Title: Peace / Romans 12:17-21
What did the resurrected Jesus say first when he appeared to his disciples?
(Mat 28:9) Jesus found them and said to them, “Is it all right?” Then the women went and seized his feet, and worshiped him.
And when Jesus sent out the 70, whoever he met, what did he say first?
(Mt 10:12) Pray for peace as you enter that house.
Greetings from the Jews - Shalom (Peace be with you)
What is the Lord saying in the text we read today?
1. Peace (verse 18)
Peace means 'establishing a right relationship' and 'a happy state without conflicts, quarrels, or fights'
What do you say to make peace with?
① There must be peace between God and us.
For God and us to have peace, we are not separated.
It is being one with God.
We must have peace in our relationship with God.
Why?
What happened when there was no peace with God?
(Genesis 3:8) In the cool of the day, when they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden, Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
(Genesis 3:9) The LORD God called Adam and said to him, "Where are you?
(Genesis 3:10) He said, "I heard the voice of God in the garden, and I was afraid and hid because I was naked.
There is no blessed history.
What happened when there was peace with God?
(John 15:5) I am the vine and you are the branches; if he is in me and I in him, this man bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
(Psalm 1:3) He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither, and all its events prosper.
② There must be peace within me.
Even if you have everything in the world, if you do not have peace in yourself, you are not a happy person.
If there is peace within me, I will become like this.
(Hab 3:17) Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls.
(Hab 3:18) I will rejoice in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
If there is no peace within me, anxiety, worry, worry, anxiety, nervousness, and fear take over.
③ There must be peace between people.
What are you talking about in today's text?
He commands us to make peace with all people.
There should be peace between husband and wife - if they fight every day, the family is unhappy.
There must be peace among the saints.
If we are wary of each other, think strangely, hate each other, curse, slander, and fight, the church will not revive.
But what breaks this peaceful relationship?
(Romans 5:12) Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and just as in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned.
(Isa 59:2) But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face so that you will not hear.
2. What are the desires of the Lord and the desires of the devil?
The Lord wants peace no matter what. relationship is restored, good relationship with each other
But the devil wants to break our peace if possible.
See Genesis 3.
He visits Adam and Eve, who are at peace with God, and breaks the relationship of peace.
The opposite of peace - strife, hatred, fighting, sharing. This is the devil's favorite.
3. To make peace?
① Do not be overcome by evil (verses 17, 21)
The devil attacks us in evil ways to break what we are making peace with.
It causes hatred, anger, heat, or medicine.
What if I lose to this evil then? - What is losing to evil? You raise the heat together, and you go into it.
To be stubborn and act with this mindset of 'Whoever wins, let's try it' is to lose to evil.
Even if I do that, the only ones I like are the devil and Satan.
And what do you say?
(Luke 11:17) Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every nation divided against itself is desolate, and a house divided against itself is destroyed.
(Romans 16:17) I urge you, brethren, to watch out for those who cause strife and stumbling against your teaching, and depart from them.
(1 Corinthians 1:10) I beseech you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be fully united in the same mind and in the same mind.
If we lose to evil, the relationship of peace is broken, and strife and sharing come into it, making us unhappy.
So what does the Bible say?
It is said not to be defeated by evil.
Know that what comes to you in the form of evil is the work of the evil one, the devil, who wants your relationship of peace to be broken through it.
Let's not lose to evil.
Look at Jesus.
What do people do about the sinless Jesus?
(Matthew 26:67) Then they spit in the face of Jesus and struck him with their fists,
(Matthew 26:68) And said, "Prophesy to us, O Christ, who is it that struck you?
What does Jesus do then?
(Luke 23:34) Then Jesus said to them, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Then they divided his clothes and cast lots.
② Leave it to God (verse 19)
When I come to you in an evil way, if I want to overcome it without losing it, do not try to repay me for it, but let God repay the evil.
God sees the evil.
God knows what it is like.
Look at David.
Saul was intent on killing him.
There were plenty of opportunities to kill. But what was the reason for not killing him?
(1 Samuel 24:6) And he said to his men, It is forbidden by the Lord that I should stretch out my hand against my lord, the Lord's anointed, for he is the Lord's anointed.
(1 Samuel 24:7) David forbade his men with these words, so that they would not harm Saul. So Saul got up and went out of the cave and went his way.
God repays
But when people try to repay it, it only causes greater pain.
Is there anything that upsets you? If I try to pay it back, only I get upset. tell God God repays
③ Overcome evil with good (verse 20)
The Old Testament law was an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But what does the Lord say in the Gospel of the New Testament?
(Matthew 5:38) And you have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.”
(Matthew 5:39) I say to you, do not resist the evil one; if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other side also.
(Mat 5:40) And I will bring charges against you, and let those who want the tunic also have the cloak.
(Matthew 5:41) And if anyone compels you to go a duck, walk with him two miles.
(Matthew 5:42) Give to those who ask of you, and do not refuse from those who want to borrow from you.
(Matthew 5:43) And you have heard that it is said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemies.
(Matthew 5:44) I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
(Mat 5:45) And when you do this, you will become sons of your Father who is in heaven, because God makes his sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
(Matthew 5:46) If you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Are not even publicans like this?
(Matthew 5:47) And if you only greet your brothers, what do you add to them over others? Is it not so with the Gentiles?
Yes.
We should rather do the opposite when others curse, persecute, or hate us.
Love more, bless more, like more.