Peaceful Easy Feeling
Philippians 2: 14 “Do all things without pmurmurings and qdisputings: 15 That ye may be rblameless and ||harmless, sthe sons of God, twithout rebuke, uin the midst of a vcrooked and wperverse nation, among whom ||ye shine xas lights in the world;” [1]
I. Peaceful
A. Murmuring
B. Disputing
II. Easy
A. Blameless
B. Harmless
III. Feeling
A. Perverse
B. Pervade
Introduction: Before we get into the message today, I must give credit to the author that gave me the message title. A song writer named Jack Tempchin wrote a song with the same title as this message. The song was performed by the Rockabilly group called “The Eagles.”
This is the chorus from that song and no I won’t break out and sign it.
“'Cause I got a peaceful easy feelin' And I know you won't let me down 'Cause I'm already standin' On the ground”
Some of the songs of the 60’s and 70’s had hidden meanings more than just rock and roll music that takes you away from humdrum. Most of the songs that the Eagles performed were ballads that told a story about dark feelings. The first line of this song’s chorus would make you think that this guy had someone who he could really trust. But then the second half of the chorus comes. You can’t be let down when you are already as low as you can go.
The guy who wrote this needed someone who would lift him up from the bottom he had reached. Jesus said, “3 cBlessed are dthe poor in spirit: for etheirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 Blessed are fthey that mourn: for they shall be comforted.5 Blessed are gthe meek: for they shall inherit the earth.6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: hfor they shall be filled.7 Blessed are the merciful: ifor they shall obtain mercy.8 Blessed are kthe pure in heart: for lthey shall see God.9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.10 Blessed are mthey which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you †falsely, for my sake.” [2]
To understand that peaceful easy feeling you must get through that place of despair. Many people must reach their bottom before they can begin the climb up. Before I could realize what was up in the perfect place that God had for me, I had to realize how low I was. Are you there?
Scripture: The scripture is Philippians 2:14-15. When you have found it please rise to your feet for the reading of God’s written word.
Prayer: Please be seated
Message: In the midst of this that is in this world today, most feel that the last thing they need are a bunch of Christians telling them how it could be better but the truth is, the world needs us more than maybe it ever has before. For just a time as this, we are here now.
Who are we? What does this world need? God back to Matthew 5:9 or the peacemaker beatitude. Who are the peacemakers? “9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” [3] The children of God! Who is the apostle Paul speaking to in this letter to the church at Philippi? There it is in the middle of our text in the middle of verse 15, “The sons of God!” If we take our rightful place as peacemakers, we are God’s children.
We must be peaceful to be peacemakers. If there is any murmuring or disputing there is no peace. We, His Church, are no different than the world. We must get through it. Didn’t say we won’t argue and fuss. As long as I’m here there will be that. I need to get over it. How?
Here comes the English lesson. I want us to think of the word dogmatic. No it does mean what Rachael is. It doesn’t mean that if a dog walks up to a dogmatic person they automatically love that dog like Rachael does. Dogmatism is being stuck a place about an opinion concerning a point of view that you will not be moved from. We Baptists are pretty dogmatic about baptism equals immersion. There are some who believe it so much that if their loved one dies in an accident before being baptized, they think they will never see them again. That is dogmatic,
I had that idea until my dad accepted Jesus after he had a massive stroke. It changed him in the blink of an eye but we could not get him into the water to baptize him. We will spend eternity together. I know that but I had to accept grace to understand that.
Murmuring is that sound that you hear sometimes when someone is arguing just loud enough so that you can hear them but not understand them. You know they are against that which they are witnessing and are not bought into the idea they hear. If a person can’t get through this it might lead to outright bickering or disputing with those that should be working to reach agreement.
Remember last week about working out your salvation? If there is a problem in the congregation, work it out! Get it out into the open and work it out of the conversation so that peace can be reached and maintained.
That ye may be blameless and harmless; that sounds easy enough right? If you go about minding your business and living in such a way to help and not hurt, are people still going to blame you? When you consider the rest of the world you know the answer. There are always going to be those outside who disagree with what God expects. We live in a fallen world!
Christians have through the ages been blamed for everything wrong in the world even sometimes by other Christians. Paul was speaking for Jesus as His apostle. “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke”
We must strive to live in peace without blame and harm within His church. This is not inside this building but inside this family. Have you ever seen a family that didn’t try to figure out who the bad guy is? Have you ever seen a family that doesn’t blame the other family members because they have what some others in the family have not? This is a different family here. We are the sons of God! To walk in step with Jesus as the Holy Spirit guides is the only way.
To attempt to be good without God is impossible. Only when we allow God to lift our load of guilt and shame and blame will our burden get easier. Blameless before God, harmless to our brethren in Christ; there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey. Easy!
Finally the last point, feeling; there is a prevalent feeling in the world today that the only thing to look forward to is more dread. It is an election year so the media is really pushing the idea that change is needed. Truth is; change is definitely needed. We all need a change of direction. For the religious the word is repent. That means change direction.
The media would have you to believe that someone else is responsible for a change in direction so the ones in power must be changed. There has always been social pressure with each generation that your parents are to blame so to get things right change everything that your parents held dear and things must get better. The thing that God wants from us is a personal relationship. Jesus died for that. Someone already did something about that and Jesus is the only one who could because blame cannot be a sacrifice for blame. We are all to blame.
Politicians, all of them, would make you believe that you can believe them to make things better for you. God certainly does ordain government so that we might take care of ourselves with worldly things. I think God ordained government so that we can see what happens when we decide to leave Him out. The government cannot make you feel better!
God has a perfect plan laid out for this world and we allowed that plan to be broken. Until we allow God to replace that which we threw away, we will continue to live with broken feelings.
It is no wonder that the translators of this particular King James Version of the Bible used the word crooked to describe this world. Crooked and perverted are the opposite of straight and by design. This particular verse describes a crooked and perverse nation. Keep in mind that Paul addresses this letter to the church in Philippi which is a city in Greece. Was Greece a perverse nation? Did Paul mean Rome was perverse? That’s where he was scribing this letter from. What nation is crooked and perverse? Better question; what nation is not crooked and perverse?
What are we supposed to do in the midst of the perversion that pervades this earth? We are to shine let God’s love shine through us! God’s love will only pervade this world when His people, His church, when we learn to live peaceably with ourselves. Only then will light shine in the darkness. One at a time. One Christian at a time. One local church at a time. When one candle pervades the vast blackness the darkness is not so dark anymore. Feel His love so that you can then show His love.
Prayer:
Invitation: There will be no change of direction back to God unless the children of God turn back to God. There will be no regeneration of love in the world unless the children of God are regenerated with His love. There will be no revival of the Spirit in this world unless we the children of God open our hearts to the Holy Spirit.
There is no other way because those who have not received Jesus have not received the Holy Spirit so it is not possible for those who are not Christian to know the truth. I get so tired of listening to what is going on and wondering why people are so dead-set on being set on death. If there is no life with Christ then there is no life with Truth. I am tired of being tired and not being ready to show the love of Jesus!
Are you ready for the world to know the truth? Are you ready to love even though the world hates you? That is what Jesus did and continues to do. He loved me while I was against Him. Am I a Christian? Are you a Christian? How can I call myself a Christian and let anger control me in my relationship with those who are against me.
Today I invite you to pray for me and allow me to pray for you. Pray that I will finally understand that I must follow Jesus if I say I am following Jesus. I must love to show love. I am here now for the purpose of allowing the Holy Spirit to witness Jesus through me.
As we sing the invitational hymn let us pray for each other that we allow God to have His way with us, His church, known for all these years as Merry Oaks Baptist church. Let’s sing…
p Wisd. 1:10. 1 Pet. 4:9 (Gk.). So 1 Cor. 10:10. Comp. Jude 16.
q Rom. 14:1 (Gk.).
r ch. 3:6. See Luke 1:6.
|| Or, sincere. See Matt. 10:16.
s So Matt. 5:45. Eph. 5:1.
t 2 Pet. 3:14 (Gk.).
u So 1 Pet. 2:12.
v Acts 2:40. 1 Pet. 2:18 in the Gk. See Deut. 32:5.
w See Matt. 17:17.
|| Or, shine ye. See 1 Pet. 2:5 marg. Comp. John 5:39.
x So Matt. 5:14, 16. Eph. 5:8. See Prov. 4:18. Comp. Rev. 1:20.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Php 2:14–15). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
c To ver. 12, Luke 6:20–23.
d See Ps. 34:18.
e ch. 11:5. James 2:5.
f Isai. 57:18. & 61:2, 3. John 16:20. Rev. 7:17. & 21:4.
g Cited from Ps. 37:11.
h So Isai. 55:1. & 65:13.
i So Ps. 41:1. Prov. 14:21. 2 Tim. 1:16. Heb. 6:10.
k Ps. 24:4.
l Heb. 12:14. 1 John 3:2, 3.
m Rom. 8:17. 2 Cor. 1:7. & 4:17. 2 Tim. 2:12. 1 Pet. 2:19. & 3:14. & 4:13. 14.
† Gr. lying.
[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mt 5:3–11). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
[3] ibid., Mt 5:9).
