The Peace that Passes All Understanding I. Introduction. A. Lives filled with strife and anxiety. 1. All of us, at one time or another, go through periods of stress and anxiety. a. Stress from health problems. b. Stress from family problems. c. Work-related problems. d. Financial problems. 2. There are many in our country who experience an extreme amount of stress. a. There are 19.1 million people in this country who experience anxiety disorders. b. This is the most common mental illness in the U.S. 3. Stress results from three general types of situations. a. Frustrations: obstacles that prevent you from meeting your needs or achieving personal goals. They can be external---such as discrimination, an unsatisfying job, divorce, or the death of a loved one---or internal. Examples of internal frustrations include physical handicaps, the lack of a desired ability or trait, and other real or perceived limitations. b. Conflicts: stressors involving two or more incompatible needs or goals. For example, a working mother might feel torn over a job offer that would advance her career, but take time away from her family. Sometimes the conflict invovles a choice between two desirable options, such as deciding between two acceptance offers from equally appealing colleges. At other times, the decision involves disagreeable alternatives. c. Pressures: stress can stem from the expectations of others or the demands you place on yourself. You may feel pressure to get good grades in order to please your parents or get into a good school. Or you may feel pressure to excel at work, make a difference in your community, or be the perfect mother. 4. The point is that stress and anxiety are common. a. One source that I found said that "stress may be implicated in up to 70% of patient visits to the family doctor." b. High blood pressure, ulcers, heart problems, and other illnesses can be directly related to stress, while many other illnesses are made worse by stress and anxiety. B. The gift of peace. 1. Turn and read Philippians 4:6-7. 2. God has given us a way to remove all of this anxiety from our lives. 3. The peace of God. a. Peace which comes from God. b. Peace that will ease our hearts and our minds. c. Peace that will protect us and guard us from the weights and burdens of the uncertainties of life. 4. This morning, we are going to talk about this peace. a. And what it does for us.
II. This peace gives us confidence concerning the future. A. Many of our worries are about what might happen in the future. 1. Near or far. 2. Worry about the possibility of a car accident. 3. Worry about the future of this country. 4. Worry about our jobs and whether the company will shut down or lay people off. 5. Worry about our health and the health of those close to us. B. While some of our worries might be legitimate, many or our worries are undeserving of the time and thought we give to them. 1. An average person's anxiety is focuse on: a. 40% -- things that will never happen. b. 30% -- things about the past that can't be changed. c. 12% -- things about criticism by others, mostly untrue. d. 10% -- about health, which gets worse with stress. e. 8% -- about real problems that will be faced. 2. "worry is faith in the negative, trust in the unpleasant, assurance of disaster and belief in defeat worry is wasting today's time to clutter up tomorrow's opportunities with yesterday's troubles." C. The Christian does not have to worry about what will happen in the future. 1. Matthew 6:31, "Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things." a. Even the necessities of life, we don't have to worry about them. b. God will take care of it. 2. John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." a. What kind of peace did Jesus give His apostles? * not a peaceful physical life. * but rather peace of mind and heart. b. They did not have to worry about what might happen in the future. 3. Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." a. If we love God, we have nothing to worry about. b. God will take care of the future. D. Turn to and read Proverbs 3:24-26. 1. Solomon is teaching the young man the value of choosing to serve God. 2. One of the benefits is the peace that comes from God. 3. Peace that allows you for sweet sleep. 4. Why can you be at peace; why do you not have to fear? a. Because "the Lord will be your confidence." E. What's the lesson for us? 1. The next time that you find yourself worrying about the future. a. Stop and remember that God will take care of you. 2. Quit worrying about what might happen. 3. The Scots have a proverb for worriers. a. "What may be, may not be."
III. This peace removes the guilt of sin from our hearts. A. The value of guilt. 1. We've talked recently about the gift of our conscience. 2. We read in 2 Corinthians 7 about godly sorrow which leads to repentance and repentance leads to salvation. 3. Without the feeling of guilt, we would never be motivated to change. a. And, if we don't change, then we won't be saved. 4. So, guilt has an important place in the life of a child of God. B. The proper place of guilt. 1. As valuable as guilt can be when used appropriately, it can have crippling effects on a person under other circumstances. a. Sometimes, we might feel guilt when we're not guilty. b. There are times when we should not feel guilty. 2. Once we have repented and been forgiven, there is no more need for guilt over a sin. a. Once we have made peace with God, we need not feel that pain in our hearts any longer. 3. Here's how it works. a. Man sins. b. Man feels remorse over his sin. c. Man changes his way and asks God to forgive him of his sin. d. Man no longer should feel guilt over his sin. Guilt has served its purpose. C. 2 Corinthians 7:10. 1. A contrast of sorrows. 2. Godly sorrow. a. Produces repentance leading to salvation. b. Not to be regretted. 3. Sorrow of the world. a. Produces death. 4. What is godly sorrow? a. It is not sorrow that consumes a person and renders him unable to function in life. b. It is not sorrow that leads a person to withdraw from his life and wallow in his pity. c. But it is sorrow that motivates a person to change. 5. And, after that, it is done and the person can move on with his life. D. Two examples. 1. Example of David. a. Sin with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah. b. When Nathan showed him his sin, he was filled with remorse. c. He repented of his sin and changed his life. d. And he went on and did great things for God. 2. Example of Paul. a. Was guilty of sending Christians to prison and to be killed. b. Can you imagine the guilt that he felt when he realized what he had been doing? c. Yet, this same man said in Philippians 3:13. * "forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead." E. God allows us to have peace of mind. 1. Even if we have done horrible things in the past. 2. When we have received forgiveness, He allows us to be relieved of the guilt of those actions. 3. We don't have to feel that pain any longer.
IV. This peace enables us to face death and judgment unafraid. A. Making peace with God. 1. Turn and read Romans 5:1-2. a. When we sin, we are at enmity with God. b. In other words, we are at war with Him. c. But when we receive His grace, we have peace with Him. d. Paul describes how to get that grace in the book of Romans. 2. Romans 6:23 had described the consequences of sin. a. Death. 3. But it also describes the gift of God when we have received forgiveness. a. Eternal life. 4. When we have made peace with God, we don't have to worry concerning our eternal state. a. God has given us life. B. Natural worries about death. 1. Death is a scary thing. 2. I believe it is because of a fear of the unknown. a. Even though we believe in the afterlife, we don't know exactly what will happen. 3. All we have ever known and experienced is life here on this earth. a. And we don't want to leave it. b. And we don't want to leave the world and the people we love behind. C. But, we can face death without anxiety because of the peace of God. 1. Turn and read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. 2. Can you feel your "outward man" perishing? a. Is your body growing feeble? b. You know that someday, your outward body will perish. 3. Yet the Christian can approach that day with grace and peace. a. Because he knows that "the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." D. The Christian can boldly approach the day of judgment with confidence. 1. Like Paul did. a. Turn and read 2 Timothy 4:6-8. 2. We don't have to worry about the judgment day. 3. We don't have to be concerned that we might be punished in hell. 4. 1 John 4:18. a. "perfect loves casts out fear, because fear involves torment." 5. We can approach that day with confidence, calmness, and peace. a. Because we know that God will reward us for all eternity in heaven.
V. Conclusion. A. This is what we understand about Peace. 1. This peace gives us confidence concerning the future. 2. Peace removes the guilt of sin from our hearts. 3. This peace enables us to face death and judgemnt unafraid. B. Peace that passes all understanding. 1. The peace of God surpasses everything that we know or understand. 2. This peace is even greater than what we have said this morning. C. Colossians 3:15. 1. "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts."