Peace
John 14:27
"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."
Jesus spoke these words sometime between washing the disciples feet and being arrested in the garden. It was a very stressful time! This, along with the fact that I went to a workshop on anxiety this week, may be why the verse stood out for me when I read it. Or maybe the reason is much more simple: I feel troubled in my heart regularly and my heart can be afraid without much basis (other than a very lively imagination).
Jesus words jumped out at me as I read the Gospel this week because I needed to hear them.
"Let not" - the definition of "let" is "allow to, permit to, give permission to" so the definition of "let not" is the opposite. Here is another way to say it: "Do not allow your hearts to be troubled, neither permit them to be afraid". To me, this indicates that I have choice. I am not just tossed about by my feelings. I don't have to immediately embrace any or all emotions that stir within me. My heart is going to feel troubled and afraid and when I recognize it, I can decide if I am going to let it feel this way.
Ok Tracy (I am saying this to myself, maybe you are saying it to me too), you say we have choice, we can exert our wills. But how?Well, maybe we need something in order to do this:
We need peace.
We need to know there is an alternative to fear. We need peace that says, "It's all right. I will be OK." But we don't need a false or imaginary peace, it has got to be real. Where do we get that?
Jesus.
Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you."
The important thing about this peace is that it is Jesus'. He is the One who gives it.
Please hear me out: before we can train out hearts to not go down the route of living out of fear or of being overwrought, we need to receive Jesus' gift of peace. He assures us that when He gives, it is not as the world gives. I think the world gives temporarily and only to those who perform to its standards at any given moment. Jesus gives differently - unconditionally, lovingly, graciously, mercifully - and when He gives, He gives what He has to us. He gives His peace.
What is the peace of Christ?
I believe that the peace of Christ is primarily relational peace. It is the peace that we have with God because of Jesus' sacrifice for our sin.
Romans 5:1-2a
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand."
It is the peace with have with others because of Jesus.
Ephesians 2:14-16
"For [Jesus] Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in His flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility."
I did a quick biblegateway.com search on peace. It is mentioned 93 times in the New Testament. 5 of those are in John. The verse I started this blog entry with is the first time Jesus talks about peace in John. The next time is still before His crucifixion: John 16:33
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows,. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." The context is that Jesus has just told the disciples that He is leaving and that before He leaves, they are all going to desert Him. I love this verse because it faces reality - you ARE going to have very hard times - but there is encouragement - Jesus overcomes!
The next three uses of the word "peace" are all in post-resurrection appearances: "Peace be with you" (John 20:19, 21, and 26). This is Jesus' repeated message while He connected with His followers pre-Ascension. We need to take note... Jesus wants us to have peace in very awkward and unusual times.
I find it interesting that when I first read the verse, I focused on what I have to do "Let not". My eyes were first on myself and my feelings. This is my mistake. I need to fix my eyes on Jesus. - His peace, His gift then I will be able to follow through on His command.
Colossians 2:15
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."
I hope this was helpful for you to hear my processing. Thanks for listening! If you have any feedback, please feel free to comment.
Peace of Christ,
Tracy
"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."
Jesus spoke these words sometime between washing the disciples feet and being arrested in the garden. It was a very stressful time! This, along with the fact that I went to a workshop on anxiety this week, may be why the verse stood out for me when I read it. Or maybe the reason is much more simple: I feel troubled in my heart regularly and my heart can be afraid without much basis (other than a very lively imagination).
Jesus words jumped out at me as I read the Gospel this week because I needed to hear them.
"Let not" - the definition of "let" is "allow to, permit to, give permission to" so the definition of "let not" is the opposite. Here is another way to say it: "Do not allow your hearts to be troubled, neither permit them to be afraid". To me, this indicates that I have choice. I am not just tossed about by my feelings. I don't have to immediately embrace any or all emotions that stir within me. My heart is going to feel troubled and afraid and when I recognize it, I can decide if I am going to let it feel this way.
Ok Tracy (I am saying this to myself, maybe you are saying it to me too), you say we have choice, we can exert our wills. But how?Well, maybe we need something in order to do this:
We need peace.
We need to know there is an alternative to fear. We need peace that says, "It's all right. I will be OK." But we don't need a false or imaginary peace, it has got to be real. Where do we get that?
Jesus.
Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you."
The important thing about this peace is that it is Jesus'. He is the One who gives it.
Please hear me out: before we can train out hearts to not go down the route of living out of fear or of being overwrought, we need to receive Jesus' gift of peace. He assures us that when He gives, it is not as the world gives. I think the world gives temporarily and only to those who perform to its standards at any given moment. Jesus gives differently - unconditionally, lovingly, graciously, mercifully - and when He gives, He gives what He has to us. He gives His peace.
What is the peace of Christ?
I believe that the peace of Christ is primarily relational peace. It is the peace that we have with God because of Jesus' sacrifice for our sin.
Romans 5:1-2a
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand."
It is the peace with have with others because of Jesus.
Ephesians 2:14-16
"For [Jesus] Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in His flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility."
I did a quick biblegateway.com search on peace. It is mentioned 93 times in the New Testament. 5 of those are in John. The verse I started this blog entry with is the first time Jesus talks about peace in John. The next time is still before His crucifixion: John 16:33
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows,. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." The context is that Jesus has just told the disciples that He is leaving and that before He leaves, they are all going to desert Him. I love this verse because it faces reality - you ARE going to have very hard times - but there is encouragement - Jesus overcomes!
The next three uses of the word "peace" are all in post-resurrection appearances: "Peace be with you" (John 20:19, 21, and 26). This is Jesus' repeated message while He connected with His followers pre-Ascension. We need to take note... Jesus wants us to have peace in very awkward and unusual times.
I find it interesting that when I first read the verse, I focused on what I have to do "Let not". My eyes were first on myself and my feelings. This is my mistake. I need to fix my eyes on Jesus. - His peace, His gift then I will be able to follow through on His command.
Colossians 2:15
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."
I hope this was helpful for you to hear my processing. Thanks for listening! If you have any feedback, please feel free to comment.
Peace of Christ,
Tracy
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