Peace I Leave With You
Notes
Transcript
If you were with us last week you remember we talked a little about the promises Jesus gave us for what to do in the hard times. His disciples were sitting and they were watching as he was about to leave them and he had promised he would come back to them and not leave them as orphans, and we talked a little about how that relates and moves for us and how we can take some pleasure in knowing he says the same thing to us today if we call ourselves his followers… and how he said if we are not a part of him, we get what we really want and he leaves us alone so we really are alone in those struggles. However this morning, we are going to look at really a follow up to that… about something I think in the world we are living in needs more than ever, and if I am being honest, I think since the time of Jesus anyone preaching the Gospel could have said the exact words I just said…
I remember the first year that I visited Haiti… it was an emotional trip… we got there and I was as sick as a dog, luckily I knew it wasn’t anything I had eaten, because I got sick on the way and my entire family was sick at home at the same moment, but flying in the plane kind of turns and flys over Port- au-Prince and you get to see some of the city and it just broke my heart… thats all it took… and I was devastated… and I hadn’t even landed… I get out at the airport and the guy that we are with that first year who had spent a lot of time in Haiti, I looked and said Scotty, can I go ahead and cry now? And he said it may be a long week if you do that… but I had to get it out… and as you;re driving to your resort it doesn’t get better… and it was amazing the next year to watch people experience it for the first time… its something you never forget and people just are flabergasted… and you have to remind people, you can’t talk bad about it right now, because the people with you, your interpreters it is their home… keep yourself in check… we can cry together tonight when we’re all alone.. anyhow… it had been a long week… and we are riding around and you are praying over the houses you have helped build… you are talking to people and praying with them… and just a little overwhelmed… and i remember one of the interpreters with me that morning… looked at me and said You need to know something… no matter what it is… you must smile, and have joy… because Jesus is good… and I about lost it…
And today we are going to look at some of that…. not haiti… but we are going to look at some of the things I think we are seeking after the most in our lives peace, joy and security… and we will see that he is the source of all of these.
27 Peace I leave with 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 afraid.
The word that we translate here peace is the Greek word “ee ray nay” eirene which means to bind together, to join, and he is saying he will bind us to himself.
The Hebrew word of course is the word Shalom… and it means freedom from trouble. It’s like experiencing the high good, or enjoying the best possible. Its like this wholeness in the most spiritual sense.
And he will give us and leave us with his peace because he will not leave us alone. So how do we secure our peace?
Look at how Paul tells us we secure peace:
1. By justification.
Look at what Paul says in Romans 5:1
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
And this justification is a big word in the Christian world, and really it means the process of being made right with God… moving from a state of sin, to a state of holiness in God, and as we are justified we find a sense of peace in Him. We are no longer at odds with the creator of our soul but now on terms with him. And this was made possible through Jesus’ death on the cross, so it is no wonder he is able to talk about leaving that peace here in our scripture in John this morning. Even though he is leaving them, the work he is about to do is what is going to gibe them the peace they need.
The second way we get God’s peace
2. By loving God’s Word.
165 Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
And the very word of God, Jesus, tells us if we love his word, we will have peace. This is why it is so important for us to get into our word and into a practice of reading it every day and searching the scriptures for what we need. Because it gives us the peace in life we really need.
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3. By praying about everything.
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
It only makes sense that we have peace when we take and give everything to God. When we confront him with our needs and desires and concerns and praises. He takes the burden and gives us peace in its place.
4. By keeping our mind upon God.
3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
So we learn all we have to do to get peace is to keep our minds on God. It doesn’t seem to far-fetched to realize all we have to do is quit our attention on the things of this world and turn to him to receive his peace.
5. By keeping God’s commandments.
18 Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;
9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
All we must do is what he has told us to do and we will have peace… Just imagine… not doing my own thing and walking on my own, but following his will and commandments for my life give us the ultimate peace.
Not only is he the source of all of our peace, but he is the source of our joy as well
28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe.
HE is the source of joy and our rejoicing. And there are a few things we need to understand about Joy.
Joy is divine. Joy is possessed and only given by God. We tend to get happiness and joy confused in our world. Joy does not have its source in worldly things, instead our Joy has its source in Jesus, look at Jn 15:11
11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
It comes from him. which leads to the next item
2. Joy does not depend on circumstances. We get our joy and happiness mixed up and happiness is often fleeting. It comes and goes with how we feel and depending upon what is happening around us, but joy is totally different. When God gives us his joy it rises above circumstances and is fulfilled in him, this is why you know believers who are smiling and joyous even in the most disastrous of circumstances.
3. Joy springs from faith. Look at Ro 15:13
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
So the source of our joy comes from our believing. The joy of the Lord is imparted into us through believing in him, and it is how we are able to overcome our circumstances in the hard times. IT is where we put our faith and our source for what our heart is desiring in this world.
And in this moment what we are seeing and what we should know is Jesus’ death on the cross is what leads us to the ability to have joy… it was what Jesus was telling these men as they sat in this room and they were distraught and looking forward to the crucifixion, he is telling them in those moments it is time to rejoice… the evil one was being defeated and we were reaching a place where we could have what we needed the peace and joy in him…
But not only is he the source of our peace and joy, but he is the source of
3 (14:30–31) Security: the source of security.
30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me,
31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.
The ruler of this world is coming… he knows that Satan is on his way, knows the plan put into place by the enemy is about to come to fruition. and he is telling them they need not worry… this is what security is really about… being free from worry… and Jesus si telling them security comes from two places
The first Security comes from Jesus’ victory over Satan.
Jesus said that satan was coming… he was using men to do it, but he was coming to try and take him… but don’t worry he says… have security… He has no claim on me… look at that strength… He knew there was nothing that satan could do that would sway him to move or take the other side.. There were no other tools in his arsenal that he could use against Jesus and he is telling them you don’t have a thing to worry about and I am about to show you why. And he says lets go, Lets get out of this place lets start moving….
And in that moment he has just told them, he will be completely victorious over Satan. Look at what Paul said in Col 2:15
15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
And he wants them to know in what is about to happen they can have security.
The second place that our security comes from is from Jesus’ obedience to the father. And we know that Jesus whole role in the world was to come and to die and as a sacrifice for us. And because of his obedience we have security in this world…. remember what he said back in Jn 12:27-28
27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.
28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
So this morning do you have joy and peace and security in your life? Remember this morning that Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice and defeated the enemy so that you and I oculd have all of those things.
