LESSON ONE : “Live at Peace”
Living at peace
is a key to our Christian witness.
This was the outline and notes for our lesson on March 12, 2014
This Lenten series is based on the teachings of Ken Sande's book, "The Peacemaker"
LESSON NOTES: “Live
at Peace”
1. What
is conflict?
A
difference in opinion or purpose that frustrates someone’s goals or desires. WHAT DO WE THINK of when
we think of conflict? Do we like conflict? How many in here want to avoid
conflict as much as possible?
2. Four
primary causes of conflict:
1. Misunderstandings
resulting from poor communication (see Josh 22:10-34).
2. Differences in values, goals, gifts,
callings, priorities, expectations, interests, or opinions (see Acts 15:39; I
Cor. 12:12-31)
3. Competition over limited resources, such
as time or money. This is often a problem in families, churches and businesses.
(see Gen. 13:1-2)
4. Some conflicts are caused or aggravated
by sinful attitudes and habits that lead to sinful words and actions. (see
James 4:1-2).
HOWEVER, conflict isn’t
always a bad thing. The Bible teaches that some differences are natural and
beneficial. God has created us as unique
individuals, with different opinions, convictions, desires, gifts, priorities
and perspectives. Human beings are not always going to agree all the time.
Sometimes the conflict could be a generational thing. I remember my grandmother
who lived with poverty and scarcity through the depression and years leading up
to it not understanding why my mom would spend money on shopping or vacations,
etc. Not that parents were rich or spent a lot of money—not really. They were just middle class. But Grandma
really hung onto her money because she was always afraid that the money might
run out. And we could understand her perspective was different. Would we ever really agree that say, a new
car was needed when the old one was still running? Probably not. But Grandma
had a sweet personality and she just accepted that my parents were leading a
different life – and that she would just have to trust them to make the right
decisions for their kids.
Conflict can stimulate
some productive discussions, encourage creativity, promote helpful changes, and
generally make life more interesting. We can’t expect uniformity in a family –
everyone has different personalities, strengths, interests and so forth. And we can’t expect uniformity or have it as
a goal for a church, because that would be against what the Bible teaches (Eph.
4:1-13, I Cor. 12:21-31)—that we all have different gifts and different
callings, so of course we will have different opinions and ways we would go
about doing things. So we shouldn’t demand UNIFORMITY—everything and everyone
to be the same. BUT we should seek UNITY in our relationships while rejoicing
in the diversity of God’s creation. We sometimes have to learn to work with and
accept people who simply see things differently than we do. (Romans 15:7)
Not all conflict is
neutral or beneficial, though. Yes,
sometimes conflict is BAD. The Bible teaches that many disagreements are the
direct result of sinful attitudes and behavior. (James 4:1-2)
But even if conflict is BAD, the biblical view is that it
provides opportunities to glorify God:
1. To glorify God is to bring him
praise and honor; trusting
the Lord and not relying on your own ideas and abilities as you respond to
people who oppose you. As God to give you grace to depend on him and follow his
ways, even if they are the opposite of what you feel like doing. (Proverbs 3:5-7)
2. To glorify God is to obey him. Our
obedience shaows that his ways are absolutely good, wise and dependable. (see
John 14:15-31; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 5-6)
3. To glorify God is to imitate him.
(Eph. 5:1-2)
4. To glorify God is to acknowledge
him: As God gives you grace to respond to conflict in unusual
and effective ways, other people will notice and wonder how you do it. Tell
them that God is working in you to do things you could never do on your own. (Phil. 2:13; I Peter 3:14-16.)
A
BENEFIT TO a God-centered approach to conflict resolution us that it makes
you less dependent on results. Even if others refuse to respond positively to
your efforts to make peace, you can find comfort in the knowledge that God is
pleased with your obedience. You have done the right thing.
Other godly opportunities that conflict provides... You can:
1. Serve others: Although the world teaches, “Look out for number one,” we are
called to love our neighbors as ourselves and to treat others as we would like
to be treated. Luke 6:27-28 Sometimes
conflict allows you an opportunity to carry your opponents’ burdens by providing for his or her spiritual,
emotional or material needs. The
Lord may be using you to help others learn where they have been wrong and need
to change. Gal 6:1-2, 9-10)
2. Encourage others to trust in Jesus: Your behavior during a conflict may
actually draw others closer to the Lord. (I
Peter 3:15-16)
3. Grow to be like Christ: We are called to be walk in our Lord’s footsteps. And
what did the Lord do but give up everything—his entire life—so that we would be
saved. He was a suffering servant. Why should we expect to have an easy life
when we are called to be like Him. God uses conflicts in our lives to shape our
character and even expose sinful attitudes and habits in our own lives. (1 Cor. 11:1; Rom. 8:28-29)
We are called to live
at peace--to pursue peace with everyone! (Rom. 12:18).
a. Why
pursue peace? Why be a peacemaker? Because we know that God loves peace; it is
part of His character. He is often called, “The God of peace”—Rom. 15:33; 2 Cor. 13:11; Phil 4:9
b. God
commands us to seek & pursue peace—2 Cor. 13:11; I Thess 5:12-13; Rom. 12:18
c.
Peace is a gift from God! It is one
of the blessings God gives to those who follow him—Prov. 16:7; Gal 6:16; Ps. 29:11
4. Three
dimensions of peace: If any of these are missing, you will not have true peace.
a.Peace
with God through Jesus Christ—Rom. 5:1-2
b.
Peace with others—Eph. 2:11-18; Matt 22:39
c. Peace
with self—Isa. 26:3; Isa. 48:1 You
know, for some people making peace with themselves is even harder than peace
with other people. Some people may not love themselves. They may think that they are unloveable. But
this is not true. God loves every one of you—and Jesus died for all your sins.
Whatever you think of yourself, whatever fault you can find in yourself, God
sees you through the work of Christ on the cross for our sins. He sees you
after His Spirit is finished its transforming work in you. If you are
struggling to love yourself, then ask the Lord to help you see what a really
special person you are – and that each of us has a unique calling in this life.
5. The enemy of
peace: Satan, who promotes conflict:
a.
Tempts us to greed & dishonesty (Acts 5:3)
b. Deceives &
misleads us (2 Tim. 2:25-26)
c.
Takes advantage of unresolved anger (Eph. 4:26-27)
PASTORAL PRAYER
Let
us pray. Heavenly Father,
thank you for your word to us today.
Thank you for being the God of Peace and for sending your Son to be the
atoning sacrifice for our sins, so that we would have peace with you and with other
people. Forgive us, Lord, when we have not always sought to be peacemakers.
Give us courage and humility to walk in your loving, peaceful ways. Make us more like your son, Jesus Christ, who
taught us to pray….Our father who art in heaven
hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our debts and we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into
temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and
the glory forever. Amen!
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