The Spiritual Fruit of Peace;

As Shown in the Life of Christ

 

 

Introduction

The Fruits of the Spirit: Galatians 5

 

1. Three INWARD: love, joy, and peace

2. Three OUTWARD: longsuffering, gentleness, goodness

3. Three GODWARD: faith, meekness, temperance

 

 

I. Prophecy regarding the Messiah

 

Isaiah 53:1-12            Prophetic descriptions of the Savior

 

Isaiah 9:6-7                The Prince of Peace

 

Shalom:

A Hebrew word not able to be translated completely into English. Shalom is used as a greeting in the Middle East which means loosely, “peace”.  However, it is much more than just a lack of conflict.  It is everything that would contribute to well being.  It is best defined as: a total, well-rounded wellness; a fullness; a great peace that envelopes the completeness of the individual. 

 

 

II. Birth

 

Luke 2:8-14                “and on earth, Peace”

 

Oddly, Jesus was born at a time without peace.  Jerusalem was under Roman occupation; poverty was rampant, the Slaughter of the Innocents occurred after Jesus’ birth and his family took their flight into Egypt as refugees.  Hardly, a peaceful time of joy and posterity. 

 

Key thought:

Jesus did NOT come to this world to bring peace.  He WAS the peace; it s source, power, and completion in bodily form.  He was the very personification of the Godhead in their entirety.  Unfortunately, many looked (and continue to seek) for a Messiah that would come in power and might.  One who would subdue His enemies and force, by His power and might, a peace upon the entire creation.  This misconception of Jesus’ purpose has led many to look mistakenly for a different, imaginary Savior.

 

“Peace on Earth” is not a sense of serenity or an absence of conflict.  Jesus was the peace of God sent into the world to restore fallen man’s ability to find true peace with God and His creation.  Jesus was NOT sent to bring any type of peace into this world.

 

Evidence:

a. 43 full blown wars or military conflicts are raging as we speak

b. Every 9 seconds a woman is abused or assaulted

c. Millions of babies are aborted each

d. Tens of thousands starve to death each day

e. 8000 people per day perish to AIDS in Africa alone

 

Certainly, things are no better naturally than when Jesus came to live among us.  Thus, this peace must be something more, something deeper, something spiritual.

 

 

III. The Need for Jesus to bring PEACE to Earth

 

a. Man created in peace, harmony with God, righteous, and sinless

b. Man fell from the Law and peace perished

c. No peace with their relationship with God (hid from God)

d. No peace within; felt shame  (Knew of their nakedness and attempted to cover it)

e. No peace with each other (blamed each other for their sin)

f. No peace in their relationships (Cain killed Abel)

g. No peace with the earth / environment (thorns and briars)

 

 

IV. What Jesus did to bring PEACE back to fallen men

                             

a. Ephesians 2:12-18

b. Romans 5:12,13; 18-19

 

 

1. Peace with God                    Romans 5:1

2. Inner peace                          Psalm 25:3

3. Peace with others                 Ephesians 2:11-18

4. People of peace                    Matthew 5:9

 

 

‘Jesus” means “Jehovah is Salvation”.  Salvation is simple defined as “peace with God.”  Thus, we may deduct that Jesus was God’s Salvation by providing for men peace with Jehovah!

 

c. Colossians 1:20

d. Luke 2:14*

 

*SHOULD read: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

 

 

V. Peace with God

 

If peace is for those who please God, how do we please Him?

 

Hebrews 11:6

 

To whom is peace then guaranteed?  (Believers)

 

Isaiah 48:22

 

 

VI. Other Scriptures / Thoughts (Re: Peace)

 

1. Matthew 10:34-36; Luke 12:51-53

 

2. John 14:1; 27

 

3. Isaiah 26:3                          Perfect Peace  

                                    1. Trust God + 2. Fixing our minds = 3. Perfect peace

 

4. Psalm 34:13-14; Colossians 3:15  God wants us to SEEK peace

 

5. I Peter 3:11                        We are to avoid evil and obey His Word

 

6. Hebrews 12:24; I Corinthians 13:11; Romans 12:18       Striving for peace with others

 

 

Summary:

Jesus did not bring peace into the world, rather, He WAS the peace that God sent to us.  It was His life, death, and resurrection that gave us access to God and thus, peace with God.  It is only through Jesus that ANY person obtains peace and while that peace is eternally secure. We are instructed to strive to preserve the peace of God within our outer man as well as sharing the peace of the gospel with lost mankind.  True peace has its genesis, formation and completion within the person of Jesus Christ.  His life serves as the supreme example of possessing, maintaining and reaping the benefits of peace from above while amidst the storms and tribulations of this world.  The optimal study of the subject of peace comes from a closer and more focused study of the life of Christ Himself.  May that be our ongoing, life-long labor of love until we see the One who gave us this peace which passes all understanding.