OceanSide church of Christ

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SEEKING HIGHER GROUND

…in Peace

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    How do you picture peace?

1.      A cool morning on the back porch with a cup of coffee

2.      Sitting on a beach in the warm sun watching the waves crash on the shore

3.      Sitting on the couch in front of a warm fire place as the snow falls outside

4.      Being in a boat at your favorite fishing hole as the sun peaks over the horizon

5.      Standing on the first tee of a golf course about 6:30 a.m. as the sun hits the dew of the fairway and watching deer skip back into the woods

 

B.      All of us long for peace.

1.      Inner peace, that is, peace of mind

2.      Peace in our homes.

3.      Peace in our community

4.      Peace in our nation

5.      Peace in the world

6.      Peace in the church

 

C.     Peace, however, is not always something easy to obtain.  It can be destroyed by selfishness, greed, lust for power, jealousy, anger, and a host of other match sticks that light the fires of strife, division, unrest, and warfare.

 

D.    The theme for OceanSide in 2021 is:  “Seeking Higher Ground.”  In this lesson, we want to look at the subject:  “Seeking Higher Ground…in Peace.”

 

I.                   PEACE DEFINED

 

A.    The English word peace is found 111 times in 104 verses in the New Testament.

 

B.      The most common Greek word translated peace is “eirene.”

1.      Strong defines the word with two sides.

a.      Side one:  tranquility

b.      Side two:  exemption from rage and the havoc of war

2.      Thayer: 

a.      Harmony, concord, security, safety, prosperity

b.      Two other definitions:

1)      The tranquil state of the soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is

2)      The blessed state of devout and upright men after death

 

II.                PEACE AND DEITY

 

A.    God’s nature contains many elements.  One of those elements is peace.

 

B.      All members of the Godhead are associated with peace

1.      God is “the God of peace” (Rom. 15:33; 16:20; II Cor. 13:11; Phil. 4:9; I Thess. 5:23; II Thess. 3:16; Heb. 13:20).

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly…

 

2.      Jesus is “the prince of peace” (Isa. 9:6; See Eph. 2:14).

 

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:  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 gospel is referred to as “the gospel of peace.”

a.      Romans 10:15; Ephesians 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!

 

b.      This should not surprise us because the gospel was revealed by the Holy Spirit of God (I Cor. 2:9-13; II Pet. 1:20-21).

 

C.     The cross was designed to bring peace to man (Isa. 53:5; Eph. 2:14-15)

 

…the chastisement of our peace was upon him…

 

D.    The church, the kingdom of God, is a kingdom of peace (Isa. 9:7; Rom. 14:17; Eph. 2:13; Col. 3:15).

 

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

 

III.             PEACE DEMANDED

 

A.    Mark 9:50

 

Salt is good:  but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith shall ye season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.

 

B.      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.

 

C.     I Thessalonians 5:13

 

…And be at peace among yourselves.

 

IV.             PEACE DESTROYED

 

A.    As we stated in the introduction, peace is not easy to maintain.  They are many, many things that can destroy harmony and tranquility.

 

B.      Let look at four Ss that destroy peace.

1.      Sedition

a.      Adam and Eve (Gen. 3)

b.      Achan (Josh. 7)

c.       The fornicator at Corinth (I Cor. 5)

2.      Sophistries

a.      Sophistry is false lines of reasoning that lead to false teaching.

b.      False teachers in the churches of Galatia (“trouble,” Gal. 1:7; 5:12; 6:17).

3.      Scruples

a.      The little foxes that spoil the vine (SoS 2:15)

b.      Debates over scruples (Rom. 14:1-3)

4.      Selfishness (James 4:1)

 

From whence come wars and fightings among you?  Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

 

V.                PEACE DISCHARGED

 

A.    Since people love people, one would think that it would be a simple thing to obtain.

 

B.      This, however, is not the case.  The reality is that peace is seldom found.  In order for us to have it, a lot of attention and work must be dedicated toward it.

1.      Psalm 34:14 (See I Pet. 3:11).

 

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

 

2.      Romans 14:19

 

Let us follow after the things which make for peace, and the things wherewith one may edify another.

 

3.      Ephesians 4:4

 

Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

 

4.      Hebrews 12:14

 

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

 

VI.             PEACE WITH DEITY

 

A.    The most important peace that a person can have is peace with God.  The question is:  “How is this obtained?”

 

B.      Four keys to obtain peace with God.

1.      Faith (Rom. 5:1)

 

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

 

a.      Some believe Paul has reference to salvation by faith only.”

b.      The book of Romans both opens and closes with the “obedience of faith” (Rom. 1:5; 16:26).

c.       Saving faith is trust in God coupled with obedience to His divine commands.

2.      Keep God’s law (Ps. 119:165; Prov. 3:13, 17; Gal. 6:16).

 

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding…Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

3.      Be spiritually minded (Isa. 26:3; Rom. 8:6)

 

Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed upon thee:  because he trusteth in thee.

 

a.      The mind is the control center of man (Prov. 4:23).

b.      If we will bring “into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ,” we can have peace (II Cor. 10:5).

4.      Pray (Phil. 4:6-7)

 

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    Peace is a valuable product to possess, especially as a congregation of the Lord’s people.

 

B.      It does not just happen.  It takes work on the part of all individuals.

 

C.     God longs for peace in every church (I Cor. 14:33).

 

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.