JESUS’ PROMISE PROVIDES PEACE (Outline)
May 17, 2009 --
EASTER 6 --
John 14:23-29
INTRO: Peace – is it possible in our world today? The answer is two-fold: yes and no. Our Lord himself said there would be wars and rumors of wars until he returns on the Last Day. An earthly, physical peace is impossible. But spiritually our loving Lord graciously gives us peace for our troubled souls. It is this divine peace that we want to closely examine in today’s verses. We start with a blessing from God concerning peace for us. "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (PHILIPPIANS 4:7). Note that God’s peace is described as going beyond or surpassing human understanding. Prayerfully today’s text will help us to come to a better understanding of what God’s peace means for each of our lives today.
JESUS’ PROMISE PROVIDES PEACE.
I. Peace to those who love God’s teachings.
II. Peace with the power of the Holy Spirit.
I. PEACE TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD’S TEACHINGS
A. The setting of today’s words is important. Jesus speaks to his disciples shortly before his crucifixion.
1. The disciples asked Jesus why they were privileged to see God’s glory but not the world.
2. Jesus answers verse 23. Those who love God’s word and teachings will see his glory.
3. The disciples had given up much in their lives. Now the Father lived in them by faith.
B. Why do some not see God’s glory? Verse 24a. Some rejected Christ. They did not love Jesus.
1. Rejecters will not obey Jesus’ teaching, nor see God’s glory. There was more for these 11.
2. Verse 24b. Jesus reminds his disciples that he is the very Son of God. His words = God’s.
C. Jesus wanted to prepare his disciples for the next few days: betrayal, arrest, crucifixion, the tomb.
1. Verse 27. Jesus gives his disciples God’s peace. The world could not offer this divine peace.
2. The disciples had nothing to fear. Their hearts were to be at peace. It would take some time.
D. It may sound strange to us that some do not love the Lord. There are some who do not care at all about the teachings of God. Like the disciples we ask the eternal question: Why? Everyone wants to go to heaven. But not everyone desires to hear God’s word to learn how to get there. Not everyone is excited to worship at church or study the Bible. Why? This rejection of God’s love and teachings begin at our birth. From the moment of conception we are sinful. Sinners are opposed to everything divine. Sinners are God’s enemies. Our sinful nature does not want to seek out God. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing" (MATTHEW 23:37). Every day our Lord loves and wants to gather us under his protective care. This truly is true peace.
E. Praise God for the gift of Jesus, his Son, our Savior! Jesus promises peace. Jesus provides peace. Our sins pile up every day. We do not deserve to come before the cross of Christ with our sinful baggage. We are not worthy to come before God’s throne of grace seeking his love and forgiveness. BUT that is exactly what the believer is invited to do. We have God’s peace. This peace is undeserved. It is peace that we cannot earn. It is God’s free gift to us and for us. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand"(ROMANS 5:1,2a). We are saved by grace.
F. Heaven forbid that you or I or anyone else might think that we can buy our way into heaven. The psalmist reminds us the price of a soul is too costly. No man can redeem the life of another. Once again, our loving Lord and Savior Jesus Christ promises and provides divine peace. "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed"(ISAIAH 53:5). Our sins are paid for. God’s peace is ours, free.
JESUS’ PROMISE PROVIDES PEACE to all who love God’s teachings.
II. PEACE WITH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
A. In these verses Jesus’ words are meant for the comfort and encouragement of his disciples.
1. Verse 25. Jesus would soon leave them when he is crucified and is laid in the tomb.
2. Verse 28a. Jesus had often told the disciples that he would be put to death and rise again.
B. There was still some misunderstanding by the disciples, verse 28b. The disciples were unhappy.
1. No only would Jesus leave but he would also return after his resurrection.
2. Jesus stands here with human flesh hiding his divinity. His flesh would bleed and die.
3. At this moment the humanity of Jesus means his Father is greater. God would not bleed or die.
C. Jesus was preparing the disciples for his death and resurrection, verse 29.
1. Verse 26. Jesus promises the Holy Spirit whom the Father would send. Jesus would ascend.
2. On Pentecost the disciples received this special outpouring of the Holy Spirit to understand.
D. In two weeks we will celebrate Pentecost. Briefly today we are reminded that the Holy Spirit is God. Jesus who was the Son of man is also God. God the Father is God. There are three persons but only one God. Our God is triune: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Scripture teaches this truth throughout it pages. It is only God’s grace that we believe this teaching of the Bible. It is the Holy Spirit who changes our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. The Holy Spirit works saving faith in our lives. "Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus be cursed,’ and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit" (1 CORINTHIANS 12:3). Without the Holy Spirit we would be faithless, lost.
E. We praise the Lord that our eternal salvation does not depend on our choice or us. In today’s Gospel (John 15:9-17) Jesus stated that the disciples did not choose him but he chose them. Our eternal salvation is too important to be determined by our decision or choice. Consider Adam and Eve. They lived in a perfect world. They still made the wrong choice. God takes the responsibility for our eternal welfare upon himself making our salvation his responsibility. "God…saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior"(TITUS 3:5,6).
F. Jesus promises peace. Jesus provides peace for our souls by his death and resurrection. Our sins are forgiven. There is true peace for our troubled souls. True, there is and always will be trouble and diffi-culties in this life. We will face troubled times. We are tempted to throw up our hands in despair. We challenge God wondering when enough is enough. We may even ask why? Looking carefully we often discover that our troubled lives center mainly on earthly concerns. Spiritually speaking our souls ought to always be at peace. This is God’s great blessing to us. "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’"(GALATIANS 4:6). Still have a soul that is troubled? Cry out to the Lord: “Father, Father”. The Holy Spirit leads you to love God’s teachings.
CONC.: Our Savior, Jesus, promises peace. More than that, our Savior, Jesus, provides eternal peace. This world has no peace to offer. The world makes many, many promises. The world also breaks all of those promises. God’s peace is real. The promises that our loving Lord makes he always keeps. We have another prayer/blessing of the Lord. "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful"(COLOSSIANS 3:15). Thankful lives are faithful lives that are at peace with God. JESUS’ PROMISE PROVIDES PEACE. There is peace for those who love God’s teachings. There is peace only by the help and power of the Holy Spirit. Turn to the Lord and his word in all of your struggles. You will learn to love God’s teachings. You will come to enjoy his peace. The Holy Spirit provides faith to appreciate God’s peace. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
SERVICES: 1:00pm @ NCF Min.(Sat) / 12:00pm @ NCF Medium (Sun) / 9:30am @ Redeemer (Sun)
BIBLE STUDIES: TUES. -- 6:00pm (Min) + 7:30pm (Med) @ NCF / 10:55am @ Redeemer (Sun)
/ Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:05am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM
EASTER 6 readings:
ACTS 11:19-28;
1 JOHN 4:1-11;
JOHN 15:9-17;
(PSALM 98)
