What’s Next? Part Four – Romans 12:18
Helping People Find Peaceful Homes
We see a church…
Loving Jesus in a way that people talk about.
Where people find salvation & healing in Jesus.
Helping people find careers & peaceful homes.
Where everyone can find a place that they fit.
Serving the city with love that works.
What are we talking about when we say this?
· A home that feels safe: a sanctuary (Sigh, I’m home)
· Where communication skills are learned so that while there may be disagreements there are no arguments
· A place where it’s OK to make a mistake: you’ll be received with love and grace not shame and abuse (We aren’t perfect, we all make mistakes. Home should be a safe place to learn how to correct our mistakes and grow from them)
· A home where when others visit, they feel the peace
What is peace?
· Completeness
· Safety & soundness of body
· Welfare, prosperity
· Peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment
· Friendship (God & other humans)
· Peace from war
Why is peace in our homes important?
God desires it for us and asks us to work for it.
· Psalm 34:14 – Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace and work to maintain it.
· Romans 12:18a – Do everything you can to live in peace with everyone (living in harmony, be happy when others are happy, weep with those who weep. Don’t pay back evil with more evil, don’t take revenge)
· Hebrews 12:14 – work at living in peace with everyone and work at living a holy life
Where does peace come from? Jesus
· Isaiah 9:6 – For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given… and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
· John 14:27 (after Jesus says he’s going to send the Holy Spirit) I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
· One of the fruits of the Spirit – This is something the Holy Spirit wants to put in us
How do we get this peace?
1. Our relationship with Jesus
· Salvation and the forgiveness of our sin through Jesus allows us to have relationship with him and therefore access to that peace, from the Prince of Peace
· Jesus says in John 15:4 – Remain (abide) in me, and I will remain in you. If we are connected to Jesus, who is the prince of peace, we will have constant access to that peace.
· Obey God and live a holy life: 2 Timothy 2:22 – Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead PURUSE righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace
2. Practice Peace – Your own state of peace affects everyone! Get peace from Jesus when needed (every day, all the time)
o Spend daily time with Jesus
o Pursue peace! It may be hard to get sometimes! Philippians 4:6-8 – Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. Now dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise
· Talk to God about everything
· Tell God what you need (peace)
· Thank God
· Then peace will come
· FIX your thoughts – action – on wonderful things – Isaiah 26:3 – You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you.
o Create a list on your phone, a collage of wonderful, beautiful things that is easily accessible for when you are having a hard time doing this.
o Get whole. Allow your past hurts and habits to be addressed and healed. Through Jesus, CR, counseling or therapy.
o Get help for anger issues, communication difficulties
o Choose to give grace and forgiveness to your family members: 2 Corinthians 13:11b – Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. BE NICE!
o Worship/praise music played throughout the day (driving). It’s really hard to not have peace when you are focusing on that.
o Recognize when you are not at peace: pause, Breathe out anger/anxiety, breathe in the Holy Spirit
o Family prayer/worship time
o Help your children learn how to access peace from Jesus – we need to disciple the next generation in this!
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3. Pray for peace over your home – Isaiah 32:18 – And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places.
What is the purpose of this peace?
· Yes it’s for us and our families, but it’s for more than that: it’s for others who don’t know Jesus, who don’t have a safe home life.
· Be prepared for others to bring in their lack of peace, trust that the Holy Spirit will allow them to feel his peace when they cross the threshold of your property.
· Ephesians talks about us being prepared by wearing shoes of the gospel of peace. This is the news of Jesus Christ!
· Isaiah 52:7 – How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news. The good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!
· John 20:21 As Jesus appeared to the disciples after his resurrection, “peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.
· AS WE get peace from Jesus, we can take it with us wherever and to whomever we need.
· It can be so natural to tell others about Jesus when they are in your home already feeling loved and feeling peace!
· This is how a home can bring peace to a neighborhood like Ben spoke on before.