Letting Jesus' Words Restore Calm

LETTING JESUS’ WORDS RESTORE CALM--John 14:25-31

Proposition: Each believer needs to let Jesus’ words restore calm through the promises of His Word, the assistance of the divine Helper, His death on the cross and His victory over Satan when we experience turmoil, anxiety, anger and fear in our daily spiritual life.

Objective: My purpose is to challenge God’s people to let the Holy Spirit restore calm when we experience turmoil and anxiety in our daily life.

INTRODUCTION:

Illus: An early martyr was being led from his jail to his execution for his faith. He senses that the executioner is really anxious and disturbed. So he says, “Take your hand and put it on my heart and feel it, and then take your other hand and put it on your heart and feel it and tell me who has peace.”

Today Christ stilled a storm—not Galilee,

But in my heart; I heard His “Peace, be still.”

There raged a storm and tempest here, in me,

And fear that I might perish made me ill.

The boat that is my life, seemed tempest-tossed,

And I forgot the Christ who knows our ships.

My heart sank low, I felt that all was lost,

So that a cry of “Help me!” reached my lips.

I turned to Him and knew that He could save,

That all my trials yield to His great will;

I felt the calming smoothness of the wave,

On which I rode, as Christ said, “Peace, be still!”

Here Jesus speaks of how we experience a realization of His peace (vvs. 25-

31)--"Peace" is the greeting and parting word (Shalom). Peace is not the absence of war, but the blessing of God on the well-rounded life. His peace is a peace that sustains God’s people even in the middle of the worst troubles. Jesus does not promise to keep His disciples from trouble, but to give them peace, whatever the world does to them. So, kept by His peace, they should not be troubled or afraid, no matter how great the difficulties in which they find themselves. Their world was about to fall apart. Soon there would be the tramp of marching men; the incredible would happen: Christ would be crucified. They would be overwhelmed. Already Judas Iscariot was out there somewhere in the dark paving the way. The Lord said to these apprehensive men, "Peace, even My peace, I give to you." They had seen that peace in action on the stormy sea when He walked on the wild billows of the raging deep and stilled wind and wave. His peace--That was unruffled calm no matter how great the demand made on Him, no matter how many or malicious or mighty His foes. His peace would remain. Gloom settles over the disciples. They now fully realize that Jesus is going to die. And they will be left alone. But Jesus

speaks words of comfort to them that can restore calm if they heed His words.

I. OPPORTUNITY: LISTEN TO THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (vvs. 25-26)--"The Holy Spirit will teach you."--This is the second Paraclete teaching by Jesus that the Holy Spirit will be His Interpreter. What was to be of critical importance for the disciples in the days ahead was the presence and empowering by the Holy Spirit.

1. Impending departure of Christ (v. 25)—His personal ministry in the flesh is about to end. It is repeatedly indicated by John ( as well as other Gospel writers) that the disciples failed to understand much that Jesus said and did during His earthly ministry (cf., 2:2; 12:16). Here is a clear promise to the apostles, and their successors in the faith, that the Holy Spirit will teach them all that truth which is needful for their salvation and service for Him.

1). Declaration “These things I have spoken to you”--This should have made it plain to you, but it didn’t.

2). Demonstration “while being present with you”--I will soon be leaving this world and then you will not have My help but you will have God’s help.

2. Divine representative (v. 26a) “But the Helper, the H.S.” As the Son came in the Father’s name, so the Father shall send the Spirit in My name, says Jesus, that is, with like divine power and authority to reproduce in their souls what Christ taught them. Now they are told that when the Paraclete comes, He will be able to recall and help His children understand what Jesus taught.

1). Presence (Paraclete) “But the Helper”--He is called the Comforter also. Here the Holy Spirit (full title as in Mark 3:29; Matt. 12:32; Luke 12:10) is identified with the Paraclete.

Illus: In Jesus’ day Greek soldiers fought with a particular pattern on the enemy’s fields in battle ... they would stand in pairs, back to back to fight ... this way no enemy could attack them from their blind-side ... this other man in Greek was called the "paraclete" ... this is the same word used to describe the Holy Spirit ... He is our paraclete!