THE
PEACE OF GOD
Text:
Philippians 4:1–7
Background
The
definition
About
the peace of God
Call to
action
Background
Apostle Paul was the human
vessel used to write the letter to the church in Philippi this was the first
church planted through him on European soil during his second missionary
journey Acts 16:11-12, Phillipi is currently in Northern Greece,, the city is
only a tourist centre as we speak(only left with archaeological structures and
fittings), it already experienced what Greenock in Scotland is trying to avoid
after losing over 22,000 of her population which was not replenished over time. (He
established churches in Asia minor/Cyprus in his first. What imprints are you
leaving in the sand of time?
The fulcrum of the letter was to
express his godly love for them, thank them for all they had done for him, even
in their own difficulties, and proffer godly solutions to the issues that were
troubling them. Little wonder, the book is regarded by scholars as one with a
Christ-styled discipleship model. Are we grateful to those whom God has
sincerely used for us? Let us be like Apostle Paul.
The scriptures in the early
verses of the fourth chapter of Philippians charges Christian to:
·
Stand fast in the Lord vs. 1 with focus on heavenly Joy and crown
·
Be of the same mind in the Lord Vs.2 with focus on Euodias and Syntche
·
Help those who labour in the vineyard Vs.3
·
Rejoice in the Lord Vs.4
The
definition
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word shalom
conveys wholeness, completeness and well-being. In the New Testament, the Greek
word eirēnē describes peace as harmony and reconciliation.
God’s peace is both a reality
established through Christ and an experience cultivated in the believer
by the Holy Spirit.
The peace of God is the
subjective, experiential tranquillity of the believer who entrusts himself to
God (Philippians 4:7) (not known but experienced).
About the peace of God: we will just say three things about the peace
of God as we proceed:
Peace of God starts with peace with God (can
you trust who you are at logger heads with? By choice and by implication not
possible), Rom.5:1, Eph.2:14 Peace with God concerns our reconciliation to Him;
the peace of God concerns His peace at work in our hearts and minds.1 Sam.
15:23 Prophet Samuel reeled out God’s rejection of Saul, the bible didn’t
record him going back to God to make peace with Him, he himself lost his peace
and began to pursue King David 1 Sam 18:9 till he died in the process. Peace of
God starts with peace with God. Are we at peace with God?
It exists even in the storm Matthew
8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25, Biblical peace is not the denial of
reality; it is confidence in God's presence, faithfulness and sovereignty
within reality. A believer can experience grief, opposition and uncertainty
while remaining anchored in Christ.
It guides and guards the hearth
Phil 4:6-7. The Greek verb phrourēsei, translated “shall keep” in Philippians
4:7, conveys the idea of guarding or protecting, like a military garrison.
God's peace guards the
believer's inner life even when the external circumstances have not yet changed.
Isaiah 26:3 declares “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed
on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
Call to
action
· Be at
peace with God
· Don’t be
anxious vs 6
· Be a
person of prayer vs 6, Matt 6:27
· Live a
life of thanksgiving Vs.6
May God grant us His peace in
Jesus mighty name . Amen.
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