“Peace” (Gk. “eirene”) means
“inner harmony” and/or “harmonious relations with others.” – Dr. L. Richards’ Expository
Dictionary of Bible Words, p. 480.
Matt. 5:9 Who
are blessed (happy)? Are
you a peacemaker?
If not, what do you think that it takes to become one?
Matt. 10:11-14 To whom did
Jesus instruct His disciples to give a greeting of peace (i.e., God’s
blessing on), and to whom were they to have their greeting of peace (i.e.,
God’s blessing on) returned?
How do you feel
about Jesus’ instruction to have the disciples return their greeting of peace
from those not willing to receive these disciples and their message, and why?
Matt. 10:34-36; Lk.
Does this contradict Lk.
Were you surprised to learn this? How do you feel about this, and why?
Mk.
Do you have
harmonious relationships (peace) with your fellow disciples/believers (vs.
31) that work side by side with you, and why?
Lk. 19:41-44 For whom
did Jesus exclaim His sorrow and wish that they would have known the things
which make for peace (freedom from harm)?
Have you ever wept
for someone because you knew that they were going to be harmed because they
rejected the way of peace (provision for harmonious relations with God)?
Jn.
Whose peace (i.e., temporary,
superficial, fickled assurances) was Jesus’ peace not like?
Whose peace would you rather have,
Jesus’ or the world’s (i.e., the non-believers of this world), and why?
Acts
Is your church (i.e., group of believers) enjoying
peace, and if so, why do you think this is?
Should we pray for peace or for boldness of witness in
the midst of persecution (read Acts
Rom.
Are you trying to
promote and preserve harmonious relationship with fellow Christians rather than
looking for differences of opinion to fight over or activities that cause
others to violate their conscience?
Why and how?
What are we told to do (vs. 19; 1 Pet. 3:8, 11)?
Rom.
Does it seem contradictory
that God is called the God of peace and in the same verse is mentioned as
crushing Satan?
Or, are God’s
attributes of love, patience, and mercy incompatible with His attributes of
justice and wrath?
Why?
Are you living in peace with your fellow Christians? If so, how do you go about
doing so?
How can peace be evident in your life (Eph.
How does this make you feel, and why?
Phil. 4:6, 7 What will sharing your troubling/worrisome requests with God
with a thankful attitude result in?
Is this how you are dealing with your worries (anxiousness),
and why?
2 Thes.
Are you experiencing
calmness of heart and contentment of mind despite problems in your Christian
group (3:6, 14) or persecution for your faith, and why?
And are you praying for this for other Christians?
Acts 24:2, 3 Whom did Tertullus say had been
the instrument through which the Jews had attained much peace (order in the
State)?
Can
war ever be the means of gaining a more lasting peace in a region/country (e.g.,
Josh.
Rom. 5:1 Why is a person able to have peace with
God?
Are you in a state of a harmonious relationship with God
rather than in a state of alienation from Him, and why?
Rom. 8:6 What
does the mind set (fixed) on the Spirit (controlled or directed by
Him) bring?
Do you have a daily,
experiential, harmonious relationship with God, and why?
If not, how could you (1 Jn. 1:9; Eph.
Rom.
Do you try to have harmonious relations with everyone,
so far as you are able to?
Why should we (Eph. 4:3)?
Does this mean that we should never offend people for
any reason (Matt. 15:11-14; Jn. 6:59-61, 66)?
Are we to compromise
purity in order to maintain peace, and why (Lk. 17:3, 4; 2 Thes. 3:6, 14,
15; 1 Cor. 5:11; Rom. 16:17, 18; Titus 3:10, 11)?
Col. 3:15 What are we told to let rule in our
hearts?
Are you letting the desire for harmonious relations,
when differences arise among believers, to rule in your life?
If so, how?