The season of Advent begins with a focus on the hope that we have in God’s action. This hope is deeper than optimism. It is a conviction that requires faith that God will act in the way he says he will. Advent is a season of expectation where we refocus on the coming of Jesus. It is a reminder that Jesus came in the form of a baby, fulfilling the hope of God’s people, and will come again to bring redemption to this world. Advent reminds of where our hope is and should shape our lives to be people of hope. Hope in anything other than God is “shifting sand.” Hope is nurtured by relationships in community of people who share the same hope. When we lean into hope, no matter the situation, we cultivate the soil of our lives.
What grows out of this soil? What does a person look like who lives out of this hope?
Out of the soil of hope grow peace, joy, and love. In last Sunday’s sermon (11/28) we talked about being people of hope. This Sunday we will discuss what it means to be people of peace because we live in hope. We will look at joy and love in the weeks after.
A quick survey of the New Testament paints a clear picture of how we are to live as people of peace:
John 16:33 – Jesus promises peace because he has overcome the world. This is peace born out of hope.
2 Thessalonians 3:16 – The Lord of peace is with us so we have peace in every way.
1 Peter 5:7 and Philippians 4:6 – We have a God who receives our anxiety so we can be at peace.
Colossians 3:15 – Peace should rule our hearts because we are together in one body. Gratitude is the outgrowing of this peace.
Matt 5:9, 1 Peter 3:11, Hebrews 12:14, James 3:18, and Romans 12:18 – Peace isn’t just something you feel, or a state of being, but something you cultivate and strive for with every person in your life. Blessed are the peacemakers. They will be called “sons of God.”
These verses only scratch the surface of what the Bible says about the peace we are to have in our hearts and the peace we are to offer the world. Spend some time with these passages this week and let the Spirit examine your life.
Where in your life are you struggling to be at peace? How does your hope in God bring peace in those areas?
When our hope is centered on things other than God, we stand on “sinking sand” (as the old song says), and we will not be at peace. If our hope is in the government, a certain ideal of national identity, or a certain view of history, peace will not flow out of us when those things are challenged. When our hope is in the economy – inflation, stock drops, and gas prices send us into despair.
What does peace look like for people who pledge their allegiance to a King and a Kingdom that is bigger than any nation or economy?
As people who live with peace, because of the hope that we have, we are to be people of peace in a world of chaos. When our hope is secure in God, we are able to let go of our expectations and desires for how we think the world should be and fully be at peace to bring about hope for the world as God intends for it to be.
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” – Romans 12:18