Finding True Peace in the Presence of Jesus

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Peace of Jesus**

**Bible Reading:**
- Isaiah 9:6-7
- John 14:27
- Philippians 4:6-7

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**Observation Questions:**

1. According to Isaiah 9:6-7, what titles are given to the child that is prophesied, and what significance do these titles hold? [39:18]

2. In John 14:27, how does Jesus describe the peace He gives compared to the peace the world offers? [45:43]

3. What does Philippians 4:6-7 say about the relationship between prayer and experiencing God's peace? [01:02:52]

4. How does the sermon illustrate the difference between worldly peace and the peace Jesus offers through the story of the bird in the storm? [59:14]

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**Interpretation Questions:**

1. What does it mean for Jesus to be called the "Prince of Peace," and how does this title relate to the peace He offers us today? [39:18]

2. How can believers experience the peace that surpasses all understanding, as mentioned in Philippians 4:6-7, in their daily lives? [01:02:52]

3. The sermon mentions that Jesus' peace is not dependent on the absence of trouble. How can this understanding change a believer's perspective on facing life's challenges? [50:15]

4. How does the presence of the Holy Spirit contribute to the peace that believers can experience, according to the sermon? [52:41]

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**Application Questions:**

1. Reflect on a recent situation where you felt a lack of peace. How might focusing on the presence of Jesus have changed your response? [52:41]

2. The sermon emphasizes that Jesus' peace is not like the world's peace. What are some worldly sources of peace you have relied on, and how can you shift your focus to Jesus' peace instead? [46:36]

3. In what ways can you incorporate prayer and thanksgiving into your daily routine to experience the peace of God as described in Philippians 4:6-7? [01:02:52]

4. Consider a current challenge you are facing. How can the assurance that Jesus has overcome the world help you approach this situation differently? [50:15]

5. The sermon suggests that living in peace involves recognizing that our circumstances do not define our peace. What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of this truth during stressful times? [01:02:52]

6. How can you cultivate an awareness of the Holy Spirit's presence in your life to experience the peace that Jesus promises? [52:41]

7. As we celebrate Christmas, how can you focus on the true gift of peace that Jesus offers, rather than getting caught up in the busyness of the season? [01:10:41]

Day 1: The Divine Promise of Peace
The prophecy in Isaiah 9:6-7 foretells the coming of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, who brings a peace that transcends human understanding. This peace is not contingent on our circumstances but is a divine promise available to all who seek it. Unlike the temporary peace the world offers, Jesus' peace is enduring and steadfast, providing comfort and assurance even in the midst of life's challenges. As we reflect on this promise, we are reminded that true peace is found in the presence of Jesus, who has overcome the world and its troubles. [39:18]

Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV): "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to trust in God's promise of peace today? How can you actively seek His presence in those areas?


Day 2: Distinctive Peace in a Troubled World
The peace that Jesus offers is distinct from the world's peace. While the world provides temporary solutions that are easily disturbed, Jesus' peace is enduring and allows us to face life's challenges without fear. This peace is not the absence of trouble but the presence of Jesus, who reassures us in John 14:27 that His peace is unlike any other. As we navigate the complexities of life, we are called to embrace this unique peace that surpasses all understanding and remains steadfast amidst life's storms. [50:15]

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

Reflection: How can you let the peace of Christ rule in your heart today, especially in situations where you feel anxious or fearful?


Day 3: The Presence of Jesus Brings True Peace
True peace is found in the presence of Jesus. Even in the midst of life's storms, we can rest assured that we are never alone. Jesus has already overcome the world and its troubles, providing us with a peace that is steadfast and secure. This peace is not dependent on external circumstances but is grounded in the assurance of Jesus' victory over the world. As we reflect on this truth, we are encouraged to seek His presence daily, knowing that His peace is available to all who believe. [52:41]

John 16:33 (ESV): "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

Reflection: What steps can you take today to cultivate a deeper awareness of Jesus' presence in your life, especially during challenging times?


Day 4: Living in the Peace of Christ
We are called to live in the peace that Jesus offers, recognizing that our circumstances do not define our peace. Instead, it is the presence of Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that sustains us. This peace allows us to rest, even in the midst of chaos, knowing that we are never alone. As we celebrate the Advent season, let us focus on the true gift of peace that Jesus offers and strive to live in this peace daily. [01:02:52]

2 Thessalonians 3:16 (ESV): "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all."

Reflection: How can you intentionally create moments of peace in your daily routine to remind yourself of Jesus' presence and the Holy Spirit's sustaining power?


Day 5: Embracing the Gift of Peace
As we celebrate Christmas, let us focus on the true gift of peace that Jesus offers. This peace is available to all who seek it through faith in Him, and it is a peace that the world cannot take away. It is a divine gift that transcends human understanding and provides comfort and assurance in every situation. As we reflect on this gift, we are reminded of the profound impact of Jesus' presence in our lives and the eternal peace He brings. [01:10:41]

Romans 15:13 (ESV): "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

Reflection: In what ways can you share the gift of Jesus' peace with others this Christmas season, and how can you make it a part of your daily life beyond the holiday?

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And then He describes this child. He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." [00:39:31] (20 seconds)


"The prophet didn't say, well, maybe he'll bring some peace. He said, this child is going to be the Prince of Peace. And peace is a timeless concept, isn't it? There's never been a generation on earth that didn't value peace." [00:40:51] (17 seconds)


"So it can't be just an ordinary peace, right? It's something that transcends human understanding. It's something that can happen for anybody in any age, no matter what's going on around us. It can only come, though, from this child that he said was going to be born." [00:41:39] (22 seconds)


"Because the peace that the world gives is so fragile. It's so easily disturbed. It's so easily taken away. Right. You could, you could be meditating and be so good at it. You know, be in that zone. And a kid runs through and you hear something crash. What happened to them?" [00:46:36] (25 seconds)


"There's a difference between a fleeting peace offered by the world and a peace that's grounded in something eternal. Something that last. Something that is steadfast and secure that can never be taken away. There's a difference in those two. Kinds of peace." [00:49:44] (20 seconds)


"Jesus very honestly tells us clearly in his word in this world, you will have what. Right. But then he said, take. Take heart. Right. Don't let your heart be troubled because of what I have overcome the world. There is a peace. That Jesus brings." [00:50:57] (24 seconds)


"It's not the absence of trouble. It's the presence of Jesus. It's the fact that in the middle of the trouble, we are never alone if we belong to Jesus." [00:52:41] (11 seconds)


"What it's about is God sent us his peace in the presence of his son to come and dwell with us so that we can have a peace that this world can never take away. That's really what it's about." [01:10:19] (16 seconds)

To our services. We love having you here today. Welcome, Smart on Campus. We're glad you guys are connected there, everybody connecting with us online. It's a great time to celebrate. Merry Christmas to everyone. It's always a joy when we have our children sing for us. I really appreciate all of our children's workers, all of our staff and volunteers that do such a great job with our children.

Today we are continuing a series that we're in, an Advent series called "Behold, a Savior is Born." Last week we talked about how Jesus was born a humble servant. We saw the servant's heart of Jesus lived out in front of us from his birth, through his life, even through his death. You see that humble servant's heart that Jesus had. And that example is one that he wants us to follow if we're going to wear his name and claim to be his people. So we want to be those humble servants even today.

This morning, we're going to be picking up in this series talking about the prophetic peace that came with the arrival of the Messiah, the Advent of Jesus being born into the world, and how that peace can be ours and how we live our lives, even in this busy Christmas season.

There was a guy checking out of a hotel at the front desk, and the clerk asked how his stay was, and he said it was terrible. This hotel stinks. The clerk asked, "What do you mean?" He said, "I couldn't get any sleep at all. Every 15 minutes, there was this loud banging that happened. Every 15 minutes woke me up. Couldn't get any sleep at all." So the clerk apologized and got him checked out.

A little bit later, another couple came down to check out at the front desk, and the clerk hesitantly asked, "How was your stay?" And they said it was awful. It was terrible. The guy in the room next to us snored so loudly, we had to go to the bathroom. We had to bang on the wall every 15 minutes.

Isn't it bad when you try to get some rest, try to get some sleep, have a little peace, and something just keeps disturbing that peace that you're trying to have? That's not just when you're trying to sleep. I mean, we all want to have some peace. I know there's some teachers that are really glad there's a Christmas break going on right now. Some parents that probably aren't as glad as the teachers might be, right? It's time to have a little peace, maybe.

And I know it's true that for parents, when they go back to school, it's almost like a little bit of a peace that comes back again for a little bit, though there's still the rushing around. We all have such busy lives, so many things going on. It's hard to find any extended periods of peace.

Well, today we're going to start with a prophecy back in Isaiah chapter 9. If you want to open up your Bibles there in Isaiah 9, we're going to look at verses 6 and 7 in particular, before we look at a couple of other verses as well. This is almost 800 years before Jesus is born, that God speaks through the prophet Isaiah, and He talks about this child that's coming, and here's what He says:

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders." And then He describes this child. "He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Let's pray together.

Father, in this Christmas season, the celebration of the birth of Jesus, we fill our lives with so many things, so many activities, most of which are good things. And in the middle of all of that, sometimes we have a hard time finding peace. And it's not just at the Christmas season. For so many, there are so many things that are going on that are stealing their peace away from them.

And Father, so I pray that as we hear the words of the prophet today, that this child was coming to be the Prince of Peace, that we could find, we could experience, we could share that peace that he was talking about, when we know exactly where to go to find it. It's our prayer in Jesus' name. Amen.

Well, there are three things about this peace that I want us to see. The first thing is this: peace is promised. The prophet didn't say, "Well, maybe he'll bring some peace." He said, "This child is going to be the Prince of Peace." And peace is a timeless concept, isn't it? There's never been a generation on earth that didn't value peace.

Now, we have our own ideas of what that looks like. We have our own ideas of what that looks like. We have our own ideas of what that looks like. How that would work for us, what that would be in order for us to have peace. Everything that would have to be happening, we think, in order for us to have it. But every people in all times have looked for, longed for peace.

And yet the prophet said, there was a child coming that would usher in this peace that God would want us to have. So it can't be just an ordinary peace, right? It's something that transcends human understanding. It's something that can happen for anybody in any age, no matter what's going on around us. It can only come, though, from this child that he said was going to be born.

The peace he's talking about is directly connected to the Prince of Peace. See, the problem most people in the world have had over the ages is we've tried to create peace. We've tried to make peace. We've tried to negotiate peace when he said clearly this peace comes through this child.

And what he was coming here for, who he was going to be, what he was going to do is going to be the source of peace. Now, there's nothing wrong. There's nothing wrong with trying to negotiate peace between countries or people having conflict. There's nothing wrong with having a mediator trying to counsel people to get through some problems, to have more peace in their lives. All of those things are good.

But what we have found is that those things don't really bring the kind of peace we're longing for. They don't really bring that sustaining peace. Because the next time something happens, what happens to that kind of peace? Well, it's gone again. It's not there anymore.

And so we know that what the prophet is talking about here is what the scripture calls a peace that surpasses understanding. Now, that passage, when it says it surpasses understanding, carries with it the idea that it's beyond human reasoning and ability that this peace can abide, can be there, that you can dwell in it. It's something that's not by chance. It's something that's not by human means that you can have this peace.

And that's why we have to pay attention to the prophet when he says this child is going to be the Prince of Peace. We need to pay attention to that because we keep running after it everywhere else instead of running to the child who was going to be the Prince of Peace.

You see, he brought with him the promise of peace. The promise that in spite of everything going on around us, we can access divine peace through him. In the gospel of John, we see a passage where this child has grown up and he's teaching and leading. He's setting an example for us.

And in John 14 and verse 27, as he speaks to his disciples, he's preparing them for what's about to happen. He's going to go through some terrible things when he goes to the cross, and he wants them to be prepared as best they can be for this thing that would disturb all of their peace.

I mean, when they saw Jesus being arrested, when they saw him be beaten, when they saw him nailed to a cross, it was going to disturb their peace big time. It was going to rob them of being able to experience peace, right? Because you live in this world long enough. You have things happen that aren't good. You have things happen that aren't what you want them to be. So you could be at peace. We all live in a world like that. And these disciples were no different. They were about to experience some of the hardships, the hardest things you could ever imagine them experiencing.

And so Jesus is trying to prepare them as best he can for what's about to happen. And in verse 27, he says this to them: "Peace, I leave with you." All right. That sounds good, right? He's saying, except that he threw in there, "I leave with you," which means he's going to be doing what? It's going to be leaving. His physical presence is going to go away.

Now, this is an important thing to catch because Jesus is telling them they can have peace even without his physical presence there with them. He's going to leave them the ability to have peace when he goes back to the Father. And that's a good thing because Jesus is not physically with us right now either. Right? But does that mean we can still have peace? Yeah, absolutely.

Okay. So he says, "Peace, I leave with you." But then he adds, "My peace, I give you." Oh, wait a minute. He just separated out this peace from every other idea or source or method of trying to have peace. He says, "This is my peace that I'm going to leave with you." It's not the world's peace. That's what he goes on to say, right? "I do not give to you as the world gives."

I'm so glad he added that part too. Because the peace that the world gives is so fragile. It's so easily disturbed. It's so easily taken away. Right? You could be meditating and be so good at it, you know, be in that zone. And a kid runs through and you hear something crash. What happened to them? Right? All of a sudden that's gone.

That's not a bad thing. That's not a bad thing to be at peace, but it doesn't last. Right? You can play the music of your favorite music, whatever it is that soothes you. You just, you just, how many of you, some of you, I know I've done this too. You get home from work and you're sitting in the car and your favorite song is on and you won't get out of the car till it's over. Right? You're just going to sit there and let it play. Because for a little bit, for a few minutes, right, you got a little peace there in the car. But then what do you got to do? Eventually you got to get out of the car. You got to go in the house. You got to deal with life, right? You got to do stuff that needs to be done.

So Jesus is reassuring his disciples. The peace that I give you, my peace that I'm giving you is not like the world gives. And that's a good thing. Even when it comes to wars, conflict among the nations. Do you know there's rarely been more than 10 years' time on the face of the earth without there being conflict between some nations somewhere in the world? A 10-year period was one of the longest periods we've ever recorded in history where there was actually some level of peace where there weren't actual wars taking place somewhere in the world.

And all of the history that we have recorded, if you're counting on that for your peace, it's not going to last. It's not very dependable. So Jesus is reassuring his people, all of us, that he gives a peace that's not like the world's peace. And then he adds, "Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

I think of all the things that disturb our peace. Fear is the most common. We are afraid. We don't know what's going to happen. We don't know what's around the corner. We don't know how secure the job is. We don't know if we've got enough in the bank account to cover everything. We don't know if our kid's going to be sick or if he is sick or she is sick. Do they have what they need to take care of it? Or if we get a diagnosis, it's bad. You know, how are we going to handle that? What's the plan for dealing with this thing that's robbing me of my peace? Fear creeps in.

And when fear creeps in, peace goes away. And so Jesus says, "I'm going to give you a peace that will allow you to not let your heart be troubled so that you don't even have to be afraid." You see this? There's a difference between a fleeting peace offered by the world and a peace that's grounded in something eternal. Something that lasts. Something that is steadfast and secure that can never be taken away. There's a difference in those two kinds of peace.

And Jesus wants us to have the lasting one, the steadfast one, the one that can cause us to not let our hearts be troubled, to not be afraid while we're going through life in this world.

So the second point today, the second thing about this peace that I've already alluded to is this: God's peace versus culture's peace. There are two different things completely. It's an important distinction because it is what we celebrate during Christmas. One form of peace is going to leave us wanting, but the other will offer us deep fulfillment.

You see, the peace that Jesus brings is not the absence of trouble. That's the biggest distinction between the peace that the world tries to give and the peace that Jesus brings. Jesus very honestly tells us clearly in his word, "In this world, you will have trouble." Right? But then he said, "Take heart." Right? Don't let your heart be troubled because of what I have overcome the world. There is a peace that Jesus brings even in the midst of a world where you're going to have trouble.

Wow. That's the kind of peace I want. How about you? If there's going to be trouble, I want to know some way to have peace even if there is trouble. And there is going to be trouble. It's not if, it's what. When. It's when. In this world, we will have trouble.

I say it many times here at Lakeshore. You've heard me. If you've been here very much, if you're not having trouble right now, just give it a little bit. Right? Just wait a few days. It's like the weather in Nashville. It'll change. Just give it a day or two. There'll be some trouble.

Why? Because we live in a fallen world under the curse of sin. You see, the trouble is not God's fault. The trouble is our fault. Let's not blame God for the trouble. We brought the trouble into His world that didn't have it. We're the ones that caused that. But since we did that, while we live in this world under the curse of sin, there's going to be trouble.

But we can take heart because Jesus has already done what needed to be done to overcome the world and its trouble. He's the one who ushers in this peace that can last, that can be present and steadfast, even when there's trouble. It's not the absence of trouble. It's the presence of Jesus. It's the fact that in the middle of the trouble, we are never alone if we belong to Jesus.

See, Jesus went on to say when He was leaving them that He was going back to the Father, but He said, "I'm not going to leave you as orphans. I'm going to send a helper for you, the Holy Spirit." That's God's Spirit. That is God Himself in Spirit form who comes to indwell those who put their trust in Jesus and follow after Him. We are given this gift when we're baptized into Christ. Not only are our sins forgiven, but we get the gift of the Holy Spirit Himself to come and dwell us.

So everywhere we go, who goes with us? God does. Jesus does in Spirit form. And He never leaves us. I say this all the time. It's a little bit funny to me how sometimes people will say about a church service, "Oh, the Spirit was really there today." Well, He was here yesterday too. He'll be here tomorrow. He never left. He's been here the whole time.

We may not acknowledge Him. We may not be aware of His presence and His power and His provision, but it's still there. He, the Holy Spirit, never leaves us, never forsakes us. So whatever we're walking into today, even when we don't know in advance what it's going to be, and we can never know for sure in advance all that it's going to be, when we walk into that, guess who's already there with us? Jesus is.

The Spirit goes with us wherever we go. And here's the thing that allows us to have this peace that's different than the culture's peace. It's not dependent on there not being trouble. It's dependent on the presence of Jesus. And if the presence of Jesus is there, He said, "I've already overcome whatever it is you're walking into. I already have victory over it. I've already provided for that."

Something I love about the presence of Jesus is I may be surprised by what happened, but He's not. With His knowledge, with His foresight, with His wisdom, not only does He already know in advance before I walk into that situation, He's already prepared in advance what I'm going to need when I get there. And He's promised to be that faithful presence for me and for you when you're walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh.

It's the kind of peace that comes from the fulfillment of the promise of the prophet that said the Prince of Peace is coming. And we see that fulfillment as we celebrate it at Christmas when Jesus is born. So it may look different than we expected. But it is the peace that is promised in Scripture.

Remember when the angel spoke to the shepherds? Talks about, "Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord." And then it says that the angels told them that this child was ushering in peace on earth to those on whom God's favor rests. Right?

We have so misinterpreted that idea that the birth of the baby was going to bring peace on earth in the world's way. And we've got to be careful about that. He was not talking about no more conflict between nations as that kind of peace. Because in this world, that's not going to happen.

So there has to be a way to have peace even with all that going on. So Jesus brings us His peace that's fulfilled in His presence with us that it can allow us to be at peace even when there's conflict.

Do you remember when the disciples were in the boat on the Sea of Galilee and the storm came up? You remember that? In the New Testament, and they are afraid for their lives out in the middle of that storm, but who's there with them? Yeah, what's Jesus doing while the storm's raging? He's taking a nap.

I love taking naps because I'm like Jesus. Remember as a kid fighting the idea of taking a nap? As adults, we think, "Man, it'd be great if I could get a nap." But here's the thing: Jesus could take a nap in the middle of a storm. That's the kind of peace he brings. He knew he could get up and just say the words and calm the storm. He wasn't afraid of that. He could sleep. He could take his nap, get his rest.

And so many of us are so stressed out we can't even rest. We can't even sleep. Even when we try to take a nap, we can't take a nap because we're trying to take a nap. We're too stressed out about stuff. Why are we so stressed out?

I guarantee you this: when you start living with the awareness of the presence of Jesus, it really takes away that stress. You're not so stressed out anymore. It doesn't mean bad things aren't going to happen. Of course they are. But you're not stressed out about them like you were before because you realize Jesus is right there with you.

Years back, there was a wealthy man who was trying to get a piece of art that to him represented the perfect picture of peace. He looked everywhere; he couldn't find one. So he decided he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece for him, and he got the greatest artists in the world that agreed to enter this contest. It was a big prize he was going to offer for the one who could do the painting that represented peace the best.

And so the artists from all over the world came together and they painted and they painted. And finally, the great day of revealing the paintings arrived, and the judges uncovered one peaceful scene after another while everybody clapped and cheered with every one that was uncovered. But the guy didn't pick any of those.

And finally, there were just two left. And he himself went up and took the cover off one of them. And it was a beautiful scene. It was a glassy lake that was just smooth and calm. And it was just a perfect reflection like a mirror. And there were birds flying over. And there was a beautiful sky with no cloud in sight. And it was just a lovely scene. And everybody thought, "Well, this is the one." And he didn't pick that one.

And finally, he uncovered the last one. And the crowd kind of gasped in surprise because it didn't look good at all like they thought it was going to look. It was a tumultuous waterfall cascading down a rocky precipice. The crowd could almost feel its cold penetrating spray coming off of it. There were stormy gray clouds that threatened to explode with lightning and wind and rain.

And in the midst of what looked like thundering noise in the storm that was happening in this bitter chill, there was a spindly little tree clinging to the rocks at the edge of the falls. And one of its branches reached out just in front of the torrential waters falling over the cliff, and a little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch. And there sat that little bird, content and calm with its eggs in its nest, and it had its wings gently covering the eggs. He had his eyes closed at perfect peace.

And the author said, "That's the peace I was looking for right there." The guy that did the contest said, "That's the prize right there. It's the one that really represents the kind of peace we need in this world." That in the middle of a raging storm, you could be at peace.

Jesus said that he came to bring that kind of peace. You see, true peace can be experienced in the midst of the chaotic when we recognize that peace is not about our circumstances; it's about the one who is faithful to walk with us even through the most difficult times.

And here's what you know about the one who's walking with you. Here's what you have to know. The Spirit in you, the scripture says, is the same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead. What are you going to walk in today greater than that? What are you going to walk in today more challenging than that? What's going to happen tomorrow that's more threatening than death itself? Nothing.

And he has already overcome that. All those things that we think are so terrible, so scary, so frightening, he's already won the victory for us. So we can walk into it with absolute confidence and no fear whatsoever. That's why he said, "Don't let your heart be troubled. Do not be afraid." What do you have to be afraid of? He's already shown us his power over all of those things. And he's promised to be with us and never leave us.

So we don't need to be afraid. Do you realize, you may have seen this before. I saw it years ago and I checked it out because I wasn't sure if it was true or not. And I went back and checked it out. And in most English translations in the Bible, "Do not be afraid" occurs, you know how many times? 365 times. How many days in a year? You didn't know you were going to have to do math today.

All right. 365 days in a year and 365 times it says in scripture, "Do not be afraid." But what about tomorrow? I got this big thing going on tomorrow. Don't be afraid tomorrow.

Right. I love Sue Ann found this plaque years ago that she got that she uses a lot when she's speaking. It says, "Don't be afraid of tomorrow. God is already there." Whatever it is, God's already there. We don't have to be afraid, which leads to the final thing about this beautiful prophetic peace.

And that is that we can actually live in that peace. He talks about us living in that peace and peace with others and peace with ourselves and peace in our relationship with God. Well, there's a passage in Philippians 4, you look there, verses 6 and 7, it says this: "Do not be anxious about anything." Right? But in every situation, and what situations? Every situation, by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving, present your request to God.

And here's the result of that: "The peace of God, which transcends," right? I talked about this earlier, "which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Right? Don't be anxious about anything. The word translated anxious means most often we would probably use the word worry, upset, troubled.

Don't be worried, upset, troubled, anxious about what things? Anything, everything. Well, you don't know what I'm going through. I may not, but who does? And who's with you? And who's already overcome those things? Jesus. He knows he's with you. He's already overcoming. He's already there.

Now, he's not saying in that verse that we'll ever get to a place where we never get anxious at all. That's not what he's saying. When he says, "Don't be anxious," he means don't stay there. Okay? There are moments where I get upset, especially driving in Nashville. Right? But other things too, right? There are things that happen that are hard and sometimes scary and sometimes totally out of the blue. You wouldn't expect it at all.

And when that happens, when that's thrown at you, you will immediately have a moment of anxiousness, fear, struggle with what's happening. So he's not saying you'll never have those moments, but when you have those moments, you need to know where to go with it. You need to know what to turn to. Really, you need to know who to turn to with those moments.

And sometimes those moments last a long, long time, and you need to know who to abide with through that long time so that you can have peace. You abide with him, the Prince of Peace. You recognize his presence. You dwell in his presence. You dwell in his presence. You dwell in his presence. You dwell in his presence. You dwell in his presence.

You dwell in his word and his message to you. You dwell in his promises to you. You dwell there, and here's what happens to that anxiousness: it begins to be eaten away by the peace of God that is beyond any human understanding at all. You see, too many times we're running to the wrong place, to the wrong thing, to the wrong person to try to give us that peace.

And when we do that, usually it only complicates the situation. When we run into financial problems, we try to fix it the world's way. When we run into family problems, we try to fix it the world's way. When we run into relationship problems, we try to fix it the world's way. We're running to the wrong source. The Prince of Peace is Jesus. He's the one we need to be running to.

When your peace, when you're struggling to have it, is it based on how your day went? Is it based on how the baby slept last night? Is your peace based on how traffic was on the way to work? Good luck with that. Is it based on how the weather is? You see, none of those things can be a source of peace for us. None of them are stable. None of them are secure. None of those are even in our control at all.

Quit putting yourself in the position of expecting the world to give you the peace you're looking for. It can't do that for you. Neither can your husband or your wife. Neither can your children. Neither can your friends. Neither can your job. Neither can your house or your car or your bank account. None of those things can give you this peace you're looking for. They lack the ability to give you peace.

And there's so many people struggling, even like at the holidays, with the idea of, "I just can't be at peace during the holidays because of this, because of that." Well, that's because you're going to the wrong place for your peace. You go to Jesus when you want peace. He's the Prince of Peace. You turn to him.

I know, I know even for me, life changes as you live very long on this earth, and the things that used to bring you joy, they change, right? It's not the way it used to be. Every Christmas we have, Sue Ann and I can look around and see things that have changed since last Christmas. I mean, maybe you take time to do that, right? Heading into the new year, you kind of reflect on things from the past. You see things that have changed.

People that you loved aren't there anymore. They've gone on. Some of your family, like in our family, some of our family moved away this year, so they're not here for Christmas this year. My parents died years ago. They're never here with me for Christmas anymore, like we used to go visit them at their house, right? Don't do that anymore. Can't do that even if we want to.

I mean, we all have things in this world that will change while we're here. And the mistake we keep making is we think those are the things that we need to be looking to for our peace. And those are the people that ought to be giving us peace, and they're not here now, so we can't have peace.

Why were you looking to them for your peace to start with? It's the wrong place. It's the wrong people. Jesus is that source of peace. Has he changed? He's the same, what, yesterday, today, and how long? Forever.

If your peace is in him, that doesn't change, no matter what changes around you. You can't live in this world without change. It happens. Even the change you don't like will happen. We get older. I walk by the mirror sometimes and think, "Who is that old guy?" You don't think of yourself that way. I'm going to get new mirrors at the house. They're not working well anymore.

And this Christmas season, really, I want you to know, we're going to celebrate Christmas this week, Lord willing. And this Christmas season, I just want us to understand that as much as we try to make it about family and gifts and the children—and I love all that stuff—that's not really what it's about, people. Those are fun things we've added to what it's about.

What it's about is God sent us his peace in the presence of his Son to come and dwell with us so that we can have a peace that this world can never take away. That's really what it's about. Have fun with the other stuff, but look to the Prince of Peace to find your peace. If you miss that, you're going to miss having peace that God paid a high price for you to have.

You see, Jesus had to die on the cross to give us that peace. He had to conquer sin and death to provide that peace. We're going to miss that at the expense of the life of Jesus. We're going to miss that at the expense of the life of if you quit looking to him as your source of peace.

Back on December the 17th, 1903, a big event happened. Orville and Wilbur Wright finally succeeded in keeping their homemade airplane aloft for 59 seconds. It was the first time they'd ever had sustained flight of an aircraft with somebody on it. And they were ecstatic. You can imagine, right?

And as a part of their excitement, they rushed a telegram to their sister in Dayton, Ohio. And the simple message read like this: "First sustained flight today of 59 seconds. Hope to be home by Christmas." The sister was so excited about the news, she just took that telegram down to the newspaper office and gave it to them so that they could publish it in the newspaper.

The next day in the newspaper, the Wright brothers were right there in the headlines. But here's what the headlines said: "Popular local bicycle organizations that may have been pretty much disliked there." And that is true. That's exactly what was published in the paper the next day.

You see, the editors of the newspaper missed the main point. They missed what was the most important thing about to tell about the message that they had been given. It was the first flight ever in history of a human being being able to fly in a plane. And they missed that important thing.

And Christmas has gotten so busy with all the other stuff. Well, they've gotten so busy with the last two shows. Well, we haven't had a chance to go to that oftentimes we miss the biggest part of it. We miss the most important part of it.

Jesus says, "Peace I give you, my peace, not as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Do not be afraid." You see, it's not just a holiday where people come together with families. I don't want you to miss out on it. It's not just a holiday where the office throws a party. It's not just a holiday where people give each other gifts. It's not just a holiday where children get caught up in the magic of Christmas.

It's more than that. It's a celebration that in the midst of all the stress and all the pressures of everyday life, we can take heart that 2,000 years ago, the God of the universe came to earth disguised as a tiny, helpless little baby. He grew up and lived a perfect life. He died an atoning death, and he conquered the grave. And because he conquered the grave, you've been offered the gift of peace.

Let's pray together.

Father, we thank you that even today, as we're in these last few days of the rush to Christmas, we can be reminded that really what it's about is not the rush. It's not the activity. It's not the chaos that we see all around us. It's about peace, the peace that you give, that every human being in the world so desperately needs. Amen. Amen.

Even today, if there's someone seeking that peace, they know without a shadow of a doubt that it's there for them today through Jesus, the person of Jesus, the sacrifice of Jesus, the payment that he made on the cross, it's there for them so that they can have the peace that is beyond all human understanding.

And for someone today who needs to accept that peace through Jesus, I pray today they would come professing their faith in him, that they would come in obedience in Christian baptism, that they would come to be buried with Christ and rise up with the gift of the Holy Spirit indwelling them, so that moving forward, they never face anything alone, but your presence, your power, your provision is always there for them.

We thank you it's there for those who already know Jesus. I pray for those who need yet to have it. In the name of Jesus, amen.

We're going to offer an invitation today. If you have a decision you need to make, we're going to stand and sing together. You come right up front while we're singing, and we'll lead you in that decision.

Everyone have a seat, please. At this time, Walter is going to come and lead us in a time of communion around the Lord's table. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Being here with us today, what a joy it is to have this time together. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

As we head into Christmas, if you are a first-time guest with us, we're so glad you're here. Stop by the information counter in the lobby before you leave. We have a gift we'd love to give you as a first-time guest.

If you'd like to celebrate and worship through the giving of offerings, we have offering boxes available. There's one mounted on a post in the back of the auditorium. There's one in the hallway as you exit. It's got a slot in the top; you can just drop your offering in that slot. You can also give online at lakeshorechristian.com. Just click on the gift tab there. You can also scan the QR code in the bulletin shell; it'll take you to that page. And you can mail in your offerings to the church office.

Either way that you do it, it's an act of worship that supports the work and ministry of the church each week. In the bulletin, we also have announcements listed, and I really want to remind you, of course, about the Christmas Eve candlelight communion service coming up this Tuesday night. It's Christmas Eve. We hope you'll come out and join us here at the Antioch campus. We'll be doing a six o'clock candlelight service. At the Smyrna campus, we'll be doing a four o'clock and a six o'clock service down there. Whichever one works for your schedule, we'd love for you to come and bring others with you. Invite others to come and celebrate Christmas Eve night together.

That's always my cue to start my Christmas shopping, so I'm looking forward to that. And my wife, you know, already talked about it. She takes care of most of that, so I actually shopped early this year. My wife could testify to that for the first time in I don't know how long. Actually, my wife and I did it together, but I shopped early this year, so yeah, yeah, there you go. See, things change. Miracles can happen.

All right, we have our next welcome lunch scheduled for Sunday, January the 26th. If you're new to Lakeshore and you haven't attended one of these yet, we'd love for you to sign up for and attend this. We provide the lunch for free, and we have childcare available if you need it so that you can come enjoy the lunch. It's a great time to find out more about the church and ask any questions you might have. It'll be after the 11 o'clock service on that Sunday, January the 26th.

We want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. We hope that you're able to celebrate in a wonderful way that brings you great joy this year. But whatever circumstances you find yourself in, you know the Prince of Peace. Go to him.

Let's stand together. We'll close with a word of prayer.

Father God, we thank you again for sending us your peace in the person of your Son. We thank you for Jesus and all that he did to provide that peace for us. The world tries to distract us with so many other things that offer us what they call peace, and it just doesn't last. We thank you that we know the source that never fades, never goes away, can never be taken from us. Help us to honor him this week and every week. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.