WEBVTT 00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:15.039 As you know, we study through books of the Bible typically here at the village chapel during Advent. 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:22.399 Of course, we take these four themes: Advent meaning uh arrival or appearance. 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:26.160 And I think you will be able to see that up on the screen. 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:28.160 We have extra copies of the scriptures today. 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:29.600 We'll be looking at Philippians chapter 4. 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:31.519 If you would like a copy, raise your hand. 00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:39.280 And we'll be just uh looking at this one little passage, or you can jump on the network here in the room if you would like to as well. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:40.320 So that's an option. 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:48.880 Advent, as I say, means arrival or appearance, and so Christ has come, and we reflect back in time, as uh as our curate said earlier. 00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:56.399 And uh we also look forward to his reappearance when he intends to come and set all things right. 00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:02.079 We, as we've gone through this advent this year, we've kind of changed up some of our adjectives. 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:08.560 Uh, our adjectival modifiers have become unconditional, unquenchable, unbounded, and unshakable. 00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:11.200 And I love those four words, man. 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:12.159 Those are awesome. 00:01:12.239 --> 00:01:15.840 But I like these four words even better: love, joy, hope, and peace. 00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:18.879 And I like these four words even better than that. 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:21.519 Of God in Christ. 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:31.040 Because when those four things are sourced in him, that's the only time they can become unconditional, unquenchable, unbounded, and unshakable. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:33.760 And so we turn to him. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:37.280 I don't know if you're interested in more of that in your life. 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:40.000 I am in my life for sure. 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:48.079 Now, Jesus was born into a world of political unrest, economic hardship, religious, racial, and international tension. 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:52.079 There was precious little peace to be found. 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:55.599 What had gone wrong with the world? 00:01:56.319 --> 00:02:00.640 We might ask that about our own day and time too, our own world as well. 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:05.359 Why is there so much unrest, anxiety, and despair? 00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:24.479 How can those who acquired and achieved so much, who have apparent control of so much of their lives, how could those people be people who live with a great deal of unrest, anxiety, and despair? 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:26.000 How's that possible? 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:32.639 Well, instead of being peaceful, it seems to me like a lot of things are falling to pieces. 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:38.800 And I'm interested in an unshakable peace, as we've said up there on the slide. 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:41.599 And I hope you are too, and I think that's what we're going to look for. 00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:48.879 We read in the gospel accounts that the angels came and they sang this song. 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:50.639 It blew away the shepherds. 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:53.039 They announced this good news. 00:02:53.280 --> 00:02:59.759 And because I think that you women are a little more angelic than we men are, would you mind reading this aloud for us? 00:02:59.919 --> 00:03:01.759 Ready, ladies, I'll try to get started. 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:02.240 Ready? 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:03.439 Fear not. 00:03:30.479 --> 00:03:50.560 So the angels break through the night, and there's like, you know, the heavens are full of them, and it's massive and huge and explosive, and then their announcement is and there's a wee little baby being born in a peasant village to a peasant couple. 00:03:50.800 --> 00:04:00.080 Not a palace, not a mighty king riding in on a steed, you know, with chariots and all that sort of stuff. 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:01.120 No, this. 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:02.960 And uh, thank you, ladies, for singing that. 00:04:03.120 --> 00:04:05.520 Men, will you pick up with the rest of the song, brothers? 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:14.479 And suddenly, well, it's with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly hosts, praising God and saying, We'll get in sync. 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:22.399 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace among those with whom he is pleased. 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:28.720 Notice how the angel song began with those beautifully comforting words, fear not. 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:32.639 That's how the left side of the bookshelf looked. 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:33.759 That was the bookend there. 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:34.800 Fear not. 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:47.519 And on the other side of the 66 books we call the Bible, the other bookend is here comes the peace that you've been longing for, that you've been hoping for. 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:51.360 And it's all wrapped up in this baby in a manger. 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:53.839 And the shepherds were filled with wonder and hope. 00:04:54.079 --> 00:04:55.360 And they ran. 00:04:56.240 --> 00:04:58.560 They were so excited about the news. 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:00.000 They didn't walk. 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:01.519 They didn't go, thanks. 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:03.519 Now let's roll back over and go back to bed. 00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:07.279 Somebody set the snooze on the alarm because we're really tired tonight. 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:12.720 No, they ran and they went to see if this whole thing was true or not. 00:05:12.959 --> 00:05:13.839 How odd. 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:27.360 No angelic fanfare could actually be enough to satisfy the kind of the kind of demand that an announcement like this would actually have. 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:31.519 That God Almighty Himself became one of us. 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:43.040 There's not enough angels, there's not enough noise, there's not enough music that would compare to that kind of an event, that dramatic event of God becoming one of us. 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:45.199 Why would he do that? 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:47.439 It's a rebel planet. 00:05:48.480 --> 00:05:50.319 It's a darkened world. 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:52.399 He lives in glorious light. 00:05:52.560 --> 00:05:54.000 He's the Almighty God. 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:55.360 He's self-sufficient. 00:05:55.439 --> 00:05:57.920 He doesn't need anything. 00:05:58.800 --> 00:06:09.759 And yet he condescended to come and to be with us because we were so lacking in love, joy, hope, and peace. 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:14.079 And his heart broke over that, and he wanted to come and bring that to us. 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:26.639 If we Christians are going to continue to sing our Christmas carols, joy to the world, silent night, hark the herald angels sing, glorious like we do. 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:33.680 I think we have to agree that it's fair to ask if the Bible and the Christian gospel offer any help as we search for a peace that's unshakable. 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:35.279 I think it's fair. 00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:46.160 I'm personally convinced that the gospel does offer that kind of peace, and I seek to persuade you that that is precisely why Jesus came. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:50.959 We didn't have a claim on him. 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:55.279 He didn't owe us anything, but he saw our need. 00:06:55.600 --> 00:07:07.680 And because of the great love of God for sinners, he sent Jesus Christ to bring us the joy of salvation, the hope of eternal life with him forever. 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:16.160 And a peace that literally will blow your mind and my heart, all of our minds and hearts wide open. 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:18.720 Now the Bible talks about peace in a couple different ways. 00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:20.480 Talks about peace with others. 00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:23.040 We'll see that even in this passage in Philippians. 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:27.120 Peace within, peace with God, and the peace of God. 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:30.720 I like it because I kind of understand that myself. 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:36.959 My own experience in life is I can be, I can have a conflict with someone else. 00:07:37.120 --> 00:07:43.360 That causes a just completely wipes out my peace, my sense of any kind of peace. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:49.519 But I can also struggle with my own questions, my own anxieties, my own fears. 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:52.160 And there wouldn't be peace within. 00:07:52.560 --> 00:07:54.319 I need some help there too. 00:07:54.639 --> 00:07:57.680 I also need help in peace with God. 00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:06.079 And we just read about that, how Christ came to reconcile us to God and to make peace between us and God. 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:09.040 We rebels, we sinners need that. 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:11.519 And God is the one who can do that. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:13.360 We can't do that ourselves. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:23.360 And we're in a quandary at that point, and we'll be stuck in our darkness and stuck in our sin and our bondage to sin unless God makes a move. 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:29.360 And the gospel tells us that he's done that in the personal work of Jesus. 00:08:29.519 --> 00:08:32.480 And then that peace of God. 00:08:33.519 --> 00:08:38.080 I so love the way our passage, our text, will talk about that here today. 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:46.799 When you turn with me to Philippians chapter 4, the Apostle Paul, a person who was not much at peace when we first learn of him, he's called Saul in the book of Acts. 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:59.120 But later he goes by Paul, and as he plants this church in a little town called Philippi, which is kind of uh north of Greece. 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:06.399 Matter of fact, uh when we were in New York just recently, uh the Christian embassy ministry folks brought some ambassadors. 00:09:06.559 --> 00:09:11.679 They invited some ambassadors to the Gettys concert and to the little after-party celebration. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:22.000 And I got to meet all these different ambassadors from these different countries, one of which was from uh North Macedonia, which is right up where uh Philippi would be in Thessaloniki. 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:26.960 I don't know if you guys know that or not, but it's just amazing to me that these ancient towns are still there. 00:09:27.039 --> 00:09:39.039 And that here, the Apostle Paul's, we look way back, he planted this church with a jailer, a successful businesswoman, and a formerly demon-possessed teenager. 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:46.080 And that that was his core group just to launch, you know, this church as a church planner. 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:55.679 And he loved this church, and so this book, Philippians, he writes way more like a pastor than where most of us, a lot of us might think of the Apostle Paul as kind of the doctrine guy, you know. 00:09:55.840 --> 00:10:00.320 And here he writes just, it's almost a stream of consciousness the way he's writing. 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:05.279 He's personal and he he knows them like a pastor would know his congregation. 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:11.440 He says, Therefore, my beloved brethren, whom I long to see, my joy, my crown. 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:14.399 Look at those kind of descriptors that he uses of them. 00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:15.679 You're my joy. 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:17.679 And Villas Chapel, you're my joy. 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:18.480 I gotta say that. 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:21.360 I mean, this church is my joy. 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:24.720 I love this church, and I work here. 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:27.919 It's an awesome church. 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:35.759 I love to talk about this church because of what God is doing in this church and has done in this church. 00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:38.480 And then he says, My joy and my crown, I love that too. 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:49.600 The Greek word is Stephanos, you know, Stephen, that one who in the book of Acts looks up into the heavens as he's before he's just before he's about to be killed. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:52.799 He looks up into the heavens and he sees Jesus standing. 00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:57.919 You know, and he received this crown, this victor's crown. 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:01.120 This is what Stephanos means, this victor's crown. 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:03.919 And Paul says, You are my joy, you are my crown. 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:06.000 Stand firm then in the Lord. 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:10.879 First of four occasions in the Lord or in Christ. 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:16.320 If you like, if you're that person that likes to like the Highlights magazine, you like to find the squirrels and all that sort of thing. 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:17.600 Here's four of them, okay? 00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:19.759 You can put one of four right there. 00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:22.240 Stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:27.759 I urge Yodia and I urge Syntichi to live in harmony in the Lord. 00:11:27.840 --> 00:11:29.039 That's two of four. 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:36.080 Yodia and Syntachi, two women that lived there, evidently having a little bit of some personal conflict. 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:38.000 We need peace with others. 00:11:38.159 --> 00:11:41.279 How can we find peace with others? 00:11:41.519 --> 00:11:49.440 Here in the first century church, even in Philippi, a church that Paul loves, they have conflict in church. 00:11:49.600 --> 00:11:54.480 Now, raise your hand if you've ever been in a church where you sensed some conflict was in existence. 00:11:54.639 --> 00:11:55.440 No, you don't have to. 00:11:56.240 --> 00:11:56.559 I know. 00:11:56.879 --> 00:11:58.559 It's hard for you because you guys come here. 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:00.879 I know you can't really, you can't really figure that out. 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:03.759 But I mean, there were, believe me, trust me, it happened. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:08.720 And Paul is running and he knows these two uh women very clearly. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:15.039 He knows their names, and he urges them to live in harmony, and it's in the Lord that they'll be able to do that. 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:17.840 And that's why that's such an important phrase. 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:23.360 They wouldn't be able to do that on their own, but they could do that in the Lord. 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:35.519 And I look around this congregation and I see the the kind of the kinds of diversity that we have are economic, educational, they're social in many ways. 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:46.399 Um, but some people who might be natural enemies in the Lord have become brothers and sisters and learned to love one another well. 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:49.360 And that's what I love about the church. 00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:51.600 Um verse three. 00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:55.279 Indeed, true comrade, that's an interesting word there. 00:12:55.440 --> 00:13:04.879 Um uh, and we're not 100% certain which individual Paul might be addressing here, but as he writes, he has this person in mind. 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:09.679 And he says, I ask you to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel. 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:12.320 So, what do we know about Yodiah and Syntheche? 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:18.879 They shared his struggle in the gospel, they shared in his ministry, they had an important role in this church. 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:21.440 And I think it's important to point that out. 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:26.720 And then he says, I hope that you will help them. 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:32.559 Together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the book of life. 00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:39.279 Help them to walk with one another, to get along with one another in the Lord, is essentially what he's saying. 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:41.759 And then verse four, which we all know, don't we? 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:44.320 Rejoice in the Lord always. 00:13:44.559 --> 00:13:47.039 Again, I will say, rejoice. 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:50.879 And so there's the third in the Lord in this passage. 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:52.000 And that's so important. 00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:56.159 I want you to keep underlining in the Lord, even if you've got a pew Bible. 00:13:56.320 --> 00:13:58.799 How many of you sang this song when you were a kid? 00:13:59.200 --> 00:13:59.600 Ready? 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:02.480 Rejoice in the Lord always and again. 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:03.120 Come on. 00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:04.080 Yeah. 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:04.720 Rejoice. 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:06.159 A little louder. 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:08.799 As if you mean it. 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:09.679 Rejoice. 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:12.000 Rejoice and again. 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:13.919 Yeah? 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:19.039 Just the people online. 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:23.279 We can hear you. 00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:24.399 We know you're out there. 00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:25.279 Thank you so much. 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:25.840 Yeah. 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:27.039 I love this song. 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:29.519 And I love this verse so much. 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:36.320 It's probably been on plaques and maybe written on your notebooks or on stickers or things like that all the way through. 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:39.840 You know what's you know what's fun to me about this verse? 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:48.000 Um, not to not to you know just take a cheap shot at something, but it doesn't just say, smiley face, be happy. 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:48.960 Okay? 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:55.600 I like it that this verse says, rejoice in the Lord. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:01.120 Now that now it's a matter of response and obedience. 00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:08.240 It's not just a matter of drumming up something and you know, stealing yourself, which makes you less human. 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:20.320 No, this is a matter of turning your attention to the Lord and finding a way to respond by rejoicing in the Lord. 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:26.559 Meaning in what he has done, who he is, how he has loved you. 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:30.080 And so rejoice in him. 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:31.440 That's what he says. 00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:34.080 Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:36.000 The Lord is near. 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:40.240 Now we could, I'd love to camp out on those four words, the Lord is near. 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:48.240 Because if the Lord was near back then in probably 62 AD, think of how much nearer he is now. 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:53.120 The return of the Lord when he intends to wrap up human history. 00:15:53.919 --> 00:16:01.279 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:14.559 And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, a fourth time. 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:19.600 In the Lord, in the Lord, in the Lord, in Christ Jesus, four of four. 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:39.360 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there's anything excellent, anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell or live in these things. 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:44.879 Think of how much time you spend living in something else other than that list. 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:52.559 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me practice these things. 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:54.720 And then there's that last promise. 00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:56.000 Look at this. 00:16:56.320 --> 00:17:01.840 And the God of peace shall be with you. 00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:05.039 Emmanuel, God with us. 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:08.319 All right, so look over this passage with me just for a second. 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:09.839 And this isn't on a slide. 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:14.079 This is just some little notes I have on the side of my Bible here. 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:20.480 But this is like a series of prescriptions, promises, prohibition, promise, prescription, promise. 00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:22.079 It's that kind of a cycle. 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:23.680 You see the prescriptions? 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:27.599 At the end of Paul's letters, a lot of times he does imperatives, a lot of imperatives. 00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:29.599 Do this, do this, do this, do this. 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:30.559 Here's what you should do. 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:31.359 Get this going. 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:32.960 Hey, let's stir this up a little bit. 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:34.799 You guys need more of this, that kind of thing. 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:37.519 And I know in our day and age, a lot of pastors won't go there. 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:38.240 They don't do that. 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:39.839 They're all about encouragement. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:42.160 Not much in the way of exhortation. 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:45.440 But we have to stir ourselves up, people. 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:52.400 Because some of us come into the Advent season ho-humming, bah humbugging. 00:17:53.279 --> 00:18:01.359 And that's why in some churches, that last Sunday before Advent, they call it Stir Up Sunday, because we need to be stirred up, and I'm the same way. 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:12.799 Twenty years here at this church, 20 sermons for around Christmas time, around Easter time, all of those events that we have on the church calendar. 00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:17.759 And yet I still, like my my friend David Cassidy says the same thing. 00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:23.680 There's part of me that just can't wait to get here, you know, even though I've done this 20 times. 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:30.480 Because I know that we've only begun to scratch the surface of what this means that God invaded our world. 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:34.799 That He came on the run with rescue for us. 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:38.720 And it's just mind-blowing when you think about it all. 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:41.759 Um, so what do we learn here? 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:43.279 What can we take home? 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:44.960 Uh we have that series. 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:48.079 I'll try to point those out as we as we go along here, all right? 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:51.920 Um let me see where I was, and then I'll get to where I'm going, okay? 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:55.039 Um how can we have Advent peace? 00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:56.000 Or how can we know that? 00:18:56.160 --> 00:19:01.759 We've got these prescriptions, we've got this proscription, there's just one of those, and these promises of peace. 00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:02.720 Here are the prescriptions. 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:06.079 Let me throw them off the screen, and this will be indeed online as it always is. 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:11.440 Stand firm in the Lord, live in harmony in the Lord, rejoice in the Lord. 00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:13.599 And then I like this one. 00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:18.559 Be widely recognized, or regarded is another way to say it. 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:24.880 Be widely regarded as kind, gentle, considerate. 00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:27.359 You want to live in peace? 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:28.960 Stand firm in the Lord. 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:30.559 What's that got to do with peace? 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:34.400 Well, he's my rock, he's my refuge. 00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:40.400 He's the one that can calm the storm when your boat's going down and being churned up and all that sort of thing. 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:44.319 That's why I run to Him and stand firm on Him. 00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:48.079 Because I can't even stand firm on my own two feet. 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:51.839 I need to stand firm in the Lord, live in harmony in the Lord. 00:19:52.000 --> 00:20:14.799 When I have a conflict with someone else, not just in the church, but anywhere, in your household, in your closest relationships, uh, in your distant family relationships, as you gather together for Christmas dinner at that house, and you've put a limit on it, and you've you're trying to have good boundaries and make it be so that there isn't an opportunity for unrest. 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:22.160 But yet there can still be peace, I would suggest to you when you go in the Lord. 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:29.599 But we, for God's people to be widely recognized or regarded as people who are kind, gentle, and considerate, I think we've got some work to do. 00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:32.160 Anybody, does anybody else feel that way? 00:20:32.319 --> 00:20:39.839 I feel like as I look at the world in which we live, I think we've gotten some bad PR, but I think we've also got some real PR that fits. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:45.839 And I think we've got some work to do when it comes to being kind and gentle and considerate. 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:47.599 These are really important things. 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:51.839 And the Apostle Paul is trying to instruct us in the way of peace. 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:54.240 Pray about everything, he says, verse 6. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:58.079 Pray with thanksgiving when you pray about everything. 00:20:58.240 --> 00:21:01.920 I do the, maybe you do too, I do the thing where I go to God in a lot of my prayers. 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:05.599 I present my things for God to do today list. 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:16.960 And I often am advising the one who created the entire universe and holds it all in the palm of his hand and balances everything and manages all of human history. 00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:20.079 I'm often advising him on the way to run my life. 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:21.920 Are you ever doing that? 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:23.119 I'm doing that. 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:27.599 Here's what I'd like, and here's the outcome, here's the way I'd like it to, and in this timing. 00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:34.160 And I don't know, has anyone noticed that God doesn't always take my advice or your advice? 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:35.759 Doesn't always go the way. 00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:37.440 And yet, has anyone raise your hand? 00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:40.000 This is what I want to you, I want you to testify. 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:47.519 In hindsight, in the rearview mirror, you have seen that God did not take your advice and it actually turned out the way you think God wanted it to. 00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:48.799 Please raise your hand. 00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:49.359 Okay. 00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:57.759 Now this room is filled with people, and online you're probably raising your hand as well, because God seems to know some things that we don't seem to know. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.680 Epi case. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:04.240 Is the Greek word for be reasonable or be kind or be gentle. 00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:14.160 And the reason I'm throwing up those other words when I try to describe what it means and whatever your translation might happen to say is it's a complex word. 00:22:14.799 --> 00:22:22.559 But we're supposed to be widely regarded or recognized as kind, gentle, considerate people who pray about everything, who pray with thanksgiving. 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:26.640 In other words, gratitude is just flowing from us all the time. 00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:33.119 Discipleship with discipline, and that discipline looks like this. 00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:34.240 It looks like something. 00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:38.400 We set our minds on those things that are, and this is one of Kim's favorite verses. 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:44.400 She calls it thurple, just to give herself an acronym to help remind herself of what these words are. 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:48.079 True, honorable, right, ther. 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:50.319 Okay, that's thur, T T H R. 00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:54.559 Pure, lovely, and things that are of excellence. 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:55.200 I love that. 00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:56.319 That's really beautiful. 00:22:56.559 --> 00:23:03.839 If we're really interested in living at peace, we should take this instruction way more seriously than we do, myself in particular. 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:06.880 It might involve some changes to our thought life. 00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:10.240 Have you ever thought about managing your thought life? 00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:15.279 In the world in which we live today, it's sort of let it all go to be you, you do you. 00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:21.839 You know, live, you know, live into this thing right here, whatever it is you want, you know. 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:30.079 And that's not it at all in the Christian sense or in the biblical sense of the way the world, the way we're supposed to operate in this world. 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:33.519 We actually aren't supposed to be you be you first. 00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:44.640 And with some of us, when we've worshiped at the altar of authenticity, you know, being our authentic self, I think what the world could use is a little less of our authenticity. 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:49.359 You probably are thinking of someone else right now, but I'm talking to you. 00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:54.319 And I'm talking to myself too. 00:23:56.400 --> 00:24:06.480 He says right here, if you want to live at peace, don't just do you, just let it happen, just let it flow, just be whoever you are. 00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:07.119 No. 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:10.079 Change your mind's direction. 00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:13.440 Live in what is true. 00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:18.720 Well, even right there, good grief in the world in which we live, they don't even believe in truth. 00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:24.319 Our institutions of higher learning used to be about being in pursuit of truth. 00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:31.119 Now, if you go on a campus, you've got to fight to defend the idea that there even is such a thing. 00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:46.640 And if you're a professor, you'll find yourself, in a lot of cases, in danger, unless you're tenured, in danger of losing your job if you espouse the notion that there's something like truth that actually exists. 00:24:47.200 --> 00:24:49.839 No wonder the world is in chaos. 00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:56.720 No wonder the world is at such a high-pitched level of unrest. 00:24:57.039 --> 00:24:59.599 We don't believe in anything anymore. 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:06.160 And the apostle Paul says, let your mind dwell on the truth, things that are true, honorable. 00:25:06.400 --> 00:25:07.920 And uh, you know, honorable. 00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:09.359 There you go, right there. 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:14.000 You know, that that's a that's a virtue and a value statement. 00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:21.680 And yet, in so many places in the world in which we live right now, there's no consensus on what's virtuous and what's what's of value. 00:25:22.079 --> 00:25:31.200 Well, any wonder then that as Lewis said, we we deny honor, and and what we have is a bunch of thieves in our midst now? 00:25:31.359 --> 00:25:32.559 It's just chaos. 00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:34.720 People stealing your peace. 00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:37.599 Because nobody believes in honor anymore. 00:25:38.480 --> 00:25:40.880 What's right, what's pure, what's lovely, excellent. 00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:43.519 You could you could spend time on each and every one of those things. 00:25:43.599 --> 00:26:06.319 But I want you to know that for G, as far as Jesus is concerned, um, the call is for us to retrain our minds, and as far as the Apostle Paul is concerned, retrain our minds away from those things and onto the things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and excellent? 00:26:08.079 --> 00:26:13.759 If we're really interested in living at peace, I think we should take this instruction more seriously, as I said. 00:26:14.799 --> 00:26:31.519 But it might really involve some changes in our habits, our diet of intake, of information, of interaction, our diet in our relationships, for where else is a soul stirred to so much doubt and unrest? 00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:38.880 Where else is a mind more deconstructed and deformed on issues dealing with what it means to be a human person? 00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:54.720 Where else are we more disturbed from any sense of peace than as we listen to all of the voices that seek to influence us out there and forget completely about what this book teaches us? 00:26:55.039 --> 00:27:07.839 Here in this ancient letter, we've seen many prescriptions to living a life of peace with others, peace within, peace with God, and knowing the peace of God. 00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:11.839 I exhort you to take these things more seriously. 00:27:11.920 --> 00:27:17.839 And I do the same to myself as we come into a season where we talk about such things. 00:27:18.079 --> 00:27:23.279 It's really important that we turn to Jesus, the Prince of Peace. 00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:26.160 The one who said this, peace I'll leave with you. 00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:27.759 My peace I give to you. 00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:31.200 This is a gift received, not a goal achieved. 00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:33.119 It's a gift received. 00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:36.240 Not as the world gives, do I give to you. 00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:39.519 In other words, there are superficial forms of peace out there. 00:27:39.759 --> 00:27:42.960 There are anesthetic versions of peace out there. 00:27:43.119 --> 00:27:57.200 You can just for a moment get away with some euphoric feelings, even if you have to pay a pretty high cost later because you went in pursuit of this thing and didn't pay attention to the things that really matter. 00:27:58.319 --> 00:28:00.880 Not as the world gives, do I give to you, Jesus said. 00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:03.119 Let not your hearts be troubled. 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:08.640 That means you we should guard our hearts from those voices that would trouble our hearts. 00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:11.359 Um, neither let them be afraid. 00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:21.279 And it seems to me like fear and anxiety and those things are the opposites of peace if we're in search of peace. 00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:25.599 Again, not just an ancient version of don't worry, be happy. 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:29.200 Rejoice in the Lord. 00:28:29.519 --> 00:28:31.599 Stand firm in the Lord. 00:28:32.640 --> 00:28:35.279 Be unified in the Lord. 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:40.000 And find all of your peace in Christ Jesus Himself. 00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:41.759 And this is great news. 00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:44.960 The incarnation is that we're not left to do this on our own. 00:28:45.119 --> 00:28:46.079 Emmanuel has come. 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:48.160 God is with us now. 00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:53.839 And so when I need peace, even preparing for this, I actually a couple times it hit me this week. 00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:57.359 I got to start to get kind of churned up about talking about this, you know? 00:28:57.519 --> 00:28:59.039 And I didn't know, where am I going? 00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:03.119 It's such a broad, seems like one of the biggest topics in the whole world, you know? 00:29:03.359 --> 00:29:10.799 And then I'd pray, and it seemed like God said, You're not finding your peace in me right now, Jim. 00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:21.119 And so again, it's learning to retrain my mind and my heart onto him to spend time in prayer, trusting him. 00:29:21.680 --> 00:29:29.359 And we see uh when we do with prayer that it really does offer us heaven's antidote for anxiety and anger. 00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:31.759 Are you just mad? 00:29:32.079 --> 00:29:34.240 Some of you might be mad in this room. 00:29:34.400 --> 00:29:35.920 I hope it's not you. 00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:37.039 Or maybe you're online. 00:29:37.599 --> 00:29:44.400 If you're mad, especially at someone, I challenge you to begin praying for them. 00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:48.559 Do not pray that God would hit them over the head with a brick. 00:29:49.440 --> 00:29:51.599 Pray for their highest good. 00:29:52.960 --> 00:30:12.880 I was so blown away, as Kim even read it earlier to us, when I read that article about the all of the kidnapped folks down in Haiti, the 17 Christian missionaries kidnapped, and how they prayed for the ones that took them, uh, their victimizers. 00:30:13.359 --> 00:30:24.559 Uh here they are the victims, and praying for those who had traumatized them, who had kidnapped them, who they could have killed them, and yet they prayed for them and they prayed for their highest good. 00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:31.039 What an antidote for anxiety, what an antidote for our anger in this world in which we live. 00:30:31.279 --> 00:30:32.880 Now, here's the proscription. 00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:34.960 There's one in this passage. 00:30:35.279 --> 00:30:40.799 If you're interested in peace, what he's saying is don't be anxious about anything. 00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:46.000 It's in the context, though, of all of this in the Lord stuff, okay? 00:30:46.160 --> 00:30:49.920 And so don't miss that because he's not just saying don't worry, be happy. 00:30:50.079 --> 00:30:57.599 He's actually saying, don't be anxious, turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face. 00:30:58.559 --> 00:31:11.279 And all of the things of this world, which really in parentheses you can put anxiety, acrimony, fear, outcomes that go the wrong way or the way we didn't desire. 00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:13.279 Put all that in parentheses. 00:31:13.440 --> 00:31:20.880 The things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. 00:31:21.359 --> 00:31:22.000 That's right. 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:25.279 How's prayer the antidote to anxiety and anger? 00:31:25.440 --> 00:31:27.119 Certainly the comfort of good friends can help. 00:31:27.200 --> 00:31:35.279 There are helpful resources available from the counseling realm, that's true, when needed, but medically prescribed pharmaceuticals have helped a little bit, that's right. 00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:39.759 But prayer is the venue that is recommended here. 00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:47.680 And it is here that we approach God and commune with God. 00:31:48.559 --> 00:31:53.759 The God of the universe is the one we get to talk to. 00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:59.759 And that's why we can suggest to you that there is unshakable peace on offer. 00:31:59.839 --> 00:32:00.079 Why? 00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:02.559 Because it's peace found in Christ. 00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:07.920 It's not peace found in the outcomes going the way I want them to go and the timing that I want them to go. 00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:14.559 No, it's peace found when He Himself is the center for me and for you. 00:32:14.720 --> 00:32:17.680 Do you realize the significance of this thing we call prayer? 00:32:17.839 --> 00:32:20.720 It's hard to fathom, it's mind-blowing. 00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:24.720 But God has come to dwell among us. 00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:27.599