Good evening, everyone. Turn
with me in your Bibles, please, to Isaiah 26. Isaiah 26. The book of Isaiah, chapter 26. We'll begin with verse 1. Isaiah 26 verse 1, In that day
shall this song be sung in the land of Judah. We have a strong
city. Salvation will God appoint for
walls and boards. Open ye the gates that the righteous
nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Thou would keep
him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he
trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever,
for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. For he bringeth down
them that dwell on high, the lofty city he layeth it low,
He layeth it low even to the ground, he bringeth it even to
the dust. The foot shall tread it down,
even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy. The way
of the just is uprightness. Thou, most upright, dost weigh
the path of the just. Yea, in the way of thy judgments,
O Lord, have we waited for thee. The desire of our soul is to
thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. With my soul have I
desired thee in the night, yea, with my spirit within me will
I seek thee early. For when thy judgments are in
the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Let favor be showed to the wicked. Yet will he not learn righteousness? In the land of uprightness will
he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord? Lord, when thy hand is lifted
up, they will not see, but they shall see and be ashamed, for
they are envious of the people. Yea, the fire of thine enemies
shall devour them. Lord, thou wilt ordain peace
for us, for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we come
to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, your beloved Son. We come to you through Him because
we realize this is our only approach to God. Oh, how we thank you
for your wonderful salvation. We thank you, Lord, that you
have translated us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom
of your dear Son. Thank you, Lord, for the privilege
we have of gathering together tonight and studying the Word
of God, but especially worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ. Bless
us in what we do here. May we honor the name of Jesus
Christ in all that we say, think, or do. We pray, Father, that
you would be with those of our congregation who have physical
problems. We pray, Father, that you would
be a strength and a comfort to them. We pray, Father, for our
pastor and Shirley as they are away from us, that you would
keep them safe and bring them home safely to us. Lord, we look
to you. Who else could we look to? You're
the only one with the words of life. And Lord, we come to you
for those words tonight. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Number 477 in your hymnal. 477. Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified, Knowing not it was for me He
died on Calvary. Mercy there was great and grace
was free. Pardon there was multiplied to
me. There my burdened soul found
liberty. By God's word at last my sin
I learned, Then I trembled at the law I'd spurned, Till my
guilty soul imploring turned to Calvary. Mercy there was great and grace
was free. Pardon there was multiplied to
me. There my burdened soul found
liberty at Calvary. Now, I've given to Jesus everything
Now, I gladly own Him as my King Now, my raptured soul implore
Turn the Calvary Mercy there was great and grace
was free More than there was multiplied to me There my burdened
soul found liberty at Calvary Oh, the love that drew salvation's
plan Oh, the grace that brought it down to man Oh, the mighty
gulf that God did span At Calvary there was great and grace was
free. Pardon there was multiplied to
me. There my burdened soul found
liberty at Calvary. Turn with me again, let's look
again at Isaiah chapter 26. I've been thinking about these
words for quite some time and in preparation sometimes God
sends by somebody who will give you some thoughts on what's going
on and a young fellow was talking to me that he didn't like the
church where he was going. He said, I am so tired of chaos
and fighting. When you go to church, it's chaos
and fighting, and when you leave, you're in chaos. That's what
he told me. I said, well let me just tell
you about a place where you can hear the gospel, and it's a place
of love and joy and peace. And so maybe he'll come along
one of these days. But peace. Peace. Isn't it great to have
peace? Isn't it great to be able to
have this kind of love and fellowship with one another? The kind of
love and fellowship that just brings peace to your heart. When
you come in, you hear the message of the gospel of peace. When
you leave, your heart is full of peace. Oh, I know we got to
step out into this old dirty world. Peace sometimes flees
away pretty quickly. But when we come here, what a
joy. What a joy to be able to be here
together. Do you know that Isaiah also
said concerning peace, that there is no peace, saith my God, to
the wicked. The way of peace, Paul said,
they have not known. Peace is a person. Peace is the Lord Jesus Christ. No wonder we get along. No wonder we love one another.
No wonder we have joy in the presence of one another and joy
of worshiping the Lord with one another. Because our peace is
a person. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. According
to Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6, it says He is the Prince of Peace. The Prince of Peace. He's the
one who makes peace. He is our peace and I'd like
for you to look at that with me in Ephesians chapter 2 Ephesians
chapter 2 Ephesians chapter 2 let's begin
with verse 14 where it says For he, Jesus Christ our Lord, for
he is our peace, who hath made both one, and broken down the
middle wall partition between us, having abolished in his flesh
the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for
to make in himself of twain one new man. so making peace, and
that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross,
having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to
you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through
him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father. Now therefore we are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens, with the saints,
and of the household of God." That peace, that peace is the
Lord Jesus Christ. And according to Colossians chapter
1 and verse 20, He has reconciled, that reconciliation that we read
there in chapter 2 of Ephesians, which is atonement, which is
our mercy seat. He says in Colossians chapter
1 verse 20, and having made peace through the blood of his cross. There's where the peace came.
When He shed His blood for us, He took away the enmity of sin. He took away the problem of sin.
He put away sin. He purged our sin. He forgave
us of all our sin when He died on the cross for us. According
to Hebrews chapter 13, He is the God of peace. Look at that
with me in Hebrews 13. Again this evening we're going
to look at a few passages together. Hebrews 13 and verse 20 Now the God of peace that brought
again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of
the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working
in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ,
to whom be glory forever and ever. Paul said it another way
in 1 Corinthians chapter 14 verse 33. He said he is the author
of peace, the God of peace, the prince of peace, the author of
peace. In Hebrews chapter 7 and back
in the book of Genesis we read of a man called Melchizedek. Melchizedek was the king of Salem. The word Melchizedek means king
of righteousness. But he was king of Salem and
Salem is the word for peace. It's a derivative of the word
the Hebrews use for that is Shalom. He is the king of peace. the king of peace that's who
we're talking about that's who we're talking about and he gives
his peace to his own look at John chapter 14 the gospel of John chapter 14 down at verse 27 Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give
I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid. My peace I give unto you. And according to Isaiah 66, that
peace is like a river. I think somebody wrote a song
in our hymn book or some other hymn. Peace like a river that's
flowing. His peace is like a river. It's deep. It's wide. It's ever-flowing. It's refreshing. That's His peace. That's His
peace. But as I was thinking about this,
I thought, how did peace come to us? I know it comes through
our Lord Jesus Christ. But let me just say it this way.
There is a peace that comes at the end of war. The end of the
warfare, there comes peace. The war of the ages we hear.
Good and evil. In Isaiah 40 verse 1 and 2 we
know so well, your warfare is accomplished. It's done. Not by us, but by Him, by our
Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was the one that
was victorious. When He cried on the cross, He
cried with a loud voice. Most people succumb to death.
He cried with a loud voice and gave up the ghost. He cried with
a loud voice and said, it is finished. It's done. It's accomplished. The warfare
is over. Jesus Christ has won the war. He was victorious. He crushed
the head of the serpent. You remember the story of David
and Goliath? David the shepherd boy, Goliath the giant who defied
the armies of Israel, who defied them to bring out a man who would
fight with him. And if that man should win over
him, then the Philistines would be the servants of Israel. If
he will prevail over the soldier who come out, then the Israelites
would be the servants of the Philistines. David went out and
he said, is there not a cause? This battles the Lord, David
said. And David picked up five smooth
stones and headed toward, the Bible says he ran toward the
giant. Now you've got to remember in
those days Saul was a Jew and he was head and shoulders above
everybody but most Jews in those days were a little over five
feet, five and a half feet tall. This giant was about nine feet
tall. and here's little David running up the hill because he
was down at the brook where he picked up the stones he was running
up the hill toward the giant and crying out the battle of
the lords and with sling and stone he hit that giant in the
forehead that giant fell down flat the serpent's head was crushed
was bruised And then with that giant's own sword, he lopped
off the head of the giant. What I'm saying is that peace
comes at the end of the warfare. And our Savior was like that.
When he went to the cross, he defeated Satan. He spoiled principalities
and powers. He triumphed over them openly. He made a show of them. The victory
of the cross, it wasn't as some have supposed to think and to
say that There was a failure there at
the cross. No, Jesus Christ won the victory. He won the victory
over sin, over Satan, over death, over hell, you name it, He won
it. Jesus Christ has already won
the victory. Our atonement has been made.
Sins have all been paid for. The wrath of God was consumed
there and salvation was accomplished. No wonder Paul said, thanks be
unto God which giveth us the victory in Christ Jesus our Lord. Who always causes us to triumph
in Christ Jesus. There is a peace that comes at
the end of the war and our Savior won the war. But there's also
a peace that comes during the war. during the battles. Don't we have a battle, flesh
and spirit? God created a new nature within
us. It never does anything wrong.
It's always righteous according to 1 John chapter 3. But we have
this flesh that is always sinful. Always doing the wrong thing.
And there's that great fight between the two that Paul talks
about in Romans chapter 7. And I want you to turn there
with me. In Romans chapter 7. There's a peace that comes during
the war. Romans chapter 7. Paul was talking
about himself. And in verse 14 he says, we know
that the law was spiritual, but I'm carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do, I allow
not. For what I would, that do I not.
But what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would
not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no
more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that
in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. For the will is
present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not.
For the good that I would I do not, but the evil which I would
not, that I do. Now if I do that, I would not,
it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find
it in the law, that when I would do good, evil is present with
me. Well, I delight in the law of
God after the inward man. But I see another law in my members,
warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity
to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that
I am! Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? He's in pretty sad straight so
far, isn't he? That next verse answers the question. I thank God through Jesus Christ
our Lord. So then with the mind I myself
serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation
to them that are in Christ Jesus. Doesn't that give you peace?
We wore every day flesh and spirit, flesh and spirit. And sometimes
it seems like all the time we wore our flesh and our spirit. Our deliverance is Jesus Christ
our Lord. Our deliverance and our peace
is this. There's therefore now no condemnation to them that
are in Christ Jesus. You cannot be condemned. Christ
was already condemned for you. You cannot be judged. Christ
has already been judged for you. God has accepted what Jesus Christ
has done for us. But not only does the peace come
through the fact that there's no condemnation in us, but turn
to Ephesians chapter 6. I want to show you something
else here. Ephesians chapter 6. We have this warfare going on.
Ephesians chapter 6 beginning in verse 10. Paul says, Finally, my brethren,
be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on
the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh
and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness
in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the
whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the
evil day, and having done all to stand. Stand therefore with
your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of
righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of
the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield
of faith wherewith you may be able to quench the fiery darts
of the wicked one and take the helmet of salvation and the sword
of the spirit which is the word of God we have an armor God has
made that armor for us and with that armor we can withstand anything
that the devil or the principalities and powers would send our way Doesn't that give you peace? Our feet are shot with the preparation
of the gospel of peace. Doesn't that give you peace?
There's a peace that comes during the warfare. Paul said to young
Timothy that thou mightest war a good warfare. He also told
us that we fight not against flesh and blood. And then I like
this. Romans 16 20 look at it with
me Romans 16 20 we have this warfare going on
but notice what God says in Romans 16 20 and the God of peace shall bruise
Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you. The God of peace. He's going
to make sure that he's bruised under your feet shortly. It's
going to be done. It's like when the Lord was talking
to Peter and the Lord said, Peter I have prayed for you that your
faith fail not. He's praying for us. He's praying
for us. He's fighting the fights for
us. We triumph in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone. There's
a peace that comes at the end of war. There's a peace that
comes during the war. And there's a peace that comes
through reconciliation. Two parties are at odds with
one another. They don't seem to be able to
get along. Reconciliation needs to be made. We are at odds with
God. Our sins have separated us from
God. God hasn't moved. He hasn't changed. He's still righteous, holy, pure,
perfect. we need the reconciliation not
he so God sent his son in the form of a man and God sent him to be the one mediator
between God and man. He was God's perfect man, man's
perfect God. He's the only one who could mediate
between us and God. We needed the mediator. We needed
the reconciliation. And in Ephesians chapter 2, Paul
explains that. We've read that. Paul explains
that we need that reconciliation. He has made us one in Christ. One body in Christ. We need that
reconciliation. The chastisement of our peace,
according to Isaiah 53, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him. We
needed peace. He took it upon Himself. He took
that chastisement. He took that wrath. He took what
we deserved because of our sin. He took what we deserved from
God. And he put away the sin that
separates us from God. I needed that. Don't you? I need that. I need to know that
my sins are put away. I need to know that I don't have
to worry about those sins anymore. Jesus Christ bled and died for
my sin. He bore the curse and the wrath
that was due us. And He established righteousness
for His people. He was raised for our justification. He established that righteousness
for His people. Not only does He cleanse us from
all sin, but He has given us, made us to be righteous in Him. We stand before God without sin. We stand before God perfectly
righteous. Now doesn't that give you peace?
Oh, what peace. The Spirit of God regenerates,
gives new life, makes us new, and only He can subdue my rebellious
contemptible pride. Only He can make me willing to
come to His mediator, Jesus Christ. And He did. Aren't you thankful
that He did? And he did. He did for you and
me. There's a peace that comes at
the end of war. There's a peace that comes during
the war. There's a peace that comes through reconciliation.
There is a peace that when the trials of life come, he gives
us peace. There has no temptation taken
you, that's a trial, test. There has no temptation taken
you, but such as is common to man. God is faithful, who will
not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but
will with the temptation make a way of escape that you may
be able to bear it. What is the way of escape, Jesus
Christ? He's our peace. He's our way
of escape. When all the trials of life come
our way, we escape. We run. We hide in the bulwark of our
Lord Jesus Christ. He even said, come to the throne
of grace. There to find mercy and help
in time of need. And grace in time of need. Come
to the throne of grace. There's peace that comes when
we're in the trials of life. Remember Martha? They were at supper. Martha was
in the kitchen just banging away, doing all the stuff. Nothing
wrong with that. But she called out and said,
now Lord Mary's just sitting in there with you. Have Mary
come in here and help me. And what did the Lord say? Martha,
Martha, you're comfortable with so much serving. Mary has chosen
the better part. The better part. When the trials
of life come, the better part is our Lord Jesus Christ. You
know, He doesn't allow anything to come to our lives. As a matter
of fact, He always directs everything to our lives, to His people.
All things work together for good to them that love God who
are called according to his purpose. Do you believe it? That's what he does. That's what
he does. There's a peace that comes when
you're in the trials of life. There's also a peace For troubled
souls. We read that in John chapter
14. Turn there with me. We're going
to look at a couple of verses there. In John 14. There is a
peace for troubled souls. Do you have trouble? Is your
soul troubled? I know I'm of little faith. So
many times I keep thinking, oh Lord, how in the world could
you save a man like me? I mean what, am I really saved? Am I really
born again? Have I really been delivered? Sometimes I think that. I don't
know if you do or not. But sometimes I think that. And
then the thought hits me. Has nothing to do with me. Not one thing to do with me. It's everything to do with Him. He did it all. And He's sitting
on the throne making sure it happens. Why should I worry? Why should I worry? Well, the Lord had told the disciples
that He was going to leave them. All that devastated them. So he gives them this sweet message
in John 14 verse 1. Let not your heart be troubled.
You believe in God. Believe also in me. In my Father's
house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare
a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself,
that where I am, there you may be also. And whither I go you
know, and the way you know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord,
we know not whither thou goest, and how can we know the way?
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father,
but by me. And let's read again verse 27. Our Lord said, Peace I leave
with you, my peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth,
give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid. There's peace for troubled souls.
Peter said it this way. Casting all your care upon Him,
for He careth for you. Wow. Casting all your care upon
Him, for He careth for you. Paul said it this way in Philippians
chapter 4. In Philippians chapter 4. He
says in verse 6, Be careful for nothing. That
simply means don't worry about anything. I guess be like the Australians,
no worries mate. Don't worry about anything. Be
careful for nothing. But in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known unto
God. And look what happens. And the
peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your
hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Thou will keep him in perfect
peace, whose mind is stayed on thee. And then there's a peace
in knowing God's presence. Lo, I'm with you always. even to the end of the age. Lo,
I am with you always. He will never leave us nor forsake
us. Wow, that gives me peace. That
gives me peace to know that he's always there. David said it this
way in Psalm 139, Whither shall I flee from thy spirit? I can
go to the depths, you're there. I can go to the heights, you're
there. I can go to the pit, you're there. I can go to the farthest
place away, and you're there. Whither can I go from you? You're
always with me. Always with me. What a peace. And then there is that final
peace of all believers. Every one of us are either going
to rest in sleep, death, or at the coming of Jesus Christ be
changed in a moment, a twinkling of an eye, and caught up together
with Him, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. There is a
final peace for all believers. Do you know there's not going
to be any sin there? Nothing to defile. No unrighteousness. No liars. It's all going to be
perfect righteousness. It's all going to be sinlessness. No wonder David said, I lay me
down in peace. Can you do that? I lay me down
in peace. Can pillow my head tonight and
know that my Lord is watching over me. Can pillow my head tonight and
know that if he should take me, oh what joy that would be, that
he should take me home. and I enjoy the bliss of his
presence forever and ever and ever. No wonder Simeon said when
he saw the little babe Mary and Joseph brought the little babe
in to be blessed and to the temple and the Lord had told Simeon
that he wouldn't die until he saw God's salvation and when
he picked up that little child He said, now I see thy salvation. Let thy servant depart in peace. That peace is our Lord Jesus
Christ. I don't have time to go through
all of it with you, but the 13 books that we know that Paul
wrote, addressed by Paul, in every one of them you'll find
this phrase. Grace be unto you and peace from
God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what he wanted
for God's people. That's what I want for God's
people. I believe that's what you want for God's people. Grace
be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ. That's why We preach the gospel
of peace. The gospel of peace. One last verse, Romans chapter
10. Verse 15, Paul is quoting from
Isaiah 52. Paul says, How shall they preach
except they be sent as it is written? How beautiful are the
feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad
tidings of good things. I'm glad for a church that preaches
this. Thank you Heavenly Father for
what you taught us tonight. Thank you, Lord, that there is
a peace and that peace is a person, our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, and
we thank you, Prince of Peace, for all the wonderful blessings
that you've given to us, to these troubled hearts in the midst
of our trials. in the war of our flesh and spirit. Oh, how you're there and how
you take care of us. Watch over us. Thank you, Lord,
for your peace. In Jesus' name, amen. Number 288 in your hymnal.