True Peace in Troubles
Bible Text: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me”
(John 14:1).
SERMON OUTLINES
Is your heart troubled with stress, anxiety, illness, fear, or sorrow today? I hope you can find true peace in the Lord Jesus Christ tonight. If your heart is at peace, thank God for His grace and mercy at this moment. Yet, your heart and mine will be troubled at some time or another because we are living in a cursed and troubled world. You and I cannot run away from troubles. Thus, it is good for us to be prepared for the troubles that will come, so that we can have true peace in Christ in every situation.
The disciples of the Lord Jesus had troubled hearts when the Lord Jesus foretold His departure, Judas Iscariot’s betrayal, Peter’s denial, and other coming events. They had been under the Lord’s training, teaching, guidance, and loving care for about three and a half years. The Lord was their Good Shepherd, and they lacked nothing. Their hearts must have been troubled when the Lord said that He would soon leave them. Judas Iscariot, the betrayer, had already left gone out. They knew Peter, who was confident, bold, and committed, almost like a big brother among them. But Peter would deny the Lord three times, what would become of them?
The Lord Jesus, the all-knowing God, knew their troubled hearts, and said to them, Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1). What does it mean? Do you desire to have true peace from the Lord Jesus in your troubles?
I. CAUSES OF TROUBLES
The verb “trouble,” in Greek, tarássō, means to stir up, to trouble, agitate. Figuratively used of the mind, to stir up, trouble, disturb with various emotions such as fear, put in trepidation. In the passive, to be in trepidation (The Complete Word Study Dictionary).
From God’s Word, the Holy Bible, we can draw at least seven causes of troubles.
1. God’s testing, chastisement or punishment (Job 3:26; Psalm 90:7; 104:29).
2. Satan and wicked people (1 Samuel 16:14; John 13:21; 2 Timothy 4:14).
3. Sins and mistakes (Genesis 3:8-10; Isaiah 57:20-21; Jonah 1:12).
4. A loss of someone or something people rely on (2 Samuel 4:1).
5. Secrets are known or exposed (2 Kings 6:11; Esther 7:6).
6. Bad news or frightening incidents or phenomena (Daniel 5:9; Matthew 2:3; Luke 24:37).
7. Stress, illness, difficulties, problems, trials, or persecutions (Luke 10:41; 2 Corinthians 4:8).
III. HOW TO HAVE TRUE PEACE IN TROUBLES
1. Examine ourselves in repentance (1 John 1:9).
2. Trust & submit to the Triune God, His Word, sovereignty and providence (Ps 119:50; John 14:1; Rom 8:28).
3. Take our refuge in God (Psalm 46:1).
4. Pray and commit everything to the Lord (Psalm 34:17; Philippians 4:6-7).
5. Maintain God’s holy presence by walking in the narrow way of sanctification (1 Thess 5:23; 1 John 1:7).
6. Let the Lord of peace and His peace reign over us (Colossians 3:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:16).
7. Be peacemakers and share God’s Gospel of peace with others (Matt 5:9; Rom 10:15).
IV. CONCLUSION
You and I are living in a cursed and troubled world. Natural disasters, pandemics, wars, economic downturns, crimes, accidents, and so on will trouble us. Satan, our adversary, as a roaring lion, always wants to trouble us and destroy us. The ungodly people will envy us, hate us and may trouble or persecute us. Not to mention our illness, mistakes, failures, or loss of jobs, loved ones, and so on, will trouble us. How can we have true peace in all our troubles? The Lord still commands us, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” We thank God for His love, salvation, comfort, deliverance, and peace in the Lord Jesus Christ alone and His Word alone. May the Lord help us wisely examine ourselves in repentance, seek Him and His Word first, trust in Him, His love, His sovereignty, and His loving care, and commit ourselves to Him to do His will to enjoy His presence and His peace in all situations. May God help us. Amen. HN.
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