20Something Flashback - 4/13/05 (Jen Austin)
Peace
Think of a time in the past week when you’ve been stressed out, upset, disappointed, or afraid. Why were you feeling this way? Describe the thoughts that went through your mind. Feel free to name the cause of your stress if you feel comfortable.
Did you feel God’s presence in the midst of this or did you feel abandoned and alone? It’s okay if you didn’t exactly feel like God was blanketing you with calmness.
If you did sense God’s presence, describe it. How did you know it was God?
Peace is something everybody wants. It’s also something that very few people seem to have. Or we might have it for a minute or two, and then something unexpected happens and we lose it again. Perhaps someone steals the “rock star” parking spot that you had been waiting for with your blinker on for the past ten minutes. How dare they just zip in there and steal it. Or maybe you hear about a bad rumor that someone is spreading about you. True or not, it’s likely to hurt.
The Bible’s authors did their best to spread peace. Take these verses for example:
2 Thessalonians 2: Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 2: To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Peter 5:14: Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Two things are apparent after reading these verses, and many other verses like them.
1. The authors really wanted to pass out the peace. It was more than a greeting. It was more like a gift that they wanted each community to freely accept and pass on.
2. Peace originates with God. Peace comes from God, and all who are in Christ have access to it.
So how can we get it? We uncover it. Peace isn’t something that you have to chase down or go looking for in every nook and cranny. We already have it and we just have to free it from the internal chains that we keep it in, and let it run around loose in side us.
Romans 5:1: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
This says “rejoice in suffering.” How does that lead to hope?
The Holy Spirit—the ultimate peace-giver—lives inside us. Still, why don’t we feel peace every moment of every day and in every situation? What gets in the way?
Thinking about a situation when you did feel deep, underlying peace about a decision you made or a conviction that you held, what helped you maintain that state of peace?
What does peace feel like?
How can we feel peace on a more regular basis?
How does peace in Christ lead to higher levels of faith?
Philippians 4:4-7: 4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Any final thoughts? Prayer requests?
We hope you have a peaceful week!
Think of a time in the past week when you’ve been stressed out, upset, disappointed, or afraid. Why were you feeling this way? Describe the thoughts that went through your mind. Feel free to name the cause of your stress if you feel comfortable.
Did you feel God’s presence in the midst of this or did you feel abandoned and alone? It’s okay if you didn’t exactly feel like God was blanketing you with calmness.
If you did sense God’s presence, describe it. How did you know it was God?
Peace is something everybody wants. It’s also something that very few people seem to have. Or we might have it for a minute or two, and then something unexpected happens and we lose it again. Perhaps someone steals the “rock star” parking spot that you had been waiting for with your blinker on for the past ten minutes. How dare they just zip in there and steal it. Or maybe you hear about a bad rumor that someone is spreading about you. True or not, it’s likely to hurt.
The Bible’s authors did their best to spread peace. Take these verses for example:
2 Thessalonians 2: Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 2: To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Peter 5:14: Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Two things are apparent after reading these verses, and many other verses like them.
1. The authors really wanted to pass out the peace. It was more than a greeting. It was more like a gift that they wanted each community to freely accept and pass on.
2. Peace originates with God. Peace comes from God, and all who are in Christ have access to it.
So how can we get it? We uncover it. Peace isn’t something that you have to chase down or go looking for in every nook and cranny. We already have it and we just have to free it from the internal chains that we keep it in, and let it run around loose in side us.
Romans 5:1: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
This says “rejoice in suffering.” How does that lead to hope?
The Holy Spirit—the ultimate peace-giver—lives inside us. Still, why don’t we feel peace every moment of every day and in every situation? What gets in the way?
Thinking about a situation when you did feel deep, underlying peace about a decision you made or a conviction that you held, what helped you maintain that state of peace?
What does peace feel like?
How can we feel peace on a more regular basis?
How does peace in Christ lead to higher levels of faith?
Philippians 4:4-7: 4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Any final thoughts? Prayer requests?
We hope you have a peaceful week!
posted by Jen Austin at 12:57 PM
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