Introduction
Last week we talked about working towards a deeper relationship with God by living fearlessly and learning to give God an unconditional “Yes!” to all God has in store for us. And we talked about how to begin on this path, by first acknowledging our fears, those deep seated questions that we have about God and our relationship toHim and then secondly admitting those fears to God. This morning I want to continue along those lines, specifically addressing how we can rid ourselves of those fears and problems and break through to peace. And that’s our focus today, “Finding His Peace.”
White Water Faith
My sophomore year of high school I went to a Boy Scout camp in North Carolina and because I was old enough, I had the opportunity to go white water rafting down the Nantahala River. One thing I learned about white water rafting skiing is that no matter how good you get at it, there are still times when things do not go your way. There are times where you miss your mark and times when you get hurt. You have good days and bad days. But ask anyone who loves to raft and they will tell you that it’s the ride of your life.
I am learning this about the rest of my life a little bit every day. Life is not the way I want it to be at times, but I do believe that pushing through my fears and heading down the river is the only way to live. Edward Weeks once said, “to live with fear and not be afraid is the final test of maturity.”
I want it to be easier than this. I’m sure that you do as well. In our journey of faith, saying yes to God can be difficult. But when I’m able to say yes to God, push through the fear and step out in faith, it can be just as exhilarating as flying down those rapids. And our reward is the peace that comes from Christ. The peace that passes all understanding. The peace that comes not from this world.
This peace is to be the hallmark of our lives as God’s children. It’s not something we can work up by ourselves or find in an "Idiot’s Guide" to. Peace is a fruit of the Spirit – it has to grow. And it is a gift and it only comes from our Triune God. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
Remembering God’s Character And Love
While peace is a gift and grows over time, there are a few things that we can do to help put ourselves in a place to receive this peace. And a few clues to this are found in our Scripture lessons today.
From our first Scripture lesson from Psalm 139, we are shown how important we are to God. “O Lord you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in – behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.” God cares about us, so much so, that He knows our every move, our every way, our innermost thoughts. His hand is all around us. And if God is for us, then who can be against us? We must trust in His character and His love. That’s one of the first ways towards finding His peace.
Learning to Let Go Each Day
Another step on the journey to finding peace has to do with learning to let go of our fears, our problems, and our pains each day and turn them over to God. It’s continual. Everyday we have to remember to turn things over.
Our second Scripture lesson from John 16 has some advice for us when the circumstances of the world seem overwhelming – “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! For I have overcome the world.”
Last week we talked about how King David wrestled with fears and pain and poured them out to God through the words of the Psalms. Today I want to speak about John the Baptist and the questions he posed. After being imprisoned by King Herod, John sent messengers from his prison cell to Jesus to ask if He really was the Messiah. You see things weren’t working out like he thought they would and he had questions. Jesus patiently sent a message back to John saying that he should look at the evidence of things happening for the answer to his question (the blind given sight, the lame healed, the dead resurrected). And then He added this comment for those who were listening: “blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”
Jesus knows that the ways of God are sometimes hard for humanity to comprehend. And so what He is saying here is “blessed is the one who does not fall away from faith, based upon my/God’s actions.”
Only God can change the big picture – and so everyday we have to put our fears away and give them over to God. It’s hard not to be scared and fearful sometimes. And it’s even harder when we can’t exactly see how things are going to work out. However, I do believe with all my heart that God is good all of the time. We have to remember that it is in Jesus that we find peace – and that while we have troubles in this world, Jesus has overcome the world. We need to learn from the example of David and John and remember to go to God with our fears, questions, problems and pain. We’re not supposed to hold onto those things and let them fester. Part of our path to peace includes learning to let go each and every day and turn things over to God.
Conclusion
Finding God’s peace begins with remembering his character and love and then resting upon those. We must learn to let go of the fears that consume us and turn them over into God’s hands.
Remember the quote from last week? - “For all that has been, thanks. For all that shall be, Yes!” My prayer for all of us is that we would be able to find God’s peace and say an unconditional “Yes!” to all that God has in store for us this year.
I want to close this morning by sharing with you the lyrics to a song from the group Casting Crowns, entitled The Voice of Truth, that really sums all this up:
Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He's holding out His hand
But the waves are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"
Chorus:
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
And the voice of truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
But the giant's calling out my name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"
Chorus
But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
From on top of them lookin' down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
And the voice of truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose to listen and believe (I will choose to listen and believe)
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
I will listen and believe
I will listen and believe the voice of truth
I will listen and believe cause Jesus you are the voice of truth
and I will listen to you
You are
Do not let the giants of this world nor the waves of uncertainty cause you fear anymore. Listen to the voice of reason. Christ is here, waiting to take your fears away and lead you into peace, a peace not of this world. A peace that is forever!
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