PHILLIPIANS 4.4-9
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
INTRO:
We are coming to a close on my wife’s favorite holiday. I know many of you are thinking of Thanksgiving, and if you are, you’d be wrong. My wife’s favorite holiday is Black Friday. She loves getting into the fray and plans for this day months in advance. And I must admit, I love the sales. This year I sent my wife a text that said, “Don’t you even think about coming home unless you have a new coffee pot and a toaster oven.” Every year we purchase a new coffee pot and for the last couple of years, a toaster oven. There’s something about the lure of a sale that draws people out to face these crowds. After all, $25 dollars for a coffee pot and toaster oven, something that we use every day in our home is a no-brainer for me.
Often times, we want every thing in life to come cheap and easy. However, not everything in life comes so cheap or so easy. Not everything is on sale. Grace, for example, will never be cheap. Ironically, it’s free, but costly. And there are other things in life you just can’t put a price tag on. Things like friendship and love.
As I get older one of the things that I desire most in life, that you really can’t put a price tag on is peace. I want to be a peace with others. I want peace in my home. I want our country to live at peace with each other and others around the world. I find this somewhat ironic because Jesus himself said, “In the world you will have tribulation.” And usually we don’t have to look too long or hard to find some sort of trouble in our lives. And often times we try to find peace “on sale” we try to short cut the process and find peace apart from a trusting relationship with Jesus Christ. We self-medicate ourselves with alcohol, or hobbies, or rest & relaxation, or pills, etc.
But Jesus also says in that same verse, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world (John 16.33).”
Christ is the foundation of our peace. It has often been said that “Fear makes the monarchy firm.” Jesus doesn’t establish his rule and reign in that fashion. Every other world religion bases security on fear. Christianity bases it on the sovereignty and power of God.
In Philippians 4.4-9 Paul gives us 4 points and 1 promise to promote peace in our lives.
- Our Praise (v4)
- Find joy and satisfaction in Christ
- Our Perspective (v5-6)
- People steal peace
- The Antedote: Remember Jesus is coming soon
- Problems steal peace
- The Antedote: Prayer
- People steal peace
- Our Pondering (v8)
- Think about God glorifying things
- Our Practice (v9)
- His Presence (v9)