Surpassing Peace (Philippians 4:1-9; Isaiah 56:1-6)

Surpassing Peace PHILIPPIANS 4:1-9 ISAIAH 56:1-6 We should make peace with each other because the God of Peace has made peace with us through the Prince of Peace. I. THE CALL TO PEACE (4:1-3) A. Agreeing in the Lord (4:1-2; cf. Philippians 1:27, 2:2, 5) B. Providing Help (4:3; cf. ) II. THE PEACE OF GOD (4:4-7) A. A Call to Joy (4:4) B. Gentleness on Display (4:5; cf. James 3:13-18; Deuteronomy 4:7; Psalm 145:18–19; Ephesians 2:17) C. Peace for the Anxious (4:6-7; cf. Luke 12:22, 25; 1 John 5:14-15) III. THE GOD OF PEACE (4:8-9) A. Things to Think About (4:8; cf. Philippians 2:2, 4-5) B. Things to Practice (4:9; cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:15) C. The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 53:1–6; Matthew 11:27-30) D. Peace Meal DISCUSSION STARTERS 1. Monday—What is peace? Why do we struggle to make peace with one another? 2. Tuesday—Discuss what it means to “agree in the Lord” (v. 2). Why is this so important to conflict resolution in the church? Do we ever need help when it comes to making peace with other people we disagree with? 3. Wednesday—What does Paul mean when he says, “Let your reasonableness (gentleness) be known to everyone” (v. 5)? What does gentleness have to do with making peace? And why does Paul mention that “the Lord is at hand”? 4. Thursday—Is Paul serious when he says that we are not to be anxious about anything? Does this mean we are not to ever worry about anything? Discuss the relationship between not being anxious and prayer. 5. Friday—Discuss the sorts of things that Paul wants us to think about. Why are those difficult for us to think about? Discuss what Paul wants us to put into practice. Why are those difficult for us to do?