Welcome to the Weekend Sermon. I hope that you are all doing very well and are in good health. I've made it through another week, and I thank the Lord for that.
Today, we will be concluding our series of messages on some of what the Bible has to say about peace. Next week, we will have a message based on the Christmas season.
As in all things, we want to look at what the Lord Jesus had to say about any subject or issue that we want to study. We've been doing that in this current series. As we conclude, I want us to focus on what Jesus had to say about what I will refer to as spiritual or inner peace. Jesus provides peace to those who are in need of rest for the soul, and He provides peace for those who are in Him as they work to make it through the difficulties that this life can bring.
In John 14:27 Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." Jesus further tells us in John 16:33, "I have told you these things so that in Me you might have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But, take heart! I have overcome the world."
Those who have never come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord are not at peace with God. The Bible says that we are enemies of God when we are still in our sins. All have sinned and all come short of God's righteous standard. Our hearts are restless and burdened in search of what can bring peace and freedom from the guilt and shame that living in sin brings. Jesus is the answer.
When a person calls upon the name of the Lord and asks Jesus to forgive their sins and be the Lord of their life, Jesus frees that person from sin and indwells them with His presence. The old way is gone, and a person becomes a new creation in Christ Jesus. A person is no longer under God's wrath because they are clothed in the righteousness of the dearly beloved Son of God.
We have peace and no longer need to fear death when Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Through His death and resurrection, He has freed us from sin and and sin's consequences. We can live with the assurance of pardon knowing that Jesus has freed us and lives within us.
Now, there is another way that Jesus provides peace. He is with us in and through everything that we go through in this life. He has promised that He will never leave us and He will never forsake us. No matter where we find ourselves in life, we can meditate, pray and rest on the words of Jesus. He is our comfort and He is our strength.
In all things, we can find peace knowing that no matter what happens, Jesus has prepared a place for us in Heaven. We will be with Him forever, and nothing can ever harm us when we are with Him for eternity in Heaven.
If you do not have peace with God through Jesus, I urge you to turn your life over to the Lord Jesus today. If you are going through a hard time, rest in Jesus. Feel His presence with you. Know that no matter what, you will be with Him, and He will be with you forever. Amen.
Prayer Requests
Please pray about the situation in the Middle East. It is a mess right now. There is a lot of instability, and many are facing great hardship.
Continue to pray for peace in Sudan and Ukraine. Haiti needs our prayers as well.
Pray for those who have had to deal with storm damage. The UK had a bad storm, and people in Spain and the US are still dealing with storm damage. Pray that all will get the aid and the help that they need.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of India and Sri Lanka. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, we will have a Christmas sermon. I will post the verses on Monday. May God bless you all.
No comments:
Post a Comment