The God of Peace

by Ps Gideon

Big idea:
God steps into our troubled world to bring us His peace

Luke 1:26-31
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.


#1 we need to be reminded that God is present in our fears

Wrong time ...due to Mary did not consumated
Unthinkable... Shame and dishonour

Crisis interrupt us violently and shooks our faith, grips us with fear

@ We fear not because we lack faith, but because we lose sight

KNOWING THAT GOD WITH US DOES NOT MEAN SITUATION HAS CHANGED. KNOWING THAT MEANS WE DO NOT NEED TO LET FEAR TO DEFINE OUR SITUATION BUT LET FAITH DETERMINE OUR RESPONSE

We can choose to:
1. Lift our voice to God
2. Lean into God
3. Look to God

Choose to:
- Thank him
- Praise him
- Present our request to Him

Allow God to shower us with His peace, promises, character, his faithfulness, meditate on His word so it will fill us in our times of needs

THE MULTITUDE OF OUR PROBLEMS CANNOT COMPARE TO THE MAGNITUDE OF THE GOD WE SERVE

His presence will bring us peace

There is no problem too big God cannot solve it
There is no mountain too tall God cannot move it
There is no storm too dark God cannot calm it
There is no sorrow too deep He cannot soothe it
If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders
I know my brother that He will carry you
If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders
I know my sister that He will carry you

@ Faith does not deny how we lived but faith decides who we choose to serve

#2 God reigns in our fears

Luke 1:54-58
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” 56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. The Birth of John the Baptist 57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.


@ God creates life out of barreness. God makes a way when there seems to be no way

Angel told Mary that Elizabeth was old and barren, yet she conceived by the word of the lord

@ We can trust that God's word will come to pass

Elizabeth pregnancy was nothing short of easy since she already passed child conceiving age

@ God does not merely begin the work. he sustains it

Mary would have been encouraged by Elizabeth

We would feel like Mary with dead end, tied in a spot, things we are once familiar with becomes undesirable and uncertain

We may have switch into:
- Fight mode
- Freeze mode
- Flight mode

We're still worried and end up with no true peace. We struggle to surrender and relinquish control to God

@ We can trust God in the present and entrust our future to Him

Mary said "Behold I am a servant of the lord"

Road ahead will still be bumpy but we can still be in peace

@ In both our truimphs and trials, God's purposes will be accomplished in our lives