THE AUTHOR OF PEACE--I CORINTHIANS 14:33; EPHESIANS 2:14-17

THE AUTHOR OF PEACE

I CORINTHIANS 14:33; EPHESIANS 2:14-17

Introduction:

The most sought after commodity in the world is peace. Everyone seems to have a philosophy as to how to obtain that peace, but unfortunately there is no peace found in this world.

The reason that peace is not found by many is because they look in the wrong place for it. The Scripture says in Psalm 29:11, “The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.”

Peace and life are only found in Jesus Christ. However, Jesus says that men “will not come to me, that ye might have life.” (John 5:40). Our text says that God is Author of peace.

I. GOD CAME TO SPEAK PEACE

A. To His people Israel, Psalm 85:8, “I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.”

1. God will manifest His presence, Isaiah 60:1-2, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.”

2. The Word of God became flesh, John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

B. To the Gentiles, v. 17; Luke 1:79, “To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

1. The Gospel of Christ was preached to us, Luke 4:18, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,”

2. He bore our chastisement to bring peace to us, Isaiah 53:5, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

3. He is the Prince of Peace, Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

II. THE LORD BROUGHT AN ABUNDANCE OF PEACE

A. This peace is for the meek [humble], Psalm 37:4, 11, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart, 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

B. This peace is for the UPRIGHT, Psalm 37:37, “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.”

1. The upright man is he who has trusted Christ, Galatians 2:16, “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

2. This is a man who has contentment in life, 2 Corinthians 9:8, And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

3. He has great peace because he loves God’s Word, Psalm 119:165, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”

III. THE PEACE OF GOD IS NOT FOUND IN THIS WORLD

A. Jesus called it His Peace, John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

B. We have peace in the Lord because He has overcome the world, John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

1. He has justified us by faith in Him thus giving us peace, Romans 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

2. For He is our Peace, Ephesians 2:14, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;”

a. He has abolished the enmity between God and man, Ephesians 2:15, “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

b. He slew the enmity on the Cross, Ephesians 2:16,And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

c. He preached peace to us, Ephesians 2:17, “And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.”

CONCLUSION

The Apostle Paul warns us in 1 Thessalonians 5:3, “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. We are living in those times now.

Thank the Lord that we have HIS PEACE in our hearts. We know that He cares for us and gives us HIS Peace in difficult times.