Embracing the Peace of Christ in Community

 

Summary

In our journey through Colossians 3, we delve into the profound message of letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. This peace, as Paul describes, is not merely a cultural or superficial calmness but a deep, divine tranquility that surpasses human understanding. It is a peace that Jesus himself gives to us, a peace that is rooted in the Hebrew concept of "shalom," which signifies the fullness of God's presence and blessing. This peace is not just a personal experience but a communal calling. As one body, we are called to embody and share this peace, recognizing that our individual peace contributes to the collective well-being of the church.

The peace of Christ is authoritative. It is not a passive state but an active force that can govern our hearts and minds, allowing us to bind and loose things in our lives. This peace empowers us to confront anxiety, fear, and worry, declaring that they are not the bosses of us. It is a peace that invites us to step into a reality where God's provision, confidence, and power are ever-present.

Moreover, this peace is intertwined with thankfulness. When we allow the peace of Christ to rule, thankfulness naturally flows from our hearts. It is a gratitude that arises not from obligation but from a genuine recognition of God's work in our lives. This thankfulness is further enriched by the word of Christ dwelling richly within us, guiding us in wisdom, teaching, and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

As we embrace this peace, we are reminded of our role as a community to support and encourage each other. We are called to teach and correct one another with love, allowing the word of Christ to overflow in our interactions. This communal journey is marked by worship, where the truths of God's peace and presence are celebrated and reinforced through song.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Peace of Christ: The peace of Christ is not a mere absence of conflict but a profound state of being that surpasses human understanding. It is a divine gift that Jesus imparts to us, inviting us to experience the fullness of God's presence and blessing. This peace is rooted in the Hebrew concept of "shalom," which encompasses wholeness and completeness in God. [37:18]

2. Authority of Peace: The peace of Christ carries authority, enabling us to confront and overcome anxiety, fear, and worry. It is not a passive state but an active force that can govern our hearts and minds. By embracing this peace, we can declare that these negative emotions are not the bosses of us, allowing God's peace to rule in our lives. [46:05]

3. Communal Calling: As one body, we are collectively called to embody and share the peace of Christ. Our individual peace contributes to the well-being of the entire church community. This calling challenges us to maintain our peace for the sake of others, recognizing that our actions impact the body of Christ. [42:20]

4. Peace and Thankfulness: The peace of Christ is intricately linked with thankfulness. When we allow this peace to rule in our hearts, gratitude naturally flows from us. This thankfulness is not forced but arises from a genuine recognition of God's work in our lives, even amidst challenges. [49:29]

5. Richness of the Word: The word of Christ should dwell richly within us, guiding us in wisdom, teaching, and admonishing one another. This richness is not just about having enough but an abundance that overflows into our interactions with others. Through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, we reinforce the truths of God's peace and presence in our community. [52:58]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [33:22] - Introduction to Colossians 3:15
- [37:18] - Understanding the Peace of Christ
- [39:45] - The Meaning of Shalom
- [40:44] - The Authority of Peace
- [42:20] - Our Communal Calling
- [43:33] - Embracing Our Calling
- [45:08] - Peace in Practice
- [46:05] - Authority Over Anxiety
- [49:29] - Peace and Thankfulness
- [51:05] - Richness of the Word
- [52:58] - Teaching and Admonishing
- [54:46] - Worship and the Word
- [56:36] - The Power of Peace
- [57:08] - Closing Prayer and Benediction

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Colossians 3:15-16

Bible Reading:
- Colossians 3:15-16 (ESV): "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Observation Questions:
1. What does Paul mean by letting the peace of Christ "rule" in our hearts? How is this different from simply feeling calm? [37:18]
2. How does the sermon describe the Hebrew concept of "shalom," and how does it relate to the peace of Christ? [39:45]
3. According to the sermon, what is the relationship between peace and thankfulness? [49:29]
4. How does the sermon suggest that the word of Christ should dwell in us? What are the implications of it dwelling "richly"? [51:05]

Interpretation Questions:
1. In what ways does the peace of Christ carry authority, and how can it help us confront anxiety and fear? [46:05]
2. How does the communal aspect of peace challenge our individualistic views of faith? What does it mean to be called to peace as one body? [42:20]
3. How does the sermon suggest that thankfulness is a natural outcome of allowing Christ's peace to rule in our hearts? [49:29]
4. What role do psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs play in teaching and admonishing one another according to the sermon? [54:46]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you felt anxious or fearful. How might you have allowed the peace of Christ to rule in that situation? [46:05]
2. Think about your role in your church community. How can you contribute to the communal peace of the body of Christ? [42:20]
3. Identify a moment this past week when you felt genuinely thankful. How was this connected to experiencing God's peace? [49:29]
4. How can you let the word of Christ dwell more richly in you this week? Consider specific practices like reading scripture, prayer, or worship. [51:05]
5. Is there someone in your life who needs encouragement or correction? How can you approach them with love and wisdom, allowing the peace of Christ to guide your interaction? [52:58]
6. Reflect on the worship songs you sing at church. How do they reinforce the truths of God's peace and presence in your life? [54:46]
7. What is one practical step you can take this week to bind peace to your life and loose anxiety or fear? [46:05]

Devotional

Day 1: The Divine Gift of Shalom
The peace of Christ is a profound state of being that transcends human understanding. It is not merely the absence of conflict but a divine gift that Jesus imparts to us, inviting us to experience the fullness of God's presence and blessing. This peace is rooted in the Hebrew concept of "shalom," which encompasses wholeness and completeness in God. It is a peace that fills every aspect of our lives, offering a sense of divine tranquility that is not dependent on external circumstances. As we embrace this peace, we are invited to dwell in the richness of God's presence, experiencing a deep sense of fulfillment and contentment. [37:18]

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to invite the peace of Christ to bring wholeness and completeness today?


Day 2: The Active Authority of Christ's Peace
The peace of Christ carries authority, enabling us to confront and overcome anxiety, fear, and worry. It is not a passive state but an active force that can govern our hearts and minds. By embracing this peace, we can declare that these negative emotions are not the bosses of us, allowing God's peace to rule in our lives. This peace empowers us to step into a reality where God's provision, confidence, and power are ever-present, transforming our perspective and enabling us to live with boldness and assurance. [46:05]

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful." (Colossians 3:15, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a specific fear or worry that has been ruling your heart. How can you actively invite Christ's peace to take authority over it today?


Day 3: Our Communal Calling to Peace
As one body, we are collectively called to embody and share the peace of Christ. Our individual peace contributes to the well-being of the entire church community. This calling challenges us to maintain our peace for the sake of others, recognizing that our actions impact the body of Christ. We are invited to support and encourage each other, teaching and correcting one another with love, allowing the word of Christ to overflow in our interactions. This communal journey is marked by worship, where the truths of God's peace and presence are celebrated and reinforced through song. [42:20]

"So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding." (Romans 14:19, ESV)

Reflection: How can you contribute to the peace and well-being of your church community this week? What specific action can you take to support someone in your congregation?


Day 4: The Interconnection of Peace and Thankfulness
The peace of Christ is intricately linked with thankfulness. When we allow this peace to rule in our hearts, gratitude naturally flows from us. This thankfulness is not forced but arises from a genuine recognition of God's work in our lives, even amidst challenges. As we cultivate a heart of gratitude, we are reminded of the abundance of God's blessings and the richness of His presence in our lives. This gratitude enriches our spiritual journey, allowing us to experience the fullness of God's peace and provision. [49:29]

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. How can you express genuine thankfulness for God's presence and work in that situation today?


Day 5: The Richness of the Word in Community
The word of Christ should dwell richly within us, guiding us in wisdom, teaching, and admonishing one another. This richness is not just about having enough but an abundance that overflows into our interactions with others. Through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, we reinforce the truths of God's peace and presence in our community. As we embrace the richness of God's word, we are equipped to support and encourage each other, allowing the peace of Christ to permeate every aspect of our communal life. [52:58]

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16, ESV)

Reflection: How can you allow the word of Christ to dwell more richly in your life this week? What specific steps can you take to share this richness with others in your community?

Quotes


So when we're talking about letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, we're not just talking about whatever you have been defined as peace in our culture, right? So sometimes what happens when we dig into the scriptures, we allow our current paradigms around us to sort of control us a little bit, but we have to dig into this one and see something deeper here. This is the peace of Christ, and it passes human understanding. So really what we're looking for to rule in our hearts and to get the meaning of this verse is not to look at the way we would have defined peace outwardly here in our culture, but what's something deeper? God, what... What do you have for us that teaches us what this peace is actually all about? [00:37:18]

It's God's peace, and it passes human understanding. Jesus said in John 14, my peace I give to you. Well, that changes things right there because Jesus wasn't saying, look, just get peaceful. Go get your peace. No, my peace, the peace of Jesus I give to you. And Paul, in this verse, says, let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. That's really something to think about. So the peace of Jesus. [00:37:49]

Shalom was the fullness of the presence of God resting here. When people greeted each other, I... One of the churches that I went to when I was younger, they would greet each other every Sunday. They would turn and say, peace to you, peace to you, peace to you, right? It's kind of like saying, how are you doing? Good. Have a good day. Okay, bye, right? We can nominalize it by not really taking it seriously. But if we dig in and grab the meanings, when people said shalom, and this came up to me again, watching The Chosen, where they kept greeting each other, shalom, shalom, shalom, shalom, shalom, shalom. [00:39:45]

You're saying the blessing of God, the power of God, the confidence that comes from knowing God be with you. The provision of God be with you. That's the peace of Christ. It's a big thing that involves a relationship with God. Jesus displayed this peace as he walked through the world. He had this sense with his father that was so unshakable that even when he encountered things that were deeply troubling, he was able to maintain his peace. [00:40:44]

But it's so much deeper than that. When Paul says, let the peace of Christ, rule in your hearts, he's really saying something more than just relax, just calm down. It's okay. You'll be fine. No, he's saying, enjoy for a minute, something that rules in your heart. That is the presence of God that so engulfs and contains you that you're not worried that that you don't have anything else bothering you because you know, who's got you. All right. [00:41:05]

As you remember from when we read it there, he said, let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts to which indeed you were called as one body. Oh, there's a couple of things there we have to work on. So first of all, we as a body are called to this peace. That means if you decide to not walk in your peace, the rest of the body suffers because of your refusal to do so. [00:42:20]

That means it's not a shame oriented thing. Like, Hey, get your peace together. Stop worrying. Right? Not that at all. It's an opportunity to step into something that is a real thing. It's not something I attain. It's something I step into and it's a real thing. And God is giving every one of us this opportunity. Step into the peace. Lord, I'm sorry. I'm struggling. I can't see things. I can't, I don't know. There's troubles around me or troubles in me or whatever. Lord, help me. [00:43:33]

So Lord, let me take on your peace in all of its fullness. The confidence that comes from knowing you, the provision that comes from who you are, the power of life that flows from you all the time. Oh God, let that be the peace that I know and understand and what we're called to. Let it rule. Really? Come on, Paul. [00:44:02]

I have all kinds of times when I ignore my peace and I don't let it rule. So you're sure you mean rule, but this is cool peace because this peace has authority. Doesn't Jesus have authority? And he said, my peace, I give. You. Jesus said that you can bind and loose things. So you can actually bind peace to you and you can use the authority of that peace to order other things out. [00:45:08]

And I'm like, oh, and he's a believer. and I said so you've lost your peace right like oh god you set this right up for me so I started explaining this whole thing to him and he's like well that's really cool and I said you know you have authority and you can your peace actually has authority it can rule and you can tell using your authority you can tell anxiety you're not the boss of me peace rules me not fear peace rules me not anger peace rules me not failure peace rules me not anxiety anxiety you're not the boss of me so he and I said that together we we started saying this unfortunately we were the only ones in the office at the time and we started laughing right because we kept saying these things and we're praying and we're just going to god and we're just having this conversation and we're just having this conversation and we're just having the best time ever allowing the peace to rule and using the authority that this peace has so sometimes we feel under it and all of us feel this way it's good to know that you're called as a body so we can help each other with this we can encourage each other to walk in the peace that comes from christ this is not a peace we manufacture by thinking and circumstances circumstances this is a peace that comes on us through the power of the holy spirit oh i forgot one piece of this story he said the funniest thing to me he said what i really need is breath and i said do you why did you say that he said well it's just like i don't know i just need breath i said you know that's the word for the holy spirit is the breath of god so i said you're asking for the right thing and so we go to prayer right god does good stuff so just awesome that that could have happened five weeks ago but it happened this week as god's chance to just give a testimony about how all of this works so we we loose the anxiety we send it away we loose the fear we loose the anger [00:46:05]

That's the kind of power we're talking about with this peace is that when it settles in, nothing stands in its way, right? That's the authority of the peace of Christ that can rule in my heart. Okay. So I think it's really fun that then Paul sort of adds as a tag and be thankful. Is it possible that there's a cause and effect here? Perhaps if you're struggling with being thankful for whatever is going on, it might be because you've lost that peace. [00:49:29]

That when we really are operating under God's peace, we can't help but be thankful. Because we just see him all the time doing cool stuff all around us. We're like, that's good. Thank you. That's good. Thank you. And even the things that are hard that give us challenges, we can give thanks. Like Paul goes on in Thessalonians to say, in everything, give thanks. Well, like just because it's a discipline, like grip my teeth. Okay. Thank you, God. Can you say I have to? No, I can give thanks out of a heart of peace because that peace is established in rule. In my heart. [00:50:27]

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Transcript
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