My Peace I Give

Jesus sat in the upper room in a house in Jerusalem. This might be a familiar story. All around outside were the sounds of celebration as people around the city in their own homes also ate of the Passover. Judas at this point had already left, the one who had betrayed him or was about to betray him. He'd already gone out after the meal. The meal was finished, but the conversation continued.

The disciples who remained, the faithful ones, at that point faithful, unwavering to a certain degree, they began to ask questions of their teacher. Lord, how is this that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world? This was a question by the other Judas. There were two Judases. The other one who remained faithful asked this question.

Jesus was telling his disciples about how he was soon going to leave them. He was going to depart. But he said he wouldn't leave them alone, and he had promised that although he was going, he would still reveal himself to them or manifest himself to them, as Judas had put it, as it's translated, to those who would keep his commandments. In asking this question, Judas probably wanted some reassurance. How is this going to happen? What is it going to look like? When is it going to happen? He wanted to know, at this point not fully understanding that Jesus was about to be put to death. He didn't quite understand that point. It wasn't as if Jesus was just going on a journey to a different city and he would come back. No, we know he was about to be crucified, beaten and bruised, and then he would die and spend three days and three nights in the grave. Even though after his resurrection he would spend 40 days with his disciples, after that they wouldn't see him face to face again in their lifetimes.

And so Judas wanted to know in what way would Jesus reveal himself to his disciples after that, after the time that they wouldn't see him face to face. He promised that he and his father would make their home within them through the presence of their power, the gift of the Holy Spirit. Through this power they would be given the remembrance of the wisdom, the knowledge that Jesus had taught them personally. And they would learn and grow and be able to teach others the same things they had been taught. Through the presence of that power they would also be given a special gift, as Jesus details here.

John chapter 14 verse 27, it's where we find this account. Verse 27 in John 14, Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Jesus specifically mentioned the gift of his peace.

Now what is this peace of Jesus Christ and of God the Father, their peace that he was going to give them? This peace that is given to us as well through that power, the Holy Spirit. The world around us sees peace as an absence of war. And partially that's true. You can't have peace without the absence of war. That's part of what peace actually is. But as we see in the absence of war today, there are various nations and even individuals around us ultimately only looking out for themselves. And that's not peace.

There's also in this time such as this, where we have mostly peace in this country, there is looming uncertainty of impending war. There's still that promise of war that will happen. Impending war is part of the world that is presently under Satan's influence around us. It's also part of prophecy leading up to the return of Jesus Christ, leading up to the beginning of the millennium. One of the four horsemen of Revelation is even given the power, the ability to take peace from the earth and cause people to fight and to kill one another.

The peace that Jesus Christ had and gave to his disciples and continues to give to his disciples, he also demonstrated. This peace involves faith and certainty, even in the face of danger, even in the face of death. It's not only a lack of war, but also a peace of mind and heart that can only come from the presence of God. Let's turn to Philippians chapter 4. Philippians chapter 4. We have some instructions here given through the Apostle Paul. Paul writes here as inspired by God.

In verse 6 in Philippians 4, verse 6, he writes,

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

So here we see this urging to be anxious for nothing. Don't worry about anything. This peace, the peace that Christ gives us, takes away that anxiety. This peace comes from faith and trust in God to work through his plans, the plans that he is working through with us and in us. It takes faith and trust in God to believe that these things are happening and will happen and continue to happen, not just today, but tomorrow, the next day, and on into eternity. This gift of peace comes from placing our troubles in God's hands. That's part of it. We also have to have that presence of God. And he fills us with that peace, but we also have to participate, hold on to that peace and trust in our God. We do this, as Paul shows us here, through prayer, humbly and thankfully letting God know what our needs are, what our anxieties are. We hand them over to him and we accept peace.

In verse 7 here, Paul writes,

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

That peace from God will guard our hearts and our minds from those anxieties, from those worries of whatever might come. By this peace of Jesus Christ, we are guarded from those things. Come what may, we can have peace of mind that if God is for us, who can possibly be against us? Now this peace is truly a gift from God. It's a divine gift. It comes through that power of God, his Holy Spirit that proceeds from the Father, that is of the Son as well. That peace in our lives is part of the evidence that God dwells within us through that Spirit.

Galatians 5, here's a familiar passage for us, we can turn over there, Galatians 5, verse 22, starting in verse 22. You guys probably have this memorized by now, I hope. Galatians 5, verse 22, gotta make sure I'm in the right chapter. The Apostle Paul again writes here,

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

That peace from God is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. So it is a gift to all of us through this presence of God within us. The lack of peace, the anxieties, the faithlessness that we struggle with or once had or perhaps probably do struggle with still, we have to give up. We have to give up so that we can be filled with this Spirit of God and that peace. We have to give up those things so that we can have this peace.

Verse 24, Paul writes here,

And those who are Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

They've given up those anxieties. They've given up those sinful activities, mindsets, even fear itself. If we live in the Spirit, verse 25, let us also walk in the Spirit. We see that we must exhibit faithfully the peace that is within us. We have to demonstrate it. We have to walk humbly in this peace, demonstrating it in our lives, walking in the Spirit. Paul even throws in here, verse 26,

Let us not be conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

So part of this has to do with how we interact with each other. That peace must be exhibited between us, not arguing against one another.

Romans chapter 12, one more verse here, one more passage. Romans 12, Paul reminds us here, as we pursue this peace, as we are making peace, as God's peacemakers with the presence of our Savior within us, giving us this peace.

Verse 17, we are instructed to

repay no one evil for evil.

That’s not what peacemakers do. They don't repay evil for evil. Peacemakers make peace, not evil. Have regard for good things. Make peace, not evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. This means that this peacemaking has to be between us and all other people. As much as depends on us, we are to strive for peace. Not just a lack of war, but also getting along with each other. Demonstrating all the fruit of God's spirit working together.

Verse 18 is what is written: if it's possible, as much as depends on us, seek peace, live peaceably with all men. All men. And do not avenge yourselves. Don't take vengeance. Verse 21 reminds us not to be overcome by evil, whatever form it takes, but overcome evil with good. We overcome evil with peace. That's part of that good that God has placed within us.

This begins in ourselves, reconciling us between our God, being filled with that peace, but then we have to demonstrate it. We build peace within our families, within our households, and also within our brethren, our congregations, our church. We build peace, working together, striving for reconciliation, for cooperation, for mutual submission and love. And this also extends to the rest of the world.

And that's how Jesus Christ manifests this peace, his presence within us. This peace is one of the pieces of evidence that Christ is manifesting himself in us. This peace we must demonstrate in our lives. This is how we see Jesus Christ's manifestation within us.