Advent: ”The Coming of PEACE”

December 8, 2024

Associate Pastor Eric Burch

 

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed,

Courage to change the things which should be changed,

and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.

Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time,

Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,

Taking, as Jesus did, This sinful world as it is, Not as I would have it,

Trusting that You will make all things right, If I surrender to Your will,

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen

 

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you,  

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowance for their doubting too;  

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, or being lied about, and not dealing in lies,

Or being hated, and not give way to hating, and yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise.

(IF, Rudyard Kipling)

 

Peace comes through surrendering to the world that which belongs to the world, embracing that which belongs to God and his will for us, recognizing that He is in control, and You are NOT!

 

Ephesians 1:1-2

Isaiah 9:6 

Zechariah 9:9 

Luke 1:68-79

Luke 1:78-79

Luke 2:13-14

John 14:25-28 

 

What is the nature of this peace that the Holy Spirit is bringing to us?

 

Colossians 1:19-20

Ephesians 2:12-18

John 16:33

 

Peace comes through surrendering to the world that which belongs to the world, embracing that which belongs to God and his will for us, recognizing that He is in control, and You are NOT!

 

Romans 12:1-2

Matthew 11:28-29