Sunday Recap: The Price of Peace (12/3/23)

Recap from Sunday, December 3, 2023

Sunday Recap outlines sermon notes, testimonies, and announcements to encourage you throughout your week and inspire you to fear less and love more.

This week we kicked off a new sermon series called “Not What I Expected” where we’ll explore the advent or coming of Christ in anticipation of the Christmas Holiday. It’s clear from life and scripture, that God rarely comes in the form we expect and if we’re not careful, we’ll miss him.

Stemming from Isaiah 9:6, we will look at what they expected of the Messiah and how Jesus exceeded their disappointments and turned their world upside down. Enjoy this recap of the Prince of Peace with a sermon called “The Price of Peace.”

The Price of Peace

Typically, I don’t like conflict. I will usually avoid it at all costs in order to not have the difficult or awkward conversations. Why? Because I typically don’t like to hurt people’s feelings. So I tend to stay away from actions that I perceive will lead to that.

I also don’t think my feelings are unique. I believe that most people don’t want to hurt other’s feelings and as a result tend to avoid having the hard conversations.

You may have family members that are tough to get along with because they’re loudly opinionated. There may be co-workers that cause anxiety the moment you see their name in an email or hear them coming around the corner. There is so much behavior we accept from people as “their personality” because we somehow have been led to believe that this is the way to peace.

So why do we allow it? Because somewhere inside, we’ve concluded that it cost too much in time and energy to face our conflict head on. We’re already stressed enough in life so the thought of adding more in the name of resolving issues, fatigues us, often leading to inaction. Consequently, we settle for a peace that is no peace at all.

As we explored the Biblical definition of peace on Sunday, we discovered that true peace requires sacrifice. Peace in itself is expensive! It costs us to sacrifice something we desire and maybe even need to prefer the needs of someone else. This is why much of the tension of war and conflict exists in the world – because one side is unwilling to let the other side win. True peace is achieved through humility and not force.

This is why the disciples were confused at Jesus’ departure in Acts 1:6 why he had not yet as the expected Messiah, given them the demonstration of the Prince of Peace. Their confusion was understood because society and prophetic interpretation had convinced everyone that the Messiah would bring peace outwardly. However, Jesus gave us the revelation that peace begins within. That God’s promise of peace through the Messiah would be in our hearts by reconciling sinners back to God.

The next time you want peace in your life, remember you’ll have to give up something to get it. Maybe it will be your pride. Maybe it will be you having the last words in an argument. Maybe it will cost you sarcasm in that next email at work.

This is the price of peace: it cost us!

Why would you pay this? Because you realize that what God has in exchange for it is more valuable. Do you want the marriage to work? Do you want the relationship repaired? Do you want the fruit of God’s Spirit?

Make the hard choice to pay the price.

Grab Your Spot to Speak Up

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Secure your space today at fearlesslove.church/speakup