2. Galatians 5: 22-23 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.

4. “Peace” in Greek: eirene  having national tranquility  being free from havoc or chaos  a state of harmony, safety, security

5. “In both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, peace… the shalom of God, is tantamount to salvation. It means bringing together what was separated, picking up the pieces, healing the wounds, fulfilling the incomplete, and overcoming the forces of fragmentation with forgiving love.” - Richard John Neuhaus

6. “Peace is the tranquility of order.” - Saint Augustine ----------------------------------- 1.) Peace with God * Spiritual Order 2.) Peace of God (in me) * Psychological Order 3.) Peace with others * Relational Order

7. True Peace is the overall sense of well-being that comes from knowing and resting in the fact that our lives are in God’s control.

8. Peace with God “Spiritual Order” * Romans 5: 1-2

9. Romans 5: 1-2 1 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”

10. Peace of God “Psychological Order” * Philippians 4: 6-9

11. Job 3: 25-26 25 “What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. 26 I have no peace, no quietness, I have no rest, but only turmoil.”

12. Peace with others “Relational Order” * Romans 12: 16-21

13. Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

14. Do we actively pursue peace in all areas of our lives? Are we secretly ok with a bit of chaos, as long as its “predictable chaos?” Dysfunctional systems are organized to sustain chaos so as to avoid looking inward at actual root problems. Any changes to such systems are met with resistance or violence.

15. Any attempts at peace, apart from the sustaining power of Christ, are just like this… Upside down, Broken Crosses, Wrapped up in a circle.