WEBVTT 00:00:04.932 --> 00:00:19.408 As some of you know, patty and I worked together in the prison ministry, and when I shared with her that I was feeling a little nervous about tonight, she suggested a good way to deal with that would be just to picture you all as being prisoners, so I hope you don't mind being a captive audience tonight. 00:00:19.408 --> 00:00:31.629 Seriously, though, it's a real honor to be a part of bringing this series to you and getting to work alongside so many amazing teachers, and I hope my contribution will be a blessing to you. 00:00:31.629 --> 00:00:34.289 The title of it is Making Peace in a Warring World. 00:00:34.289 --> 00:00:37.408 Before we get started, let's do a review. 00:00:37.408 --> 00:00:39.267 Let's go to Matthew, chapter 5. 00:00:39.267 --> 00:00:52.612 When you're there, say I'm there. 00:00:52.631 --> 00:00:53.533 I'll begin with verse 1. 00:00:53.533 --> 00:01:02.823 Seeing the crowds, he went up to the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:01:02.823 --> 00:01:07.051 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 00:01:07.051 --> 00:01:09.254 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 00:01:09.254 --> 00:01:14.563 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. 00:01:14.563 --> 00:01:16.587 Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 00:01:16.587 --> 00:01:26.123 Blessed are the pure at heart, for they will see God and finally our passage for this evening Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. 00:01:26.123 --> 00:01:28.691 The grass fades, the flower withers, but the word of our God will stand forever. 00:01:28.691 --> 00:01:31.323 Friends, this world is hurting. 00:01:31.323 --> 00:01:34.051 How many of you grew up watching Mr Rogers? 00:01:34.051 --> 00:01:41.382 If you did, you probably remember his famous quote when scary things are happening, look for the helpers. 00:01:41.382 --> 00:01:43.064 You'll always find people who are helping. 00:01:43.064 --> 00:01:48.433 Well, if you watch the news for five minutes, you know there are a lot of scary things going on in our world right now. 00:01:48.433 --> 00:01:57.105 And to adapt Mr Rogers' quote to our context, we could say look for the healers, look for the conciliators and, yes, look for the peacemakers. 00:02:00.161 --> 00:02:10.310 The Amplified Bible puts it blessed, spiritually, calm with life, joy and God's favor, are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they will express his character and be called the sons of God. 00:02:10.310 --> 00:02:14.189 Friends Jesus' seventh beatitude here is more relevant than ever. 00:02:14.189 --> 00:02:19.479 The Greek word here is erinopoios, and it's the only time in the entire Bible this word is used. 00:02:19.479 --> 00:02:24.733 It means a peacemaker, someone who bravely declares God's terms and makes someone whole. 00:02:24.733 --> 00:02:28.963 Peacemaker, someone who bravely declares God's terms and makes someone whole. 00:02:28.963 --> 00:02:34.362 Now, I'm sure you guys know this, but it's important to point out that the act of being a peacemaker itself doesn't make you a child of God. 00:02:34.362 --> 00:02:39.763 Being born again makes you a child of God, but when you're born again, your life will bear out the fruit of that. 00:02:39.763 --> 00:02:44.173 The fruit of the Spirit, is love, joy, exactly so. 00:02:44.173 --> 00:02:46.542 When you're part of God's family, you'll bear that family resemblance. 00:02:48.186 --> 00:02:52.543 It's also important to remember that being a peacemaker may not always look like you think it will. 00:02:52.543 --> 00:02:56.592 It's not all about tie-dye t-shirts, patchouli and granola. 00:02:56.592 --> 00:03:00.647 Let's look at Matthew, chapter 10. 00:03:00.647 --> 00:03:06.163 Chapter 10. 00:03:06.163 --> 00:03:12.588 Chapter 10, verses 34 through 36. 00:03:12.588 --> 00:03:15.010 Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. 00:03:15.010 --> 00:03:31.905 I have come not to bring peace but a sword, for I have come to set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a person's enemies will be those of their own household. 00:03:31.905 --> 00:03:33.570 Strong words from the same Jesus that previously said blessed are the peacemakers. 00:03:33.570 --> 00:03:34.052 Is that a contradiction? 00:03:34.052 --> 00:03:34.274 Not at all. 00:03:34.274 --> 00:03:39.587 It's just simply pointing out a fact that sometimes conflict is necessary to get us to that place of peace. 00:03:39.587 --> 00:03:45.371 Now, if you know me, you know I'm a pretty easygoing guy, so that's a lesson I've had to learn the hard way from time to time. 00:03:45.371 --> 00:03:49.750 But being a peacemaker means that sometimes you deal with hard truths. 00:03:49.750 --> 00:03:51.828 It does sometimes involve confrontation. 00:03:51.828 --> 00:03:59.908 Jesus was the ultimate peacemaker, but he had to be very confrontational at times, just as the money changers that felt the sting of his whip. 00:04:01.600 --> 00:04:03.187 As believers, we walk the narrow path. 00:04:03.187 --> 00:04:13.205 The gospel message is always going to be countercultural and we're going to be going against the grain a good part of the time, but we have to do that with the end goal of being a peacemaker as much as possible. 00:04:13.205 --> 00:04:19.826 Romans 12 18 tells us that yes, if possible, as far as depends on you, live. 00:04:19.826 --> 00:04:25.682 Live peaceably with all, the presupposition being that it won't always be possible to live at peace with everyone. 00:04:25.682 --> 00:04:27.307 So adjust your expectations accordingly. 00:04:29.134 --> 00:04:38.487 So we're going to look at three different aspects of being a peacemaker Peace with ourselves, making peace between others and, ultimately, peace between God and humanity. 00:04:38.487 --> 00:04:42.163 And in each case, we're going to be looking for examples from the life of Jesus. 00:04:42.163 --> 00:04:44.687 After all, wwjd, what would Jesus do? 00:04:44.687 --> 00:04:48.274 First of all, we'll talk about peace with ourselves. 00:04:48.274 --> 00:04:51.528 We can't give to others what we don't already have. 00:04:51.528 --> 00:04:56.622 The making peace begins with having God's peace in our own lives. 00:04:56.622 --> 00:05:00.382 And when I think about how did Jesus cultivate that in his life. 00:05:00.401 --> 00:05:06.026 What do you guys think Any thoughts Exactly prayer? 00:05:06.026 --> 00:05:07.117 What do you guys think Any thoughts Exactly Prayer? 00:05:07.117 --> 00:05:09.665 Wouldn't you love to be able to watch Jesus pray? 00:05:09.665 --> 00:05:17.504 The Bible gives us a few references to it, but just to be there and watch one of those all-night prayer sessions and hear his intimate discussions with the Father. 00:05:17.504 --> 00:05:21.985 Now, while the Bible only gives us a few glimpses, it gives us the results of that. 00:05:21.985 --> 00:05:22.588 Plenty of time. 00:05:23.189 --> 00:05:24.826 Let's look at Luke, chapter 8. 00:05:24.826 --> 00:05:36.661 Luke, chapter 8. 00:05:36.661 --> 00:05:38.408 Luke, chapter 8, I'll begin reading in verse 22. 00:05:38.408 --> 00:05:43.805 One day he got into a boat with his disciples and said to them let's go across to the other side of the lake. 00:05:43.805 --> 00:05:52.485 So they set out and as they sailed he fell asleep and a windstorm came down on the lake and they were filling it with water and were in danger. 00:05:52.485 --> 00:05:55.901 And they went and woke him saying master, master, we are perishing. 00:05:55.901 --> 00:06:00.382 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves and they ceased and there was a calm. 00:06:00.382 --> 00:06:02.564 He said to them where's your faith? 00:06:02.564 --> 00:06:08.401 And they were afraid and they marveled at saying to him who, then, is this that he commands, even the winds and the water? 00:06:08.401 --> 00:06:16.012 And they obey him, even this catastrophic storm, where the disciples, just like most of us would, were freaking out. 00:06:16.012 --> 00:06:21.305 Jesus took a nap, and then he rebuked them for not having that kind of faith too. 00:06:22.853 --> 00:06:26.470 But living in the Father's peace carried Jesus all throughout his earthly life. 00:06:26.470 --> 00:06:31.211 Even when his soul was overwhelmed to the point of death, he still maintained trust and resolve. 00:06:31.211 --> 00:06:33.047 That's an important lesson for us. 00:06:33.047 --> 00:06:36.360 Peace doesn't necessarily mean the absence of pain. 00:06:36.360 --> 00:06:39.870 It means that kind of trust and resolve in God in spite of it. 00:06:39.870 --> 00:06:43.208 Next we're going to talk about peace between others. 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:46.810 Let's look at Ephesians 2, verse 14. 00:06:46.810 --> 00:06:58.026 Ephesians 2, verse 14. 00:06:58.026 --> 00:07:05.430 He himself is our peace, who has made the two group, jew and Gentile, one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. 00:07:05.430 --> 00:07:18.226 Of course, the immediate context of this passage is again taking away the barriers between Jewish and Gentile believers, but the broader message is that the gospel is for everyone, and no one embodied that more than Jesus. 00:07:18.226 --> 00:07:20.987 To see an example, let's go to John, chapter 4. 00:07:22.581 --> 00:07:24.307 This story will probably be familiar to most of you. 00:07:24.307 --> 00:07:27.307 John, chapter 4. 00:07:27.307 --> 00:07:34.303 John, chapter 4, I'll begin reading with verse 5. 00:07:34.303 --> 00:07:39.819 So Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given his son Joseph. 00:07:39.819 --> 00:07:41.553 Jacob's well was there. 00:07:41.553 --> 00:07:43.019 So Jesus, weary from his journey. 00:07:43.019 --> 00:07:47.620 A little side note it gives me comfort to see Jesus got tired. 00:07:47.620 --> 00:07:54.057 It's okay to be tired and it's okay to take a rest, but he sat down beside the well. 00:07:54.149 --> 00:07:57.415 It was the sixth hour and a woman from from Samaria came to draw water. 00:07:57.415 --> 00:08:02.019 Jesus said to her give me a drink, for his disciples had gone away to the city to buy food. 00:08:02.019 --> 00:08:07.951 The Samaritan woman said to him how is it that you, a Jew, asked drink for me, a woman of Samaria? 00:08:07.951 --> 00:08:10.113 For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 00:08:10.113 --> 00:08:10.975 We'll be coming back to that. 00:08:10.975 --> 00:08:12.836 Jesus answered her. 00:08:13.057 --> 00:08:18.963 If you knew the gift of God and who it is saying to you, give me a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. 00:08:18.963 --> 00:08:26.752 The woman said to him sir, you have nothing to draw water with and the well is deep. 00:08:26.752 --> 00:08:27.574 Where do you get this living water? 00:08:27.574 --> 00:08:28.435 Are you greater than our father Jacob? 00:08:28.435 --> 00:08:30.759 He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock. 00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:38.873 Jesus said to her everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. 00:08:38.873 --> 00:08:39.734 Amen. 00:08:39.734 --> 00:08:45.852 The water that I give him will become a spring of water welling up into eternal life. 00:08:46.995 --> 00:08:51.533 The woman said to me sir, give me this water that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water. 00:08:51.533 --> 00:08:54.642 Jesus said Go call your husband and come here. 00:08:54.642 --> 00:08:56.356 The woman answered him I have no husband. 00:08:56.356 --> 00:09:03.038 Jesus said You're right saying I have no husband, for you've had five husbands and the one you now have is not your husband. 00:09:03.038 --> 00:09:04.274 What you said is true. 00:09:04.274 --> 00:09:07.431 The woman says to him Sir, I believe you're a prophet. 00:09:07.431 --> 00:09:13.693 You think Our fathers worshipped in the mountain, but you say Jerusalem is the place we should worship. 00:09:13.693 --> 00:09:20.216 Jesus said to her Woman believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 00:09:20.216 --> 00:09:22.057 You worship what you do not know. 00:09:22.057 --> 00:09:24.538 We worship what we know, for salvation is with the Jews. 00:09:24.538 --> 00:09:33.163 But the hour is coming and is now here, when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him. 00:09:33.163 --> 00:09:36.245 God is spirit and those who worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 00:09:36.245 --> 00:09:38.186 God is spirit and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth. 00:09:38.186 --> 00:09:40.486 The woman said I know the Messiah is coming. 00:09:40.486 --> 00:09:41.647 He was called Christ. 00:09:41.647 --> 00:09:49.383 When he comes he will tell us all things Jesus said to her. 00:09:49.383 --> 00:09:50.287 I who speak to you, am he. 00:09:50.289 --> 00:09:52.524 Jesus had left Jerusalem, was going back to Galilee and he passed through Samaria. 00:09:52.524 --> 00:09:55.580 And on the way he stops and takes a rest by Jacob's well. 00:09:55.580 --> 00:09:57.738 Little side note Jacob's well is still standing. 00:09:57.738 --> 00:09:59.395 It's in a monastery on the West Bank. 00:09:59.395 --> 00:10:00.458 It's still visited by tourists. 00:10:00.458 --> 00:10:06.601 While he's there, a Samaritan woman comes to draw water and Jesus asks for a drink. 00:10:06.601 --> 00:10:15.784 That alone is revolutionary, that he would speak not only to a woman in a day when women were treated in very degrading ways, but also to a Samaritan. 00:10:17.167 --> 00:10:19.591 The animosity between the Jews and the Samaritans ran deep. 00:10:19.591 --> 00:10:25.583 It goes back to Israel's captivity in Assyria, which you can read about in 2 Kings 17. 00:10:25.583 --> 00:10:30.461 During that time, jews and Assyrians intermarried and the Samaritan race came from that. 00:10:30.461 --> 00:10:33.600 So it reminded the Jews of a very painful time in their history. 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:35.446 There were also theological differences. 00:10:35.446 --> 00:10:40.769 Samaritans only accepted the first five books of the Bible as scripture and they didn't worship at the temple at Jerusalem. 00:10:40.769 --> 00:10:43.054 They had their own temple on Mount Gerizim. 00:10:44.357 --> 00:10:46.750 But despite this, jesus came to seek and save the lost. 00:10:46.750 --> 00:10:56.581 He used the mundane, everyday act of drawing water to introduce her to the concept of living water, a symbol of the Holy Spirit which you can drink and never thirst again. 00:10:56.581 --> 00:11:00.820 This woman tradition tells us her name was Fotini. 00:11:00.820 --> 00:11:05.922 She asked for the water and then something unexpected happens. 00:11:05.922 --> 00:11:07.837 Jesus has a word of knowledge about her past. 00:11:07.837 --> 00:11:12.379 She's been married five times and she's currently in a relationship with someone out of wedlock. 00:11:12.379 --> 00:11:19.062 Obviously, that amazes her and she speaks of the Messiah and Jesus says I am the Messiah. 00:11:19.062 --> 00:11:23.822 In response, she goes back and tells her friends come see a man who told me everything I ever did. 00:11:23.822 --> 00:11:39.400 Because of this, fotini is regarded as one of the first Christian missionaries Christian missionaries, and tradition further tells us she was baptized and served God faithfully all of her life before being martyred by Emperor Nero for refusing to renounce her faith. 00:11:39.400 --> 00:11:45.056 This was all because Jesus reached out to someone that religion had rejected. 00:11:45.056 --> 00:11:46.520 He dared to be a peacemaker. 00:11:48.431 --> 00:11:53.839 This radical cross-cultural approach was the way that was the pattern of the early church from the beginning. 00:11:53.839 --> 00:12:14.543 Remember how the church was born at Pentecost, in an international assembly, when the Holy Spirit was poured out on a group of people from very diverse ethnicities and backgrounds, including Parthians, medes and Elamites people from modern-day Iran, residents of Macedonia, judea and Cappadocia. 00:12:14.543 --> 00:12:23.354 Others came from Pontus and Asia, phrygia and Pamphylia, all of which are part of modern Turkey, egypt and parts of Libya near Cyrene and North Africa. 00:12:23.354 --> 00:12:26.782 There were also visitors from Rome, along with Cretans and Arabs. 00:12:26.782 --> 00:12:34.554 In addition, we see in Acts 13, leaders in the early church included names like Barnabas, who was a Hellenistic Jew from Cyprus. 00:12:34.554 --> 00:12:39.019 Simeon, called Niger, was a black man from Africa. 00:12:39.019 --> 00:12:49.058 Lucius of Cyrene was also from Africa, manan had an aristocratic Jewish background and Saul or Paul obviously was a Roman citizen and Jew from Tarsus. 00:12:49.058 --> 00:12:57.253 This diverse group of leadership tells us how the church transcended racial, cultural and social barriers through unity in Christ. 00:12:58.496 --> 00:13:11.446 Finally, in chapter 7, verses 9-10 of the magnificent book of Revelation, we see people from every tribe, tongue and nation worshiping God together through all eternity and just like cultivating peace in our own lives. 00:13:11.446 --> 00:13:13.176 Peace between others starts with prayer. 00:13:13.176 --> 00:13:15.096 Friends, we know the secret. 00:13:15.096 --> 00:13:18.340 We have an audience with the creator of the universe anytime we want it. 00:13:18.340 --> 00:13:21.078 Do we ever stop and think about what an awesome privilege that is? 00:13:21.078 --> 00:13:26.522 People are frying their brains on drugs, trying to get what we can get in our prayer time. 00:13:26.522 --> 00:13:30.756 So to see how prayer ties into peacemaking. 00:13:30.797 --> 00:13:32.159 Let's look at 1 Timothy 2. 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:37.279 1 Timothy 2. 00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:41.530 1 Timothy 2, verses 1 and 2. 00:13:41.530 --> 00:13:54.110 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 00:13:54.110 --> 00:14:06.211 Okay, first, notice how we are to pray for all people, but it specifically signals out government officials, and we're to pray for all those who are in authority, whether we agree with them or not, whether they're members of our party or not, whether they're Christians or not. 00:14:06.211 --> 00:14:12.336 Keep in mind that the government that Paul was telling Timothy to pray for didn't have a single believer in it. 00:14:12.336 --> 00:14:15.789 In fact, they were routinely using Christians as human street lamps. 00:14:15.789 --> 00:14:22.711 But still, the end result that we may lead quiet and peaceful lives in all godliness and honesty. 00:14:22.711 --> 00:14:27.792 So the focus of the prayer is peace and stability, maintained by godliness and honesty. 00:14:27.792 --> 00:14:36.431 Finally, we can be peacemakers because Jesus is our peace, which brings us to the final point and the ultimate goal peace between God and humanity. 00:14:37.799 --> 00:14:40.942 Let's look at one of my favorite scriptures Colossians, chapter 2. 00:14:40.942 --> 00:14:52.413 Colossians 2, I'll begin reading with verse 13. 00:14:52.413 --> 00:15:01.322 And you who were dead in the trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, god made alive together with him. 00:15:01.322 --> 00:15:12.292 Having forgiven our trespasses by canceling the record of death that stood against us with its legal demands that he set aside, nailing it to the cross, he disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to an open shame by triumphing over them in him. 00:15:12.292 --> 00:15:18.451 Okay, we discussed earlier how sometimes conflict is necessary to bring us to peace. 00:15:18.451 --> 00:15:21.207 This is the key example of that. 00:15:21.207 --> 00:15:24.274 To bring us to peace. 00:15:24.274 --> 00:15:25.438 This is the key example of that. 00:15:25.438 --> 00:15:27.952 Jesus won our peace by going directly into battle against the powers of darkness. 00:15:27.952 --> 00:15:29.299 This reached its climax on the cross. 00:15:29.299 --> 00:15:34.443 What seemed like a humiliating defeat turned into the supreme victory when he rose from the dead. 00:15:34.443 --> 00:15:36.470 How many of you have seen the Passion? 00:15:36.470 --> 00:15:45.350 I'm very grateful for how that movie jarred us out of our Sunday school image of what crucifixion was and gave us a look at just how brutal it really was. 00:15:47.201 --> 00:15:52.609 Medical doctor Gerald H Bradley describes it this way this was the most agonizing death man could face. 00:15:52.609 --> 00:15:55.006 He had to support himself in order to breathe. 00:15:55.006 --> 00:16:12.140 The flaming pain caused by the spikes hitting the median nerve in his wrists explodes up his arms, into his brain and down his spine, the spike burning through his nerves between the metatarsal bones of his feet jerks, his body erect, then the leg muscles convulse and drive his body downward, beating him against the cross. 00:16:12.140 --> 00:16:21.668 Air is sucked in but cannot be exhaled until the built-up carbon dioxide in his lungs and bloodstream stimulates breathing to relieve the cramps. 00:16:21.668 --> 00:16:25.783 Exhaustion, shock, dehydration and paralysis destroy the victim. 00:16:25.783 --> 00:16:30.946 The heart is barely able to pump the thick blood as each of his billions of cells die, one at a time. 00:16:31.990 --> 00:16:35.961 Prior to his death and all his agony, Jesus is in full control of his mind. 00:16:35.961 --> 00:16:42.548 He asked the Heavenly Father to forgive them, for they don't know what they do, and the dear Lamb of God was sacrificed for you. 00:16:42.548 --> 00:16:47.990 At least 30 Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus' death. 00:16:47.990 --> 00:16:53.230 The guard thrust his spear into Jesus' side and blood and water came out. 00:16:53.230 --> 00:17:00.864 That shows that the ultimate cause of death was heart failure due to shock and constriction of the heart by the fluid sack around the heart. 00:17:00.864 --> 00:17:02.528 Think of that for a moment. 00:17:02.528 --> 00:17:05.032 Because of our sin, he literally died of a broken heart. 00:17:07.779 --> 00:17:12.451 Next is the Colossians passage tells us Jesus spoiled principalities and powers. 00:17:12.451 --> 00:17:14.604 He made a show of them openly triumphing over them. 00:17:14.604 --> 00:17:14.865 In it. 00:17:14.865 --> 00:17:16.749 This is military terminology. 00:17:16.749 --> 00:17:25.394 The image being drawn is an army overthrowing a rival kingdom, stripping its ruler naked and leading him down the street in humiliation. 00:17:25.394 --> 00:17:27.327 This is exactly what Jesus did to Satan. 00:17:27.327 --> 00:17:33.165 When he came out of that tomb, he had the victory once and for all, and he invites us all to share in it. 00:17:33.165 --> 00:17:42.226 Jesus died as the sacrificial lamb and he was raised as the conquering warrior, and he reminds us in Revelation 118, I am he that liveth and was dead. 00:17:42.226 --> 00:17:45.769 And behold, I am alive forevermore and I have the keys of hell and death. 00:17:49.361 --> 00:17:54.671 Rc Sproul put it well when God signs a peace treaty, it signs for perpetuity. 00:17:54.671 --> 00:17:56.054 The war is over. 00:17:56.054 --> 00:18:00.570 Of course we still sin, we still rebel, but God has done our co-belligerent. 00:18:00.570 --> 00:18:03.442 He will not be drawn into warfare with us ever again. 00:18:03.442 --> 00:18:05.945 We have an advocate with our father, we. 00:18:05.965 --> 00:18:06.746 So where do we go from there? 00:18:15.640 --> 00:18:17.086 Let's look at Romans, chapter 10. 00:18:17.086 --> 00:18:30.865 Romans, chapter 10, verses 14 and 15. 00:18:30.865 --> 00:18:33.215 How thus shall they call on them who they have not believed, and how they will believe in him who they have not heard? 00:18:33.215 --> 00:18:34.361 And here, how will they hear without a preacher? 00:18:34.361 --> 00:18:38.289 And how will they preach except they be sent as is written? 00:18:38.289 --> 00:18:43.631 How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring back glad tidings of good things. 00:18:45.540 --> 00:18:49.230 Friends, jesus has entrusted us to be messengers of that peace, each and every one of us. 00:18:49.230 --> 00:18:54.251 We're the ones who are to be the source of peace and stability in these scary times. 00:18:54.251 --> 00:18:59.791 You may be like me and have feet so ugly only your mother or a podiatrist could love them. 00:18:59.791 --> 00:19:05.546 But as long as they're devoted to spreading this message of peace, god says your feet are beautiful. 00:19:05.546 --> 00:19:11.922 And don't be discouraged because it doesn't happen as quickly as we'd like. 00:19:12.564 --> 00:19:20.650 Remember, jesus compared the spread of his kingdom to leaven, just like yeast in a loaf of bread it starts off small and brings change from the inside out. 00:19:20.650 --> 00:19:24.829 Similarly, god's kingdom brings change gradually from the inside out. 00:19:24.829 --> 00:19:28.170 It starts small, but eventually it'll be manifest on a worldwide scale. 00:19:28.170 --> 00:19:31.186 In closing, we'll look at one more scripture. 00:19:31.186 --> 00:19:40.593 Let's look at James, my book, chapter 3, verses 16 through 18. 00:19:40.593 --> 00:19:47.127 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder in every vile practice. 00:19:47.127 --> 00:20:00.045 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere, and a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 00:20:00.045 --> 00:20:01.189 Amen.