Who Needs World Peace Now? :: John 14:23-31

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[Jesus said:] Peace I leave to you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be timid (v 27).

[Introduction]

Peace. ... We are constantly seeking peace, aren’t we? ... Longing for peace ... striving for peace ... fighting for peace. And yet it seems to be so elusive ... fleeting. If only we could be at peace in the midst of all the turmoil in our world, we tell ourselves. If only our nation wasn’t so divided, constantly disturbing the peace. If only our brothers and sisters and husbands and wives would stop fighting, cave-in to our way, and let us rest in peace. 

Where are we to find such peace? 

How are we to find such peace? 

Do we even know what peace is?

1. Our Lord Jesus does. 

The Lord and Prince of Peace gives us the true peace ... divine peace, heavenly peace, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. As Jesus said, Peace I leave to you. My peace I give to you.

You might be surprised to learn that today’s Gospel reading from John 14 is one of the few times Jesus actually declares that we have peace. The word peace is used in just 22 verses of the four Gospels, And four of those are spoken by men and angels. 

To be sure, Jesus spoke of peace, taught on peace, and urged the disciples to share peace (Mt 10:13, 34; Mk 9:50; Lk 10:5-6, 14:32; Jn 16:33), but he specifically spoke of us having peace on just FIVE occasions. ... First, to the sinful woman who shed tears at his feet, anointed them with ointment, and wiped them with her hair (Lk 7:50). And then to the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years (Mk 5:34; Lk 8:48). Go in peace, he urged them. 

The final three offers of peace were all given to the disciples ... all in connection with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. The first was on the night of his betrayal. Jesus said, Peace I leave to you. My peace I give to you. The final two were heard in the upper room immediately after the resurrection ... first on Easter, and then a week later with Thomas, when Jesus said, Peace to you (Jn 20:19, 21, 26). On account of the life, death, rest, and resurrection of Jesus ... my dear brothers and sisters in Christ ... you therefore have peace ... true peace ... eternal peace ... the only peace that matters ... peace with God and consequently, peace with one another. 

2. Now we can ask, what is peace?

Peace is broadly defined as a state of freedom from war, violence, hostility, and disorder. It exists externally as a condition of harmony and security, and internally as a state of tranquility. It is feeling comfortable and secure in what you’re going through. And it relies on the appeasement, achievement, and compromise of men. This is not the peace we are discussing. 

The peace of Christ is much bigger. In contrast to man’s understanding of peace ... which is so fragile, which is so easily broken ... scripture defines peace as an active state of wholeness and completeness ... a right relationship with God and one another and harmony with creation. It is שָׁלוֹם (sha.lom). It is a sense of well-being and salvation that is rooted in the restoration of what was broken. It is founded in the promises of God, the Gospel. It flows out of the confident assurance of the Lord’s divine, eternal presence. It is the recognition that it comes only from God himself. This is why Jesus said ... Peace I leave to you. My peace I give to you.

We can therefore say that the ultimate contrast between man’s definition of peace and God’s definition depends on a person’s relationship with God through Christ. Peace begins and ends with God. And it reminds us that if you don’t have peace, you are dealing with a problem within yourself ... namely, your sin.

3. Sin shatters peace by introducing guilt, separation, and inner turmoil. 

When Adam and Eve accepted the premise from the serpent that you will not surely die through your desire to seek the knowledge of good and evil, they became overwhelmed with guilt and anxiety. They immediately lost their peace with God. They immediately became afraid. They were immediately separated from God. And they hid. 

They had ... NO peace.

Original sin destroyed peace in man’s relationship first and foremost with our creator, and by extension with each other. And we’ve been suffering ever since. Sin gave us the knowledge of evil and pride. Before we knew it, we were assassinating each other like Cain did with Abel. We became inspired to try to build our own source of peace like Noah’s descendants did after the flood. But as men quickly found in the land of Shinar, we cannot rebuild peace with God on our own merits. On account of their pride and effort to create their own unity and peace, we gained nothing but confusion and chaos (Gen 11:1-11). 

Our selfishness and transgression have since naturally fostered more strife, more distrust, and more broken relationships. Our guilty consciences have given us deeper internal restlessness. Our inner conflicts of knowing that we have sinned continue to steal our joy and quietness ... our peace. 

Therefore, in the name of Jesus, repent every one of you and believe the Gospel.

4. Jesus is your peace. 

As he said, Peace I leave to you. My peace I give to you. 

In our text today, Jesus is preparing the disciples ... and by extension you and me ... to receive this peace ... his peace ... the only peace that matters ... divine peace ... the forgiveness of sins along with the life and salvation that come with it. 

Our reading is the conclusion of John’s upper room discourse in chapters 13 and 14. In just a matter of minutes, Jesus will tell his disciples that it’s time to go into Gethsemane (v 31). Along the way, he’ll continue teaching them in John 15 and 16, preparing them to receive the only true source of peace through the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:33). In the garden, he will pray the high priestly prayer of John 17. Then he will be betrayed by one of his own ... one of us ... and he will become the perfect peace offering on our behalf. He will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes. He will be condemned to death. He will be delivered into the hands of sinful men to be crucified. 

As Jesus hung upon that cross, Joel’s prophecy that Peter preached at Pentecost indeed was fulfilled. The sun was turned to darkness for three hours on the great and magnificent day of the Lord. Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus died for your sins. He paid the price for your sins. He remitted his payment of righteous blood on your behalf so that you may be declared righteous ... justified ... forgiven and free of all sin for all time. And now ... He is risen! ... 

His peace is now your peace. He was raised for your justification. And your new life has begun. The Holy Spirit has been poured out upon us all, and it has come to pass that everyone who now calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved (Acts 2:21). 

SO WHO NEEDS WORLD PEACE NOW?

[Conclusion]

As we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost today, rest in our Lord’s unbreakable peace. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. You who are in Christ Jesus have received the gift of the Holy Spirit through the Water and the Word, Holy Baptism, and have been invited to share the peace God GIVES during the Lord’s Supper. These are the means that deliver peace.

Strive for this peace with everyone (Hb 12:14). ... Let this peace of Christ rule in your hearts, into which you were called in one name (Col 3:15). ... Let us pursue this peace that builds up one another (Rm 14:19). 

You can be a reconciler, taking the initiative to apologize and forgive, restoring peace. You can be an encourager, speaking words of peace that build others up instead of tearing them down. And you can trust that ... the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, [will] equip you with everything good so that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen (Hb 13:20-21).

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