Seeking the Peace of Christ 

                                Exodus 32: 1-14; John 16: 25-33

                                                                                Rev. Patrick Streeter 

As we enter into our Old Testament story, we enter into a story and really a lesson in waiting. The people had grown tired and impatient of waiting for Moses to return. Quite possibility they had lost faith during the waiting. Their impatience led them to seek a superficial means to please them. They sought a self-indulgent party. Instead of trusting God in the waiting they attempted to displace God. Let me be clear on that, they still wanted God but they weren’t willing to be patient and wait. You know, faith is often put into practice when we wait. Our faith doesn’t cost us much when things are good. But our faith does become more difficult as we face scary situations but at the heart of that, it’s the waiting that becomes most difficult. What we do while we wait reveals to us about own faith. 

In Seminary, our preaching classes taught us some basics to sermon preparation. It’s important to read and listen to the text. What was going on during that time. What’s going on before and after the text? After you understand that, you can look to, how does this text apply to us today. So a question for us this morning is this. In our waiting is God enough for us? That’s a tough question because the longer we wait, the tougher it becomes. Our situations in life, as we learn to wait, are more complex than a child waiting for Christmas Day. Our life circumstances that we face in the waiting are much harder for us to navigate. 

What does our ability to wait say about our faith? If we’re being honest with ourselves faith is easy during the good times, during the smooth sailing waters. Faith becomes more difficult when when rough waters come our way. Faith becomes more difficult in the waiting. Waiting for news. Waiting for results. Waiting for the next door to open? Waiting as we face the unknown. Waiting while enduring suffering or watching others suffer. Waiting is difficult and it is often in these moments that our faith is tested. What we do while we wait revels to us about our own faith. Let me ask you this. What do you do in the waiting? Where does your mind go? What does your heart long for? 

In our waiting we can turn to fear. There are times and seasons in our lives when we will experience fear. We will face the unknown and that will prompt fear. Fear can arise from situations in our life. Fear for the safety and health of loved ones. Fear in the midst of this political climate. Fear of terrorism in our world and our own country. We encounter fear in changing situations. Fear in the midst of divorce. Fear after separation or loss of a loved one. We have our own fears that manifest internally. The fear of being liked and accepted by our family and friends. The fear of being enough and providing enough for our family or for meeting expectations in the workplace. 

What is fear? Let me rephrase that question. Theologically, what is fear? Let me offer this to you. Fear is trusting less in God and trusting more in our own understanding. The problem with this is control. We want to control things in our lives. You may know people that seem to exhibit the need for more control in their lives and also those who seem to live more of a free spirit with the need for less control. But, at some level, we all want that sense of control. Fear can creep in when we begin to experience a loss of that control.  When we are afraid, too often instead of turning to God, we turn to what we can control and understand. When we wait, we turn to what we think we can control because waiting requires us to let go. We turn to control because  that seems safe to us.

In our waiting we can displace God and seek another need to temporarily sustain us. We can turn to superficial needs to fulfill us and sustain us. That is what happened in our story today. The people grew impatient. They wanted Moses to return immediately. We know that God is more than enough for us, but in our waiting, it can become difficult. Sometimes in our waiting we displace God and seek a placeholder to temporarily sustain us. I’m waiting for you to speak God but in the meantime, I need something to keep my focus. I’m here waiting for you but while I wait I need something else. God wants and expects our full attention and devotion. This is where faith becomes difficult but necessary. God wants us to understand that God’s plans and God’s ways are worth the wait. 

The reality in life is that we will encounter situations where we are afraid. In those situations, what do we do with our fear? What is our response? Our text in the Gospel of John provides some much needed guidance. This passage in the Gospel of John is part of the farewell discourse. The 14^th through 17^th chapters of the Gospel of John focus on the farewell discourse. It is the last night that Jesus is with His disciples before the crucifixion. Jesus washes the disciples feet but also offers them parting words. He is preparing them for the things that are to come. He is preparing them for the fear that will arise from the events that are about to unfold. Through this discourse we see a cycle of fear and then reassurance. Listen closely to this. Don’t miss this. Here is Jesus’ response to how we deal with fear. “ I have said this to you, so that you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” The response to fear in our lives is to seek the peace of Christ.  While we wait, as we experiences whatever feelings that come with the waiting, seek the peace of Christ. We must believe and hold on to the truth that the peace of Christ is greater than any fears we may encounter. 

Do you remember the story of Jesus calming the storm in the boat? Jesus and His disciples were in a boat one night when a storm came upon them. Afraid, the disciples cry out in fear, Lord, we are perishing, Save us! The response of Jesus is Peace, be still. Peace, be still.  In our seasons of waiting, seek the peace of Christ. Pray for the peace of Christ to fill your heart and enter into whatever situation you encounter. 

I don’t know where you are in this journey that we call life. I would offer these thoughts to you as I have walked through this season in my life. You are not alone. God is ever-present in our times of greatest troubles, in our moments of greatest joys and in the every day moments as we trudge through the valley’s. Waiting is the hardest thing that we must do sometimes, especially when we face the unknown. But it has been my experience that God truly does work in our waiting. 

When we find ourselves in a season of unknown. Maybe it’s a moment when everything seems to be falling away from us. Each day and each moment we continue to loose control of everything that we know and no matter how hard we hold onto it, it continues to slip away. In that season of life, as painful as it may be, our hope is Christ is more than enough to sustain us through whatever storm we face. Sometimes we have to loose what we hold dear to us, to understand that who Christ is to us is greater than anything we will ever face. 

My story is not your story. My pain is not your pain. But, we can all relate to each other on some level. And more importantly we are called to relate to each other. We are called to gather together in community. The church is needed now more than ever. You are needed more than ever. We can do more together too! We can give more. We can love more and we can share more. My father taught me that no matter what you have, no matter how little or how great, we can always give  and do more. 

Sometimes our life may feel like a fire, burning out of control. We continue to lose and there is no finish line in sight. We feel lost or out of control. Here’s the thing about fires though. Eventually they will die down. And though we may be left with ashes, we serve a God who is in the business of making beauty from ashes. That beauty will be greater than anything we may lose. Until then, keep the faith and keep seeking the peace of Christ, even in your darkest moments. Even though I don’t know your struggle or pain, know that I am on this journey too and I am praying for you. 

What are you waiting for? Maybe your season of waiting is deeper and very spiritual. Maybe you’re in a season of the in between. Maybe you’re waiting for God to guide you to what’s next. If we accept the premise of God working in our waiting, are our eyes open to the little things that God is doing in our lives in the midst of that? While we wait, God is working. God is sanctifying us. Praise be to God that no matter patient or often impatient we may be God continues to work all things for good. 

There’s a song that I love entitled Sovereign Over Us. Hear these words this morning: 

There is strength within the sorrow, There is beauty in our tears. 

You meet us in our mourning. With a love that cast out fears. 

You are working in our waiting, sanctifying us. 

And beyond our understanding, you’re teaching us to trust. 

Your plans are still to prosper, you have not forgotten us. 

You’re with us in the fire and the flood. 

Faithful forever, perfect in love, you are Sovereign over us. 

“I have told you these things so that you may have peace.” Peace, Be still”. Our response to fear must be to seek the peace of Christ. Allow the peace of Christ to enter into your heart. Allow the peace of Christ to blanket whatever situation you  may face. Allow the peace of Christ to fulfill you and to sustain you. Peace, be still! May that be enough. Amen.