Peace in a Promise
John 14:15-31
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
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INTRODUCTION:
Peace is a much sought after but seldom found prize! There seems to be so little peace in this old world. We seek it at home as we try just about anything – herbal supplements, sleeping aids, and meditation – to relax and find peace. We seek it in our relationships. We enter counseling to find peace within ourselves and with one another. We read books, and listen to sermons, and ask for advice of close friends and newspaper columnists to help solve relational problems. But, peace now seems more elusive than ever before.
ILL - Many years ago a retired couple, concerned about the threat of nuclear war, decided to carefully research the safest place on earth to which they could move and live. They studied and traveled, traveled and studied. Finally they found THE PLACE. And on Christmas they sent their pastor a card from their new home – in the Faulkland Islands – just prior to the war between Argentina and England in the early 1980’s over their control! Jim Kane from “The Illusive Fruit”
ILL. Have you heard about Tracy Lyperd? Tracy was a beauty queen in VA a few years ago. Shortly after crowning her successor, she drove 250 miles to seek revenge on her ex-boyfriend for jilting her & marrying another. She took along a pistol, a hammer, lighter fluid & matches. When she arrived at his house & rang the doorbell, it was answered by his new father-in-law. Tracy faked having car trouble, & asked if she could use the telephone. Once inside the house, she took out her hammer & hit the father-in-law on the head. She stunned him, but didn’t knock him out. What she didn’t realize was that he was an ex-secret service agent. He grabbed her & as they struggled, she pulled the pistol from her purse & tried to shoot him. That’s when the mother-in-law joined the fray & the two of them wrestled her to the floor, holding her until the police arrived. I have a suspicion that Tracy, with that kind of disposition, was probably never in the running for the Miss Congeniality award. When questioned, she said that she was driven to seek revenge because she needed "inner peace."
REAL PEACE
ILL - My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished 2 bags of chips and a chocolate cake.
I feel better already.
SOURCE: http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh
First: How can we have this peace that Jesus promises in our text?
I. The Commandments v. 15
a. Our behavior
Isaiah 57:21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
There’s an old song that says, “You can’t do wrong and get by, no matter how hard you may try…” and the songwriter hit the nail on the head. But, when we obey his commandments we have peace! Many believers do not enjoy the peace that passeth understanding because they are rebelling against God’s Word in different areas of their life. The Scripture says that “He that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin…” God will chastise His children.
b. Our belief
Christian author Neil Anderson wrote a list he called “The Twenty Cans of Success.” These are based on what the NT says is true of Christians. These are promises, claimed by believers through the centuries. Allow God to speak to you through these assurances.
1. Why should I say I can’t when the Bible says I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13)?
2. Why should I lack when I know that God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19)?
3. Why should I fear when the Bible says God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7)?
4. Why should I lack faith to fulfill my calling knowing that God as allotted to me a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)?
5. Why should I be weak when the Bible says that the Lord is the strength of my life and that I will display strength and take action because I know God (Psalm 27:1; Daniel 11:32)?
6. Why should I allow Satan supremacy over my life when He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4)?
7. Why should I accept defeat when the Bible says that God always leads me in triumph (2 Corinthians 2:14)?
8. Why should I lack wisdom when Christ became wisdom to me from God and God gives wisdom to me generously when I ask Him for it (1 Corinthians 1:30; James 1:5)?
9. Why should I be depressed when I can recall to mind God’s lovingkindness, compassion, and faithfulness and have hope (Lamentations 3:21-23)?
10. Why should I worry and fret when I can cast all my anxiety on Christ who cares for me (1 Peter 5:7)?
11. Why should I ever be in bondage knowing that there is liberty where the Spirit of the Lord is (2 Corinthians 3:17)?
12. Why should I feel condemned when the Bible says I am not condemned because I am in Christ (Romans 8:1)?
13. Why should I feel alone when Jesus said He is with me always and He will never leave me nor forsake me (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5)?
14. Why should I feel accursed or that I am the victim of bad luck when the Bible says that Christ redeemed me from the curse of the law that I might receive His Spirit (Galatians 3:13-14)?
15. Why should I be discontented when I, like Paul, can learn to be content in all my circumstances (Philippians 4:11)?
16. Why should I feel worthless when Christ became sin on my behalf that I might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21)?
17. Why should I have a persecution complex knowing that nobody can be against me when God is for me (Romans 8:31)?
18. Why should I be confused when God is the author of peace and He gives me knowledge through His indwelling Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:33; 2:12)?
19. Why should I feel like a failure when I am a conqueror in all things through Christ (Romans 8:37)?
20. Why should I let the pressures of life bother me when I can take courage knowing that Jesus has overcome the world and its tribulations (John 16:33)?
II. The Comforter v. 16
(1) O spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
Let ev’ry Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound:
The Comforter has come!
(2) The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last,
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!
The Comforter has come!
(3) Lo, the great King of kings, with healing in His wings,
To ev’ry captive soul a full deliverance brings;
And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings;
The Comforter has come!
(4) O boundless love divine! How shall this tongue of mine
To wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine—
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!
The Comforter has come!
a. We are His Temple v. 17
Another comforter will come Jesus says and the construction of these two words tells us that this comforter will be “one of the same kind,” this is He will do for them what Jesus has done for them. Not only will He be “with” them but He will be “in” them signifying a new relationship.
b. He is our teacher v. 26
The Comforter will be our instructor for He will teach us “all things” and He will be our inspiration for He will “bring all things to your remembrance.”
III. The Conflict v. 30
I believe that Jesus speaks of the “prince of this world” to remind his disciple that even when we obey His word and even when we are filled with His Spirit there is still the problem of the Devil. Satan will be “prince of this world” until the “Prince of Peace” comes to reign and rule for ever and ever.
a. Our adversary
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Jesus does not promise a life without storms or that there will not still be trials and tribulations but we can have His peace in storm.
CONCLUSION:
A HEART FOCUSED ON GOD
One writer (Warren Wiersbe) wrote a book called Victorious Christian about a woman named Fanny Crosby. Crosby was the author of over 8000 songs including several that we sang today. In fact she wrote so many that she had to write under pseudonymns just so she could get more of her songs into the hymnbooks.
At 6 weeks of age Fanny Crosby developed a minor eye inflammation and was taken to a local doctor for treatment. However, the doctor who treated her used the wrong medicine on her eyes and she became totally and permanently blind because of his carelessness.
Interviewed years later, Fanny Crosby said she harbored no bitterness against the physician. In fact, she once said, "If I could meet him now, I would say thank you, over and over again for making me blind." She felt that her blindness was a gift from God to help her write the hymns that flowed from her pen.
How could Fanny Crosby, blinded by a tragic failure of a careless doctor –still be filled with such joy and power in her songs? Because she kept her heart focused on God.
She looked up toward God rather than around at her disability and weaknesses.
As with Paul, she was convinced that she could do all things through Christ who gave her strength.
SOURCE: Jeff Strite in "We’ve Got A Secret" on www.sermoncentral.com.
