MY PEACE I GIVE TO YOU
INTRODUCTION: Whenever you watch some beauty pageant and you hear the question, ‘what is the most important thing society needs’, the contestant will typically answer, ‘world peace’. Peace…everybody wants it but there seems to be so little of it. What gives? I believe Jesus has an answer for us. Let’s take a look at the peace of Jesus.
1) My peace I give to you.
John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
‘My peace’. What peace did Jesus have? Perfect peace. Look at the life of Jesus and you will see that perfect peace displayed. When he and the disciples were in the boat and the storm was raging he was asleep on a cushion. He wasn’t freaking out like the disciples were-he was at peace. When the religious leaders were being contentious with him he didn’t start flipping out-he maintained his control-he was at peace. When he was being arrested-at peace. When he was being falsely accused-at peace. When he was being stripped, beaten and nailed to the cross-at peace.
How? He had a close connection with his Father and he never took his focus off him. He knew there was no reason to doubt. He knew there was nothing to fear. The perfect peace that Jesus has he wants to give to us.
“I do not give to you as the world gives.” The biggest contrast between the world’s peace and the peace Jesus gives is the world cannot bring peace between man and God, but Jesus can…and did. He is called the prince of peace for he came to bring peace between man and God through his sacrifice on the cross.
Rom. 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
There was a time when we weren’t at peace with God. Colossians 1 says that we were once alienated from God and enemies of God because of our evil behavior. But now, because Jesus shed his blood and died on the cross for our sins we have been reconciled to God; thus making peace between us and God. I cannot truly be at peace unless I am first at peace with God. This is why the peace that the world gives is imperfect.
Another difference between worldly peace and heavenly peace is worldly peace is temporary and unstable while heavenly peace is permanent and secure. That’s because worldly peace is outward while heavenly peace is inward. Worldly peace is conditional. As long as things are going well, I will be at peace. But, if there is a wrench thrown in the system then I will not be at peace. As long as you stay peaceful with me I will be at peace. But, when that changes then my state of peace will quickly come to an end.
However, the peace that Jesus gives, the peace that is established through being at peace with God is not temporary or conditional-it is continual-despite the circumstances I’m in or the people I’m around. Not that we purposely put ourselves in chaotic circumstances or surround ourselves with irate people but when we find ourselves dealing with such we can still be at peace.
Phil. 4:4-7, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Rejoice in the Lord always-even when you don’t feel like it. We don’t rejoice because of all things but we rejoice in all things. Everything isn’t peaceful, but we can still be at peace. The ability to be at peace in trying times can only come from God. That level of peace surpasses all understanding; it’s not normal. “How can you be at peace in a time like this?” “Instead of having anxiety I’m relying on God. Instead of getting all upset I’ve decided to trust God.”
Isa. 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”? When we trust in God and keep our minds focused on him we will we have that perfect peace. To be steadfast means to be firm and unwavering. When situations come that test our trust in God Satan’s goal is to cause us to falter in our faith. When we start having trust issues with God we can be sure we will not be at peace. If we allow our minds to get pulled off track we will be leaving the path of peace. Jesus said do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. When my mind is fixed on him I won’t be troubled or afraid; I’ll be at peace.
2) Jesus gives us peace but that doesn’t mean it’s automatic. There is still a requirement of effort on our part. What do we need to do in order to establish and maintain peace?
• We have to seek and pursue it.
Psalm 34:14, “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”
When I seek peace I’m seeking God. Since he is the source of perfect peace I know that if I’m going to find peace I need to seek God. To pursue means to follow. I’m following after God. I’m going where he leads me because he will lead me on the pathway of peace. When I seek peace I look for places where it may be found. Where are the safe places to be? Where is my refuge; my sanctuary?
I don’t put myself in hostile places where my peace is threatened. I avoid hanging around hostile people; people who I know can have the tendency to disrupt my peace. We need to pursue peace, not chaos. If I pursue evil I will find chaos but if I pursue good I will find peace. If I am going to establish peace I need to seek it and pursue it.
• We need to hold onto it.
Psalm 85:8, “I will listen to what God the LORD will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints—but let them not return to folly.”
The only time we will return to our folly is when we stop listening to the Lord. If I commit to listening to God then I am kept at peace. When I chose not to listen to the Lord when his spirit, word or people are trying to speak into my life then I am returning to folly and I am distancing myself from peace. The Lord promises peace to his people but if we want to go back to our foolish ways we will jeopardize our peace.
If we find ourselves returning to our folly we can expect the Lord will discipline us. However, his purpose in doing so is to get us to turn from evil and do good; reestablishing that peace. Heb. 12:11, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” When we respond positively to the Lord’s discipline we will turn from evil and do good. If I’m willing to be trained by it then I will stay on the right path. Then I’ll be reaping a harvest of righteousness and peace.
• We have to be ruled by it.
Col. 3:12-15, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
We see that the virtues that Paul lists here, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and forgiveness are all a result of letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. We were called to live a life of peace and unity. It can be so easy to get caught up in arguments and gossip and backbiting and tearing each other down. If we have a part in any of that then the peace of Christ is not ruling our hearts.
We’re not doing what Paul said in Rom. 14:19, “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”
One of the ways we can tell if the peace of Christ is ruling in our hearts is whether we are peacemakers or troublemakers. Are we more apt to stir up or feed trouble or are we someone who makes every effort to diffuse it? Are we joining in when someone tears someone else down? Are we saying nothing in response? Or are we shutting them down and letting them know that it’s not right? Are we a part of the solution or the problem?
In Heb. 12:14 we’re told to ‘Make every effort to live in peace with all men’. That’s not always going to be easy. I can’t force you to live in peace with me but I can make every effort to live at peace with you. You can be irate but I don’t have to be. You can be cantankerous but I don’t have to get sucked into it. If the peace of Christ rules in my heart then I will make every effort to live at peace with you; even if you are miserable. I’m not going to allow you to disrupt my peace. Instead, I’m going to be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient. I’m choosing to bear with you and forgive whatever grievances I have against you. I’m willing to forgive as I have been forgiven and love as I have been loved. I have chosen to be ruled by peace.
CONCLUSION: Francis of Assisi wrote, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy.” Jesus has given us his perfect peace. Let’s pursue it, embrace it and live in it; and then let’s administer it.
