All Aboard the Peace Express
All Aboard week #6
All Aboard the Peace Express
Mark 3:1-6; John 11:45-48; Matthew 26:39; Matthew 27:45-46
Peace is not an absence of problems, but rather perspective on how the story ends
4 things that rob us from the peace of God
1. A hard heart
A hard heart is somebody that knows what God wants to do in them and through them, and says, no
The more religious your background, the more likely your heart is to be hard
Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. 2 Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” Mark 3:1-3
Jesus doesn’t tear you down, Jesus builds you up
Then he turned to his critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him. 5 He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! Mark 3:4-5
Religious people don’t mind if miracles happen, as long as it fits within their system
At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus. Mark 3:6
Religious people don’t mind breaking God’s commandments when you break theirs
2. Control
Control is the greatest illusion in the universe
Following Jesus is about freedom. Religion is about control and manipulation
Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. 46 But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. 48 If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.” John 11:45-48
So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death. John 11:53
3. Misunderstanding
He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Matthew 26:39
4. Dishonesty
At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 46 At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Matthew 27:45-46
You cannot step into healing until you’re honest