The Joy Of Peace

1. Rom. 12:16-21. Why did God give Christians this command? Because God knows that you can never be happy with strife in your life. An undeniable fact of life is that happiness and strive cannot exist together. In mathematical terms they are described as mutually exclusive. They do not mix, fit together, they cannot coexist together at the same time. You can never be happy when you have strife in your life with another person. God understands that, the Holy Spirit understands that, the apostle Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to help us understands that.
(1) It is for this reason that the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write these words, and so for emphasis sake, let’s read it again, Rom. 12:16-21
a. Paul, God’s spokesman tells us how to live in the harmony that pleases and glorifies God. And not only does it please and glorifies God, but it will help every Christian grow spiritually. It’s important that you grow up spiritually. If you don’t your Christianity will not be appealing to the world and the kingdom of God will not grow numerically. Vs. 16, says, "Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of a lower position." That means don’t be a snob, conceited, look down nose, think you’re better, treat with contempt, be prejudiced.
(A) Pride is the major obstacle to congregational harmony. Social bigotry kills harmony. When
the standard of status is measured by having more money, education, possessions, job
of higher position you will being to think you’re better than other people. Right now we
need to ask an important question. Can you have harmony and social bigotry at the same
time? Can there be peace and harmony when you treat others with the contempt of bigotry?
Did you know that pride not hard to spot unless, you are afflicted with it your self? It is very
difficult to see it in yourself.
(1) But it’s not hard to spot. The proud person is usually very opinionated. Their opinion's
are always better than other people’s. They will always find a way to have their own
way and force their opinions on others. Question? Have you ever done that in your
family? Ever tell your mate how to do things, as if your opinion is better than their's?
Ever done that to your children. Share a story I’ve told before about an elder in a
congregation. This elder and his family tarted to church. Son was wearing his floods,
(Pants that only come down to the top of his socks). And his’s socks did not match
and they were outlandishly offensive. Not indecent, immoral he said. But, in my
opinion they were not the proper attire for church. “Change your socks. H e didn’t
want to change. Big argument broke out and I won. I made him change those
awful socks and we went to worship.”
(2) We brought friends home for Sunday dinner. The brother noticed my son’s attitude toward me was cold. He asked what was the problem. After my explanation he asked, “Were those socks really that important, did they really make that much difference?" With tears in his eyes the elder said, “Two years later my son died at the age of eighteen. And I cannot get those socks out of my mind. I can't forget that I treated my son with contempt and that my arrogant pride would not let me respect my son's harmless choice.”
(a) Did you know that your opinions are often, the symptom of your arrogant
pride? Did you ever have that problem in your own life? In your relationship at
home with a member of your own family, or at work with a fellow employee,
or with a member of the congregation?
(b) Did you ever have to deal with someone who always knows best, and always has to have it their way? Do you know what they are saying? “I’m better than you. I’m the only one who has the answers and I always know what’s best.”
(B) That’s why Paul tells us in Phip. 2:2-4. If All Christians would make that their life habit it would solve 90% of all the problems that arise in a congregation.

(1) Paul says, “We are to be of one heart and one mind. But, how do we do that Paul? There is only one way...."Be like Jesus." In Vs. 5-8, He tells us how.
(2) But, how Paul? How do I do that? You be like Jesus in your humility. You honor other people’s needs above your own, you honor other people’s opinions as better than your own. Here’s the Holy Spirit’s command, here’s the imperative, here is the absolute directive, "You, as Christians, are to live in harmony.....period." It's that cut and dried.
b. Listen to Paul’s directive to the congregation in Rome. Rom. 12:17-18. That says that if you have a problem with someone in the congregation, you’re first obligation is to make sure the fault is not yours. There will always be someone in a congregation who is proud, arrogant, stubborn, hard-headed and those attitudes will alwlays cause trouble, strife and division. Satan uses those kinds of people to cause strive, disunity and division. You do not harm, split, destroy or cause division in a congregation. Your personal responsibility is to make sure that you are not the person who is at fault. You make sure you are not the person causing that strife.
(A) We have Bible examples of how to handle these kinds of problems. In Gen. 13: Abraham goes where ever God tells him to go. And because Lot goes with Abraham he shares in the blessing God pours out on Abraham. As God prospers Abraham he becomes very wealthy. Those blessings spill over on to Lot and he also becomes very wealthy. Gen. 13:6-8, says that as time go on, "...the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. And quarreling arose between Abram's herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. So Abram said to Lot, "Lets not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers." There is strife, bitterness, division over grazing rights. Abraham goes to Lot and says, “We are brethren, family and this is wrong. You pick what you want and it's yours." Question? Could you have done that? For the sake of peace and unity in your family could you do that? This is the patriarchal age and Abraham is the head of the family. He is the Boss. Yet, he gave his nephew first choice.
(1) Lot was filled with pride. He forgot who made him rich and he chose the best for himself. A symptom of pride is greed that has no respect for others. Lot selfishly takes the best for himself. Proud men are easy to recognize.
(2) Guess what? It doesn't upset Abe one bit. He is happy and content with taking the left overs. Why? He knows that his prosperity is from God. Prosperity is in God not in the land. Therefore, God will prosper him no matter where he is.
(B) Abraham did not have to quarrel, steal, cheat to be prosperous. He knew God would always provide and so he was content in God’s provision. Lk. 12:15, "Jesus said, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the
abundance of his possessions." Abraham was content with the leftovers. Therefore, he
was at peace with the leftovers. Question? How many of you could be content with the
leftovers so that you could be at peace with God? So you could have peace in this
congregation?
(1) To be a friend of God you must be at peace with God. To be at peace with God you must be at peace with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Remember, your selfish sin will separate you from your brothers and sisters. If there is a separation
you need to take away, remove what ever is separating you. Be at peace with
yourself, be at peace with those around you and be at peace with God.
(2) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 08/24/03 am