During the French war, there was a train carrying dispatches and messages going back to a particular headquarters for the nation. Now, these dispatches were really important. And so the train was traveling extremely fast and it was also during a time of war. And so they couldn't risk stopping where normally they would stop. And so the engineer for the train took some risks and went faster than expected because of the urgency of the messages that he was going to bring to the headquarters there in France. Now every turn around the corner with the train as, as they're putting coal into the train and it's going faster and faster, the train starts wobbling a little bit. And as they go around the corner and, and uh embankment or over a bridge, the people that were on the train got really nervous and they were really scared and it almost felt like a amusement park ride except it wasn't for amusement. And so everyone was terrified and everyone was scared and hoping that they would make it there during this war time except for one little girl, one little girl was just sitting there smiling whis whistling twirling her thumbs looking out the window, pointing out things in the land. And so finally one passenger turned to this little girl and said, little girl, aren't you afraid? She looked up with a big smile and said, why would I, my dad's the engineer, see in that little girl's mind, she had nothing to worry about because her dad was driving the train in the same way. I think this year could be filled with lots of craziness all around us. It might seem a little rocky things going faster than we feel like they need to be or slower than they need to be. But we don't have to be afraid because our Heavenly Father is controlling the train and so we can find peace even in the midst of storms and troubling times. And so today, I wanna talk to you for a few minutes about wonderful peace Week, one of our series, The Wonder of Cryptos. We talked about wonderful hope. And then last week we talked about wonderful joy. And I want to encourage you to check out our youtube channel or on our website and, and go back and listen to those messages, watch those messages. Well, today, we want to take a deeper dive into what is peace. Where does it come from and how can we experience it? This Christmas? Well, there are two words primarily in the Bible for peace. There is a Hebrew word, Shalom and then a Greek word Irene and they both have a similar meaning and, and simply put here is that peace means complete whole and restored, complete whole and restored. In other words, you are put together. What's interesting is that anxiety at its definition, at its root actually means to be pulled apart. So peace for those watching again, peace is when you are complete and anxiety is when you are pulled apart. In the Old Testament. The idea of Shalom could be used to describe a number of different things. For example, if you had a large brick wall, and if you like, if you think of the wall behind me, if it was complete, it would have Shalom. However, if there was this complex wall behind me, but there were holes in it, it would, it would not be stable and any nudge or push could push over or break down the wall because it did not have Shalom or did not have peace, it was not complete and it was not whole in the same way if something happened between two people that broke the relationship and so people would try to restore the relationship or mend or make whole the relationship. So if an animal was taken or crops was taken, they would repay with additional animals or more grain or more food to restore or to restore the Shalom between people. Also, Shalom was seen as a common greeting in exit and then in the New Testament, you also see this idea of Rene where it say peace be with you or may peace go with you? This idea that you're saying, may you be whole, may you be complete or may you be restored now for those that don't, don't necessarily want to go down the academic route and know Hebrew and Greek words. Let me just put it to you in a way that my mind works. Consider Lagos for a moment. OK? Legos exist of many, many pieces and an individual piece in and of itself is not so significant, but together can build a lot of things. And when all the Legos are in their proper places, then someone experiences shalom or ore, which means again, complete or whole. If the Lego set is missing some pieces, then you're going to see a breakdown of that piece. And when you pull these pieces apart, they end up on the floor and then dad steps on them and does not experience shalom. I'll tell you that right? Because that's what happened. When you experience anxiety. When you experience anxiety, it's the pieces in your life are falling apart, aren't they? And when you experience the Brokenness and the pieces being pulled apart and you step on those Legos and you wanna scream, that is the anxious feeling because you are not complete. You are not whole. Now, Legos have been around for years and they're great awesome toys and I've never understood the markup and pricing I was talking with one of our technicians in the back. Why is it that LEGO says, oh, there's 30 pieces. That'll be $72 right? For Christmas. Have you ever tried to purchase LEGO sets for kiddos? You know what I'm talking about? Well, they just keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger. And so I was curious and I looked it up and the largest current lego set that you can purchase is the Roman Coliseum. So I have a picture of it. This is the Roman Coliseum. Pretty cool, pretty intricate. And there are 9036 pieces in the Roman Coliseum. Good luck with that one. OK. I, yeah, there's no way I would have the patience for that. And with three kids and a dog, there's no way we'd keep all those pieces. And so all these pieces, when you look at it, it's pretty awesome that something so small or something so intricate can be placed together. Well, when all the pieces are together, it forms something pretty amazing. But when the pieces are apart, that's like an anxious feeling or pulled apart and it does not feel complete restored or whole. And for those thinking to themselves, wait a second. I thought Star Wars was the largest Lego set. Actually, the Roman Coliseum just surpassed because the Star Wars Millennium Falcon uh just has 7541 pieces because I know, I know you're curious about that. So now for those that might not be interested in LEGOS just think of a puzzle. Do we have any puzzle makers out there? Anyone who likes making puzzles? Ok. Those hands went up really fast and you got some judgmental looks from other people in the room. My apologies. It's because we're not patient and so we can't wait to finish a puzzle. Well, well, those that like to put puzzles together in a sense like to restore or make peace to that because when you're, when you are done with a puzzle, there is a satisfaction that comes when you complete or make whole an image. Now, I saw hands in the back. I, I see Jeff Sonar in the back. I'll just pick on him for a second. Uh Jeff, I have a challenge for you. There is a puzzle that's available on Amazon. We're gonna go ahead and pull it up here. Uh There is 51,300 pieces. And so we are going to purchase this for Jeff and see how long. No, no. So, you know, can you imagine 51,300 pieces in a puzzle? That just, yeah, that seems crazy. I think, I think I read online that it's 28 ft wide. So we're going to give it to you today and hopefully by next Christmas, uh you can have the border figured out and then we'll go in. But you guys understand where I'm going with this, OK, you have individual pieces and when they are put together, they create shalom or Rene or peace. And so when you think of peace, not as simply the absence of war, but instead the presence of Christ that allows you to maintain completeness and wholeness within you, see, peace is not necessarily about circumstances around you, but instead a mindset inside of you. And so you can be completely surrounded by difficult and challenging circumstances. But when you have faith and belief in Jesus, you are internally whole, complete and restored and then can go out and help other people become complete whole and restored. So let's walk through scripture and see what, what God has to say about this concept and idea of peace. First in Isaiah chapter nine verse six. Again, this is about 700 years before the coming of Jesus. And so we have a prophecy that then is fulfilled in the Christmas story. And here it is for, for to us, a child is born to us. A son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be wonderful counselor, mighty God everlasting father, prince of peace. So you see that Jesus Christ himself, the coming of Jesus. This Christmas season is that he brings with him peace. He brings with him wholeness, he brings with him restoration in Romans in the letters of the Roman church. Paul writes this in chapter five verse one. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God. We have restoration with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Well, how in fact, did God make peace? How did Jesus make peace for you? And for me? Well, it says that same author Paul writes to the letter to a church in Colossi Colossians chapter one verse 20. He says, and through him to reconcile to himself, all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace, how by the blood of his cross? In other words, when Jesus died on the cross, we went from separated to whole, we went from broken to bless, we went from darkness to light and we went from restless to peace. When Jesus was on earth and he was ministering to people in those final days in that upper room with his disciples, he had just told them that he was going to leave them. Now, they didn't understand that he meant dine on a cross so that they could experience peace. And so he tried to offer encouragement in John chapter 14 verse 26 and 27. And he said, and though I leave, he says, but the helper, the Holy Spirit whom the father will send in? My name will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance, all that I have said to you. Peace. I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives, do I give to you? Let not your hearts be troubled. Neither let them be afraid. This is an incredible promise. If you're gonna underline any verses today, I would underline John chapter 14 verse 27. Because here in this verse, we see that Jesus promises and gives peace, not as the world gives, you don't order piece on Amazon and wait for Amazon prime and a drone to drop it at your doorstep. Ok. I'm just waiting for a drone. Has anyone received a drone delivery yet? I'm just waiting for it and kind of excited anyway, it's not something you order and then it gets delivered to your door. It's not something that you go out and, and find it's not an Easter egg hunt where you're going, looking for prizes and eggs. No, it's something that God has promised to give to you through the Holy Spirit. He does not give as the world gives, which means that our piece is not dependent on the world. I don't think anyone predicted the craziness of this year, but in the craziness of 2020 you can still have peace because peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of Christ, peace is given from Jesus through the Holy Spirit so that internally you can be made whole. Isn't that awesome? Paul writes to the church in Ephesus in Ephesians chapter two verse 14 referring to Jesus. He says, for he himself is our peace. If you are looking for peace. Look for Jesus. It says, who has made us both one and who has broken down in his flesh, the dividing wall of hostility. So he broke down the walls of his hostility and brought whole and restored our souls with his. This is where peace is found and this is why peace is possible. Colossians 315 says this let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts to which indeed you were called into one body. This idea of ruling in your heart is like letting peace be the umpire, calling the balls and strikes. What filter are you viewing the world and who has control of your emotions? It's not. And let CNN rule rule your heart or let Fox News rule your heart. Let social media rule your heart. Let the status and prowess and possessions of your neighbor rule your heart. No, let your emotional state. Let your wholeness and completeness be decided by the peace of Christ which he has promised and given to you. It's not the outside world, it's the inside mindset. And so then you can be thankful for that. When you let peace dictate response, it changes everything. You know, emotions make great fuel for the fire, but they make a horrible master in your life because when you allow emotions to rule in your life, then they become the decision makers. Now emotions add fuel to the fire, they add flavor to the meal, right? No one wants to be in a marriage where there is no love, no passion and no joy. No one wants to be in a friendship where there's not laughter and give and take friend Michael Murta sitting here down front who cheers for a team that I can't even name but, but we're still friends and we banter back and forth and we enjoy that right. There is something about that. But when you make decisions for life based on your emotions and that means you're handing the keys to your life to the world and say, ok, you tell me how I'm supposed to feel today. Hey, news on television, you tell me how I feel today, that negative comment that someone said in passing because they had a horrible day themselves. But I don't acknowledge or know what they're going through. I've instead personalized that throwaway comment. And now the rest of my day is wrecked because I allowed my emotions to dictate my peace instead of allowing peace to fill you to make you whole. And then says, you know what that hurt, you know what I'm angry, you know what I'm worried. But because of Jesus, I'm whole and I don't need you. I don't need it. I don't need that to be whole. I already am. I already am restored and now you can live with peace and from peace because God gives not as the world gives says in Philippians chapter four says, don't be anxious about anything but in everything through supplication and thanksgiving, put your request before the Lord. And then in verse seven, it says in the peace of God which surpasses all understanding. See, this is what I love when God gives you peace. Sometimes you don't even understand it. It will guard your hearts. So notice, connect see the connection between the Colossians verse and this one says, let the peace of Christ rule your heart. And then it says, and if you do that, then peace will actually guard your heart. Have you ever met somebody walking through such an intense, difficult circumstance? But they seem ok. How is that possible? Well, they have the peace of God which surpasses human explanation, but that's ok because it's not human peace, it's supernatural. Peace, it's peace, wholeness and restoration that only comes from God says, it will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ last verse here, Matthew chapter five. And what's known as a sermon on the mount. There's this phrase in here that says, blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called Sons of God. See, once you have peace, once you have been made whole, you can go around and help others become whole. And so now you can restore creation, you can renew relationships, you can refresh people's spirit, you can walk into a room and inspire and encourage. Let me ask you a question. I've said this before, but I think it's still really timely today are people more happy when you walk into the room or when you leave it, right? Everyone has that person in the workplace or in the community where like, if you're in the workplace and, or in a room or in a classroom, if you're a student and that one student walks in and everyone goes, oh, I, or can you be the person who walks into the room? And everyone's like, yes, why? Because there are people in your life that when you have conversations with them, you are lifted up, you are encouraged because that person is a peacemaker. Not a piece faker, not someone who walks in and goes, how are you doing? I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. All the guys in the room laughed because if you're in a relationship, you understand that if your significant other says to you, I'm fine. You 100% know that she is not fine that you have to go through that and figure out what's going on, right? But we do that. We do the same thing in church. I mean, I'm glad physically everyone came in with mass today. But also how many of us walk in emotionally with masks and say, how are you? I'm great. I'm blessed. God is good all the time, all the time. God is good. Hey, when really you are hurting, you're struggling. Peace doesn't mean that you're not gonna hurt or that you're not gonna struggle. Peace means that you can persevere and that your identity, your wholeness is not based on your circumstance, but instead on Christ. And if you have that, then you know that you can get through whatever valley you're walking through and you can take people along with you and you can be a peacemaker in your job, in your relationship, in your community, in your school. And everywhere you go, you are bringing God's peace. God's Shalom, God's arena and you are helping a community become whole. If you're taking notes, watch it online, wherever you're engaging with us today, I want you to write this down. This is our big idea for today. And it comes directly from a quote by a guy named Irwin mcmanus. And he said this peace comes when you stop trying to control the world around you and instead take responsibility for the world within you. Peace comes when you stop trying to control the world around you, but instead take responsibility for the world within you. When you do that, you recognize that you are already whole, that changes the mindset, doesn't it? Well, how can we experience peace right now this week? Let me share with you four practical ways that you can experience the peace of God right now as we head into the Christmas season, I guess we're technically in the Christmas season. But as we head into the Christmas holiday, number one, you can experience the peace of God. When God's presence, calms your heart. Where do kids go when they're scared? Mom and dad? Have you ever had a friend or a loved one? Go away for a period of time. Maybe they're traveling and it's stormy out or maybe they're serving our country and the military overseas. Why do you feel anxious? Do you ever think about it because your relationship is here and for a time being, you feel pulled apart right now, picture that anxious feeling you have for your kids or for your spouse or for a friend and then they call you or they return or they just message you to let you know that they're ok. What happens? You can take a deep breath because presents calms your heart. Here's what's awesome about Christmas. Well, there's a lot of things awesome about Christmas, but one of them is that Jesus, the prince of peace is also called Emmanuel, which means that He is with us that when you believe in Jesus, there is never a separation from that point on. Isn't that awesome? God is always with you? God is for you and God is in you and you have the help or you have peace. That's why the fruit of the spirit includes what peace, I mean, it is attainable, it is fruit that can happen and develop in your life when you acknowledge and recognize and lean into the presence of God. He will calm your heart and that's your emotions secondly, you can experience God's peace this week. When you understand that God's power calms your mind. God's power calms your mind. Maybe you don't have a racing heart. Maybe you're not the person that goes up and down where you get really joyful and then really angry or really depressed or really afraid or really excited and you're going up and down because those emotions come and so you have to respond. Maybe that's not you, but maybe you just can't turn the thoughts off or maybe your mind always goes. Worst case scenario, you don't have to raise your hands because you're probably already thinking what's worst case scenario if I raise my hand? But how many people just internally would say that I'm a worst case scenario, person, how many of you know, someone who is a worst case scenario person? Ok. These are the people that battle on their minds. Well, Paul writes in Romans chapter 12 verse two says, do not be conformed any longer to the patterns of this world. Again, God doesn't give like the world gives instead be transformed by the renewal of your mind. And if you experience God's power, then he will calm your mind. So God's presence calms our heart, God's power calms our mind. And then third God's promise, calms our soul. I repeatedly come back to this, but it's because everything else is based on it. How did God create the world? He spoke it into existence? And so how powerful is God's word? It's eternal, it's forever. So then if God spoke the world into existence and because He is God, he cannot lie when he says, I give you my peace. What does that mean? It means I actually give you my piece. It's not like the sibling or the friend or the spouse who says, ok, I'll be home at five, which really means 630 or when the loved one says, hey, honey, I'm almost ready, which you know, ok, it'll be another 45 minutes, right? Like it's, it is when God says something to you and says, I give you this not as the world gives, but as I give, you can take it to the bank because there is nothing you can do to make God's word. Not true. I'm ok. If people don't believe God's word, it breaks my heart, but I'm ok because my belief is not dependent upon what other people say about it. You know why? Because it's true. My faith and my belief is not based on my actions. It's based on Christ actions and His promises and his promises are better than mine. His strength is better than my strength and His peace is better than anything this world can offer. God's presence, calms your heart. God's power, calms your mind. God's promise, then calms your soul and then fourth God's purpose, calms your will. Call God's purpose, calls your will. This one I struggle with a little bit. So I just wanna be transparent with you because I'm a type, a driven person like let's go. Right. And we can just grind it out. Sometimes in life, there are certain situations you cannot grind it out. You know what I'm talking about? Like these are the people that when things get stress, stressful, they just start doing stuff. What are you doing? I don't know, but I'm doing a lot. This is the person that when they are lost, they start speeding up. Where are you going? I don't know. But I'm making great time, right? But here's the beauty of it is that if you believe in God's purpose for your life, it calm. He calms your will because if it's not God's time, it will not happen. But if it is God's time, you cannot be stabbed. And so, so much of this world is left feeling unknown about what am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do? That's when the peace of God can rule in your heart. Because understanding that you are part of God's purpose, God's kingdom, God's child and he's created you on purpose with purpose as his workmanship to complete His good works, which He prepared for you in advance. Then we can trust and say, ok, God, I don't know what tomorrow brings, but I do know that today I will be obedient. I'm not sure what's going to happen in my relationship three years from now, but today I'm going to be faithful. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to go out and do and find my purpose and discover this and that and take your career test or personality test or strength finder test. I'm not sure what any of those say. I mean, those are all great resources, but I've done all of them and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do, but I do know that I can obey your word and love you with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and love others. The way that you have loved me, not knowing your tomorrow should not keep you from obeying today and being faithful with the task. That's right in front of you right now. That meeting that conversation, that email, that responsibility that you have. Are you faithful there? Are you being faithful where God has currently planted you? Because if you are, God will open up those future doors and he can call me your will. God's presence, calms your heart. God's power calms your mind. God's promise, calms your soul and then God's purpose calms your will. And you can experience the peace of Christ, the Shalom, the arena when you recognize that it is God who makes you whole and that you are not some broken piece or LEGO on the floor, but rather you have been created in the image of God and God loves you and that we celebrate Christmas because it means the coming of the prince of peace. Will you pray with me dear heavenly Father? Thank you for who you are. Thank you for saving us. Thank you for making us complete and making us whole. You are our peace and that you give peace, not like the world gives. And so God, I pray that you can move in and throughout this group and all those watching online right now. And I pray that we can experience your peace, that you can calm our hearts. You can calm our minds, you can calm our souls that you can calm or will help us understand that our completeness, our wholeness is made through you and it was made on the cross. And as we spend these next moments in communion gown, I pray that we can take these elements and reflect on the peace that you made on the cross. And how with you, we have been made whole and we are lacking nothing. And it's not about the circumstances around us, but your spirit inside of us that allows us to experience amazing and wonderful piece. Thank you God and your sons. And we pray.