the magnitude of the request that we were making when we say to God, to control my will.

And yet there’s the reassurance in who we are subjecting ourselves to. And that is the Prince of Peace. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace in Isaiah chapter 9. In verse 6 and 7. Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6 and 7.

For to us a child is born. To us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulder. In his name shall be called. Wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, of the increase of his government and of peace. There will be no end on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Isaiah tells us that we can have a firm assurance that God will establish Christ and His government, His rule. His kingdom. And His rule of peace will be over those that are His, those who are Christians, those who are willing to surrender to Him.

And if we do that, we will have a peace.

Verse says, Prince of peace, control my will. Bid the struggling heart be still. Bid my fears and doubting cease. Hush my spirit into peace. Verse 1 says that our will and his must be one. We can’t struggle or rebel against it because that is a losing battle, and always will be.

How do we find that peace? It’s by aligning our will with God’s. By becoming one with him. Because he bought us with his love. Because we are heirs together with him. Again, Romans chapter 8. Verse 3. May thy will, not mine, be done. May thy will and mine be one. Chase these doubtings from my heart. Now thy perfect peace impart. The third time we’re admonished to make our will and his one. This also calls to my mind Jesus at Gethsemane when he says to the Father in Matthew 26 and verse 39, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.

But there wasn’t. And so he surrendered his will to the fathers and went to the cross.

No matter how painful it may be for us, our will and his must align. And again, why is it that we lack peace? It’s because we don’t have the faith. We have doubtings in our hearts. And this song is a prayer to ask God to chase those things away. Chase the doubting away. We continue to be faithless. We continue to be like that wave that’s tossed to and fro that James talks about in James chapter 1. That we cannot be a back and forth Christian. We have to be firm, grounded without doubting. And he will give us what we request. Verse 4 Savior, at thy feet I fall. Thou my life, my God, my all. Let thy happy servant be one forevermore with thee. Savior at thy feet I fall.

That is a picture of total and complete subjection. When we fall at the feet of someone, we are begging that person for mercy, for grace. We’re saying that they are superior to us, that we are inferior, that we need their help. We are their subject.

Once we recognize we are a subject of Christ, then we are happy to serve him. Happy to give our wills over to him. We’re not resisting against him anymore. When we resist, that’s when we lack peace. We must give ourselves over wholly to him.

And we must be his servant, one forever with him.

5. Peace, Perfect Peace

The next song I want to look at is number two hundred and twenty-three. Peace, perfect peace. It’s not just any peace that he gives us, but a perfect peace. Isaiah 26 and verse 3 says, You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. It is the perfect peace. There is no flaw in it. It is ultimate contentment for the one whose mind is stayed on the Lord, focused on and given wholly to him. Verse 1, peace, perfect peace. In this dark world of sin. The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.

To have been baptized and forgiven of our sins. The knowledge that redemption brings helps to bring about peace. There’s no restlessness because we’re mired in sin.

Verse 2, peace, perfect peace. By thronging duties pressed. To do the will of Jesus, this is rest.

We may be worried, we may be stressed by all the things that we have to do in life, these thronging duties, taking care of our families, working, whatever it may be, but if we’re doing the will of Jesus. Again, if our wills are aligned, the peace that will afford will give us rest. Verse three, peace, perfect peace. With sorrows surging round on Jesus’ bosom, not but calm is found.

Is it problems of life? If we take those things to Jesus, there is nothing to find but calm, comfort, and peace.

Number six hundred and ninety-five. Savior, grant me rest in peace. Another beautiful prayer. Hearkening back again to Philippians chapter four, verses six and seven. Let your request be made known to God in the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

We subject ourselves to him, we align our wills with his and he will grant us that peace.

Verse one says he will bring us rest and peace, he will stop our troubled dreams, he will teach that all is well. Verse two particularly likes it says, I will trust my all with thee. All my cares and sorrows flee till the breaking light shall tell me nine is past, and all is well. That verse brings in the beautiful imagery of the night being over, the darkness, the evil, and the day breaking. The light is coming over the horizon. Good has come. The Lord has preserved us as he has promised to do. And give us another day, another chance, a new beginning. And we have nothing to worry about. We have peace. All our sorrows. Verse 3, I would seek thy service, Lord, leaning on thy promised word.

6. It Is Well With My Soul

But my hourly labors tell that I am thine and all is well. If we trust his word, if we serve him continually, we can have the knowledge that we are his and all is well. And that’s our final thought for this evening is that everything should be well with our souls. Number 626.

It is well with my soul.

And the author of this hymn was a real life Job. Except he didn’t have everything restored to him.

Psalm 49, verse 15, it says, But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave. For he will receive me. This song was written by a Chicago lawyer named Horatio G. Spafford. The words, when sorrow is like sea billows roll, it is not, or it is well with my soul, weren’t written during that happy period in this man’s life. On the contrary, they came from a man who had suffered almost unimaginable personal tragedy. I want to read just an excerpt of his story, if you bear with me, and we’ll be done for the series. In 1870, the Spafford’s only son was killed by scarlet fever at the age of four. A year later, it was fire rather than fever that struck. Horatio had invested heavily in real estate on the shores of Lake Michigan.

In 1871, every one of those holdings was wiped out by the Great Chicago fire. Aware of the toll these disasters had taken on the family, Horatio decided to take his wife and four daughters on a holiday to England. And so the Spaffords traveled to New York in November, where they were to catch the French steamer Ville de Have across the Atlantic. Yet just before they set sail, last minute business development forced Horatio to delay. Not wanting to ruin their family holiday, he persuaded his family to go on as planned. And he would follow on later. With this decided, Anna and her four daughters sailed east to Europe while Spafford returned west to Chicago. Just nine days later, Spafford received a telegram from his wife in Wales.

It read, Saved alone. On November 2nd, 1873, the Ville de Have had collided with the Lach Herrn, an English vessel. It sank in only 12 minutes, claiming the lives of 226 people. Anna Spafford had stood bravely on the deck with her daughters Annie, Maggie, Bessie, and Taneta, clinging desperately to her. Her last memory had been of her baby being torn violently from her arms by the force of the waters. Anna was only saved from the fate of her daughters by a plank which floated beneath her unconscious body and propped her up. When the survivors of the wreck had been rescued, Mrs. Spafford’s first reaction was one of complete despair. And understandably so. But then she recalled the words of a friend.

But take care that you are not a fair weather friend to God.

That’s easy when it’s your real estate holdings that she just lost. Take that advice. But when it’s all of your children.

Upon hearing the terrible news, Horatio Spafford boarded the next ship out of New York to join as the reply. Bertha Spafford, the fifth daughter of Horatio and Anna born later, explained that during her father’s voyage, the captain of the ship had called him to the bridge and said, A careful reckoning has been made, and I believe we’re now passing the place where the Dahag was wrecked. The water is three miles deep. Horatio then returned to his cabin and pinned the lyrics of this great hymn. The words that Spafford wrote that day come from 2 Kings 4 in verse 26. They echoed the response of the Shinhamite woman to the death of her only child. Though we are told she was in deep distress. She maintains that all is well.

And she comes to Elisha. I think she understood this. Elisha could raise him. And Spafford’s song reveals a man whose trust in the Lord is as unwavering as hers was. It’d be difficult for any of us to predict how we would react in the circumstances similar to those experienced by the Spathrus. But we do know that the God who sustained them will also be with us. No matter what circumstances overtake us, may we be able to say with Horatio Spafford. When peace like a river attendeth my way, and sorrow is like sea below’s rope. Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well with my soul. Though Satan should buffer, though trials should come. Let this blessed assurance control that Christ has regarded my helpless estate and has shed his own blood for my soul.

Verse 1 talks about the fact that whatever our lot in life may be, rich or poor, sick or healthy, married or single, children or not, a life of ease or of unimaginable tragedy. We must say it is well of my soul. Verse 2. Even though Satan wars against us and trials come, we have peace in the fact that Christ shed his own blood for our very souls. Verse 3. My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought. My sin, not in part, but the whole, is nailed to his cross. And I bear it in the praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, oh my son.

Our sin, not just someone, all is nailed to the cross. We praise the Lord for granting us peace in this, despite what may come. And Lord haste the day.

Hastes the day, the faith shall be sight.

The clouds be rolled back as stroke. The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall arise. The Lord shall descend, and even so it is well with my soul. Do we pray for the day of the Lord’s return when we were united with him and with our loved ones and the saints in heaven? The angels around his throne. Do we pray for the day that our faith must no longer be sight or be unseen but be seen? And be realized at the sight of his coming. Let’s stand while we sing this.

Conclusion

Didn’t mean to make anybody cry, especially not myself, but it resonates with us because we all have these struggles.

I mean, when are we ever at a point in our life where nothing is wrong? And yet the Lord calls us to peace. And when we stop to count our blessings and rely on him, I think we can find that peace.

Have you become a Christian by submitting to him in baptism? By saying, Not my will, but thine, be done. If you haven’t done that, you can rest assured in this one thing, which is not restful at all, that there is no peace to be found outside of Christ. If you want that peace, want you to receive it tonight. By responding to the invitation to be baptized, the wandering grave of baptism for the forgiveness of your sins and rise to walk in nearness of life. Why don’t you do that now while we stand in sin?