SERIES: The Book of Hebrews
TEXT: Hebrews 13:20-25
MESSAGE: God’s Peace in the Age of Anxiety
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v. 20…“Now the God of peace…”
TEXT: Hebrews 13:20-25
To…(1. Receive True Peace 2. Do God’s Will 3. Live By Grace)
- Receive True Peace (v. 20)
“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord…”
“8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us…10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” — Romans 5:8;10
“The God of peace brings peace through reconciliation…we are most naturally at odds or separated from God. There is something of a spiritual war that needs a peace treaty. How does peace get made? Well, it is the God of peace who makes peace with his warring subjects, his creation. God becomes a man in the person of Jesus Christ to make peace.” — Erik Raymond
“Anxiety is when our very existence is threatened.” — Rollo May
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” — Matthew 11:28-30
- Do God’s Will (v. 21)
“…equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
“Physical healing paled in comparison to the unthinkable abuse my transgressions heaped on my Lord…for the last 50 years in my wheelchair, I’ve been daily dying to self and rising with Jesus, dying to self and rising with Jesus, dying to self and rising with Jesus. My goal is to mortify my fleshly desires, so I might find myself in Christ. God has been answering my prayer, exposing dark things in my heart, things from which I need to be healed. Does God miraculously heal? Sure, he does. But in this broken world, it’s still the exception, not the rule. A “no” answer to my request for a miraculous physical healing has meant purged sin, a love for the lost, increased compassion, stretched hope, an appetite for grace, an increase of faith, a happy longing for heaven, a desire to serve, a delight in prayer, and a hunger for his Word. Oh, bless the stern schoolmaster that is my wheelchair! It’s all to the praise of deeper healing in Christ.” — Joni Eareckson Tada
- Live By Grace (v. 22-25)
“But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. 23 Take notice that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you. 24 Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you. 25 Grace be with you all.”
“Christians are Christians by virtue of certain acts of God which took place at a definite time in the past, but these acts have released a dynamic force which will never allow Christians to stick fast at any point short of that divine rest…only attachment to the unchanging onward-moving Christ could carry them forward and enable them to face a new order with confidence and power.” FF Bruce
TAKEAWAYS: Three heart questions…
- Are you filled with God’s peace?
“If there’s an increasing measure of strife in your relationship with others, and you seem to be filled with more anxiety than peace, and a desire for control than surrender, then perhaps the thing that you are seeking after isn’t God’s best for your life. However, if you’ve drawn nearer to the Lord, are filled with a greater measure of peace and surrender, and the relationships around you are stronger and healthier, then perhaps God’s will has already been accomplished in your life? And the result is secondary? What if the process of discernment is more important than the outcome? And what if God is more concerned with the person you’re becoming, than the place you’re going, or some decision that needs to be made?”
— Daniel Im (Blog entitled “The Most Important Questions When Discerning Your Next Steps”)
- Who’s glory are you living for?
Luke 9:23, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
- What’s the source of your strength?
“…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:6-7