September 8 Sermon and Announcements

 CERRO GORDO CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

September 8, 2024

Jesus Promises Peace

John 14:27

Jesus promised his disciples he was leaving them with his peace. At the

time Jesus made this promise he had been telling them things were

going to get hard. Yet Jesus wanted them to know what was available

to them. When we look at our lives how often would you say you are

living in the peace Jesus promised? Most of us, if not all of us, have had

times in our lives when real peace or peace of mind seemed hard to

find. Why is that? After all Jesus said, “Peace I leave to you my peace I

give to you.” So, what is the problem?

I believe there are two reasons why peace seems hard to find at time in

our lives.

Reason #1 - Satan. We are told time and time again Satan is a liar. In

John 8 Jesus is having a discussion with some Jews who are questioning

Jesus about who he really is. In verse 44 he is telling them their

problem is that they are listening to Satan more than God. And toward

the end of verse 44 Jesus states just who Satan really is. Speaking of

Satan, Jesus says this, “When he lies, he speaks his native language for

he is a liar and the father of lies.” So, what is one of the reasons we may

not live in the peace God has for us? Because Satan is lying to us about

who we are, about what is happening in our lives and about who God

is. As Christians we are not supposed to fall for his tricks anymore, are

we? But sometimes for any one of a number of reasons we do.

Before we go back to the promise Jesus made to his disciples, to God’s

people, let us look at the second reason we do not always have the

peace Jesus promised. Reason #2 is related to reason #1. When I said

Satan is a liar as reason number #1, I mean the purposeful lies Satan

throws our way to depress us, to make us feel unworthy, bring guilt and

resentment towards God.

Reason #2 – We do not live in the peace God has for us is more on us.

Satan doesn’t really have to do anything special to steal our peace, we

in some ways, willingly give it up. We get overwhelmed by work, by

family, by finances, by health concerns, to the point peace is nowhere

to be found. And we think it is our burden to carry all alone, no one else

understands or no one else cares, including God.

As I have been sharing this list, maybe some of you are thinking of

other things that has stolen your peace. So, what is the solution? How

do we tap into this spirit-filled peace Jesus has promised?

1. Trust God.

2. Pray that God will help you to put and keep Satan in his place.

3. Believe the promise of peace is real and for you.

At times it seems we must start each new day asking for God to bring

the peace the Holy Spirit gives afresh in our life. Then we need to pray

that God will drive Satan’s lies as far away from our lives as the east is

from the west. Then we must claim the peace Jesus promised us to

overcome, whatever it might be that is coming against us. Satan loves

to remind us of things in our past. Whether it be sins we have

committed or, in some cases, memories of things we may have enjoyed

that are no longer there and Satan tries to tell us there will never be

good times again. As God’s children, we have the right to claim the

peace Jesus promised, even in the midst of difficult times. As Jesus was

once again warning his disciples of what was about to happen, he said

this to them in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me

you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble but take heart,

I overcome the world.”

Just as we talked last week, that in the midst of difficult times God’s

promise of hope is real and there to hang onto and so is the peace

Jesus promised. If necessary, minute by minute and day by day, ask the

Holy Spirit to give you the peace Jesus promised his followers. Problems

and difficult times will not necessarily miraculously disappear, but yours

and my ability to face those challenges with an attitude of Godly peace

is ours to claim. If you are not seeing God’s peace in your life as much

as you would like, make the decision today to claim Jesus’ promise for

yourself right now.

Pastor Larry

Announcements:

Sunday School 9:00

Tuesday 9:30 Bible Study

KYB is on-going at the Brethren Church on Wednesdays after

school for 3 rd through 5 th graders.

A special Church of the Brethren Mission Offering will be

collected next Sunday, September 15. Envelopes will be

available in the back if you would like to participate.

We need volunteers for the children’s message during worship

and for story lessons in the nursery. Please sign up.

Pastor Larry Traxler (217) 454-2362

Donation Box for September: utilities

First Sundays: Food Bank donations

Keep in Your Prayers

Elliott (Evelyn Eads’ great-grandson); Alan Baker; Ruth Siburt;

Sharon Traughber; Dorthea Wood; Mike and Kathy Gentry;

Steve Needham; Larry Traxler; Nancy Fansler; Stacie Warren;

Nancy Gorrell; Nora Hanaver; Ron and Kathleen Petersen;

Doug Larrick; Shirley Clarkson; David and Jan Bower; Debbie

Garvey Leibrock; Mike and Carol Seidenstricker; Adiline Young;

Mayo and Darlene Hanaver; many unspoken requests; victims

of shootings and of natural disasters; shut-ins; the Nigerian

church; the Haitian church; those in the middle of war and

violence; military and other services and their families; Brethren

Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers

District Prayer Calendar: Pray for the Naperville congregation

and for the Church of the Brethren Global Food Initiative.