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Immanuel was an engineer and inventor who built bridges and buildings in Sweden, Finland, and Russia. He was very successful and wealthy. On occasion, his company would have to change the landscape to establish construction. They often used black powder and various sorts of tools.

Immanuel’s son, Alfred, had significant studies in chemical engineering. He worked with other students and together they invented and utilized nitroglycerine with other chemicals as a highly explosive liquid. Eventually, this would lead to the invention of dynamite, which drastically reduced the cost of blasting rock, drilling tunnels, building canals, and other forms of construction work.

While dynamite was a tool used for good, it also became used for destructive and evil purposes. This overwhelmed Alfred so much that he did not want his legacy to be about violence or war, but of peace. So, his will was designed to use millions of dollars that he and his company earned to award prizes for those in the world who promoted peace. These awards are still being recognized today with [Alfred] Nobel Peace Prize winners.

Today we continue our study on the fruit of the Holy Spirt – peace.

EXAMINE        Peace              Galatians 5:22       

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴ And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Definition

• ‏שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom): Shalom is one of the most prominent theological themes throughout the OT. It carries the idea of being whole, full harmony or completeness. It’s peace from head to toe, inside and outside of your life.
• εἰρήνη (eirene): Eirene is a prominent word in the NT. It occurs in every NT book except 1John. The word expresses one’s positive wellbeing and blessing; a condition of being safe and secure, and w/o disorder.

Overall, peace is not the absence of difficulty but the presence of divinity. Peace is like a bridge with one side being human surrender and the other side being God’s strength. It’s recognizing that life is incomplete and unsatisfying apart from God. God grants “perfect peace [shalom shalom] to whose mind is stayed on God and trusting in the Lord” (Isa 26:3-4, 12).

Peace is like a bridge with one side being human surrender and the other side being God’s strength.

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Theologically, biblical peace has a two-fold reality.

1. Peace with God
2. Peace of God

Peace with God.

We pray for all sorts of gifts from God.

• Good grades / Pass a test
• Smooth traffic & safe travel
• Vehicle that doesn’t break down
• Near parking space
• Dinner – on time & tasty
• Baltimore / Washington win
• Future spouse / Faithful spouse
• Kid’s success & joy
• Job – and good benefits
• Health / Healing
• Sleep
• Short sermons at church (?)

But what we need more than all these wishes is to have peace with God. Before we can have our wishes granted, we must have our needs provided. Humanity’s natural relationship with God is not as a friend but foe; we’re enemies of God. You might be here today thinking that you are not wicked, and God is not at war with you. You and God are, “just fine…,” but are you really?

You see, many like the idea of God being on our side, or even claiming Jesus is our Savior to forgive sin. But, professing faith in God without obedience or surrendering to Jesus as Lord is empty. You cannot balance walk in the middle – riding the fence is a decision against God.

• Mt 12:30-31 Jesus says, “Whoever is not with me is against me. Every sin will be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.”
• Jn 14:15-17 Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father to give you another Helper to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth to dwell in you”

So, if you want to believe in God and follow Jesus – fantastic! But let’s make sure our faith is more than lip service or a supposed hope that you can fool God for fire insurance in eternity. Faith doesn’t work without fruit. Again, we’re not saved by fruit, but a Christian’s faith is not fruitless.

• James 2:17 “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead”
• Philippians 2:12 “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”
• Galatians 5:16, 25 “Walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh… If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

Believing in God; following Jesus; and keeping in step with the Spirit is not about perfection. Peace with God occurs by what Jesus has done not something we do. God demonstrates His love for us that while we were sinners/enemies, Christ died for us (Ro 5:8). Thus, if we have faith in Christ, we are justified [declared righteous] and have peace with God (Ro 5:1).

If you want to know peace, we must know God – really know Him; which leads to the second reality is not just peace with God but peace of God.

Peace of God.

The true believer has peace with God but there are times, even in a Christian’s life that stress, struggles, anxiety, and worry overtake us. Our fears appear bigger than God and we lose perspective of reality.

• Happens to me…
• Happens when your schedule gets busy and you realize you can’t be in two places at the same time… then stress and conflicts occur.
• Happens when someone [you may or not even care about] hurts or betrays you, and you wonder who else thinks that way / or you’re all alone without friends… then you react with insecurity and say things or make decisions that you’ll end up regretting.
• Happens w/ dr appts, so people put off
• Happens with financial challenges and attempting to forecast the future, seemingly never being able to afford ~
• Happens when we postpone conversations with people we care about thinking circumstances will fix themselves, but they seldom do – often get worse!
• Happens when addiction, immorality, manipulation, narcissism, and a host of other poor decisions occur and go unchecked, unconfronted w/o consequence.

Too many people, especially Christians, are living short the joy, deficient the freedom, and deprived the peace of God in their life.

Illus: *How many have received an inheritance? *How many have a will?

The bad news reality is that we’re all going to die. Your stuff is going to someone, so it is wise that we do not leave chaos & mess to our family & friends but strive to pass on blessing. So, whether you’re of older age or not, make plans for your inheritance.

Did you know Jesus made plans for His death and inheritance? Jesus planned and promised to give all His riches, all His possessions, all His legacy to His followers.

JOHN ^14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid… ^16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus isn’t leaving behind a garage full of tin cans full of odd-shaped screws, weed eaters with low-trim wire, and bags full of shirts w/o buttons and grimy sweat rings around the collar. He’s not extending a momentary flicker flame candle silence. Instead, Jesus presents His followers with shalom-shalom / perfect peace / a sure foundation in the earthquake of circumstances / an anchor in the pressured algorithm of worldly chaos.

God keeps those whose mind is fixed on Him in shalom shalom – #perfectpeace. Jesus doesn’t merely offer a momentary flicker flame candle silence. He provides a sure foundation in the earthquake of circumstances; an anchor in the pressured algorithm of worldly chaos. #Isaiah26v3

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APPLY/TAKEAWAY – – – – – – – – – – – > BAPTISM

But how? How do we cultivate the fruit of peace? God’s peace is not meant to be theoretical but tangible. So, let’s make a few applications from

Philippians 4:4-8 ⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Rejoice in the Lord always.

The word (χαίρετε) is two words combined that mean grace and joy. Paul exhorted believers to experience God’s grace and joy in any circumstance. In fact, who remembers Paul’s circumstances when he was writing these words? He’s chained to a guard in prison. Paul was a highly educated traveler, used to premier accommodations. Yet, following Jesus he was belittled, beaten, and burdened placed in a prison. Yet, bc of his faith, he realizes he’s not chained but the rotating guard shifts are chained to him! So, Paul preaches the gospel to the guards, and anyone will listen (Ac 28:31).
Further, remember the context of this passage is Paul naming two women in the Philippian church who were having a disagreement. So, life was not pleasant, and people were not friendly but Paul still commanded individuals to remember the source of their peace.

Paul isn’t advocating the Christian life will have a shortage of problems or absence of difficulty. Instead, he’s advocating that peace is valuing the Lord is at hand. It’s having faith in the surplus of God’s promises.

While there are hundreds of promises in the Scriptures[2], I encourage you to focus on Psalm 103 where God promises to

• Forgive sin (103:3a, 12)
• Heal sickness (103:3b)
• Redeem circumstances and create justice & restoration (103:4a, 6)
• Cover you with love (103:4b-5, 11, 13)
• Reveal wisdom (103:7)

Worry about nothing, pray about everything.

Paul exhorts believers not to be anxious. The word means to be divided into parts.[3] Our anxieties not only weigh us down, but they pull us apart in opposing directions. So, when we spend our time worrying, in a way we are praying to ourselves, and our souls cannot bear that weight. The pressure of trying to be God is unbearable and impossible.

Instead, when a believer has something significant to fret, then it’s a reminder to face it and inform their fears with faith. When we place our problems in God’s hands, He will pour His peace in our hearts.

• Use a prayer list or journal
• Remember we all have 3 buckets[4]
  • In my control / outside my control / within my influence

When a believer has something significant to fret, then it’s a reminder to face it and inform their fears with faith. When we place our problems in God’s hands, He will pour His peace in our hearts.

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Focus on excellence and fight lukewarm faith.

It is so easy to focus on the negative news. And there are algorithms online that will feed pessimism and poor thinking. However, Paul challenges us to take our thoughts captive (2 Cor 10:5) and retrain the way we think (Rom 12:2). He lists six virtues and then two summary qualifiers:
whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything praiseworthy, think about these things.

The Christian faith is not merely emotional but logical. It requires reasoned beliefs and discerning thinking. And the path toward peace is by focusing on God’s design for the world in…

• Truth (not conspiracy or lies or redefinitions of reality to suit self)
• Honorable/noble (not insincere or shameful)
• Just (not improper vertically or horizontally)
• Pure (not fickle or unfaithful)
• Lovely προσφιλές (not inhospitable or callously disagreeable)
• Commendable/admirable (not secretive but impressiveness that can’t be contained)

When we focus on excellence, then that creates alignment with God and peace to our soul. Too often we settle for lukewarm commitment and Spirit-less faith.

It’s far too easy to follow Jesus w/o the Holy Spirit.

• We can read our Bible and have some good thoughts, but seldom apply it to our life.
• We can go to church and smile toward others but stay on the fringe. But @spbc you are challenged to be family / to be a thermostat / warrior. We don’t want to be spectators when God calls us to be soldiers.
• We can interact with others and be a good example but never stand up for the truths of Jesus or share the gospel.

Paul calls Christians to the profound and perfect peace by aligning yourself with the excellencies of Jesus Christ. He is the vine that we must abide to bear much fruit.

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^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Php 4:4–8.

[2] Some single passages/chapters are rich in God’s promises. Other passages are Romans 8; Ephesians 2; Revelation 21:3-7; and so many others.

[3] https://biblehub.com/greek/3309.htm

[4] https://growinggodlygenerations.com/2025/09/19/3-buckets/