Text: “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubles, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).
Jesus came into this world as a peaceful little baby. He probably looked like any other baby. As he grew he was able to work in the carpenter shop with his father. He played with other boys and girls just as our young people do today.
We don’t recall reading about him causing any problems or getting into trouble as a youngster. One time he did stay in the temple when his mother and father started back home, but he did not really create trouble for anyone. His parents were worried and did not understand why he did this; nevertheless, Jesus did obey his Heavenly Father.
Jesus was on a mission to bring peace to the people of the world and this peace would come to individuals through a change of heart. The Jewish people were waiting for their Messiah who they thought would come in as a rough and tough ruler who would put the Romans in their place. God’s plan was to change people from the inside out.
I. Jesus was a Teacher.
During Jesus’ three years of public ministry, he brought to light the way to have inner peace. Large crowds followed him because they were eager to hear what he had to say. People had never heard such great preaching or witnessed such great healing that was taking place among the people.
Scripture says, “News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them” (Matthew 4:24).
Jesus was preaching the “Good News” to those people who wanted to hear it. Although, large crowds gathered around and followed him wherever he went, there were some who did not believe him and were upset over what they were hearing. Some of the people were looking for a military-type leader instead of a servant-type leader.
Many of the Jewish leaders did not understand Jesus’ message expressed in the “Sermon on the Mount.” It was natural for people to think about pride in themselves instead of being poor in spirit. People did not understand or did not want to understand that self-dependence brings about spiritual poverty. God created each one of us and he wants us to depend on him and receive the grace he has for us.
The world was not concerned about mourning that Jesus talked about. People thought of mourning as happening when someone dies or some misfortune occurs. It never occurred to them that mourning for forgiveness of their sins is what Jesus was referring. They were more concerned about attaining happiness whatever way they could. It did not matter who was hurt, stepped-on, or taken advantage of, as long as those responsible were happy.
Much of what went on in Jesus’ day goes on today. Many people of today are concerned about power. The thought of power seems to be something that builds people up or inflates their ego and makes them feel more important than anyone else. Jesus talked about meekness or humbleness, or gentleness. He not only talked about these things, but he practiced them.
Jesus was trying to teach people then and he is trying to teach people toady how to have peace in their lives. There are many people today who struggle to attain power by climbing the corporate ladder. Some believe that the higher position they have the more power they have. People in the entertainment world believe that the more popular they are, the more movies they make, the more CD’s they make the more power they have.
This all sounds great, but there is usually no peace of mind because popularity completely changes a person’s life. Well known or popular people can’t go out and walk down the street like you and me, or they can’t go out to a restaurant or even to church like we can, because their popularity puts their lives in jeopardy. These people hire body guards to protect themselves and their families from those who have the desire to cause them harm.
I am not saying it is not good to be popular or widely known, but what I am saying is that this does not always bring about inner peace. Jesus had a wide following, but as we all know, some of his followers were out to destroy him.
Jesus taught that murder and adultery begin in the heart. A heart that is angry does not have peace and will lead one to destruction. Peace that has been replaced by greed and envy could lead one to the destruction of another person’s life. A self-centered heart, a jealous heart, or a heart full of self-pity could lead one to the act of adultery. We read about murders and broken relationships daily in the newspaper.
Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,’ but I tell you not to resist an evil person, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (Matthew 5:38-39).
Jesus was not saying you could not protect yourself, but I believe he was saying that you do not have to do the same thing to that person he or she did to you. It is a natural tendency for us to get even with the one who did us wrong, but Jesus is saying we should go the second mile. Jesus said, “If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles” (Matthew 5:41).
When someone hurts us, it is not natural for us to forgive and show love to that person, but Jesus is saying this is what we should do. Doing this will demonstrate that we have peace within our heart and we are not living the way the world lives, but we are living the way Jesus taught us to live.
He also taught that we should love our enemies. Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ’Love your neighbor and hate your enemy,’ but I tell you: Love you enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44).
If we bring ourselves down to the same level as those who mistreat us we are showing that we are no better then they and the love of God is not in our heart. However, if we pray and love those who mistreat us we are showing them we have the love and peace of God in our heart. When we become angry and upset, we are confirming the other person’s feelings that we are not at peace with them, with ourselves, and with our God.
Jesus also taught us that we can only be at peace if we do not worry. Every time we worry about something, we lose the peaceful feeling within our hearts. He said, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear” (Matthew 6:25). Worry affects our faith. When we worry we lose trust in God. We are in essence saying to God, “God, I want to believe you will take care of all my needs, but now things don’t look good so I am not sure.”
Full trust and faith in God that he will do what he says he will do brings peace to our heart. Statistics show that people at peace with themselves, their family and friends, and their God live many more happy productive lives.
A peaceful heart will not damage your health.
A peaceful heart will concentrate on positive thoughts.
A peaceful heart will allow one to go through each day living it to the fullest.
A peaceful heart enables us to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).
When we seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, we are aligning our thoughts and desires with that of the Father. Also, we are following in the footsteps of Jesus and we are trying to pattern our lives after his life. Everything Jesus taught came from the Father. I say that because Jesus always consulted the Father through prayer before he did or said anything. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35).
Jesus started his day with prayer which he had to do very early before the crowds assembled again. He knew prayer was a crucial link between him and his Father. Jesus knew his resource and he knew how to tap into his resource for the strength, wisdom, and knowledge to continue preaching the “Good News” that if put into practice by the people would bring peace into their hearts.
II. Jesus was a servant.
Jesus always had time to reach out to anyone in need. When he and his disciples attended the wedding at Cana and the supply of wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine” (John 2:3). He served them by turning the water into wine.
One day Jesus met a Samaritan woman who came to the well to draw water. I believe Jesus could see that this woman was not at peace with herself. He knew the woman had five husbands and the one she was now living with was not her husband. Anyone in this situation or living a life like this could not possibly have peace within their heart. He was a servant to this woman by giving her “…a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). Jesus knew what the woman needed and he provided it for her. She now had inner peace in her heart.
Jesus had many followers who had peace in their hearts, but they also had other issues. Jesus reinforced the peace in Peter’s heart when he healed Peter’s mother-in-law’s fever. The fever vanished and worry was replaced in Peter’s heart and his mother-in-law’s heart with peace.
The man who had leprosy had faith, but was lacking peace in his heart because of his condition and said to Jesus: “If you are willing, you can make me clean” (Mark 1:40). After Jesus healed the leprosy, the man was so thankful and so filled with peace he could not refrain from telling everyone what took place.
The paralyzed man wanted so bad to get to Jesus because he knew Jesus could help him. He could not make this happen on his own, but the man had four friends who believed healing would take place if they could get the paralyzed man to Jesus. After they carried the paralytic to the roof of the house, cut a hole in the roof and lowered him down in front of Jesus physical as well as spiritual healing took place and the hearts of all five men were happy, joyful, and abounding in peace.
Jesus, the servant, was able to feed five thousand people using five barley loaves and two small fish. He provided and the disciples actually did the serving. The appetites of all these people had been curbed because the Servant responded in a time of need. This act instilled within the people hope in the Messiah. Peace rested within the hearts of the people who said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world” (John 6:14).
III. Jesus is our Savior.
Jesus’ last week on earth started out with much excitement and festivities. He rode the donkey into Jerusalem amid the palm branches, the crowds, and the loud praises. The following day Jesus cleaned out the temple. He then confronted the Jewish authorities in the temple and taught through stories for two days.
The time for Passover Celebration came and Jesus predicted his death on the Cross. Jesus said, “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour”? But for this purpose I came to this hours” (John 12:27).
Jesus dreaded the Cross because he was in human form. He knew he would have to take the sins of the whole world to the foot of the Cross and in doing this he would be separated from the Father. Jesus was obedient to the will of the Father. He did this for each one of us so that we would never have to do it. That is why we need to be obedient to the Father.
Being obedient to the will of our Father brings peace into our heart.
Being obedient to the Father lets him know how much we appreciate what his Son did for us.
Being obedient to the Father, repenting of our everyday sins, and accepting his Son as our own personal Lord and Savior assures us of a place in his kingdom and brings peace into our heart.
On that Thursday evening, Jesus celebrated Passover with his disciples in the Upper Room. Jesus revealed that one of his disciples would betray him. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me” (Matthew 26:21).
Then Judas, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.”
At this point, Judas did not have peace within his heart. After the Passover Meal, the foot washing, and the Lord’s Supper, Jesus again predicted that Peter would deny knowing him.
Jesus’ heart was heavy, so after the institution of the Lord’s Supper, he led his disciples to Gethsemane. He said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray” (Matthew 26:36). Jesus’ heart was “…overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38).
He prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39).
This was a prayer of suffering,
This was a prayer of agony.
This was a struggling moment because Jesus knew that all the sins of the world would be placed upon him and he would be separated from God the Father for a short time. He trusted the Father and was obedient to the will of the Father. Jesus willingly gave his life that we might live.
The Roman soldiers did not take Jesus’ life. He gave his life for each one of us.
Jesus said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:14-17).
Conclusion:
Jesus was a teacher, showing us the way to inner peace.
Jesus was a servant, setting an example of inner peace.
Jesus is our Savior, who has prepared a peaceful place for us in his kingdom.
Jesus gave his all for each one of us.
Amen.
