Living in Peace

 

Living In Peace

1 John 4.1-6

I had originally intended to deliver this message on September 11th as we remembered those events of that terrible day. My original thought was to tie in some idea of how world religions tolerate each other and how sometimes things are not always tolerable. Living in peace with one another is a tricky piece of life that cannot be easily done without some careful patience and consideration of other people's points of view. Lets wade into the water.

Jesus Is Real

Some people take baby steps. I like to just jump right in. There really shouldn't be an reason for us in a Christina church to take it easy with the subject of Jesus, like we need to edge our way into the water and let ourselves warm up to the subject matter. Jesus is Real! There. We've said it. And, we mean it. there is no getting around the fact that God sent his one and only son into this world. God so loved the world that Jesus came in the form of a tiny baby and grew up here in order to show everyone the way to follow and learn about who God is. John and the apostles dealt with it first and the problem still exists to this day. There will be those who cannot grasp or comprehend that God has revealed himself in this way. There will be those who preach some other message or teach some other understanding about God. It is a pretty plain cut and simple approach. John makes it clear that if we are speaking with someone and they cannot accept the truth about Jesus, then the spirit of God is not in them. If they can hear and understand what we are saying about Christ, then they know who he is and the spirit of God is upon them. We've talked about the antichrist before. The prevail context here still suggests that John is not referring to a specific person but more intentionally speaks about a spirit. There will be a certain influence over people that will not allow them to accept the message of who Christ is. Here is where our work is the hardest. We need to help other people see that forgiveness and mercy and salvation is something they can only find in Christ. Getting their spiritual eyes to see that, however, is more than a challenge. 

Back Through History

Just in case we have in mind that this is some new thing we are dealing with, let us take a moment to research what the scriptures have to say about that. Did the people listen why Jesus was there preaching and teaching? No, they did not. Why do you think he wound up crucified and a cross? Jesus presented himself as God. His mere presence put him in opposition to man's rule over himself. Governmentally, Caesar and Rome thought they were in power. Religiously, the Jews loved their interpretation of scripture and control over the people more than a relationship with God. Socially, the people didn't know who to follow and wound up shouting for Christ to be crucified. One aspect off living in peace is how we handle that aspect of life on a personal level. Knowing that the world around us won't listen can cause us to feel anxious or angry or sad. We could lash out and make our lives and the lives of those around us a harsh place to exist. Or, we can accept it. 

I am taken back to the Old Testament as I stop to think about that. Isaiah 6 is a place I have come to many times. But, maybe we miss the underlying story here. We see the prophet come to the Temple. He has a vision. He actually sees God. There are angels flying around. Isaiah considers himself unworthy to be there. His lips are touched with a hot coal, signifying that his words and presence before God are accepted. It is an energizing moment. I am invigorated as I read it. We want to think that we have the power to accomplish anything with God on our side. Lets take a look at it.

What is really interesting to me is what exactly God tells Isaiah to go and tell the people.

He doesn't send him with a message that will somehow bring success to all of the matter. Sometime back I was exploring other options denominationally and wondered if I should change church groups. I approached one of sister groups in The Wesleyan Church, a smaller denomination that also roots themselves in the history and teachings of John Wesley. There main office is up in Dublin and I went up there to have a discussion with them about crossing over. The one thing that didn't settle well with me was there outlook on success. Their District Superintendent was rather frank and straightforward about it as well. he explained that success was what they were concerned about. If you aren't having success numerically in your church growth them something was wrong. I just couldn't get that mindset to settle in my soul. Are we in this for the success of it? Is that how we gauge whether what we are doing is the right thing to do? 

God is straightforward with Isaiah. God already knows that the people aren't going to listen. As he tells Isaiah to just out and tell them exactly that. 

Even though God knows many will not listen, he still sends people to speak with them. He could just give up and leave it all behind. But, he doesn't he continues to work with us. He hopes our hearts will listen and be enlightened. God gives us all he has in the form of his Son. And, he wants us to be like Him. 

Living in Peace (When Peace Isn't Possible)

How can we live in peace when it looks like there is no peace to find?

Our brothers and sisters in the faith find this reality everyday in some parts of the world. Depending on the news source, you might see someone with a gun to the head as a person of a different religion seeks to take a life in the name of their God. I have seen a whole line up in a news report. People giving their live for their faith in Jesus Christ at the hands of terrorists. How do we live in peace when a world such this one cannot let us be the people of God we want to be?

We take for granted the freedoms we have here in this country. The United States of America, for the most part, has been a peaceful place to reside. When our own people are not getting upset with each other or some political issue and then taking to the street to burn their own towns to the ground, it can be peaceful. The real question to ask or ponder is - how can we live in peace when people don't want to do so? All we can do is accept the fact that some people will not listen. If they do harm to us, we endure the out lash for the sake of Christ. This is the cross we bear. We accept the fact that they will not hear. We allow them to have eyes that cannot see. We want them to see and hear, but many time they simply will not. That has to be OK. Let God handle them. Leave them in God's hands. 

And be at peace.