Peace
Notes
Transcript
INTRO:
INTRO:
AG:
Peace! What an elusive thing peace is! Most of the time, we don’t have peace. And when we get it, we cannot keep it. Peace is hard to come by and even harder to keep.
In a railway carriage in the forest of Compiegne, in France, gathered representatives of imperial Germany and of the allied nations, to sign an armistice calling for the end of hostilities. This armistice, signed in 1918, came after more than four years of terror, fighting in muddy trenches, facing the horror of chemical weapons, and enduring combat from the air for the first time. This armistice came at the cost of millions of lives – a million and a half French lives, a million and a half German lives, a million British lives, about 88,000 American lives, and Russia – probably more Russians killed than all the other countries put together. What an immense cost for peace! And would this peace last? Would it be permanent? You know the answer. Barely twenty years later, Germany was on the march again, and the world was plunged into another horrible conflict.
Since then, Korea, Vietnam, and scores of skirmishes too numerous to count. Peace – where is it?
It is not my purpose to analyze political and military history. I am here to think with you about peace, about what you and I are called to know about peace. Deeper, I am here to proclaim the good news that peace is on its way. Whatever comes, and at whatever cost, peace is on its way. God has guaranteed it!
The disciples needed help understanding Jesus. They were troubled with all He said would occur as His death approached. This led to this conversation where He clarifies and uses plain speech.
He speaks of things which will soon come to pass
It leaves them troubled, but we will see by the end of the conversation, He points them to the source of real peace peace.
1. The Confusion
1. The Confusion
“A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”
Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?”
They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.”
In a little while, I will be gone and you won’t see me
This will occur
When He dies
Again when Jesus ascends to heaven in Acts 1
A time of departure is at hand
He ascended to Heaven after being seen on Earth post resurrection.
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
A little while later, you will see me again
First at resurrection
Then, at Pentecost as Holy Spirit indwells them
Ultimately, at His return
Jesus had already pointed out that it was to their advantage that He leave. In leaving, He would send the Spirit.
Spirit and Jesus are 1:
Spirit of Christ
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Christ dwells in believers through the Holy Spirit
So in a sense, we “see” Him
Where they stood, Jesus’ words didn’t add up.
won’t see.... then a little while see
2. The Clarification
2. The Clarification
The Explanation
The Explanation
Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’?
They began muttering and speculating what He meant.
They wanted to know, but didn’t wan to come out and ask
He knew what they desired and initiates a deeper discussion for clarification
You won’t see me
He was leaving
Jesus’ death and then ascension would fill them with grief.
He was leaving Earth.
He would no longer be accessible
You will see me again
His return would bring great joy
The Spirit fills us with His presence, peace and joy.
Ultimately, we will see Him face to face again!
His Example
His Example
Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.
A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
At His death:
They were full of sorrow and the world rejoiced
Satan’s world system would appear to have victory
The troublemaker would be dead
Peace established
Much like it will be during the Tribulation
Restrainer quits restraining
And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.
Rise of a 1 world govn’t under the antichrist
They will appear to have victory, any who get saved will be hunted down.
At His Resurrection,
It was all reversed!
Sorrow, for believers, turned to Joy
Those who reveled at His death will be suddenly the defeated
At His 2nd coming… same way!
The Lord’s return will put and end to Satan’s world system
The illustration: A woman in labor
Sorrow is erased by joy
Yes, labor is intense.
The whole process of carrying a baby to term and delivering it is a trial!
Yet, that grief fades when the baby is held in the arms.
The coming of the Holy Spirit wiped away the tears and fears of the disciples
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.
Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?
They spoke in dialects from around the world!
Peter stood up and boldly preached the gospel
And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
He saw them after the resurrection on several occasions, but on the Day of Pentecost, He kept His promise to send the Holy Spirit to indwell them!
Ultimately, the glory of heaven erases the suffering of Earth
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
3. The Comfort
3. The Comfort
Father will give all they need
“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
This Pentecost and following
We no longer ask Him questions
The Spirit guides us!
He teaches us through the WORD
Father loves them
Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
In this age, we ask the Father directly
Model prayer:
Pray to the Father
In Jesus name (in line with Jesus)
Translated to Heaven by the Holy Spirit)
He opened the door to this age of prayer
He indwells us as the Holy Spirit
He takes note when we pray
When peace eludes us, go spend time with Him in prayer
4. The Conclusion
4. The Conclusion
Disciples Understand
Disciples Understand
His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech!
Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.”
He is speaking plainly
They understand Him more clearly
The facts of what is to unfold is finally sinking in
Their confusion and questions faded away and was replaced by FAITH
He is their peace
He knows all things
No surprises to God
He comes forth from God
He is Messiah sent from God
Their faith is reaffirmed
Jesus’ final word
Jesus’ final word
After comforting them and their faith being reaffirmed, He goes on to prepare them for the coming days and reminds them He is their peace.
Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?
Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Bad: you will have trials and sorrows
The world will be their enemy
The world is still our enemy
Good: I have overcome the world.
This is the hope we can hold
He has overcome the world!
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
He grants victory
Daily
Ultimately in final battle
We have peace in the midst of the storm
He keeps us THROUGH the storm, not out of the storms of life.
We do not have to face it alone!
Conc
Conc
Rest in the peace of Christ.