Fruit of the Spirit - Peace

I love Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Rarely is there an episode that I watch that the floodgates of tears don't flow out. I'm not afraid to admit it as I'm sure I'm not alone.

But, why is it that so many people cry while watching this show? I believe it is because we are moved as we witness the Extreme Makeover crew go from house to house trying to improve lives by rebuilding homes of people in need. It is a great show of compassion and community support. It is amazing to see what people working together can do for a family in a week. Just as amazing is seeing the look on the family's faces as they walk through their new house! Their lives are now forever changed because of the generousity and compassion of others.

In 1 Corinthians 3:16 it says, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"

1. When you think of being "God's temple", what do you think of?
2. What does it mean that God's spirit lives in you?
3. How should we live our lives if we are God's temple with God's spirit living in us?

When we come into a relationship with God, He is with and in us. How great is that! But, just as great as that is, it can be very challenging as well. Think about it, as God's temple/house, we are representing Him in all that we do and say. Think about your day. Have you represented God positively in all that you have done or said today?

So, how does this apply to PEACE at all???? Here's how - when we are in Christ, we are a new creation. Our old self is gone (2 Corinthians 5:17)! To bring in our new self so that we can represent Christ best (as his temple/house), we need to put on characteristics found in the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Peace is one of those characteristics that we can clothe ourselves with as we attempt to represent Christ.

John Stott said, "Now peacemaking is a divine work.  For peace means reconciliation, and God is the author of peace and of reconciliation".  If we want to have peace in our lives, it starts with reconciling relationships.  First, with God and then with others.  God demonstrated his desire for peace by reconciling our relationship with him by sending his son, Jesus, to die for us.

Application:

As we talked on Sunday, the application for the week is two-fold:

1. Ask God to search your heart for relationships in your life that are not at peace – relationships that are not reconciled right now.
2. Then, seek to reconcile any relationship that God puts on our heart. BUT, do not do it by yourself! Ask God to make known to you how you should do this.

Remember, as John Stott said, “God is the author of peace and of reconciliation.” Who better to lead you in reconciliation with another person than the author and perfecter of it?!?

As 1 Corinthians 3:16 says, we are God's temple. Let's be striving to represent Christ in all that we do and say this week. Whether you are able to reconcile relationships with others or not this week, represent Christ in such a way that people can see your deeds and praise God.

Pray that God would search your heart for any relationships that needs mending in your life and that he would give you the wisdom to know how to reconcile.