Charles Stanley - Jesus, The Prince of Peace
Which one of these words best describes your present emotions? Conflict. Hopelessness. Anger. Emptiness. Loneliness. We can just go on down the list of those emotions that oftentimes just absolutely overpower people. I wonder where the emotion of peace fits in that. For some people they say, well, peace is sort of out there somewhere. I don't even know what it is. Sometimes I think I have it. Sometimes I think I don't.
So peace to them is something they hope one of these days they may be able to grasp and maybe able to think sincerely about, now I understand what peace is now that I have it. Do you know what? Most people never will. Because they avoid the very essence of what peace is all about. And in this message, you will hear me talk about what this peace is all about and how you can lose it. And you say, I don't think I ever found it.
I want to show you how you can really find it. And I want us to turn, if you will, to a passage in the Old Testament, and the ninth chapter of Isaiah, and I want to just read this prophecy of the coming of Jesus and how he's described. Then we'll turn to the New Testament to show you what that really means in light of our present day and who we are. Beginning in the sixth verse of Isaiah chapter nine. For a child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us, and the government will rest on his shoulders. And his name will be called wonderful counselor, mighty God. Eternal Father. Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of his government or of peace. On the throne of David and over his kingdoms to establish it and uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. And how will all that happen? The zeal of the Lord of host will accomplish this.
Then I want you to turn, if you will to the 14th chapter of John. In this 14th chapter, Jesus is speaking to his disciples. He's going to be crucified the next day. He's telling them some of the precious things he's said in three years. And he said for example, in the 25th verse in the 14th chapter. These things I've spoken to you while abiding with you. But the helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, there's the Trinity right there in one verse. Look at that. The helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I've told you. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled nor let it be fearful.
Now peace is one of the major subjects in the Bible. Found 332 times. And the apostle Paul, every single one of his epistles will begin like this. Grace and pass be unto you. Sometimes it's all the way down to the third, fourth verse. In the salutation he's always added peace. Now when Jesus is speaking here in this particular time, remember the society he's living. We could say how does God expect me to have peace in a world so full of rebellion and revolution and poverty and dishonesty and lost and murder. We can go on down the list to picture the society we live in. But listen to this. The society which Jesus lived in which he was talking in this time was described or characterized by war, slavery and poverty. Those are the three words that describe that society.
Now he's talking to them about having peace. And he's also at the same time saying, I'm going to lay down my life. Which means, he was going to die. He also said you're going to have tribulation. He also said you're going to be outcast. And he also said, they're going to kill you and think they're doing God a service. Now to be able to talk about peace in that kind of environment, and to mix those comments along with what he said about peace didn't seem to make any sense. And they were confused and they were frustrated. So they were asking him. In fact, he could read that in their minds so he said to them, look, I'm in the going to leave you as orphans. He said I'm going to send the Holy Spirit. He'll be in you with you and upon you. He'll be the one that enables you to do what he wants you is to do. He'll bring to your mind everything I've said so you'll be able to remember it.
In the midst of all of this, this Jesus is talking about peace. When they knew all about war and slavery and poverty. They knew all about the uncertainties of life and the needs of life. And here he was having spent three years with them and now he said, I'm leaving and here's what you can expect. You can expect tribulation. You can expect to be called an outcast. You can expect to even have to lay down your life as a result of following me. All of these things and somehow they just didn't fit. So what I want to talk about in this message is this. In that Isaiah passage Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. We sing about him being the Prince of Peace. We talk about it. We see pictures of it.
Why is Jesus the Prince of Peace? Why is he called the Prince of Peace? Any affect in your life and mine? And the answer is, indeed it does. What I want you to see in this passage here in John primarily, I want you to see how important it is that you and I understand what real peace is. And where real peace comes from. And how many people have been duped into believing they have peace when they really don't. Let's think about it for just a moment. When I think about what Jesus said to them and how they responded, they had a reason to be confused. Because he talked about the fact that he could call down legions of angels and the Father would respond. And now he says, you're going to face tribulation. I'm going to die. They're going to think they're doing God a service because they're going to kill you. It didn't match.
So here's the first thing I want us to look at here and that's simply this. That Jesus secured our peace, listen, through his substitutionary death on the cross. Now watch this carefully. Because there's a difference between peace with God and the peace of God. And so, Jesus by coming, sent by the Father, he came for the primary purpose of doing what? We say he came for the primary purpose of dying on the cross. But what was his goal? His goal was what? To make it possible for mankind, distant from God, these are the words the scripture uses. Alienated. Enemies. Separated.
These are the words that describe man kinds relationship to God. Jesus came in order to do what? To bring sinful, alienated, separated mankind into relationship with a living God. And how did he do that? How could he do that? God being absolutely holy and man being sinful. And the issue was that sin separates man from God. When you trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you experience, watch this. You experience peace with God. The war was over. You gave up your rebellion. You gave up your insisting on having it your way.
You said, Lord, you're right. I'm asking you to forgive me and cleanse me from my sins. Why did he do it? Not simply because you asked. He did it because Jesus, his only begotten Son came into the world and took your sin debt and mine, all of our guilt. All of our personality. He placed upon Jesus Christ who died on the cross, and when he died, what did he do? He closed the gap between sinful mankind and what? Almighty God. He closed the gap. He made it possible. He dealt with the issue. He dealt with the one thing that kept us from being close to God and that's sin. When he died on the cross he paid our sin debt in full and therefore the Bible says, therefore, being justified by faith, we have, watch this, peace with God. Through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now you say what is that justification mean? Therefore being justified by faith. What happens is, when Christ paid our sin debt in full, that made it possible, watch this carefully, for God to look upon sinful mankind and forgive him of his sins and declare him no longer guilty but what? One of his children. And every single person who accepts Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, they join hands with God at that moment. They become a child of God in the family of God or household of God and are eternally secure as the children of God. All because of what Jesus Christ did. He is the Prince of Peace. That's where it all begins. He and he alone. The sinless Son of God. The lamb of God, he and he alone could have paid the price to reconcile man with God.
So when we think about the peace of God and peace with God, that settled the issue, now everybody and everyone can have a relationship with him because Jesus has paid the way and paid the way with his blood. You hear once in a while someone saying, what does all that blood got to do with it? Everything. Because you see all the way back to the garden, all the way through the Old Testament, all those sacrifices were a foreshadowing of the one final sacrifice that would make it possible for the Father to bring together with himself sinful mankind. He secured your peace.
Now watch this carefully. Since he secured your peace and the only peace that's real peace, the only peace that's lasting peace, the only peace that's genuine peace. Since he secured it, why do you think that somehow you and your sinful condition can be brought together in a relationship with holy God and ignore the only one who could have, the only one whom God sent to make it possible to do what? Reconcile sinful man with holy God. You must remember that God is holy. He's holy God. Tolerates no sin. And therefore, cannot excuse sin. He doesn't excuse sin. He forgives. And Jesus Christ's death brought about that relationship. Therefore, when a person says, I don't need Jesus. Tell me what do you have. You have nothing. The testimony of Almighty God is this testimony by Jesus. I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me. Why? Because he is the only one. And that transaction was the only transaction that made it possible for sinful mankind to be joined with the Lord God and have eternal life.
That's the first point. The second point is simply this. When you think about that relationship, think about it in this light. Listen. He not only secured that peace but he is the source of our peace. On a daily basis through our personal relationship with him. Because people say, well sometimes I have peace and sometimes I don't. Listen to these verses. And Jesus makes it so very clear. In this 14th chapter listen to what it says. He said, peace I leave with you. Now watch this. He's the one who secured it. No one else. There's not a soul in history or ever will be who could secure that peace at the cross. Listen what he said. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled nor let it be fearful.
So how do we experience this peace? Now, peace with God means the war is over. I've trusted him as my Savior. I'm his child. What about I have to live on Monday morning. I have to live through difficulty, hardship, trials, tribulation. How do we have peace in a world that's so messed up like ours is? Where can you put your finger on the globe that there's not either revolution, rebellion? Either in its beginning stages or it's hot, whatever it might be, everywhere you turn there's everything and anything but peace. And the world gets smaller and smaller and smaller. More and more dangerous.
How can God expect us to have peace in a world like this? For the simple reason, listen, number one, he made it possible by bringing us together to his Father through his death. Secondly, he came not only to die for us but to dwell in us. He said I'm abiding in you and you are abiding in me. That is, Jesus Christ lives his life in and through the believer in the presence of the Holy Spirit in the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ, in you, Jesus said I'm abiding in you. I'm living in you. You're living in me. He used the branch and the vine, the grapevine to show that relationship that a branch can't produce anything unless it's connected to the vine. The sap that runs in the vine runs in the branch. It's a relationship. Watch this carefully. All true genuine peace is the result of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. There is nothing else that can produce that kind of peace.
Now the word peace simply means this. It simply means to bind together, to weave together. It's an idea, it's a whole idea of being one. When we have his peace, listen, we are one with him. I want to show you how futile it is. How absolutely futile and blinded people are to think they can have peace and reject God. They may have a lifestyle. They don't have peace. It's interesting to me when I talk to people every once in a while people come through the line and they'll give me their problem and so forth and I'll talk about what's going on and the more we talk, the more they tell me, and the more they tell me it's more evident that Jesus is nowhere in the situation. And they trusted this and trusted that and believed her and believed that and somehow, they don't have any peace. Because you see, watch this. I'll say it many times in this sermon.
Peace, the peace of God, that tranquility and calmness and quietness that makes it possible for you to walk through the difficult trying times of your life. That peace comes in a relationship. You can't buy it. You can't barter for it. It is a relationship. And that relationship is only with one person. And that's Jesus Christ. And when I look at these passages and see how, Jesus said, for example, do not let your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe in me. What he's really saying is do not let your heart be troubled any longer. Because what I'm going to say. And then the 14, 15, 16 chapters are wonderful chapters of his assurance that made the whole difference, made all the difference in the world to them .
So when we come to this whole idea of his peace, what kind of peace is that? There is, listen, when you have a relationship with Jesus, there is a sense of quietness and tranquility and calmness that's indescribable. Because what happens? When you have that kind of relationship, you can walk through any kind of difficulty, hardship, pain, suffering, you name it. Because what? Because he's the source of our peace. It isn't something you have to do. It's not something you can buy. Not something, it's his presence. And so, listen. When you have Jesus, you have everything. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit three persons of the Trinity which makes up one the Trinity. When we have him, we have everything we could possibly need.
Paul said, Jesus is our peace. So when you have him, you have peace living and abiding within you. So when you try to describe that peace, I think about it like this. Out in the ocean, winds are 150 miles an hour, waves are humongous. On the surface it is tumultuous. 150 feet deep, quiet, still, calm, nothing going on. When a person learns to walk in relationship with Jesus, it doesn't make any difference what's on the surface. Deep, deep, deep down inside there's something there.
And you see, there's two verses of scripture. I want you to get these two down. Whenever you face anything as a child of God. If you don't believe, it doesn't work. Whenever you face any kind of trial, what do I do first? How do I keep from getting all messed up in my thinking and saying, God, where are you? Two things. Only two. Listen carefully. Number one, here's what you say. You say, Father, here's what you said. You cause all things to work together for my good. Yes, that's what you promise, Lord. God causes all things to work together for good to those who love him and called according to his purpose. Lord, whatever you're going to, you'll turn it for my good.
The second thing you think is this and realize. Lord you said you established your throne in the heavens and your sovereignty rules over everything. You're ruling over my circumstance. You're aware of my circumstance. You know what's going on. You promised to walk with me through it. And you promised to turn it for my good in somehow, some way. No matter what you're going through. When those two verses of scripture become reality within you, and you claim those , and you believe what he said, either it is true or it's not true. And see, the problem is, we come to situations that cause a lot of turbulence and heartache and pain and suffering and tribulation and we say, where is God? That's not the right question. You know where he is. He's living inside of you ready to release the comfort and confidence and the boldness and assurance you need he'll take you through it. If that's not true, then there's nothing to this whole idea of a Christian faith. That's who Jesus is. That's what he was saying to them.
Look. I'm not going to leave you as orphans. He said, I'm going to send the Holy Spirit. Look at this. He said, I'm going to send the Holy Spirit and he'll be in you, with you, upon you. And if you think about this verse for a moment when people say, I don't believe in the Trinity and all that. I want you to listen to this verse. Verse 26 of John 14. Jesus speaking. But the helper and he identifies him, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, there's the Trinity in one single verse. And he said, what is he going to do? When these things come, here's what I want you to remember. The helper, the Holy Spirit within you, living my life through you, listen. He's going to teach you all things, bring all things to your remembrance. My peace, peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. He says, don't let your heart be troubled. Don't let it be fearful. Why? Because I am there. I am with you. I am in you. I'll walk with you through this.
And remember, I'll cause everything going on to turn for your good. And secondly, remember, that I am in absolute control. I can stop it. I can change it. I can leave it because I'm going to accomplish my purpose in it all. A lot of folks say if God is a God of peace, why doesn't he eliminate all this pain? Why doesn't he eliminate all of this? Why do we have to go through all this? Couple of reasons. First of all. Think back in your life. What is it that's driven you to God? Happiness and joy and plenty of money? No. What drove you to God is difficulty, hardship and pain. When do you learn the most spiritual lessons? When you have everything and everybody loves you and everybody thinks you're great and you're wonderful and you have everything? No. When do we learn the greatest lessons? When we are going through things we can't handle. What would you know about the love of God if you hadn't been in situations and circumstances where he just bailed you right out of it.
So when we come to these verses and we talk about what this peace is all about, it's all about, listen, an intimate relationship. Let's say, for example, you're married. You have an intimate relationship with your husband or wife. Now listen, when that relationship is right, it's like a little bit of heaven on earth, right? Well that doesn't sound very encouraging. Let me give you another opportunity. Right? Yet all of a sudden when that relationship is not right, it doesn't make a difference what you do. It's just not right. The same is true in our relationship to him. He made it possible for us to have this awesome relationship with him. Listens to us pray, speaks to our heart, speaks to our mind. Gives us wisdom and direction. Helps us through situations and circumstances. That's who he is.
Listen. He's the one who can calm your fears no matter what you're going through. And your anxieties. What did he say in the fifth chapter of Matthew? Don't be worried about tomorrow. For example. He said your Heavenly Father knows all about your needs. He'll meet those needs. Do you know what our problem is? We don't trust him. I'll show you in a minute why we lose, why do we lose our peace? When we think of his peace and how eternal it is.
I want you to think about the peace the world has to offer. Because you live around friends and you work among people and they're not Christians and they tell you it's a waste of your time going to church. I can't believe you go to church on Sunday. Why are you wasting your time doing that? I believe in God too. My God is good. You've heard all that stuff. Do you know what that is? That's the babblings of ignorance. I'll tell you what else it is. It's the babblings of a coverup. Because they don't have peace. They don't have any tranquility in their heart. If you be around folks like that long enough, do you know what? They'll spill it. They can smile. They can do all the things that make you think that they really got it altogether. And do you know what? They don't even know what peace is about.
So think about their kind of peace. I think about a number of words. And one of them is shallow, unstable, unsatisfying, false. It's not real. I've been a pastor long enough to listen to a lot of people over the years. A lot of times they start out, everything is fantastic. And the longer I listen, the worse it gets. Do you know what? You cannot cover up, you cannot cover up a lack of peace. That's why you see people who are like this all the time... They've got a frown on their face and a frown in their heart. Something is wrong. They can tell you what's wrong, but they can't tell you how to deal with it. Or they'll tell you, yeah, I'm working, everything will be fine.
I think people who are in denial, multitudes of people are living in denial. And they want you to think they have peace. And it's not that I'm being critical of them. I understand what's going on. It's a coverup. They don't have any peace. They don't have any real joy. Just because you're smiling and joking with your friends and partying, and so forth, doesn't mean you have peace. Why does an alcoholic keep drinking? Why does a drug addict stay on drugs? And why do people run from one partner to another? Why do people just develop hatred, animosity, criticizing even the finest of people? What is going on inside of those people? They can have plenty.
You see, here's the way some people spell peace. M. O. N. E. Y. If I have enough of that, I'll have peace. S. E. X. Have enough of that, I'll have peace. And then, you can go right down the list of things people make for peace in them according to what they say. Isn't it interesting that the more of anything you have without Jesus, you just get deeper and deeper and deeper in trouble. Because there's only one answer. Why do we know there's only one answer? Because he's the one who secured peace for us. Secondly, he's the source of our peace. He's what our peace is all about, having him. And I think about, for example, how many people do certain things in their life and they call it, they say, I got peace, but it's an escape. They're just trying to escape from what? Feelings they can't handle.
And once in a while I do this. I don't do it too often. I'll go to a restaurant. I'll slip around and look in the bar. I don't go in. I just look around to see what's going on. And the reason I don't go in is because one time I went in. And looked around. There sat one of my church members. He sat usually about, not in this church, five or six rows back. And when he saw he, he came running out. I was way in line in the waiting line. Dr. Stanley, I didn't know you ate in restaurants. He was so perturbed he didn't know what to do, totally flustered. If I asked him, do you have peace in your life? He didn't have peace. He was looking for somebody. If you're just looking for somebody, you don't have any peace. There's so many substitutes for the real thing.
But the truth is, not a single one of them satisfies. How much money does it take you to have peace? You can't count it. How many cars? How many new clothes? How many friends? You name it. Isn't it interesting, you think we Americans would catch on. Because you read in the magazines or see them, see all the news about all the folks in hollywood, they have so many things if I had that, here's what I would have. You see their pictures on the front of the magazines in the grocery stores and they just got divorced. In other words, wake up! Look around. You don't find peace in any of those things. You find peace, listen, you say I love my occupation. Wonderful. But that's not the source of your peace. It's not even the source of your security. You can lose that in a day. The only peace that is lasting is a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. And the tragedy is, most people will go through their life still looking, still searching.
I tell you what they're like. They're like a walking civil war. On the outside, man they're looking sharp. They're looking fine. On the inside there's lust. On the inside there's bitterness. On the inside there's anger. On the inside there's indifference. On the inside there's unbelief. In other words, all of these emotions on the inside. You can cover it up on the outside to some degree but if they speak, they'll reveal it. After a while they can't put on the fake smile anymore. They're a walking civil war. Think about this. Your body is so built that when you have all this anger, bitterness, resentment, hostility. All of these attitudes, lack of love, greed, selfishness, pride, arrogance. On and on we could go.
Here's what happens, your mind is containing that. And your mind is affecting your body. And your body is responding to it. And you can ask anybody who knows anything about the human body. All of that is destructive to the human body. Peace, genuine peace is the best antidote I know for health. For the simple reason when you start thinking the way Jesus thinks, everything about your system works better. Are you saying if I have peace and I'm not going to have this, I'm not saying you won't have this, that or the other. I'm just saying what I know is the absolute truth. That emotions affect the physical body. And Jesus, listen, he desires that you and I have peace in our heart. In our life. We may have peace with him. But if we don't have the peace of God something will be missing in our life.
Look if you will to Isaiah 57:20. But wicked are like the tossed sea for it cannot be quiet. And its waters toss-up refuge and mud. Listen to this. There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked. There isn't any peace. What I want you to see is all the things you try to bring about peace in your life, there is no peace. The scripture says in 59th chapter eighth verse, they don't know the way of peace. Why? If you avoid Jesus Christ in your life, you're not going to ever have any peace. Never. He is our peace. When you have him, you have a relationship. Watch this. A relationship in which he'll never reject you. A relationship he will never leave you. A relationship, he's not in the business of criticizing you. He may bring to your mind and heart, convict you of sin but that's not being critical. He's saying this needs to go in your life.
Everything your heart desires is to be found in a personal, relationship with Jesus Christ. Because in that relationship you make right decisions. You make wise decisions. You don't just let your life float. But you have a sense of purpose and direction in life. Because that's who he is. And he's living his life in you. Then I would say one other thing at that point. Jesus is the sustainer of our peace through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. It isn't enough just to have him. We see the difference in his peace and the world's peace but he's the one who sustains that peace which means it doesn't have to come and go. You mean to tell me I can get to the point I won't have any of this, that? I'm not saying that. Here's what I'm saying. I'm saying what Jesus said. He said in the 16th chapter of John 33rd verse. These things I've spoken to you. Watch this. So in me, you may have peace. Now watch this. In the world in which you live, you have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world and I am your life. There's to victory. He doesn't say we'll not have heartaches and troubles. He says, I'm in you.
Now, I want you to think about this. Turn to 2 Thessalonians for a moment. Look at this passage. Sometimes one verse will hit somebody and another verse will hit someone else. Look in 2 Thessalonians and the third chapter. And look at this verse. Verse 16 of the third chapter of 2 Thessalonians. Now may the Lord, watch this. Now may the Lord of peace himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. Not in some of them, but in all of them. There is a way, he will give us a peace to walk through anything and everything in life no matter what it is. And I can remember on occasion when I got a phone call that would normally have just wiped me out. I remember putting the phone down and this overwhelming sense of peace just covered me. Even I was surprised. I thought, God, I remember exactly what I said to him. In the process. It had to be his peace. Because it could never have been mine and could never have been anyone else's. Overwhelming sense of absolute tranquility. Confidence and assurance that he would lead me right through it all.
That's who he is. That's the kind of peace that he gives. No matter what we face. In other words, there's no limitations to his peace, we have to be sure we're looking at the right place for him. I want you to turn to 119 Psalm if you will and look at 165 verse. Listen carefully now. 119 Psalm, 165 verse. Those who love your law have great peace and nothing causes them to stumble. You say, what does that mean? All right, listen carefully. How many of you believe the Bible? Say amen. How many of you love the Bible? Say amen. All right, thank you very much.
Now, if you love someone, what do you do? You give them time, right? You show genuine interest in them. You want to learn how they think, how they feel, what makes them, motivates them like they are. In other words, you are genuinely interested. Now here's what the Bible says. If I love the word of God, if I love the word of God, I will read it, I will meditate upon it and I will obey it. If I love it I'm going to read it. I'm going to meditate upon it. I'm going to obey it. He says, if I love his law, I will have his peace. Because when I face something that's a challenge to me, the first thing I do is go to the word of God. Why?
Watch this carefully. If I read that, not quote, if I read it, that word similar printed on my brain, my mind. If I love God's word he will so work in my heart that he'll work me through whatever I'm facing. And I won't stumble. I'll have his peace. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled. The first thing to do when you find yourself troubled is get in the word of God. Listen. Watch this. What you're doing is you're absorbing the mind of God in your life at that moment to deal with this. And he is the God who deals with any and everything we face. He's the God of peace. That's what he wants for our life.
Let me ask you a question. What do you own that brings you peace? You say, I got the finest automobile you can buy. How fast can you wreck it? You see, you can't think of anything. In other words, you do not own anything. When I see people grasping and lying and cheating and stealing and making all kinds of decisions to get more money. Besides ending up in jail and prison and whatever it might be. How futile to look for anything else than peace through Jesus. He is it. Now, how do you lose it? How do you lose your peace? Say you're saved. I've lost it. How do I lose it? Number one. It's a three-letter word. What is it? Sin. You say, how does that make me lose? Watch. You don't lose your peace with God. You lose the peace of God in your heart. Here's what sin does.
Sin, for example, creates strife between you and the Father. In other words, there's a disconnect. All of a sudden you're rebelling. In other words, sin is a form of rebellion maybe what you call a little lie, whatever it might be. Sin does what? Causes us to lose our peace. And so you sin against God, and your conscience begins to work on you. You don't have any peace. When your conscience is working on you, you don't have any peace.
That's the first thing. The second way you lose it is doubt the promises of God. Let's say you are facing something in your life. What am I going to do? My God shall supply all my needs by riches in Christ Jesus. I know that's what it says but what you're doing is doubting God and you don't have any peace. Listen. You can't have peace and doubt the peacemaker and the one who is your peace. That's two ways. There's a third way you lose it. Look at this. By projecting on today tomorrows cares. How many times have you said next week, what will I do next Thursday, Friday? And Jesus made a specific statement in his word not to do that. And he says it for example, in Matthew 6 listen to this. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you. He's been talking about needs.
So, listen to this, very clear statement. Do not worry about tomorrow. For tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34. So how do we lose our peace? Worried about tomorrow. One last thing, watch this. Somebody says, yeah, but there's one you forgot. What about when somebody mistreats me? How can I have peace when somebody mistreats me? Watch this. Nobody can steal your peace. You have to give it up. You have to give it up. They can't take your peace. That's the gift God's given you. You have to give it up. If they criticize you and characterize you as being something you're not, or kinds of things they can do to you, they can't steal your peace. Don't believe what they say. You know it's not true. What happens? Nobody can take your peace. You have to give it up. And you shouldn't give it up. You have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He is your peace.
And remember this. He said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. I don't have to give up my peace. I can choose to give it up. But I don't have to. And remember what Paul said about it. It's a peace that is so awesome, it passes all human understanding. So he says it this way. He says, don't be anxious about all these things. But in everything, by prayer and supplication can thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God will surround you like a garrison and a fort, surround you to protect you from whatever is going on in your life.
If you've never trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, listen carefully. You don't have peace. And you will never have peace until he becomes your Savior and your life. Now, you don't have to believe me. Look around. Look at your own life. What is the source of your peace? Is it something you own? You can lose it. Is it some reputation you have? You can lose that. No matter what it is, there's only one source of true genuine peace. And that is a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. You say how do I have that? Here's the way I have it. You acknowledge the fact distant from him. You say I believe in God. What kind of God is this you believe in? Here's the God you must believe in. Jehovah God who sent his Son into the world to close the gap between you and him. That's the God of the scripture. That's the one true God. The moment you're willing to acknowledge that and you sinned against him and you do sin against him and you're a sinner by heart.
You say I'm not as bad as others. That's not the issue. The issue is you've violated the laws of God. Broken the laws of God. Sinned against God. And the only way to deal with that is to bring it to him. And to bring it to him through his Son Jesus Christ who went to the cross and paid your sin debt in full. You ask him to forgive you of your sins, surrender your life to him. Here's what he does. He sales you at that moment with the Holy Spirit of promise. That is the Holy Spirit. The person of the Trinity. Forever a child of God. And this peace that I'm talking about can be yours immediately if you, listen, if you will begin to simply look to him as your peace. Get in the word of God and begin to read it. Watch God work in your life. Transform your life.
Let me say one more time. There is no peace apart from Jesus. God said it. There is no peace for the wicked. None. God said it. I didn't say it. God said it. You say, I'm not wicked. If you turned your back upon Jesus, you are. Because you turned your back upon God. Jesus said I'm the way, the truth and the life no one comes to the Father but by Me. And you said I'll have none of that. That's wicked. You say that's just your opinion. Well, just read the scripture and you'll find out this. Rebellion against God is sin and God is holy. He doesn't tolerate it. Will he forgive you? Yes, only through Jesus. Once he becomes your Savior, everything else we've said about the peace of God becomes yours. And that's my prayer for you.
Father, how grateful we are that you've left nothing unturned. That there's not a single circumstance in life in which we will ever have to go through that you'll not be there with us to walk through it with us. That means we can experience your power, your assurance, your confidence, your boldness. And we thank you for making it possible for us to live victoriously in a world that is so defeated by sin. I pray for the person who is seated here this morning who knows in his or her heart there's no real peace there. That today they would say yes to Jesus Christ. Yes today, yes to him, yes today. And Father, for every single believer seated here who is going through difficulty, hardship, troubles or trials, just let this truth sink deep into their heart. It is the truth, divine truth, godly truth, biblical truth. And it works every time. And this we ask in Jesus' name, amen.