“Sharing Jesus’ Peace” – Andrews Chapel Campus of Jackson FUMC – 8/24/2014
Peace – what comes to mind when you hear this word?- Is it a river, a mountain, or the desert; somewhere away from all of the noise and clutter of our modern world; is it time alone in your home without your family making demands on or is it a day without screaming, fighting, or shooting?
Peace as defined by Merriam-Webster has many meanings – including “freedom from oppressive thoughts or emotions, freedom from civil disturbance or harmony in personal relationships.” The opposite of peace is “war, anguish, anxiety or worry, according to the dictionary.
In 1938, Neville Chamberlain entered the UK into a non-aggression pact with Hitler stating that Germany would never go to war again with them. Chamberlain infamously described this accord as, “Peace in Our Time”. He firmly believed that there would be peace and another World War had been avoided. However, as we know in hindsight; it was not long before Hitler violated this agreement and bombs were being dropped on the UK. (For further info visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/30/newsid_3115000/3115476.stm)
As illustrated by this story; we as human beings more often than not experience external peace temporarily. We come to an agreement or settlement or we go off by ourselves for a while. However, in our own strength, it is nearly impossible to maintain our agreements and most of us cannot permanently leave our jobs and families. Yet even for those who are called to a contemplative life; the external trouble cannot be escaped. Thomas Merton was in the monastery throughout much of the Civil Rights Movement and the upheaval of the 1960s. However, no matter hard he tried; Merton could not ignore these events and God’s call to speak out through praying and writing about them.
Our scriptures this morning remind us that there is another kind of peace; a lasting peace that is freely given to us by Jesus Christ. A peace that exists not just in the quiet but also in the swirl of our modern world. For Jesus himself acknowledges that we will have trouble in the world. In our verses; from chapters 14 and 16; Jesus speaks peace to his disciples during their final hours together. Yet it is a different kind of peace than they expected; it is not freedom from Roman captivity
or violence. It is an inner peace; a peace that comes from knowing God and acknowledging his ongoing presence in all aspects of our life.
After his Resurrection, Jesus appears to his disciples and add offers them his peace and just as his father has sent him; sends them out to share this peace with the world.
However, before we can share Jesus with the world and offer peace; we must know Jesus ourselves. Once we dedicate our lives to Him, them we must continue to spend time in His presence. In Henri Nouwen’s book; Discernment: Reading the Signs of Life written with Michael J. Christensen and Rebecca J. Laird; he describes 4 ways of spending time with God; in my own words they are:
1. Reading, reflecting and interpreting scripture
2. Abiding in prayer
3. Worship and sharing in the Lord’s Supper
4. Remembering Jesus and our ‘burning heart’ experience of experiencing God’s presence or as John Wesley described it; “my heart was strangely warmed”(found on pp. 118 Discernment: Reading the Signs of Life, Harper One, ©2013)
When we regularly spend time in these spiritual practices
We can offer hospitality to those who cannot return our invitation and are in need of a friend. Consider inviting those who due to unemployment, grief, violence, mental illness, physical disabilities and addiction are in need of Jesus’ peace and love. Consider offering food, shelter and clothing to those in need by volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, at your local soup kitchen or the Salvation Army. Volunteer at the school in your community. Participate in crime marches; attend local events and get to know your neighbors. Smile at strangers in the grocery store. Be counter-cultural by letting cars out in front of you; giving up your place in
line to someone who appears frustrated or pay for a strangers’ meal in a restaurant. These are all ways we can share Jesus’ Peace in our day-to-day lives.
However, I would contend that we sometimes jump into these works of justice too quickly and try to do them in our own strength. We neglect to pray for others and place them in God’s hands. It becomes difficult to offer peace and love to others without spending time in Intercessory Prayer. Jesus changes hearts and minds; we simply point the way with our words and actions. In his booklet, "Beginning to Pray" Anthony Bloom relays this story of a monk who worked beside many peasants in his monastery workshop. The story illustrates how interceding on the peasants’ behalf made a difference. One day, one of the other monks asked Father Stravinsky (not his real name I could not pronounce his Russian name), “how is it that the people who work in your workshops work so well even though you never supervise them, while we spend our time looking after them and they try continuously to cheat us in their work?” Father Stravinsky replied, “I don’t know; I can only tell you what I do about it. When I come to work in the morning, I never come without having prayed for these people, and I come with my heart filled with my heart and compassion for them. I give them their tasks and then I pray for each of them individually all day long saying, “O Lord, remember Nicholas” and go down the line praying for each one. Consider praying for those whom you see daily in your work and for strangers whom you see without the day. Jesus often uses prayer in unexpected ways and often like Father Stravinsky we do not see it until someone asks us about how are we able to be so patient and compassionate.(Retold in my own words from its retelling on pp. 115 Discernment: Reading the Signs of Life, Harper One, ©2013)
As we remember those in our families, our work and those strangers whom we pass, we need to remember to pray for the overwhelming situations in the world that bombard us in our 24-hour news society. I would invite you this week to consider praying for one situation in your community – learn the names of some of those involved and pray for them. Then choose a situation in a place that you are unfamiliar with, perhaps Ferguson, MO, Luhansk, Ukraine, or Beersheba, one of the communities in the Gaza Strip. Praying for those in other places; unites us with those who pray for peace in their communities around the world.
As I mentioned earlier one of the practices that needs to be a regular part of our life is worship. It is difficult for us to pray for unity in the world if we are not regularly gathering with our community of believers and praying for them
throughout the week. Pray for your congregation; its leaders and its ministries throughout the week.
Together through prayer and works of justice, we can permeate our life, our family, our church, our community, our country and our world with Jesus’ peace.
Will you join me in praying for peace?
The Rev. Elizabeth Tapia, director of
Mission Theology for Global Ministries, wrote these prayers for peace in observance
of World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel 2013 World Week for Peace , which calls for justice
and peace for all people. United Methodists are encouraged to use these prayers
in both personal and corporate prayer times.
Gentle Spirit,
Breathe in us the wind
of truth, wisdom and righteousness.
May your Presence inspire us
to create labyrinths of peace.
Compassionate One,
Make our hearts burn with love,
honoring all peoples and creation.
Bless all nations, every family and
community
while we seek to work for justice and unity.
Prince of Peace,
Lead us to ways of healing and reconciliation
we pray with those who suffer and struggle.
Bless us with your reconciling love that knows
no boundaries as we seek to live in community, justice and peace.
So be it.
The
Beatitudes and Prayers for the Christians in Palestine
A humble encouragement to the Christians
living in Palestine...
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst
for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Mathew 5:6)
God of Peace, as our sisters and
brothers in Palestine hunger and thirst for righteousness, freedom, land, unity
and safety, fill them with your transforming grace, that they keep on trusting
You as they keep on being peacemakers.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they
will be called children of God.” (Mathew 5:9)
God of Love, help us to love and respect
all your children on earth, to care for those who struggle and persecuted in
many ways.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted
for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (v. 10).
God of Justice and Grace, grant us
courageous and pure hearts, so we may see you more clearly and dwell in your
land with harmony.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they
will see God.” (v. 8)
We pray in the name of the Triune God,
Amen.
—Rev.
Dr. Elizabeth S. Tapia (from the Philippines),
Office of Mission Theology
General Board of Global Ministries of
the
United Methodist Church, New York City
etapia@umcmission.org
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