[Dec 7, 2025] Adore the King of Peace

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus gives a peace beyond worldly circumstances.

Jesus offers a peace that does not depend on circumstances or people’s cooperation; it is a gift He leaves with believers. When anxiety or fear rises, lean into the Spirit and receive the tranquility that steadies heart and mind, rather than trying to manufacture calm by changing circumstances. This peace is available to you even amid national unrest, family tension, or loneliness—learn to receive it daily. [06:11]

John 14:27 (ESV)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

Reflection: The next time your heart feels troubled this week, what one concrete spiritual practice will you do within five minutes (a short prayer, Scripture out loud, a breathing pause, or calling a friend) to invite Jesus’ peace into that moment?


Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Romans 5:1 (ESV)
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Observation questions (read the Bible passage first)

  1. What does Romans 5:1 actually say about how peace with God is obtained? How would you explain “justified by faith” in one sentence?
  2. The teaching described Jesus’ peace as different from the world’s peace — “My peace I give you; not as the world gives.” What are two differences between Jesus’ peace and the world’s peace as explained there? [06:11]
  3. Isaiah 26:3 is quoted about the mind being kept in perfect peace when it is steadfast and trusting God. What does that image suggest about where inward peace begins? [15:27]
  4. The instruction to “forgive as the Lord forgave you” and to “make allowance for each other’s faults” was highlighted for outward peace. What concrete actions or attitudes does that Colossians-type teaching require a Christian to practice? [18:32]

Interpretation questions

  1. If sin disturbs our sense of fellowship but does not change God’s disposition toward us, what is the theological difference between losing “fellowship” and losing “justification”? How does that shape what repentance is for? [09:14]
  2. Isaiah’s promise that God keeps “the steadfast mind in perfect peace” implies a mind that depends on God. What does “dependence” look like in everyday thinking, and how does that dependence break the power of anxious “what if” thoughts? [15:27]
  3. Paul’s command “as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” acknowledges limits to our control. What responsibilities fall on the individual and what responsibilities clearly do not, when trying to restore or keep peace with someone who rejects reconciliation? [20:33]
  4. Communion was called the table of reconciliation where shame and condemnation do not have the last word. How should that theological reality change a believer’s posture toward their own guilt and toward other people they need to forgive? [24:38]

Application questions (personal, practical)

  1. Jesus offers a peace that is not tied to outcomes. What is one present outcome or circumstance that steals your peace right now? How will you practically remind yourself this week to claim “My peace I give you” when that fear or worry comes? [06:11]
  2. Peace with God is received through justification by faith. Is there any area of life where you are secretly trying to earn God’s approval by performance? What’s a simple next step of trust or repentance you can take this week to rest again in the finished work of Christ? [11:08]
  3. “Peace begins in the mind.” Name two recurring “what if” thoughts you habitually replay. Which specific scripture, prayer prompt, or gratitude practice will you use to shepherd those thoughts and when exactly will you do it this week? [15:27]
  4. Forgiveness, boundaries, and repair are all part of outward peace. Is there someone you should forgive, call out gently, or set a boundary with? What is one concrete first step you will take in the next seven days (a message, a phone call, a scheduled meeting, or a brief apology)? [20:33]
  5. Before taking the Lord’s Supper, examine your heart: who are you currently holding in unforgiveness? Will you be willing to quietly release that person to the Lord during communion, and afterward, what is one realistic step toward reconciliation you could pursue if the opportunity exists? [24:38]
  6. Picking battles wisely was recommended as part of living at peace. Think of a recurring small conflict (at work, home, or church). Is this a hill worth fighting for? If not, what specific criteria will you use next time to decide to let it go? [20:33]

Suggested rhythm for the week (optional)
- Morning: pray one verse of thanksgiving and one short confession, then read Romans 5:1 aloud.
- Midday: when anxious “what if” thoughts come, pause and replace one with a truth about God (name it aloud).
- End of week: choose one relational step from above and act on it (call, apologize, set a boundary).

(Use the Bible reading as the anchor for next meeting: begin by re-reading Romans 5:1 and sharing one concrete way each person practiced claiming Christ’s peace during the week.)

Sermon Clips

And it was Kristen's birthday and she finally got to open her Christmas present in September. And as I was thinking about that, I wasthinking about how Jesus's peace is like an unopened gift that's maybe sitting under the tree or gets overlooked and put in the basement and never gets opened. And yet his peace is for us 24-7. You can live in the peace of Jesus. 365 days of the year. It's his peace. [00:02:02] (34 seconds)  #UnwrapHisPeace

why do most people not experience it? Why is there still wars? Why is there still tension? Why is there still family breakups? Why is there still just this lack of peace? Where is it? Where is this peace that we've been promised? And why do we not live in that peace? [00:06:12] (18 seconds)  #SeekingPromisedPeace

So how does Jesus give us His peace? That's the question I want to answer this morning is how does Jesus give us His peace? The first thing He gives usis upward peace. Peace with God. Peace where we were at enmity with God in the hostility of our minds, Scripture says. But when the light of the world came into our hearts and came into our minds, the darkness had to flee. And we have peace with God through Jesus. [00:07:48] (36 seconds)  #UpwardPeace

Don't ever forget why and how we have peacewith God. We all do it. Why and how do we have peace with God? It's not because of our behavior.It's not because of our lists that we go to church or that we pray or we read the Bible. All of our lists. None of that gives us peace with God. It's through the Lord Jesus we have peace with God. We can't achieve what Jesus already achieved. We can't add to it, nor can we subtract to the finished work of Jesus. [00:09:02] (34 seconds)  #PeaceThroughChrist

You can't control somebody else's disposition towards you.You can't control if they're at, they're hostile with you. You can control your response.And he says, as far as it depends upon you, live at peace. Sometimes living at peace means you have a boundary. Boundaries are good things. Sometimes living at peace, you have to learn to pick your battles, man. Sometimes we pick battles and it's like, really? You want to die on that hill, bro?You really want to die fighting over something small? Pick your battle. [00:21:02] (37 seconds)  #ControlYourResponse

Sometimes living at peace, you have to learn to pick your battles, man. Sometimes we pick battles and it's like, really? You want to die on that hill, bro?You really want to die fighting over something small? Pick your battle. And when you pick your battle, ask yourself the question when you're offended or feel conflict, is this something I should just overlook? Maybe this person's having a bad day and I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt. [00:21:25] (30 seconds)  #ChooseToOverlook

And what you've done when you lay that out before someone, you give them the opportunity to say, I didn't realize I hurt you that bad. I didn't realize that hurt. I apologize.Will you forgive me? I mean, this is Christianity 101. And sadly, we don't often deal very well with forgiveness. We want grace for ourselves, but sometimes we're not very good reciprocating that.And we need to be good at forgiving. We need to be good at pursuing forgiveness, learning to apologize,taking responsibility when we blow it. [00:22:21] (41 seconds)  #PursueForgiveness

And when you look at the communion table, I think this is the table of reconciliation.It's where Jesus broke bread, drank wine, and blessed it with His disciples, saying that the bread represented His body that was going to be broken, and the cup represented His blood that was going to be shed for the forgiveness of our sins. So, it's the table of reconciliationupwardly and inwardly, where when we take the elements, we know we have peace with God.And then outwardly, as you take the bread and the cup this morning, examine your heart. [00:24:06] (46 seconds)  #TableOfReconciliation

Ask a question about this sermon