Sermon Philippians 4:6-7 “Peace”

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
New Covenant Presbyterian Church
Sermon Philippians 4:6-7 “Peace”
December 9, 2018

Listen to this sermon.

This is the second Sunday of Advent.   Last week we talked about our Christian journey.   This journey begins in faith and ends in hope.   And we have high confidence in this hope because God has been faithful to his people.

Today we will look at something we all want, peace.   We want to live with peace in our hearts.   This is our desire because, if we are honest with ourselves, we admit that our hearts are actually filled with anxiety.   So how do we replace anxiety with peace?   We will get to this, but first, let’s pray.

“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy Heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)

There is no doubt that Americans are anxious people.   Money, relationships, health, and uncertain futures all contribute to a sense of anxiety.  People are anxious about buying gifts because the credit cards they used last year are still not paid off.  People are anxious about family at Christmas because of Uncle Joe, a Trump supporter will be coming.   All the people you can’t stand are coming to your house for dinner.  And you have to carry the tree up from the basement and climb a ladder to put up the lights.  At Christmas anxiety abounds.

This church is certainly dealing with anxiety.  Several people are anxious about finding work.   Others are anxious about disability or approaching retirement.   Some are anxious about their children.   Some are anxious about their parents.   The Pastor Search committee is anxious about finding a pastor for this church.   The Deacons are anxious about caring for the congregation.   The Trustees are anxious about how we will pay for a new pastor, fix the lights and fans in the sanctuary, buy new signs, and build a new shed for the lawn mowers.   The Session is concerned about the growth of the church numerically and spiritually.  I am anxious about where my next call will be.

Two members of this church were in extreme anxiety this week.   They were in the hospital with so much pain that they thought Jesus was just about to take them to heaven.   Thankfully they are doing better.

So how do we deal with anxiety?  Some people go into therapy to find out what in their childhood caused their anxiety.   Others get a prescription for Xanax from their doctor.  Some visit a local bar to drink whiskey until the anxiety goes away.   Some smoke crack or shoot heroin.   And in a few extreme cases, some take their own lives.

According to the National Health Service in England, they have seen a six-fold rise in prescriptions for Xanax, and a doubling of the use of Xanax by young people.  They are calling this an “epidemic of anxiety.”

That is why people look forward to Christmas.  The Price of Peace comes amid evergreen trees, colored balls, bright lights, gifts, and cookies.   Who could be anxious at a time like this?   Christmas is a wonderful time.   Jesus comes into our hearts.  God’s peace fills us.  Anxiety is no more. 

But, sadly, Christmas for many people no longer fills them with peace.    The reason for this is that more and more people have taken Jesus, the Prince of Peace out of Christmas.   They still enjoy the evergreen trees, colored balls, bright lights, gifts, and cookies.  But these things have no power to deal with our anxiety.  And without the Prince of Peace himself in our hearts, we are doomed to living anxious lives. 

For most of its history, the Christian Church did not celebrate Christmas.   Easter in our big holiday.  But in the late Middle Ages, the church began celebrating Christ’s birth to coincide with the Pagan Solstice celebration.   People could enjoy the evergreen trees, colored balls, bright lights, gifts, and cookies on the longest night of the year.  Then they would go to church and remember the birth of our Lord. 

The Protestant Reformers of the 16th Century abolished Christmas until they regained their senses and allowed the faithful to celebrate our Savior’s birth.  And gradually the evergreen trees, colored balls, bright lights, gifts, and cookies all made their way into churches.  As long as the center of the Christmas celebration was Jesus, the Prince of Peace, people would experience the peace of God in their lives.  But today people want evergreen trees, colored balls, bright lights, gifts, and cookies at Christmas, without Jesus.  And without the Prince of Peace, there is no peace only anxiety.   

So what are we to do?  How are we to find peace at Christmas.   Let’s turn to the world’s foremost authority on Christmas.   Maybe he knows what to do.   The world’s authority on Christmas is, of course, Saint Nicholas.   You may know him from the German pronunciation, Santa Clause.   Let’s check in with Old Saint Nick and find out how we can find peace at Christmas. 

I can’t vouch for the historical veracity of this story, but the church has been telling this story for a thousand years.   So here we go.

At the beginning of the 4th century, Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra.  He was summoned to Nicea for a council of bishops by order of Emperor Constantine.  While at the council Bishop Nicholas became enraged at the arguments of a scholar named Arius.  Arius argued the absurd idea that Jesus was not fully God.   Arius said that Jesus was less than God, just kinda like God.   Nicholas was so upset he went to the floor of the council and punched Arius in the nose.  The other bishops grabbed Nicholas and brought him before Constantine.

Constantine said that it was illegal for Nicholas to hit someone in the presence of the emperor.   But he allowed the other bishops to impose a sentence.   They removed Bishop Nicholas’ robes.   They put him in chains and threw him in the dungeon. 

While chained in the dungeon, Bishop Nicholas began to pray.  And as he prayed he received two visitors.   The first visitor was Jesus.   Jesus was bearing gifts.   He gave him four books, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the gospels.   The second visitor was Jesus’ mother, Mary.  She brought Nicholas a new bishop’s robe, possibly red with white trim. 

The next morning the bishops unlocked the dungeon.  They were shocked to see Nicholas free from his chains and dressed in the robe of the bishop.  They were convinced, by this miracle, that Nicholas was right in his argument with Arius. 
Jesus is fully God.   And Bishop Nicholas became Saint Nicholas.  He lives today on the North Pole and drives a reindeer sleigh bringing gifts to good children everywhere.

When Saint Nicholas was in that dungeon he must have experienced great anxiety.  But he received a full helping of God’s peace.   What did he do to bring peace into his heart?   He prayed. 

Prayer is our cure for anxiety.    When we pray God’s peace fills our hearts.  The Apostle Paul explained it this way.

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.     

There have been recent mental health studies investigating the effect of prayer on anxiety.  The results have been mixed.   Sometimes prayer works and anxiety goes down.   Sometimes prayer doesn’t work.   A new study, published in the Sociology of Religion has taken this a step further.   “What they found was that those who prayed more frequently felt "a secure attachment to God." But those who thought God was distant and unresponsive were far more likely to show signs of anxiety-related disorders.”      So it is important to have a strong relationship with God so that when you pray God’s peace will fill your hearts.   This relationship with God requires regular prayer, Bible study, and worship. 

There is no reason for you to be anxious.  If you are anxious about anything offer it up to God in prayer.  Thank God for all the blessings you have received.   Your anxiety will go away.   Your heart will be filled with peace.  Peace does not come from evergreen trees, colored balls, bright lights, gifts, and cookies.   Peace comes from the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas.  Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus come into our hearts today.   Purge our anxieties.  Fill us with God’s peace.  This we pray in your glorious name.   Amen.