The Names of Jesus – Prince of Peace – Sermon – Pastor Dave Page

This portion of John’s Gospel continues Jesus’ discussions with His disciples in anticipation of His death.

Notice the theme found in verses 1 and 27. Jesus says to His Disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Those seven simple words offered the peace that comes with hope to our Lord’s disciples in a peace-less and what must have seemed like a hopeless hour for them.

Were their hearts troubled? You’re darn right they were!

Jesus has just told them of His impending death, 13:31–33; the disciples had just learned that one of their number is going to betray Jesus into the hands of the enemy, 13:21; even Peter has just been ‘informed’ that he will deny Jesus three times before the morning comes. Yes, their hearts were heavy with sorrow and burdened with grief and questions. But, even in the hour of His greatest trial, Jesus still loved His own, and reached out to them to comfort them and encourage them.

Oh, how the disciples needed peace! Oh, how we, in this world today, need the peace of Jesus Christ. Economic turmoil, Political strife, War, illness, maybe for some of you the darkness of a season that tells you to be joyous and what you feel is anything but joy today.

I reference the peace of Christ intentionally today because the peace that Christ gives is not that of the world, nor does He give it the way the world gives. The world’s peace is shallow, often truly unsatisfying, and temporary; while Christ’s peace rests deep in the soul, always satisfying, and abiding there forever.

The world offers peace through outward means; Christ gives peace that dwells in the soul.

Psychologists talk about “peace of mind,” but Christ, through His death, resurrection, and ascension, gives “peace with God” (Romans 5:1)

And so here in this great chapter, Jesus addresses some very important areas of life and offers us a truly lasting understanding of peace for them all. That is the message that we want to bring you this morning in the glow of the candle of peace.

So, here we have Jesus,  as I said, in the hour of His greatest need, He takes the time to encourage the hearts of His Disciples, and of every person who takes the time to read and digest these words.

Two things Jesus highlights: His presence and His peace in our lives… Jesus promises His presence. He had told them that he was going away and they would see him no more, and yet by going away he would come to them.

‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ John 14:28

Now the disciples didn’t quite get this talk of going away and coming because Jesus was speaking His death and resurrection and return to heaven.

Yet even though, they would no longer see Him, He would still come to them and be present with them, present in an even greater way than He already was with them – present with His words and the Holy Spirit. And, not only Jesus, but His Father will be present too, because the Father, Son and Spirit are one in essence.

They are but one God. Jesus’ words are the Father’s words. And where He is, there also is His Father.

SO NOW With His presence, Jesus also promises peace.

Peace is His legacy: “Peace I leave with you.”

Peace is also His gift. “My peace I give to you.”

The peace He gives is an unworldly peace, a peace that the world cannot give.

The world’s peace so often comes through anything but peace….Here’s what I mean by that….isn’t it sad how so often we use war, trauma, violence…to “make the peace “. But Jesus’ peace comes through His wounds, His broken body and His shed blood.

Even when all seems to be breaking loose around us, we have peace with Jesus.

Unshakable peace.

Eternal peace.

Peace that exceeds our MIND ABILITY TO COMPREHEND.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.  –  John 14:27.

AS OUR Lord JESUS was now about to die, to depart from this world. and to ascend to his Father; he in many ways makes his last will and testament; and this is the blessed legacy, birthright, inheritance and endowment which he leaves to the faithful–“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.”

The Hebrew word “shalom” describes the deep sense of peace and well-being, the contentment, the confidence, the security that is the promise of the people of God.

That word SHALOM: SHALOM might be considered as being at peace with all the creatures.

Because God has made SHALOM between his people and the whole universe.

The words of our Jesus may also refer to the SHALOM which exists among the people of God toward one another.

Now, kind of peace is of great value… however, I want you to consider two other kinds of peace, which i feel may be surely the richest of all examples of shalom.

SHALOM with God, and SHALOM with ourselves.

First, is SHALOM with God.

You may be familiar with the song, I HAVE peace like a river NOT IN my mind, but in my soul..

This peace of Christ is a twofold peace: a peace of friendship, of agreement, of love, between YOU and God. And that my family is a SHALOM of sweet, sweet enjoyment, of quiet rest of the SOUL,

KING DAVID PRAYED, 

“O Lord, give unto thy servants that SHALOM which the world can neither give nor take away.”

You see, when this peace lives inside of you…you understand,

THIS JOY I HAVE THE WORLD DIDN’T GIVE IT TO ME,

THIS LOVE I HAVE THE WORLD DIDN’T GIVE IT TO ME.

THIS PEACE I HAVE THE WORLD DIDN’T GIVE IT TO ME

THE WORD DIDN’T GIVE IT AND THE WORLD CAN’T TAKE IT AWAY.

It’s the only lasting antidote to distress and trial and anxiety…remember we talked about this in the spring:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:6–7.

Have you ever had a time in your life when things were so overwhelming that you could not sleep?

Those times when you were so preoccupied with a problem that you didn’t seem to be able to function?

Paul understood the natural tendency to become anxious. He knew that anxiety is one of the greatest thieves of joy. That’s why he wrote this part of His letter.

But there’s something many of us face in this….Don’t you hate when people tell you not to worry? It is so easy for someone to say and a lot harder to do.
Don’t you sometimes feel that the person who is telling you not to worry is the one who doesn’t fully comprehend the problem because if they did, they would be worried too?

So what’s the antidote here….

This leads us back to Jesus words to his Disciples.

²⁷ 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 14:27.

He tells us that He’s offering peace if we will accept it.

We are not told that all our problems will go away.

We aren’t told that we will immediately understand the circumstances we are dealing with. We aren’t even told that the problem won’t seem to get worse before it gets better.

But we are told that the churning will be replaced with peace…if we allow it to be so.

If we embrace this peace, worry gives way to faith, anxiety gives way to a calm confidence.

This peace passes all understanding; it is of a very different nature because it is a peace which God dispenses; it’s a mystery – felt by all that call Jesus Lord, but can be explained by none; it is intimate relationship with the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

And so here’s what that means for you….this peace that is different than the world gives.

The effect of which, first of all is joy.

And–love. He or She that is at peace with God through the blood of Christ is FOCUSED to love.

When we walk humbly with God. Compelled by grace, the gift of peace, leads us to keep all the commandments of God, and to serve Jesus with all that is in us.

But one other blessed effects of this peace; is something we don’t often think about.

That this peace gives boldness at the throne, and access to the Father’s mercy-seat.

We feel we are reconciled, and therefore we stand no longer at a distance, but we come up to him, even to his throne as the Bible says;

We spread our wants before him, Jesus pleads our cause, and we rest satisfied of success.

We are one with God, and he is one with us, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

So, when you call Jesus Lord, you have a right to perfect peace….but then there are times when doubt over takes us, sickness or other struggles overwhelm us.

If we have the Peace we’ve spoke of then a question to consider is How is this?

That truth is not hard to understand at all – the plain fact is that there are periods when Satan assaults us.. He comes against us with all his might, with his mouth open ready to devour us, and were it not for divine mercy he would do so.

So, do not be surprised that sometimes our peace is affected, when Satan is fierce in his temptations. Our peace is always affected by sin. Remember, Sin is separation.

MY ADVICE IN SEEKING THE PEACE OF GOD……

Live near the cross, cling for dear life to Jesus Christ and your peace shall be continual.

Peace is a gift that God sent us in His Son.

THE SHALOM OF CHRIST CANNOT BE PURCHASED, IT IS GIVEN.

I wonder, are some of you feeling stirred this morning by this peace we speak of?

Are you perhaps thinking, I wonder what I have to do to receive this SHALOM?

That’s the good news of this flickering candle – You only need to do one thing: receive it, by truly receiving Him.

It is not received by faith, in Christ – that’s the gift of salvation.  No, my friends, the gift of peace…that, is received by relationship. You must know Him, not just know about Him.

Something that tugs at our hearts are the many who claim to be Christians yet know nothing of this peace, because they do not intimately know Christ.

They do not pray to Him, they do not study His Word, they do not live for Him.

As your relationship with Him grows, as you begin to experience life with Christ, your peace will grow. Yes it begins by making a commitment to Him, that’s essential…. but then it continues by spending time with Him..

As humans We are discouraged by many things, but we have an antidote to our anxiety here:

“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 14:27.

Jesus gives you, His peace. This is the only peace that matters.

So far, we’ve lit the Candle of Hope – So let us continue to hope in His infallible promise that He will one day return and receive us unto Himself, forever.

But until that day comes…we’ve also lit the candle of peace – So let us not be troubled nor afraid. Our faith is in God and in our Lord Jesus Christ.

In these times, Jesus offers us His peace and this peace cannot be ultimately shaken. We face real difficulties and tribulations. We groan when it seems that we are rejected, even by those who are close to us, when the whole world seems to be stacked against us.

But the question I have for you today is simply this – do you believe in this gift of peace?

“Do not let your hearts be troubled”, Jesus said. “You believe in God; believe also in me” John 14:1.