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Finding rest in God through Sabbath and stillness

Finding Rest in God Through the Gift of Sabbath

Written by Havana Sonday on . Posted in Resources, Sermon Highlights. No Comments on Finding Rest in God Through the Gift of Sabbath

This week’s teaching focused on the fourth commandment and God’s invitation to remember the Sabbath by stopping, ceasing, and resting with Him. In a world filled with hurry, technology, and constant stimulation, finding rest in God reminds us that we are not defined by what we accomplish and that we can trust God to sustain us.

This Week’s Teaching: #4: Sacred Rest

Key Takeaways

  • Sabbath is not simply about taking a day off; it is an invitation to stop, rest, and reconnect with God.
  • Finding rest in God helps us resist the hurry and constant stimulation that can leave us physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausted.
  • God’s command to rest is rooted in His desire for our freedom, reminding us that our value is not dependent on our productivity.
  • Creating space for boredom, quiet, nature, relationships, and creativity can help us slow down and become more attentive to God’s presence.
  • A regular rhythm of worship and rest can nourish our souls and remind us that God continues to sustain the world even when we stop working.

Sermon Highlights: Finding Rest in God

Life moves fast. Sometimes it feels like the week begins and suddenly it is over. Our phones are always within reach, notifications keep coming, and even our downtime can be filled with entertainment and stimulation. But what happens to our souls when we never really stop?

This week’s teaching invited us to consider what it means to practice Sabbath and why God included rest as one of the Ten Commandments. At the heart of the message is an important invitation: finding rest in God is not about escaping responsibility or becoming less productive. It is about remembering who we are, who God is, and trusting that the world does not depend entirely on us.

Big Idea of This Week’s Teaching

The fourth commandment says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Sabbath means to cease, stop, and rest. The sermon emphasized that this is not simply rest because we are exhausted. It is a deeper kind of rest that allows our souls to become aware again of God, ourselves, our relationships, and the rhythms of life.

Finding rest in God gives us freedom from the idea that we always have to be working, producing, responding, or staying informed. Sabbath becomes a guardrail that helps us slow down and remember that God sustains us.

Key Scriptures

Exodus 20:8–11

The fourth commandment calls God’s people to remember the Sabbath, cease from work, and keep the day holy. The sermon connected this command to Israel’s experience of slavery, where generations had known relentless work without a true day of rest.

Genesis 2

The teaching connected Sabbath to creation, emphasizing that God Himself rested after His work. Rest, then, is not a consequence of human weakness; it is part of the rhythm God established from the beginning.

Psalm 46:10

“Be still and know that I am God” became a central invitation for prayer and reflection. The congregation was encouraged to slow their breathing, become still, and make space to notice God’s presence.

1. Finding Rest in God Means Learning to Stop

The Israelites had spent generations working under the oppression of slavery. When God called them to rest, they were being invited into something they had not known how to practice. The command to stop was itself an expression of freedom.

The sermon connected that ancient experience with our own lives. We may not be enslaved to the same things the Israelites were, but hurry can still become a kind of master. We can become so accustomed to being busy that even when our bodies stop, our minds keep going.

“You’re not just slaves to all the things going on. You have agency of your life.”

Are you always moving from one thing to the next? Do you find yourself reaching for your phone whenever there is a quiet moment? Even when you are not physically busy, is your mind still running?

Finding rest in God begins with recognizing that we do not have to live that way. Sabbath gives us permission to stop. It creates a space where we can say, “For this time, I don’t have to accomplish anything. I can simply be present with God.”

2. Finding Rest in God Means Trusting That God Sustains Us

One of the most meaningful ideas in the sermon was that stopping work is an acknowledgment that the world continues because God sustains it. We can step away from our responsibilities without believing everything will fall apart.

That can be difficult to accept. We live in a culture that often celebrates constant availability and productivity. Technology was supposed to make life easier, yet the sermon pointed out how easily technology can also keep us connected, distracted, and stimulated.

Finding rest in God challenges the belief that we always need to know what is happening or keep up with everything. We can choose the “joy of missing out.” We can be okay with not knowing every update, responding to every message, or filling every quiet moment. Rest becomes an act of trust.

3. Finding Rest in God Creates Space for Creativity

When every empty space is filled with a screen, a podcast, a notification, or some other form of stimulation, we may lose our ability to simply imagine. The sermon suggested that boredom can actually become a gift because it creates room for creativity.

That idea is especially meaningful in a world where technology increasingly imagines things for us. When we slow down, we begin to notice what is already around us. We can pay attention to nature, listen more deeply to the people we love, read a physical book, or simply sit outside without a phone.

Finding rest in God is not about doing nothing because nothing matters. It can actually help us become more present to what matters most. The sermon encouraged simple practices: walking in nature without earbuds, reading in quiet, eating a meal without a screen, taking a drive into the mountains, or sitting outside for fifteen minutes without a phone. These practices are not another list of spiritual achievements. They are invitations to make room.

“There’s freedom in this. There’s grace in this. There’s actually joy in this.”

4. Finding Rest in God Reminds Us That We Are Valuable

The fourth commandment also carries a beautiful message about human worth. Sabbath was not only for the wealthy, the powerful, or the people at the top of society. The command included sons and daughters, servants, foreigners, and even animals. Everyone was invited into the rhythm of rest. That means our value is not determined by our productivity.

The sermon put it simply: we are not just slaves to work, hurry, technology, or all the demands around us. We have agency in our lives, and God gives us these guardrails because we are valuable to Him.

Finding rest in God can therefore become a weekly reminder: You are more than what you accomplish, more than your schedule, and more than your responsibilities. You are loved by God.

Practicing This Week

  1. Set aside a portion of your day to stop working and intentionally rest with God.
  2. Spend fifteen minutes outside without your phone, earbuds, or another source of stimulation.
  3. Read Psalm 46 slowly and return to the words, “Be still and know that I am God.”
  4. Choose one ordinary activity, such as eating a meal or taking a walk, and practice doing it without a screen.
  5. Make gathering with the church part of your weekly rhythm of worship, rest, and connection.

Questions for Reflection

  1. What makes it difficult for you to stop and truly rest?
  2. When you imagine finding rest in God, what do you think that could look like in your everyday life?
  3. Where has hurry or constant stimulation affected your relationship with God, yourself, or others?
  4. What is one simple practice that could create more quiet and space in your week?
  5. What would it look like to trust that God continues to sustain the world even when you stop?

The invitation of Sabbath is ultimately an invitation to trust. Jesus does not meet us with another burden or another standard we have to perform perfectly. Instead, we are invited to slow down, open ourselves to God, and remember that our lives are held by something bigger than our schedules and responsibilities.

Finding rest in God gives us room to breathe, notice, listen, create, worship, and reconnect with what matters. So perhaps this week, the invitation is simple: stop for a moment. Breathe. Be still. Let go of the hurry. And remember that God is with you.

Revere God's name by remembering that God is big and available

Revere God’s Name: Finding Peace and Courage in Him

Written by Havana Sonday on . Posted in Resources, Sermon Highlights. No Comments on Revere God’s Name: Finding Peace and Courage in Him

This week’s teaching explored the third commandment and what it means to revere God’s name. More than simply being careful about the words we use, this commandment invites us to remember that God is both bigger than our circumstances and always available to us, offering peace and courage when life feels uncertain.

This Week’s Teaching: #3: Revere God

Key Takeaways

  • To revere God’s name is to recognize God’s holiness, greatness, and presence in our everyday lives.
  • We misuse God’s name when we make God smaller than He really is or forget His goodness in the middle of difficulty.
  • Grumbling can cause us to focus so much on our circumstances that we lose sight of God’s presence and provision.
  • Revere God’s name by remembering that God is big enough to hold our struggles and available enough to meet us in them.
  • When we turn toward God instead of relying only on ourselves, we can find peace and courage for whatever we are facing.

Sermon Highlights: Revere God’s Name

Have you ever thought about how much your name matters? A name is more than a label. It represents something about who we are, and the way someone uses our name can communicate respect, affection, or disregard.

The same is true when we speak about God’s name. The third commandment calls us to revere God’s name, and that invitation is about much more than avoiding certain words. It is about how we see God, how we respond to Him, and whether we recognize His holiness and presence in our lives.

Big Idea of This Week’s Teaching

The third commandment teaches us to revere God’s name by remembering who God really is. God is big, holy, powerful, and worthy of honor, but He is also available to us in every moment of our lives.

When we forget either side of that truth, we can become overwhelmed by our circumstances. But when we revere God’s name, we remember that our problems are not bigger than God and that we do not have to face them alone.

“God is Big, but God is available every moment of every day.”

Key Scriptures

Exodus 20:7

“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” This is the foundation for the teaching on the third commandment. The Hebrew word translated “misuse” carries the idea of emptiness or treating something as though it lacks meaning and value.

Exodus 16:2–8

When the Israelites faced adversity in the wilderness, they grumbled against Moses and Aaron. Moses pointed out that their grumbling was ultimately against the Lord. Their response shows how easily hardship can cause us to lose sight of God’s goodness and presence.

Colossians 1:16–17

Paul describes Jesus as the One through whom all things were created and in whom all things hold together. These verses remind us of the bigness of God and give us a reason to trust Him when life feels chaotic.

1. Revere God’s Name by Remembering That God Is Big

    The third commandment is not simply about using God’s name correctly. It calls us to see God rightly. To revere God’s name means recognizing that God is not ordinary. He is holy, powerful, and greater than anything we encounter in this world. Colossians 1 reminds us that everything was created through Christ and for Christ, and that in Him all things hold together.

    That matters when life feels chaotic. When our problems become the biggest thing we can see, fear can begin to take over. We may start believing that our circumstances are permanent, our resources are insufficient, or our future is hopeless. But revere God’s name by remembering that God is bigger than what you are facing. The size of our problems does not change the character or power of God.

    2. Revere God’s Name When Life Is Difficult

      The Israelites understood what it was like to face adversity. They had experienced God’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt, yet when they found themselves hungry and uncomfortable in the wilderness, they began to grumble. Their circumstances caused them to forget what God had already done.

      We can do the same thing. When something goes wrong, it is easy to focus on what we lack rather than what God has provided. Worry can replace gratitude. Fear can replace trust. Self-pity can make us feel stuck.

      To revere God’s name is to resist making God small in the middle of our struggles. It does not mean pretending that life is easy or ignoring pain. Instead, it means bringing our real circumstances to a God who is bigger than them.

      3. Revere God’s Name by Remembering That God Is Available

        God is not only big. God is available. That was one of the most encouraging truths in this teaching. The God who created everything is not distant or uninterested in our everyday lives. God invites us into a relationship that is personal, present, and life-changing.

        The story of the pastor’s dad illustrated this beautifully. Even as a child, he experienced his dad as someone who was strong and capable. But what he remembers most is that his dad was available. He could call late at night, and his dad would answer. Most of the time, he did not need his dad to solve the problem. He simply needed someone who would listen and help him find peace and courage.

        God offers that same kind of presence, only perfectly. To revere God’s name is to remember that we can turn toward God with our worries, fears, questions, and pain.

        “Whatever is going on in your life—the struggle, a period of suffering, a fear of the future, a sickness, or even just the day to day worries of life, let yourself go to God.”

        4. Revere God’s Name and Receive Peace and Courage

          The invitation at the end of the teaching was simple: Whatever is happening in your life right now, go to God. Maybe life feels sideways. Maybe you are carrying a fear about the future, dealing with suffering, facing sickness, or simply feeling worn down by everyday worries. The invitation is not to fix everything before coming to God. It is to come as you are.

          When we revere God’s name, we remember that God is both bigger than our circumstances and close enough to meet us in them. We can bring our whole lives to Him and ask for the peace and courage we need for today.

          Practicing This Week

          1. Revere God’s name by taking a few quiet moments each day to remember who God is before focusing on your circumstances.
          2. When you notice yourself grumbling, pause and name one thing for which you can be grateful.
          3. Bring one specific worry to God in prayer instead of carrying it entirely on your own.
          4. Read Colossians 1:16–17 and reflect on what it means that “in him all things hold together.”
          5. Revere God’s name by asking God for peace and courage rather than simply asking Him to remove every difficulty.

          Questions for Reflection

          1. When life feels difficult, what tends to become bigger in your mind: your circumstances or your understanding of God?
          2. What does it mean for you personally to revere God’s name?
          3. Where have you been tempted to grumble or lose gratitude because of a difficult circumstance?
          4. What would it look like to remember that God is both big and available in something you are facing right now?
          5. Where do you need God’s peace and courage today?

          The third commandment gives us an invitation, not simply a rule to follow. To revere God’s name is to remember the God who created all things, holds all things together, and is still present with us.

          Revere God’s name by remembering who God is. He is bigger than the chaos, stronger than our fears, and available in every moment. And in Jesus, we are invited to come to Him with confidence, trusting that He meets us with grace, peace, and courage.

          Rules for Freedom through devotion to God

          Rules for Freedom: What the First Commandment Teaches Us

          Written by Havana Sonday on . Posted in Resources, Sermon Highlights. No Comments on Rules for Freedom: What the First Commandment Teaches Us

          This week’s teaching begins our series on the Ten Commandments by looking at the first commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me.” Rather than seeing God’s commands as restrictive, we explored how rules for freedom can help us break free from the things that control us and learn to put God first.

          This Week’s Sermon: The Ten: Devotion

          Key Takeaways

          • God’s commands are not meant to take away our freedom but to help us experience freedom that leads to a healthier life.
          • True freedom is not the absence of all boundaries; sometimes the right boundaries give us the freedom to flourish.
          • The first commandment calls us to recognize the many “gods” competing for our attention, devotion, and trust.
          • God remains fully devoted to us even when we struggle to remain devoted to Him.
          • Putting God first frees us to live with greater purpose, generosity, peace, and love.

          Sermon Highlights: Rules for Freedom

          We often think of freedom as having no restrictions. No rules or boundaries. No one telling us what to do. But is that really what freedom looks like?

          Think about a mountain road with guardrails. The guardrails may seem restrictive, but they actually make it possible to drive with greater confidence and freedom. The same can be true in our spiritual lives. The right boundaries don’t necessarily limit us. They can help us become the people we were created to be.

          That idea sits at the heart of this week’s teaching as we begin The Journey’s new series on the Ten Commandments. What if God’s commands aren’t simply a list of things we’re not allowed to do? What if they are rules for freedom?

          Big Idea of This Week’s Teaching

          The Ten Commandments aren’t primarily about restricting our lives. They are about helping us learn how to live freely.

          The first commandment says, “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” God begins with a reminder of His relationship with His people. He has already rescued them. He has already shown them grace. Now He invites them to live differently.

          The first commandment is ultimately an invitation to devotion: put God first and let everything else flow from there. These rules for freedom help us recognize what has taken God’s place in our lives and release our devotion to things that cannot give us the life we’re looking for.

          Key Scriptures

          Exodus 20:1–3

          The central passage for this week’s teaching is the first commandment. God identifies Himself as the One who brought Israel out of slavery and then calls them to have no other gods before Him. The command is rooted in God’s grace and His desire for His people to experience freedom.

          Genesis 12:1–3

          God’s promise to Abraham was used to remind us that we are blessed to be a blessing. God’s blessings are not meant to turn us inward toward self-interest but outward toward others.

          John 20:24–29

          The story of Thomas encountering the risen Jesus provides the closing picture for the teaching. When Thomas recognizes Jesus, he responds, “My Lord and my God.” His response captures the heart of the invitation: recognize who Jesus is and place Him first.

          1. Rules for Freedom Give Us Room to Flourish

          We tend to associate rules with restriction. But the sermon offered several everyday examples that challenge that assumption. A budget can feel limiting, but financial discipline can free us from the weight of debt. Physical training requires discipline, but that discipline can lead to greater strength and health. Learning an instrument requires repetition and rules, but eventually those boundaries give a musician the freedom to create.

          The same principle applies to faith. Discipline doesn’t necessarily kill freedom. In the right context, discipline creates freedom.

          “Discipline does not kill creativity. It gives creativity a place to operate.”

          That doesn’t mean every rule is automatically good. It means healthy boundaries can protect what matters most. The first commandment invites us to see God’s commands in this light. These rules for freedom aren’t designed to make life smaller. They’re designed to help us live with greater freedom and purpose.

          2. We All Have Things Competing for Our Devotion

          The first commandment also asks us to consider what functions like a “god” in our lives. The sermon pointed to things like money, possessions, comfort, success, entertainment, politics, sports, fitness, relationships, approval, and even self-interest. None of these things are necessarily bad. The problem comes when something becomes so important that it receives the attention, trust, and devotion that belong to God.

          That gives us a helpful question: What do I think about the most? What do I worry about? What am I constantly trying to protect or control?

          These questions aren’t meant to produce shame. They’re invitations to honesty. The rules for freedom begin by helping us recognize what has quietly become most important in our lives.

          3. Putting God First Frees Us From What Controls Us

          The first commandment isn’t simply, “Don’t worship other gods.” It is an invitation to a different way of living.

          When we make money our god, we can become controlled by having enough. We can become controlled by what other people think when approval becomes our god. When comfort becomes our god, we can become controlled by avoiding anything difficult. When self becomes our god, we can become exhausted by constantly thinking about ourselves. But putting God first changes the direction of our lives.

          The sermon described this as freedom from devotion to the things that hurt us. We can become free from devotion to money, possessions, addictions, anger, unhealthy relationships, resentment, people-pleasing, and even our own need for control.

          This is where rules for freedom become deeply practical. God’s invitation isn’t simply about believing the right things. It’s about becoming free to love people better, bless others, trust God, and live with greater peace.

          “We are free from being devoted to things that hurt us.”

          4. Rules for Freedom Begin With God’s Devotion to Us

          Perhaps the most important part of the message is that God’s command to devote ourselves to Him begins with God’s devotion to us. God reminds Israel that He is the One who brought them out of slavery. Before He asks anything from them, He reminds them of what He has already done.

          The same grace is at the heart of our relationship with Jesus. We don’t earn God’s love by perfectly following His commands. God’s love comes first.

          The sermon emphasized that even when we run from God, pursue other things, or find ourselves putting God far down our list of priorities, God remains devoted to us. That changes the way we respond. We aren’t trying to earn God’s acceptance. We’re learning to respond to the grace we’ve already received.

          That’s what makes these rules for freedom different from a list of religious requirements. They are an invitation to live from God’s grace rather than striving for it.

          Practicing This Week

          1. Take a look at your attention. Notice what you spend the most time thinking about, watching, worrying about, or pursuing.
          2. Name one thing that may be competing with God for your devotion. You don’t need to fix everything at once. Simply bring it honestly before God.
          3. Try the simple prayer from the sermon: “God, thank you. Help me.” Thank God for where you’ve seen Him at work, then ask Him for help with what you’re carrying today.
          4. Practice putting God first in one ordinary decision this week. Ask, “What would it look like to let God have the first place here?”
          5. Look for a way to bless someone else. Remember the invitation from Genesis: we are blessed to be a blessing.

          Questions for Reflection

          1. What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “rules for freedom”? How does that compare with the way you typically think about rules?
          2. What receives most of your attention, energy, worry, or devotion right now?
          3. Where might you be trying to control your own life instead of trusting God?
          4. What is one way you’ve seen God help you through something difficult in the past?
          5. What would it look like this week to genuinely say, “My Lord and my God,” and put Jesus first?

          The first commandment is not a demand to become perfect. It is an invitation to remember who God is and who He has always been to us. God is devoted to you. He doesn’t walk away when you struggle, and His grace isn’t something you have to earn. Jesus invites us to respond to that grace by becoming devoted to Him in return.

          As we begin this journey through the Ten Commandments, may we discover that God’s commands are not obstacles to a meaningful life. They can become rules for freedom, helping us release the things that control us and make room for the life Jesus is inviting us to live.

          Finding true connection through God’s peace in relationships and faith.

          Why We Struggle With Connection—and Where Peace Begins

          Written by Kay Stonecypher on . Posted in Resources, Sermon Highlights. No Comments on Why We Struggle With Connection—and Where Peace Begins

          This week’s teaching explored why we long for connection but often struggle to experience it, and how God’s design—and His peace—leads us back to wholeness. It matters because in a world full of relational tension, God offers a better way forward through shalom, a deeper kind of peace that restores connection.

          This Week’s Sermon: I Desire Connection

          Key Takeaways

          • We were created for connection, but brokenness often leads us to withdraw or attack instead.
          • Real relationships require vulnerability, even though it feels risky.
          • Every person carries brokenness, so grace is essential in every relationship.
          • God’s vision for relationships is shalom—deep, interconnected peace.
          • We can actively bring peace into our relationships by becoming “shalom makers.”

          Sermon Highlights: Finding True Connection Through God’s Peace

          Most of us want deeper connection in our lives—but we also know how complicated that can be. Relationships can feel risky. We’ve all experienced moments where opening up led to hurt, misunderstanding, or disappointment. So we learn to protect ourselves. Sometimes we pull back. Sometimes we push back. Either way, we end up stuck in a tension: we want connection, but we’re not sure how to get there without getting hurt.

          That’s where this week’s teaching meets us—with an honest look at that tension and a hopeful path forward by finding true connection through God’s peace.

          Big Idea of This Week’s Teaching

          We were created for deep, meaningful connection, but because of brokenness, we often struggle to experience it. The good news is that God invites us into finding true connection through God’s peace—a kind of relational wholeness the Bible calls shalom.

          Key Scriptures

          • Genesis 1–3 — These chapters show God’s original design for connection, the introduction of brokenness, and the relational tension that followed.
          • Genesis 2:15–25 — Highlights that humans were created for meaningful work and deep connection, including vulnerability without shame.
          • 2 Corinthians 5:17 — Points to the hope of becoming a new creation, moving us toward restoration.
          • Philippians 4:7 — Describes God’s peace as something that guards our hearts and minds.
          • Matthew 5:9 — Calls us to be peacemakers, or “shalom makers,” in the world.

          1. Finding true connection starts with God’s design

          In Genesis 2, we see a powerful truth: even in a perfect world, God says, “It is not good for man to be alone.” That’s not a flaw—it’s a clue. We were made for connection. Before anything was broken, there was relationship. Not just between people, but within God Himself. The Trinity—Father, Son, and Spirit—reflects connection at the deepest level.

          “Is there anybody I can love and who will love me? I just want somebody to love.”

          Finding true connection through God’s peace begins by recognizing that connection isn’t optional for us. It’s foundational. When we ignore that, we feel it—loneliness, disconnection, or a sense that something isn’t quite right.

          2. Finding true connection is hard because of brokenness

          Genesis 3 introduces the reality we all live with now: broken relationships. Shame enters the picture. Hiding becomes normal. Vulnerability feels dangerous.

          The sermon described this through the “porcupine dilemma.” Like porcupines, we have ways of hurting each other—through words, actions, or withdrawal. So we either pull away or lash out. And yet, even with all that, we still long for connection.

          Finding true connection through God’s peace means acknowledging this tension honestly. We are all, in a sense, “as is”—each carrying our own wounds, patterns, and imperfections. Recognizing that doesn’t make relationships hopeless. It actually opens the door for grace.

          3. Finding true connection through God’s peace requires vulnerability

          One of the most striking images in Genesis 2 is this: “They were both naked and felt no shame.” It’s not just about physical vulnerability—it’s about emotional and relational openness. That kind of openness feels almost impossible now. We’ve learned to guard ourselves. We carefully choose what we reveal and what we hide.

          But finding true connection through God’s peace involves moving, even slowly, toward that kind of honesty again. Not recklessly, but intentionally. It means allowing ourselves to be known—by God first, and then by others in safe, healthy ways. It’s not about perfection. It’s about trust, built over time, rooted in grace.

          4. Finding true connection through God’s peace leads to shalom

          The Bible’s vision for relationships isn’t just “getting along.” It’s something deeper: shalom. Shalom means peace—but not just the absence of conflict. It’s a sense of wholeness, harmony, and connection between God, people, and creation.

          “Blessed are the shalom makers, the peacemakers.”

          Finding true connection through God’s peace is really about stepping into that kind of life. A life where we are at peace within ourselves, which allows us to bring peace into our relationships. This is what Jesus invites us into. Not perfect relationships, but relationships marked by grace, safety, and growing connection.

          Practicing This Week

          • Take a few minutes each day to ask God for peace in your inner life.
          • Notice where you tend to withdraw or attack in relationships, and pause before reacting.
          • Choose one relationship where you can take a small step toward honesty or openness.
          • Practice being a “shalom maker” by responding with patience instead of defensiveness.

          Questions for Reflection

          • Where do I tend to withdraw or attack in my relationships?
          • What would it look like for me to experience more of God’s peace internally?
          • Is there a relationship where God might be inviting me toward greater openness?
          • How can I bring peace into my family, friendships, or workplace this week?

          We don’t have to figure this out perfectly. The invitation isn’t to become flawless—it’s to become open to God’s work in us. As we move toward finding true connection through God’s peace, we can trust that He is already at work—restoring, healing, and reconnecting us, one step at a time. There is grace for the process. And there is hope for deeper connection than we may have thought possible.

          Finding Inner Peace

          Inner Peace in Real Life: Why Peace Begins Inside Us

          Written by Kay Stonecypher on . Posted in Sermon Highlights. No Comments on Inner Peace in Real Life: Why Peace Begins Inside Us

          This week’s teaching explored the Advent theme of inner peace through Isaiah’s prophecy and the birth of Jesus. We learned that while we long for peace in the world, true peace always begins with God’s presence transforming us from the inside out. When we experience inner peace with God, we become people who carry peace into our homes, relationships, and communities.

          This Week’s Sermon: Finding Inner Peace

          Key Takeaways

          • Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would bring peace—not only to the world one day, but to us personally right now.
          • Lasting peace cannot come from human systems or governments; it comes from walking in the light of God.
          • We become peacemakers in our families and communities only after we cultivate inner peace with God.
          • Jesus’ birth is the arrival of peace on earth—peace given to those who rest in God’s love.
          • Advent invites us to choose practices that move us out of self-pity and into God-shaped peace.

          Sermon Highlights: A World Hungry for Peace

          We don’t need anyone to tell us that the world is chaotic. Global conflict, political tension, fractured relationships, and the everyday stress we carry can make peace feel almost impossible. Many of us try to find peace by fixing what’s happening “out there”—in the news, in society, or in situations far beyond our control.

          But this week at The Journey, we were invited to zoom in. Instead of starting with the world’s turmoil, Pastor Michael encouraged us to explore where peace truly begins: in our own hearts, with God’s presence anchoring us from the inside out.

          This is the second week of Advent—the week of peace—and Isaiah’s ancient words still speak straight into our modern anxiety.

          The Big Idea: Inner Peace Begins With God, Not With Us

          The heart of this week’s message was simple and freeing:
          Jesus is the source of peace, and the peace He brings starts internally long before it shows up externally.

          Isaiah told the people of Israel—exhausted, scattered, and hopeless—that a Messiah was coming who would bring lasting peace. And when Jesus arrived 700 years later, the angels declared, “On earth, peace to those on whom His favor rests.”

          The message for us is the same:
          We cannot be peacemakers anywhere else until we are at peace with God inside ourselves.

          When we walk “in the light of the Lord,” as Isaiah puts it, we stop trying to muscle our way into peace and start receiving it as a gift that reshapes our inner life, our homes, and eventually the world around us.

          Key Scriptures

          • Isaiah 2:1–5 — Isaiah describes a future where God’s presence brings stability and peace, and he calls the people to “walk in the light of the Lord.” Pastor Michael used this to show that peace begins with returning to God rather than fixing external circumstances.
          • Isaiah 40 — A reminder that God brings comfort and hope in dark times; highlighted as a chapter worth soaking in during Advent.
          • Luke 2:8–14 — The angels announce that Christ’s birth brings peace to those who rest in God’s favor.
          • Matthew 5 (Sermon on the Mount) — Jesus blesses the “peacemakers,” calling us not only to receive peace but to create peace around us.
          • Colossians 3:15 — “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” This was emphasized during communion as a picture of letting God’s peace govern our inner life.

          1. A Hopeful Promise in a Hopeless Time

          Isaiah spoke into one of Israel’s darkest seasons—a time of oppression, fear, and national turmoil. Instead of offering quick fixes, he gave them a vision of God as a towering mountain: stable, solid, and drawing people from every nation.

          That image still matters today. We often feel hopeless when we focus on our own hurt, our own story, or our own unmet expectations. Like Israel, we drift into self-pity instead of self-reflection. Isaiah’s invitation to look up—to God’s mountain—redirects us toward hope and steadiness that doesn’t depend on circumstances.

          2. Human Efforts Will Always Fall Short

          Pastor Michael contrasted Isaiah’s vision with modern attempts at peace, like the United Nations monument depicting a man turning a sword into a shovel. Despite noble intentions, the world has seen nearly 500 armed conflicts since the UN was formed.

          Why? Because, as Isaiah reminds us, fragile and broken humanity cannot fix itself. Governments, systems, and institutions—even the good ones—can’t bring the lasting peace our souls crave.

          But Jesus can. And He does.

          3. The Messiah Brings Peace at Every Level

          The angels’ announcement in Luke 2 wasn’t just poetic—it was deeply personal: “Peace to those on whom His favor rests.” That peace starts in the heart, then moves outward.

          “You cannot be a peacemaker anywhere else until you are fundamentally at peace internally with God.”

          Pastor Michael described four “layers” where peace shows up:

          1. The World – big, overwhelming, mostly outside our control.
          2. Our Community – workplaces, schools, neighbors.
          3. Our Homes – families, holiday gatherings, places where old wounds live.
          4. Our Inner Life – the place where peace actually begins.

          We often obsess over the top layer (the world) because it feels easier than dealing with the places where we actually hold influence. But Jesus calls us to start small, where peace is real, personal, and transformative.

          4. Becoming Peacemakers Starts With Inner Peace

          Once we receive peace from God, we’re invited to participate in His work as peacemakers. But this requires intentional inner work. Pastor Michael named several shifts that help us live as people of peace:

          • Moving from needing approval to resting in God’s love.
          • Choosing self-reflection instead of self-pity.
          • Exercising self-control instead of living on emotional autopilot.
          • Practicing gratitude instead of entitlement.
          • Lowering expectations of others instead of demanding perfection.
          • Calming our spirit in emotional moments—especially during the holidays.

          This isn’t behavior modification. It’s the fruit of God’s Spirit shaping us as people who can carry peace into places that desperately need it.

          “When you are at peace internally, you become a peacemaker externally.”

          Practicing This Week: Starting Within, Spreading Outward

          Try one or two of these simple, grace-filled practices:

          • Sit quietly with God for five minutes each morning, asking for inner peace before the day begins.
          • Read Isaiah 40 or Matthew 5–7 sometime this week and let the words wash over you.
          • Identify one relationship—in your home or family—where you could bring peace through a gentle conversation, lowered expectations, or a soft response.
          • Pause when anxiety rises and pray, “Jesus, let Your peace rule in my heart.”
          • Practice gratitude by naming three blessings each day, especially when you feel pulled toward frustration or self-pity.

          Questions for Reflection

          1. Where in your inner life do you most need God’s peace right now?
          2. What situations or relationships pull you into turmoil or self-pity?
          3. How might walking “in the light of the Lord” look in your daily routines this Advent?
          4. Is there one person in your home or extended family to whom you could bring peace this season?
          5. What would it look like to let the peace of Christ “rule” in your heart this week?

          As we move deeper into Advent, remember that Jesus doesn’t ask us to manufacture peace. He gives it. The Messiah came so that even in turmoil, we could rest in His presence and carry His peace into our families and communities. You’re not walking this path alone—we journey together, held by a God who loves you deeply.