Prince of Peace
Have you been wondering if it’s even possible to experience peace in such a chaotic turbulent season? In Part 4 of our Arrival series, our Connections Director Naseem, preaches on the true meaning of peace – SHALOM.
Teaching Notes
How do I experience peace in the midst of a chaotic, turbulent year? Is peace even possible?
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
Jesus IS our prince of peace
Mark 4:35-40
35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.”
36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.
38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” 39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
Sometimes we have to go through the storm to get to the other side.
The storm in your life is NOT the absence of peace, but Jesus in the boat WITH YOU is the presence of peace.
The Hebrew word for peace is SHALOM
SHALOM: “having the teeth to destroy the authority of chaos.”
There are conditions for receiving His peace:
- Fix your mind on Jesus
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3)
Ask yourself: what is mind fixated on? Am I more concerned with the storm or circumstance than on trusting Him? What is the storm showing me about how I am trusting Him?”
2. Bring your worries and anxieties to Jesus in prayer
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)
**“Guard” in this verse literally refers to a military guard’s protection of a fortress. It’s a promise.
3. Obey the Words of Jesus
John 15:
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
We bear the fruit of peace THROUGH abiding in Him and obeying Him.
Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God”
- Be still: active verb: letting go, surrendering
- We “let go” in order to objectively know His power and peace.
We can be at peace with uncertainty because we are certain of His presence.