The Word Gives Us His Peace
We are teaching my grandson to say goodbye. The word goodbye is actually shorthand for “God be with you”, although we generally don’t say it with that thought foremost in our mind. Most of the time we say goodbye to one another without a lot of thought or emotion behind it. But when we know we are saying goodbye for the final time, it has so much greater meaning. In John 14:15-29, Jesus’ disciples were struggling to deal with His message to them…that He would be departing from them soon. Knowing the anguish and anxiety that they were feeling, He promised that He would not be leaving them all alone. He would send them a helper (Holy Spirit), who would comfort them, continue their discipleship training and teaching, advocate for them with the Father, and would not only be God with them…but would in fact be the presence of God living within them. And the presence of the Holy Spirit would give them His peace. So they could go on, untroubled and unafraid in a chaotic and sinful world. May God bless you with His peace, which comes from your connection with the Holy Spirit living within you.
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:15-) Jesus told His disciples that by keeping His commands, they demonstrated their love for Him. His commands were to love Him and have faith in the Father and Him. He promised them that even though He was departing from them, they would not be alone (orphans) because He would ask the Father to send another helper like Him (Holy Spirit). The Holy Spirit permanently lives with believers and within believers. Jesus was with the disciples for a time, but He let them know that the Holy Spirit would be with them permanently and would also be closer to them than He was (live within them). And through the Holy Spirit we are in a connected relationship and life with Jesus and with the Father (I am in my Father… you are in me … I am in you). The Holy Spirit is more than God with me…He’s God within me!
Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. (John 14:22-24) Judas asked how Jesus could reveal Himself to His disciples without revealing Himself to the rest of the world. Jesus answered that He would be revealed through their love of Him, their obedience to His commands and their union with He and the Father. If you don’t see the Lord’s presence in your life, maybe you need to love, obey and get closer to Him.
“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:25-27) The disciples’ training was not over with Jesus’ departure. The Holy Spirit would continue to teach them and would also remind them of what Jesus had already imparted to them. Jesus gave His disciples His peace. It was a peace that was deeper than the world could give. Jesus had peace and even knowing what lay ahead of Him, He was untroubled and without fear. With Jesus’ peace we can face the chaos and sinfulness of this world untroubled and unafraid.
“You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. (John 14:28-29) Jesus told His disciples that if they loved Him they would rejoice His departure. Why? Because it was for His sake (He was going back home), for their sake (they would receive the Holy Spirit), and for the world’s sake (the work of the Holy Spirit would be even greater than during Jesus’ earthly ministry). Jesus had revealed all of this to them before it happened so that when it did… they would believe. What has the Lord done in your life to help you believe and have faith in Him?
In His final moments before His crucifixion, Jesus prepared His disciples for life without His physical presence. The tough news that He would be departing them was with the promise of the permanent presence of one who would help them as they moved forward. Jesus was going on, but they would not be left alone as orphans in His absence. He would send the Holy Spirit to live with them and within them. And through the Holy Spirit, He would give them His peace as they faced whatever lay ahead of them. We too have the Holy Spirit within us, and because of His presence, protection, advocacy, teaching and comfort, we can ultimately have what Jesus promised His disciples during their time of trauma, trouble and uncertainty. Because The Word gives us His peace.
Blessings,
Rev. Glenn
