Peace Like No Other!
Rev. Enoch Thompson | July 26, 2024 | John 14:27
KEY VERSE:
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. John 14:27 (NIV)
MESSAGE:
The assurances of the Master of a place prepared for them in glory with God, the promise of the Holy Spirit, and the giving of the peace of God to the believers; all these should combine to give the disciples courage to hold on to their faith after the Master had been taken away from them.
Individuals need peace, families need peace, nations need peace, and the Church of God needs peace. A world without peace cannot know progress. Peace is such an essential commodity which seems to have dodged humanity in spite of the millions of dollars spent by the United Nations over the years to secure it.
Yet the peace the Lord Jesus was talking about was the personal inner orientation of rest. He was not talking of a peace imposed from the outside by the enforcement of rules. It is the peace which begins with our renewed relationship with God. Rom 5:1-2 says,“¹Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” (NIV).
The origin of human challenges was the Fall into sin, which put us in enmity with God. Once the peace with God is restored through faith in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ we have peace. This peace is not what the world understands as peace. It is not so much the absence of trouble as the presence of God with us in trouble (Psalm 46). It is such peace as cannot be explained by psychology or philosophy, it is of God and transcends human understanding. It is the eternal sabbath for those who respond to the Great Call, ²⁸ "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt 11:28-30 (NIV).
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Have you entered into this peace of God? Are you an agent of the peace of God? It all starts at Calvary when we accept the Lord Jesus as our Saviour and commit to Him as Lord over our lives.
PRAYER:
Dear God of peace, whose peace envelopes those who trust in you, I come to you in worship and gratitude for the peace that your presence in my life gives me. Lord Shalom, may I enjoy your peace, and may I be a true agent of that peace. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
DAILY word study: LEAVE
The Greek word translated as "leave" in John 14:27 is "ἀφίημι" (aphiēmi), which means "to send away," "to let go," "to forgive," or "to permit." In this context, it conveys the idea of bestowing or granting something as a lasting legacy.
The use of "leave" (ἀφίημι) in John 14:27 emphasizes the intentional bestowal of peace by Jesus to His disciples. This peace is not temporary or worldly but divine and enduring, surpassing all human understanding. Jesus contrasts His peace with the temporary and often conditional peace offered by the world. The promise of peace serves as a comfort and assurance to the disciples in the face of Jesus' imminent departure and the trials they will encounter.
Reflections:
Jesus offers a peace that surpasses all earthly understanding, a peace that remains even in the midst of life's storms. This peace is a divine gift, one that Jesus has intentionally left for His followers to experience and cherish. In what ways can you embrace and experience the peace that Jesus has left for you, especially during times of turmoil and uncertainty?
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