Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4 Micah 4:1-5
A) Freedom is purchased with a price
1) Liberty has always come through the overthrow of Tyrants.
2) Wars have drenched battlefields with blood to gain freedom
B) Wars have been fought to end all wars
1) Still the world is an armed camp - A dangerous place.
2) Wars and rumors of was will continue Mt 24:6-7 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, & pestilences, & earthquakes, in divers places.
C) When will the world find peace?
I) PEACE IS THE CRY OF THE EARTH TODAY
A) THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES PEOPLE HAVE LONGED FOR PEACE.
1) Even so - war has continued on the Earth
2) No wonder cry for peace has continued
B) WHY WARS CONTINUE. Jms 4:1-2 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and…ye fight and war…..
1) There’s a constant lust for wealth & power
2) Desire to control wealth and people.
C) PEACE WITHIN THE GRASP OF MANKIND.
1) They believe peace and safety has arrived
2) However - Destruction is on its way.
3) We are to be alert to signs of His return.
D) THESE ARE TO DAYS TO WATCH & PRAY
II) PEACE COMING TO THE EARTH SOMEDAY
A) THE TIME OF PEACE.
1) A time of Religious Peace - Vs 1
2) A Time of Political Peace - Vs 2
3) A Time of Peace through Justice Isa 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
4) A Time of Peace in Nature. Isa 11:6-8 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.
B) A TIME WHEN VIOLENCE WILL END
1) Violence has been with us since man’s fall
2) There will be no more destroying in that coming time of peace.
III) PEACE WILL COME WHEN THE KING COMES AGAIN.
A) PEACE AGREEMENTS WILL FAIL UNTIL THE PRINCE OF PEACE RETURNS.
B) CHRIST WILL JUDGE AMONG HIS PEOPLE
1) He will Rebuke the wicked.
2) He will bring Fairness to all.
C) CHRIST WILL END ALL WAR.
1) Weapons will be put to better use. Mic 4:3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
2) Think about it “NO MORE WAR”
IV) CONCLUSION:
A) We can find peace with God now by Faith Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
B) Personal peace by full surrender Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus