Jesus Is Our Peace
Day 1
Read Ephesians 2:11-22
When I was studying this passage, it took me a while to get the point that Paul was making about the unity between the Jews and the Gentiles. In my context, I just didn’t see that as a big enough deal to need a half of a chapter in the Bible about. Culturally I didn’t fully understand it. But the more I sat and thought about it and the implications of it all, it made me see so many of the other divisions that we have between each other that keep us separated and miss the point of the Gospel. Especially in Southwest Pennsylvania. I don’t know that there is a day that goes by that I don’t hear of a feud in some family. Think for one second of someone that you know that has been separated from their family because of some sort of disagreement or whatever. I bet that didn’t take long to get an example and I would also bet that the majority of people reading this probably had an example a little too close to home!
The gospel, if we believe it the way that it is preached, has an answer to these divisions. Politically, as we get amped up about an election and all that is happening right now, the gospel has an answer to the way we are living and will interact with people. If we are being honest, us church going people do not have the world’s best record on unity among each other, and that is a sad and gross oversight.
How does the gospel pave the way for unity among people that are not on good terms with each other?
Who holds the responsibility for the gospel’s application in a relationship?
Where do you notice that you should pay attention to these warnings in your life?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
When I was studying this passage, it took me a while to get the point that Paul was making about the unity between the Jews and the Gentiles. In my context, I just didn’t see that as a big enough deal to need a half of a chapter in the Bible about. Culturally I didn’t fully understand it. But the more I sat and thought about it and the implications of it all, it made me see so many of the other divisions that we have between each other that keep us separated and miss the point of the Gospel. Especially in Southwest Pennsylvania. I don’t know that there is a day that goes by that I don’t hear of a feud in some family. Think for one second of someone that you know that has been separated from their family because of some sort of disagreement or whatever. I bet that didn’t take long to get an example and I would also bet that the majority of people reading this probably had an example a little too close to home!
The gospel, if we believe it the way that it is preached, has an answer to these divisions. Politically, as we get amped up about an election and all that is happening right now, the gospel has an answer to the way we are living and will interact with people. If we are being honest, us church going people do not have the world’s best record on unity among each other, and that is a sad and gross oversight.
How does the gospel pave the way for unity among people that are not on good terms with each other?
Who holds the responsibility for the gospel’s application in a relationship?
Where do you notice that you should pay attention to these warnings in your life?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Day 2
Read Luke 8:40-56
The woman in this story fits so well in our thoughts for the week after the sermon. Which is good, because at the heart of the story is the reality that she didn’t fit in anywhere else. She was considered unclean and therefore an outsider because something was wrong with her. If you have ever battled medical issues, you know the mental struggle of just wanting to get better and always feeling like there is something wrong with you. She not only lived this mentally, but she also faced it culturally as she was not allowed to be around anyone, until it was all made right.
The language of this story is really important to getting the point of it all. Jesus starts by calling her “Daughter.” It would have been one thing for Jesus to call her human, woman, ma’am, or anything else. But this is way more weighty! He didn’t just bring her close with his words, He brought her into the family. But He healed her also. That is yet another layer of how He treated this woman who was an outcast. But yet again, another layer is He gave her peace. Think about what peace must have meant to her at that moment. Peace with everyone around you. Peace with Jesus Himself. Peace in society. Peace in her family. She got quite the package deal at this moment!
What do you think she was thinking when Jesus told her to go in peace?
Why is it important to remember that Jesus declared that her “faith” has made her well?
How do you apply this story to your life today?
How does today’s devotion inform your prayers?
The woman in this story fits so well in our thoughts for the week after the sermon. Which is good, because at the heart of the story is the reality that she didn’t fit in anywhere else. She was considered unclean and therefore an outsider because something was wrong with her. If you have ever battled medical issues, you know the mental struggle of just wanting to get better and always feeling like there is something wrong with you. She not only lived this mentally, but she also faced it culturally as she was not allowed to be around anyone, until it was all made right.
The language of this story is really important to getting the point of it all. Jesus starts by calling her “Daughter.” It would have been one thing for Jesus to call her human, woman, ma’am, or anything else. But this is way more weighty! He didn’t just bring her close with his words, He brought her into the family. But He healed her also. That is yet another layer of how He treated this woman who was an outcast. But yet again, another layer is He gave her peace. Think about what peace must have meant to her at that moment. Peace with everyone around you. Peace with Jesus Himself. Peace in society. Peace in her family. She got quite the package deal at this moment!
What do you think she was thinking when Jesus told her to go in peace?
Why is it important to remember that Jesus declared that her “faith” has made her well?
How do you apply this story to your life today?
How does today’s devotion inform your prayers?
Day 3
Read Psalm 3
David wrote this Psalm. He was the greatest king and well liked at the time, but he still had enemies and knew danger. In fact, maybe he was more aware of enemies around him and their daily impact on his life than we are of our feuds and cultural divisions. Either way, the truth is the same. For David, the enemies that he faced or even the ones he didn’t have to face because he was just so shielded from him, really didn’t matter in light of who God was. God was victorious and much much bigger than those small issues. David was a king, but there was one much greater than him, One who created everything and that One was looking out for him day and night.
Therefore, David could lay down and sleep. Have you ever thought about the idea of Sabbath and that God desires for you to rest. LIke that is a priority of His for you. He wants you to feel and experience peace. How can you do that?! By realizing how great God is. Your praise today, declaring the greatness of God and all that He has fulfilled and will fulfill, will be the fuel that helps you experience the peace of God. Don’t make Sunday the only day that you praise God. Be reminded right now of how great God is!
Why would praise bring peace in your life?
How do you praise God today?
What attribute about God do you need to be reminded of today that will propel your praise to Him?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
David wrote this Psalm. He was the greatest king and well liked at the time, but he still had enemies and knew danger. In fact, maybe he was more aware of enemies around him and their daily impact on his life than we are of our feuds and cultural divisions. Either way, the truth is the same. For David, the enemies that he faced or even the ones he didn’t have to face because he was just so shielded from him, really didn’t matter in light of who God was. God was victorious and much much bigger than those small issues. David was a king, but there was one much greater than him, One who created everything and that One was looking out for him day and night.
Therefore, David could lay down and sleep. Have you ever thought about the idea of Sabbath and that God desires for you to rest. LIke that is a priority of His for you. He wants you to feel and experience peace. How can you do that?! By realizing how great God is. Your praise today, declaring the greatness of God and all that He has fulfilled and will fulfill, will be the fuel that helps you experience the peace of God. Don’t make Sunday the only day that you praise God. Be reminded right now of how great God is!
Why would praise bring peace in your life?
How do you praise God today?
What attribute about God do you need to be reminded of today that will propel your praise to Him?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Day 4
Read 1 Timothy 2
This chapter has some strange things that are probably starting to grab your attention right now. Sure, you should study those out and try to figure out what Paul is talking about here, but I want to focus on the first half of this chapter for this week’s devotion. The leaders that Paul is calling on them to pray for are not just people with different political views than him, they are fundamentally hostile to people like him. History will go on to show us that the rulers that he is telling us to pray for right here will become the ones trying to kill the Christians. Paul says they will want to live in peace, so people should pray for them because if they are successful, you will be as well.
Paul also breaks ranks among his religious friends, and being a Pharisee, declares that God has called him to a ministry proclaiming the gospel to the Gentiles, bringing them into the same faith as the Jewish people. Paul gets on the dangerous side of politics and religion and shakes up the philosophy of so many people around him. Imagine getting a letter from a respected leader in the church declaring that your church should pray for the political party that you can’t stand and for the nation that is clearly an enemy to yours! Oh wait…we did get that letter. Now we just have to work out what we actually do with it.
How do you pray for the leaders that you don’t like?
How do you pray for those that are outside the church and not following God?
Do you feel a specific calling to a specific group or type of people, like Paul did to the Gentiles?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
This chapter has some strange things that are probably starting to grab your attention right now. Sure, you should study those out and try to figure out what Paul is talking about here, but I want to focus on the first half of this chapter for this week’s devotion. The leaders that Paul is calling on them to pray for are not just people with different political views than him, they are fundamentally hostile to people like him. History will go on to show us that the rulers that he is telling us to pray for right here will become the ones trying to kill the Christians. Paul says they will want to live in peace, so people should pray for them because if they are successful, you will be as well.
Paul also breaks ranks among his religious friends, and being a Pharisee, declares that God has called him to a ministry proclaiming the gospel to the Gentiles, bringing them into the same faith as the Jewish people. Paul gets on the dangerous side of politics and religion and shakes up the philosophy of so many people around him. Imagine getting a letter from a respected leader in the church declaring that your church should pray for the political party that you can’t stand and for the nation that is clearly an enemy to yours! Oh wait…we did get that letter. Now we just have to work out what we actually do with it.
How do you pray for the leaders that you don’t like?
How do you pray for those that are outside the church and not following God?
Do you feel a specific calling to a specific group or type of people, like Paul did to the Gentiles?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Day 5
Read Philippians 4
We have talked about peace with God and we have talked about peace with other people. I hope that you have taken some time to process all these thoughts about peace. If you are like me, that is such an attractive idea: peace in all things. This chapter has verse 7 in it that is one of the best thoughts about thoughts. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding… How incredible is that idea right there? Because you mind takes off when you start to think about experiencing peace, right? Maybe one day I can experience that but first, this has to happen and then this and so on. But that is the place of understanding, and the peace of God is past that! Forget what you know and settle into what you just don’t fully understand, but it is handed to you as a gift.
Philippians 4 goes on to give us the things we should waste thoughts on. That is the direction of peace, is it not? It is trading in those things that have clouded up our minds and replacing them with the things that come from and bring with it peace. The true, just, honorable, pure, lovely, and excellent things are far better to dwell on.
What are some things that are true, honorable, pure, lovely, just, and excellent?
How are your thoughts not like these things lately?
How do you trade the thoughts for these specifically?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
We have talked about peace with God and we have talked about peace with other people. I hope that you have taken some time to process all these thoughts about peace. If you are like me, that is such an attractive idea: peace in all things. This chapter has verse 7 in it that is one of the best thoughts about thoughts. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding… How incredible is that idea right there? Because you mind takes off when you start to think about experiencing peace, right? Maybe one day I can experience that but first, this has to happen and then this and so on. But that is the place of understanding, and the peace of God is past that! Forget what you know and settle into what you just don’t fully understand, but it is handed to you as a gift.
Philippians 4 goes on to give us the things we should waste thoughts on. That is the direction of peace, is it not? It is trading in those things that have clouded up our minds and replacing them with the things that come from and bring with it peace. The true, just, honorable, pure, lovely, and excellent things are far better to dwell on.
What are some things that are true, honorable, pure, lovely, just, and excellent?
How are your thoughts not like these things lately?
How do you trade the thoughts for these specifically?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
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