The Gift of His Peace John 14:25-31
“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.
“And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.”
“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” The disciples have been enjoying the Passover meal, relaxing in being in a safe place. Certainly, this is a great time for Jesus to pour out his heart and teach them. But why is Jesus so insistent on imparting so much? It’s getting late and the disciples are sleepy; if Jesus would allow it, the disciples would simply curl up right here in the Upper Room and sleep here for the night. Nevertheless, Jesus continues to teach, trusting that the Holy Spirit will help the disciples remember everything he is saying.
Eventually, this prayer will be answered, for John gives us a detailed outline of everything he heard Jesus say that night; in fact, of all the disciples who record the events of that night, John is the one who will give the most complete and accurate account of Jesus’ teachings. While the disciples are used to remembering the things Jesus says, it must be the Holy Spirit who helps John to remember so accurately and to record so completely.
Frequently, we overlook the Holy Spirit, assuming the third Member of the Holy Trinity is simply some kind of vapor blowing by. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Holy Spirit enables God to be present with us constantly, as long as we will allow Him to do so. Sadly, we can grieve the Holy Spirit, closing off our hearts and making it impossible for Him to work in us.
Ephesians 4:29-32 tells us, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification (enlightenment, building up), that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” Why do people become addicted to any activity? When they repeat whatever activity it is, their bodies release endorphins and they feel happy and peaceful. Whether it’s alcohol, drugs, sex, pornography, shopping, or even extreme sports-those who participate in these activities feel good for a while. But as soon as the endorphins wear off, an addict must repeat the drug or the shopping or go in for more extreme sports. Endorphins only last a very short time. But when God gives us peace, we receive a deep peace beyond all understanding, a peace that will never quit.
“Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Whether or not we believe it, we DO control the way we respond to situations. We can either allow ourselves to become troubled and afraid or we can choose to remain at peace, trusting in God and His infinite mercy and love. Jesus is advising the disciples this way because he knows that they are about to go through the most extreme tests possible, that they will run away when he is arrested, but that they will ultimately prove true.
Isaiah 26:3 tells us, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” When we continue to look to God our Heavenly Father for help, we are trusting the One who spoke the universe into being with a single word, the One who created the heavens and the earth. No matter what happens, we can continue to have peace when we trust in God and His perfect Will for our lives.
“You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.
“And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.”
It’s time to move out and start walking toward the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus will continue teaching as he and the disciples walk. Jesus is warning the disciples that Satan is coming, even though Satan can only do whatever God the Father allows him to. Jesus knows that wicked men moved by Satan will soon put him to death; however, Jesus also knows that this death is necessary. Only by Jesus dying can he offer himself as a sinless blood sacrifice for all who will believe in him. And only by Jesus dying can he be resurrected.
We read the accounts in John and tremble, for we know what is coming. We know the horrors of the interrogation, the beatings, the mocking, the ordeal of carrying the cross through the streets of Jerusalem, and the eventual crucifixion. But even though Jesus knows he is facing all this, he continues to have peace.
The disciples, on the other hand, are anything but peaceful. The disciples feel confused, upset, discouraged, and fearful that they too will die at the hands of the religious authority. These fears are groundless. While the religious authorities fear Jesus, they have no such regard for the disciples, mentally dismissing them as a ragtag lot of country bumpkins who will pose no threat once Jesus is eliminated.
How can we have peace in the midst of turmoil? Trust God! TRUST God! TRUST GOD!!! When Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, was being attacked by wild animals in the Colosseum in Rome, he only said, “Now I begin to be a Christian!”
Are you in the middle of a mess? God can still give you peace, even in the middle of that mess. Let’s pray.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are caught in messes not of our own making. We desperately need Your peace, the peace that surpasses all understanding. Help us to trust You to give us that peace and to keep our minds in perfect peace as well. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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