Pursue Peace With All

Transcript

Pursue Peace With All
Dec 1, 2015
Lois Morten

Can’t we all just get along?
Only if we have:
1.peace with God
2. peace within
3. peace with each other (this is our emphasis today!)
Key verse: Romans 14:19 So, then, we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.
Example of conflict between two women in the church
Phil 4:2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord….
• We know at least one or both of these women are walking in the flesh.
• We know it is a personal conflict not a doctrinal conflict.

• Believers should have a peacemaking mentality. Matthew 5:9
• Paul begs these women to live in harmony in the Lord. Harmony? It means literally to have the same mind, the mind of Christ. (Phil 1:27, 2:1, 1 Corinth 1:10)
“If a personality conflict continues between two people, then we are saying we are willing to sacrifice the unity and testimony of the body and mind of Christ for our personal preferences.” Rugh
Peacemaking is every believer’s responsibility
• Peace is not optional because it impacts the health of the church:
Mark 9:50 Be at peace with one another
Romans 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceable with all. 2 Corinth 13:11, 1 Thess 5:13
• All believers are to intentionally and actively pursue peace: Romans 14:19 Let us pursue what makes for peace.
Hebrews 12:14 Strive for peace with everyone. 1 Peter 3:11, 2 Tim 2:22, Col 3:15
• Peacemakers sow seeds in peace (James 3:18).
Peacemaking requires mediation
• Not by the court
“Christians can hire the best lawyers money can afford, try their disputes in court, and receive a judgment made by an expert judge without ever addressing their hate, anger, self-righteousness, or pride.” Strauch
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Pursue Peace With All
• Christian peacemaking is directed at examining and dealing with sinful attitudes of the heart. Mark 7:21-23 “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts…”
• Remember:
- We cannot sacrifice truth for peace!
- We can sacrifice opinions, feelings, wants, desires—pride!
- We cannot be biased!
• Paul asks other believers and the church to mediate the conflict between Euodia and Syntyche.
Unity in the body goes hand in hand with peace
• Beauty in unity
Ps 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity
• Ephesians 4:1-3 “…being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Bond of peace = belt that holds unity together
If we don’t have peace among ourselves, why would unbelievers look to us to find peace with God?

• Maintain and guard unity by:
- walking in the Spirit not the flesh (Gal 5:22-23, Eph 4:4)
- by beholding God daily—fixing our eyes on Jesus
“…So one hundred worshippers met together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become "unity" conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship. .…” Tozer
Application
Peacemaking: Pray, Wait on God, Prepare, Listen, Speak, Pray
If you jump into a conflict without the Spirit’s leading, then you’re likely to get bit—
Proverbs 26:17 Like one who takes a dog by the ears is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him.
We take the risk because it’s the loving thing to do. We are family.
Christmas Peace
Luke 2:14 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.
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