Great Day to Be Great, Part 4

Today is a great day to be great. in the kingdom of God are greater than the greatest man ever born of a woman. Luke 7, verse number 28. So today is truly a great day to be great. I had the wonderful opportunity to speak at my son's high school this past week with their Fellowship of Christian Athlete and to be able to share with them what I've been sharing with you in 20 minutes. In fact, I did the whole thing in 20 minutes. You say, well, why can't you do it here? And the reason is, is because there are so many goodies to share with you.

It's hard to do it all in 20 minutes. Plus I gave them a bookmark, which I will give to you whenever we finish. It's a great day to be great. But I gave them a little bookmark to remind them of, of what greatness really entails and how they can understand greatness from a biblical perspective. Because like you, they are anticipating a great life, a great marriage, a great opportunity that lies before them in their education, in their future. They anticipate greatness. Most of them will be disappointed unless they understand true biblical greatness.

So like them, we need to come to grips with what the Bible says concerning how it is we become great in the sight of the Lord.

John the Baptist was great in the sight of the Lord. He was great, not because of his character, not because of his conduct, not because of his courage. He was great because of the privileged position he had to point people to the Messiah, to demonstrate and show them who the savior of the world was and is. We have a great privilege. We have a great position in the kingdom of God as citizens of God's kingdom. And we have the opportunity to be great in the sight of the Lord. The question is, are you?

Well, to understand that, number one, you must glory in his person. You must glory in his person and grow in his portrait. We glory in Christ Jesus, Philippians 3, verse number 3. We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. As we glory in his person, as we grow in his portrait, then we begin to rejoice in his providence and rely on his power. Rejoice in the providence of God and rely on his power. We've already covered those four points with you. We're going to move to the letter E and explain to you how each day is a great day to be great.

If you glory in his person, not yourself, it'll be a great day. But at any time you glory in yourself, it's a bad day. No matter how great you might think it is. If you're not growing in Christ's likeness, it's a bad day. But if you grow in the likeness of Jesus, it's a great day. If you rejoice in the providence of almighty God, that he's at work in every detail of every aspect of your life, he's orchestrating everything to bring about his glory, you rejoice in that, it's a great day. But if, like Jesus said, you get upset with the way he does his business, Luke 7, 23, blessed are all those who don't get upset with the way I do my business, you'll have a great day.

If you rely on his power, live a life of dependence, not independence, you'll have a great day. But if you live independently of God, you have a bad day, no matter what happens during the course of that 24-hour period. E, there are two points to each letter, E is embrace his peace. Embrace his peace. Oh, by the way, if you don't rejoice in his providence, you'll never embrace his peace. If you don't rely on his power, you'll never embrace his peace. But the unique thing about those least in the kingdom of God is that they're at peace with God.

Having been justified by faith, Romans 5, 1, we have peace with God. Having been justified by faith, we, those in the kingdom of God, have peace with God. Now, we know, according to the gospel of Luke, that Zechariah said in a song at the birth of his son, the greatest man ever born of a woman, John the Baptist, he said these words in Luke chapter 2, verse number 79, that this Messiah will guide our feet into the way of peace. This one who is coming, this one that was prophesied, where my son will be the forerunner to this individual, will guide us in the way of peace.

So when you come to Luke chapter 2, and the angels meet the shepherds, they say to them, verse 14, glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased. Peace only comes to those with whom he is pleased. The question comes with whom is God pleased? The answer, very simply, is found in Psalm 147, verse number 11. The Lord is pleased with those who fear him. The Lord is pleased with those who fear him. And so we who have encountered peace with the living God at salvation must embrace that peace of the living God through sanctification.

Okay? So those who have experienced that peace have encountered that peace through salvation because we are now at peace with God, we are no longer the enemies of God, we are at peace with God, now have to embrace that peace through sanctification. Embracing every aspect of the God who is peace. He's called the prince of peace. And so let me talk to you for a moment about that peace.

How is it we are to embrace that peace? Because most of us don't. You've encountered peace, but you don't embrace the peace. You're at peace with God because you're no longer his enemy, you've been reconciled to God, but the peace of God does not fill your soul. Turn with me to Matthew 6 for a moment.

Matthew chapter 6. Jesus is speaking that great sermon on the mount in Matthews 5, 6, and 7. Thousands of people are listening to him preach this sermon. He's talking about kingdom citizens, those who are part of his kingdom. He says unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you'll never be a part of my kingdom. So it's all about the kingdom of God. Matthew 5 verse number 20, key verse there. It's all about the kingdom of God. So he's talking about those in the kingdom because those who are poor in spirit are citizens of the kingdom of heaven.

So as he talks about that, he says no man can serve two masters, verse 24 of Matthew 6, because you're going to hate one and love the other. You can only serve one master. You can't serve God and money, God and memon, God and wealth. You can't do that. And then he says these words, verse 25. For this reason, what reason? You can't serve two masters, you can only serve one. I say to you, do not be worried about your life. Now, how many of here are not worried about their life? This is a command. God doesn't make a suggestion to you.

Hey, let me give you just a word of advice. Let me give you a suggestion. I don't want you guys to worry about anything. No, he says this is a command. If it's a command, it is to be obeyed. Okay? It's a command. Do not be anxious. Do not worry. It's a German word which speaks about a mental strangulation. All right? It deals with your mental faculties and how you can be strangled in such a way that you come apart. And Jesus says don't do that.

Well, easy for him to say. How do we do that? He says, for this reason, I say to you, do not worry about your life. Oh, by the way, if you serve two masters, you're always worried. Serve the wrong master, you're always worried. Serve the right master, you're never worried. For this reason, I say to you, do not worry. Do not be anxious for your life. As to what you will eat or to what you will drink or for your body as to what you will put on is not life more than food and the body more than clothing.

Luke 12, 15, man's life does not consist in the abundance of things in which he possesses. So he goes on to say, look at the birds of the air that they do not sow nor reap nor gather into barns and yet your heavenly father feeds them.

Are you not much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow. They do not toil nor do they spin. Yet I say to you, then not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothed the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will he not much more clothe you? You of little faith. Jesus attacks three main areas.

Do not worry about your food. Do not worry about your future and do not worry about your fashion. Do not worry about what you're going to eat because God takes care of the birds of the air. Do not worry about your future, your life. Do you really think he says you can by worrying add one extra day to your life? I know that a lot of you eat healthy. Okay, because you think that eating healthy is going to help you live a better, longer life. I believe your life is on a divine timetable and you will die when God says you're going to die.

No matter if you eat McDonald's every day or you eat healthy every day, you're going to die on time. Nobody dies too early. Nobody dies too late. But we have this mentality that we worry about what we're going to eat, what we're going to wear, where we're going to live, our future, thinking that if I do this or do that, I will live longer, I will live better, I will live fuller, I will live happily happier. Not true, but we worry about all these things. In fact, some of us can't even sleep at night because we're worried about where the meal will come tomorrow or worry about whether or not the doctor will say, yes, the test is positive.

You have cancer, you have six months, but can I add a seventh month, an eighth month? Maybe if I take chemo, I can add maybe nine or ten months. Really? Do you really actually think that by doing something medically, you can add another day to your life? We think we can. You cannot. You're on a divine timetable. Now, I'm not saying don't take care of yourself. I'm not saying go out and eat McDonald's fries and burgers every day for the rest of your life and happy you will be. I'm not saying that either.

I'm just saying our mentality is we worry so much about things that God is in complete control of. He says, don't worry about your fashion. But we worry about our fashion. The clothes we're going to wear and how we're going to look when we go out in public. And he says that my heavenly father clothes the lilies of the field. And yet you worry so much. And he gives you why you shouldn't worry. Do not worry, verse 31. Then saying what we will eat or what we will drink or what we will wear for clothing.

For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things. For your heavenly father knows that you need all these things. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.

So do not worry. Do not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. But very few of us cannot think about tomorrow or the events of Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday. We are so worried about tomorrow and God says don't do that.

Don't worry about tomorrow. Believe me, tomorrow has got enough trouble of its own. Don't worry about it. Don't be anxious about it. Don't be strangled in your mind about these things. Why? Because you have a father who sustains you. You have a father who satisfies you. And you have a father who secures you. That's why. He will sustain you. The Gentiles worry about what they are going to eat and what they are going to wear. The pagans do that. You don't do that. You are citizens of the kingdom. You have a father that will sustain you.

You seek first his kingdom, his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. You have a father that satisfies you. Therefore take no thought for tomorrow because you have a father that secures your tomorrow. He is in complete control. So Christ attacks the worrisome attitude of everyday living in his Sermon on the Mount because he wants us to trust him. Do you know that every time you are anxious, every time you worry, it happens because you are distrusting the providence and promises of God.

That's why worrying is a sin. We say well I'm just concerned. No. You are distrusting the providence and promises of God. The Gentiles do that. Citizens of my kingdom don't do that. See the core of embracing the peace of God is learning to rest in what God is doing and is going to do. Do you understand that the peace of God is something that truly is inevitable? It is inevitable in the life of every believer. Romans 14, 17 simply says these words. Romans 14 verse number 17 says the kingdom of God, the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but it is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

The kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking. The kingdom of God is righteousness. That is you are declared righteous. You are clothed with the righteousness of God because you are at peace with God. Because you are at peace with God you have the joy of God. That's the kingdom of God. People who are right with God are at peace with God. Those at peace with God have the joy of God. So the peace of God is inevitable to those who are citizens of His kingdom. It says over in Romans 15 verse number 13 now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.

All joy and peace in believing. Ephesians 2 verse number 14 for He Himself is our peace. So we need to understand if we are going to embrace the peace of God that peace is inevitable because we are right with God. We are citizens of His kingdom and the kingdom of God consists of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. On top of that that peace that is inevitable is invaluable. That peace is invaluable. Listen to what the Bible says in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 verse number 12.

It says 2 Thessalonians 3 verse number 16. I'm sorry. Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. Wow. Now may the Lord of peace Himself grant you peace in every circumstance. Can you imagine how invaluable that is to the believer? That God somehow will grant you peace in whatever circumstance you find yourself. Now I don't know what has happened to you this past week. I don't know what's going to happen to you this week. But do you believe in the peace of God and the value of that peace for your life in every single circumstance?

Now may the God of peace fill you with His peace in every single circumstance. Now how does God do that? Well it tells us Psalm 119 verse 165. Those who love your law have great peace and nothing causes them to stumble. Those who love thy law have great peace and nothing causes them to stumble. So if you don't have peace, listen carefully, in every circumstance because the God of peace is going to fill you with His peace, why is it then we don't experience that peace in every circumstance? Because we don't love the law of God as we should.

Because those who love the law of God have not just peace, not just good peace, but they have great peace. So if you're going to have a great day, you got to have great peace. And great peace only comes to those who love the law of God and nothing causes them to stumble. They remain upright. They remain steadfast. They remain strong because they are at peace with the living God. That's why if you're going to have a great day, you must embrace His peace. To embrace that peace, you must love the law of God.

So if you're not experiencing peace in every circumstance, ask yourself, not, where is God's peace? Ask yourself, where are my affections toward the law of God? That's what a psalmist said in Psalm 94, 17, when my anxious thoughts overwhelm me, thy constellations delight my soul. When my worrisome thoughts overwhelm me, when I'm worried about my food, when I'm worried about my future, when I'm worried about my fashion, when I'm worried about my finances, when I'm worried about all those things that, listen, are earthly because they're not eternal, when I'm worried about those things, when my anxious thoughts overwhelm me, thy constellations delight my soul.

The psalmist knew that when the anxious thoughts were welling up within him, because we all have them, we sit in a dentist's chair with all kinds of anxious thoughts. I don't like dentists. I go once every 15 years, whether I need to or not, okay? And usually I convince myself I don't need to go, so I don't. To sit in that chair and to hear that sound, that drill, and to have someone picking at my teeth as I sit there with my mouth wide open is very worrisome to me, so I just don't go. I just bypass the whole thing, you know?

And I figured if something goes wrong, then I'll show up there. It's like the doctor. I don't go for regular checkups. Why? Why? Why pay the money for a regular checkup? If I'm sick and I'm dying, I'll go, but until then I don't need to be there. And so I just bypass all that stuff, and I just live my life. But you see, we get so anxious, and so when you sit there in the dentist's chair, or you sit in the doctor's office awaiting, awaiting the verdict of what the test was, or the conclusion to the test, the constellations of God delight your soul.

Because you see, when you go to the Word of God, you begin to understand that God's in charge, and God's in control of those situations. You begin to embrace the peace of God. That's why it's so invaluable. Not only is it inevitable, because it's only designed for the citizens of the kingdom of God, it's invaluable to us. It's absolutely invaluable to us. So the Apostles would say in Psalm 119, verse number 50, this is my comfort in my affliction that your Word has revived me. Verse 52, I have remembered your ordinances from of old, O Lord, and I comfort myself.

You see, we get afflicted. We find situations that we're in overwhelming us. The only thing that's going to comfort your soul is the Word of God. That's it. You can have a friend come and hold your hand, and that might feel good for a while, but it does nothing for your soul. What does something for your soul is the eternal Word of God that touches the deepest part of an individual, that they might be at peace in their soul. We need to embrace this peace. If every day is a great day, to be great.

The only way you can be great is if you embrace the peace of God. The peace that's inevitable, the peace that's invaluable, and number three, the peace that's incomparable.

You can't compare it with anything else. It's incomparable. The psalmist said in Psalm 4, Psalm 4, excuse me, verse number eight, in peace, I both lie down and sleep for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. It's incomparable. That's why Jesus said in John 14, 27, my peace I give unto you, not as the world gives I unto you, but my peace I give unto you. Therefore, let not your heart be troubled. How can he say that? I don't want you to worry about what's happening tomorrow. This is the eve of the crucifixion, John 14.

I don't want you to worry about what's going to happen tomorrow, because I'm going to die. I don't want you to worry about what's going to happen to you guys after I die, because my peace I give unto you, and my peace is nothing like the world can give. It's incomparable. Nothing in the world can compare to the peace that God offers to his children, and that's why he can say, let not your heart be troubled or anxious, because I'm going to give you my peace. Wow, how wonderful is that? The kind of peace that would allow him to sleep on a boat when the disciples feared for their lives.

He was still able to sleep, and the boat would rock. Disciples would fear for their lives. They would have to go down and wake up Christ in the middle of a crisis and say, don't you care that we're perishing? Oh, you cowards, after he calms the storm. Oh, you of little faith, because they didn't believe when he said, let's get in the boat, and let's go to the other side, because on their journey to the other side, the storm erupted, and they didn't believe they would make it to the other side. So Jesus said, why are you so cowardice not to believe everything that I said?

See, that's what happens to us. We don't believe everything that God says. We hear what we want to hear, but we don't hear everything that God says, and when we don't hear what he says, we become all unglued in the midst of a crisis.

That's why the peace of God is incomparable. You can't compare it with anything the world gives you, and therefore, when you embrace that peace, it's a great day. So not only is it inevitable, invaluable, incomparable, it is inscrutable. That is, not able to be comprehended. Philippians chapter four. Philippians four, verse number six. Paul says, these words be anxious for nothing. So Paul is going to echo what Jesus said in Matthew six. Don't worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all human comprehension.

It is inscrutable. You can't comprehend it. We'll guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Don't worry. So the next time you are worrisome, the next time you have this mental strangulation concerning the events that are taking place in your life, and they're putting such a hold on you, you can't move, you pray with thankfulness. Thank you, Lord, that I am in turmoil. Thank you, Lord, that my mind is running rampant. Thank you, Lord, that this situation is here upon me right now.

Thank you, Lord, for it, for some way, somehow, you want me to trust you, and so I'm going to pray and come to you with a thankful heart. I'm going to let my request be made known to you, and that peace of God that goes beyond all human comprehension will guard your hearts and minds. And then he says, finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things, the things that you have learned, received, and heard, and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

If you don't practice these things, if you don't think on the things that are pure, think on the things that are true, think on the things that are lovely, think on the things that are beautiful, think on the things that God wants you to think of, you won't have a mind that's guarded and protected, and you won't experience the peace of God. You can't embrace this peace, because you've embraced your pain, not his peace. And when you worry, you embrace the perils that are before you, not the peace of God within you.

Therefore, we must understand, if today is going to be great, we must embrace this peace, a peace that's inevitable, a peace that's invaluable, a peace that is incomparable, a peace that is inscrutable, a peace that is inimitable, that is, it cannot be imitated. Why? Galatians 5, 22, it is the fruit of the Spirit. So nothing can imitate in the material realm, in the natural realm, that which God does in the supernatural realm. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace. It cannot be imitated by anyone or anything else but by the Spirit of God who makes it happen.

It is invincible. That should be number 6 in your outline. The peace of God is invincible. Isaiah chapter 26, Isaiah chapter 26, says this, Isaiah 26, verse number 3, The steadfast mind you will keep in perfect peace. The steadfast mind you will keep in peace, peace, is the literal Hebrew translation, but there is no other way to describe the overwhelming peace that God gives to the steadfast of mind, that is, the mind that continually thinks and dwells on the things of God, the mind that trusts in God.

It says, the steadfast mind you will keep in perfect peace because he trusts in you. The steadfast mind is a trusting mind. The steadfast mind is a mind that abandons all human crutches because it trusts in God alone. That is why over in Jeremiah 17, the Lord God said this, cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord for he will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when prosperity comes but will live in stony waters, excuse me, stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitants.

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord for he will be like a tree planted by the water that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes but its leaves will be green and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit. Why? Because he is trusting with a steadfast mind in his God and God will keep him in perfect peace who trusts in thee simply because it says in verse number four, trust in the Lord forever. This peace is an invincible peace.

It makes you stand in the heat as Jeremiah says. In the wilderness you can stand and still flourish because it's the peace of God that allows you to trust in him no matter what the circumstance. That's why Colossians 3.15 says let the peace of God rule in your hearts. Let the very fact that you're at peace with God, you are one with God be the governing factor in every decision you make. The fact that you're at peace with God, let that be the umpire when it comes to making a decision about your life.

Embrace this peace, a peace that is inevitable, invaluable, incomparable, inscrutable, inimitable, invincible, and incredible. Incredible. Now unto him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that you can ever ask or think, to him be the glory. This is an incredible peace because you will be able to demonstrate to the world your citizenship in heaven because you trust in the king who rules over all. I want you to have a great day no matter what happens, no matter how negative the circumstance, how positive the circumstance.

To have a great day. It can only be great if you truly glory in his person and not your person. Only if you grow in his portrait, not your own. Only if you rejoice in his providence and rely on his power, then and then only can you embrace his peace. And once you embrace his peace, point number two, you can enjoy his presence.

How do you do that? That's next week. So you have to come back. Rain or shine. Let's pray. Father, thank you for today. Thank you for a chance to be in your word. Thank you for a chance to be challenged once again. Every one of us, Lord, has days in which we are anxious. Our thoughts strangle our movements. And yet you've said, don't do that. Because it exemplifies that you do not trust in my providence and my promises. Lord, we want to embrace the peace of God. We've encountered it. We've experienced it because we're saved.

But maybe there's someone here today who's not saved. They have no idea about what it means to be at peace with the living God. We pray that today would be the day of their salvation, that they would know Christ, the God of peace, and thus be able to embrace that peace every day so they can have a great day. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.