Sermon Recap: Peace for Restless People
Advent, Week Two
Peace for Restless People - by Neil Anderson
Isaiah 26:3 | Romans 5:1 | John 14:27 | Luke 17:20–21
Peace That Is Both “Now” and “Not Yet”
Advent invites us into a sacred tension at the heart of Christian hope: peace is already here, and peace is not yet here in its fullness. The world God is making new has already dawned, yet the fullness of that restoration still lies ahead. Like a sunrise that signals the day even before the sky is fully bright, the kingdom of God has begun, though it is not yet complete.
The Peace That Has Already Come
Scripture speaks with striking clarity about the real and present peace given through Jesus. “Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God” (Romans 5:1). This peace is not earned; it is a gift rooted in Christ’s saving work. Jesus promises, “My peace I give to you” (John 14:27), a peace that does not rise or fall with shifting circumstances. And when He teaches that the kingdom is “within you” (Luke 17:21), He reveals a reality that has already taken root in the hearts of His people. The wholeness, harmony, and goodness of God—shalom—has drawn near.
The Peace That Is Not Yet Full
Yet the world around us tells another truth. Violence, division, injustice, fractured relationships, anxiety, disease, and grief mark our collective and personal experience. Jesus does not hide this tension: “In this world you will have tribulation.” The pressure—thlipsis—is real. Shalom may be present, but it is not yet complete. Advent refuses to ignore this ache. It names what is broken while refusing to surrender hope.
Where We Fix Our Gaze Matters
The difference between despair and hope often comes down to attention. Scripture repeatedly invites God’s people to look toward what is true and life-giving. In John 9, religious leaders focused on sin while a miracle unfolded before them. In Numbers 21, healing came by looking toward God’s provision lifted up in the wilderness. In Matthew 14, Peter walked on water as long as his eyes were fixed on Christ rather than the storm. Isaiah gathers this pattern into a promise: “You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace” (Isaiah 26:3). Peace grows where the gaze rests.
Practicing the Peace of Christ
Experiencing God’s peace requires more than theological knowledge; it requires practice. The heart learns peace by repeatedly turning toward God through rhythms of Scripture, prayer, silence and solitude, fasting, and other embodied habits of attention. These practices open space for God’s presence to steady restless minds and anxious spirits. Peace becomes not only a doctrine to believe but a reality to encounter.
Advent Hope for Restless People
Advent invites a people living in the “in-between” to lift their eyes. To name what is broken but not anchor their hope there. To trust that the kingdom has begun, even as creation still groans for its completion. In Christ, peace has come; in Christ, peace will come again. And in this holy tension, the restless find rest.