9A Worship

How much would you be willing to pay for peace? 

Christians are commanded to live at peace with others, “if possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Romans 12:18)

We pray for peace in our world. We pray that age-old adversaries would no longer seek to kill each other but would live at peace. Bomb and bullet makers would go out of business. But world peace does not seem possible … until every human heart has been dramatically changed by the work of God.

Setting aside global peace for a moment … how much would you be willing to pay for personal peace?

If Christmas is what it claims to be … God breaking into this world to bring what we need most but cannot get anywhere else … then peace, personal peace, is a gift only He can give us.

Peace grows as our understanding of who Jesus is grows.  Peace grows as our love of Jesus grows. Peace grows as our trust in Jesus grows. 

The peace God gives a Christian takes root and begins, slowly at first, to gain ground. The peace God provides begins to clear out interior storerooms filled with bitterness, fear, resentment, pain, and our desire to “get even.”  His peace brings a calm and confidence, and even compassion, for those we were silently, or not so silently, at war with. His peace is beautiful. He peace is freedom. His peace came that first Christmas … born in Bethlehem.

 “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:13-14)

The Hopes and Fears of all the years are met in THEE tonight!

How much would you be willing to pay for peace? Real peace. 

It is a pearl of great price, a treasure buried in a field. Most of us would be willing to pay any price for such peace … and then we discover it is a free gift of God!