VITAL SIGNS                                                                      EAST BAY FELLOWSHIP

(Series, #3)                                                                                           September 18, 2005

PEACE

TEXT: Col. 3:15

INTRODUCTION

· “I feel and grieve; but, by the grace of God, I fret at nothing.”   John Wesley (Upper Room, 1967, pp. 30-31)

· The vital sign of peace is used at least 250 times in the New International Version of the Bible.

1) PEACE IS ABOUT RULERSHIP

· The peace that is of God is all about who is ruling on the throne of your heart and mind.

· “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”

· “Christians travel the same ground that everyone else walks on…are buried in the same ground.  The difference is that each step we walk, each breath we breathe, we know we are preserved by God, we know we are accompanied by God, we know we are ruled by God.”     Eugene Peterson

                                                                    A Long Obedience in the Same Direction

                                                                          (InterVarsity Press, 2000, p. 45)

2) RULERSHIP IS ABOUT CHOICE

· The words “let” and “rule” are actually all wrapped up in the same word in the original language the Bible was written in.

· “Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything…If you do this you will experience God’s peace…His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest…”   Phil. 4:6-7 (TLB)

3) CHOICE IS ABOUT CALLING

· This calling for peace is both internal and external in nature.

· Worry and division are about things being separated or pulled apart.  Peace and Unity are about agreement and solidarity.

· “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.”   John 14:21 (NKJV)

CONCLUSION

· “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”   Rom. 16:20 (NIV)