Jump Start # 1156

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

Our times are not peaceful. A passenger jetliner is shot down over the Ukraine. How much Russia was involved is unclear. Israel and Hamas are shooting rockets at each other every day. The world is uncertain if Iran has a nuclear bomb. School girls have been kidnapped in Nigeria. Terror attacks and threats are spreading world wide. These are very uncertain times. Nations are not getting along. Jesus’ words for peace are welcome words.

Our passage is taken from the long dialogue Jesus had with His apostles before the cross. The verse before, Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit to the apostles to teach them and to remind them of the things Jesus said. Accuracy in God’s message is important. Most can not remember accurately conversations and lessons they heard a few months ago, let alone two or three years ago. These apostles had been with Jesus for three years. Those three years had been stuffed full of lessons, teachings and sermons. Jesus was now heading to the cross. He would not be with them. They would be sent out preaching Jesus’ message. Would they remember? Would they get it right? The Holy Spirit came upon them, such as in Acts 2, to complete and fulfill God’s plans.

Then comes our verse. Jesus promises to leave His peace with them. His peace, He tells us, is not like the peace that the world gives. It’s different. Have you ever thought about that?

The peace the world offers is external. It’s based upon treaties, signed papers, handshakes and promises. The history of the world shows that these signed papers do not last long. The treaties are broken and wars start up. In Kansas City, where I once lived, is the national WWI memorial. That was to be the war that ends all wars. It didn’t. The agreements forged out to end that war were broken just a few years later.

The peace the world offers never lasts. There are brief moments of rest, but before long, someone invades another land, someone violates the national laws of another country, and troops are sent, threats are made, and wars start. It has long been known that the old men make the war and the young men die in the war. Maybe if the politicians who made the war had to go fight in the war, there would be less war. The peace that the world offers never lasts.

The peace that the world offers is always based upon two parties. One side can be genuine and honest and the other side has their fingers crossed behind their backs and has no interests in settling differences. It’s hard to have peace when dealing with others.

Jesus’ peace is not like this. It’s not like the world’s peace. How is it different?

First, what Jesus was offering was not signed papers between nations, promising not to bomb each other. The peace of Christ involved a person and God. Because of sin, we are separated from God. We are at odds with God. There is enmity between us. One of the words of salvation is “reconciliation.” Christ brought us together. There was a bond of peace between you and God. This peace is personal and intimate. It is about your salvation. It involves no one other than you and God.

Second, the peace of Christ is internal. It is about relationships between you and God. It is built upon faith, forgiveness, love and trust. A broken relationship is restored. Hope is promised. Goodness abounds. A person’s eternal destiny is changed because he now has peace with God.

Third, this peace is lasting. It is not affected by national news, or even congregational peace or even drama in a family. None of those things alter the relationship one has with Christ. None can alter this peace except a person refusing to walk with Christ. That’s a personal choice. It’s up to the individual.

Fourth, the peace of Christ changes a person and this change affects and influences all other relationships he has. Because someone has peace with God, his character is molded to be like Christ. Now his marriage improves. Now his attitude towards others improves. Now his outlook changes. Less about self and more about serving. Grace and forgiveness is offered to others, just as it was offered to him by God. The peace of Christ has changed all other relationships. It begins with God.

Jesus said in the beatitudes, “blessed are the peace makers.” Many enjoy peace. Most want peace. This thought is about those who MAKE the peace. They go into a situation where there is no peace and now peace is made. Applications can be made to nations, marriages and neighborhood fusses. But the intent is between man and God. Blessed are those who make peace between you and God. Blessed are those who bring you home to God. This is done through the teaching of God’s word. This is accomplished by the godly counsel that leads to repentance and the breaking of the stubborn will that will not listen to God. Peacemakers are those engaged in God’s business of making and restoring relationships with God.

My peace I give to you. Calm in an unsettled world. Free from worry. Hearts that no longer are troubled. Hope that is real and based upon God. Friendship with God. This is what Jesus gave. It is more important and greater than signed papers between national leaders. If everyone had this peace, there would be no more wars. The reason that wars exist, whether between nations, in marriages or between co-workers, is because someone doesn’t have peace with God. Peace with God will lead to peace with one another. Until we start with God, there will always be wars, external and internal. The greatest war and turmoil is what rages within our hearts. Living without God. Facing death with God not as a friend. Living without forgiveness. Walking on your own, without Christ. This is the greatest tragedy. This is the greatest war.

It doesn’t have to be that way. It is, because we don’t know Christ.

My peace I give you. What a great promise. Do you live with it? Do you know it? Do you share it with others?

Roger