BE AT PEACE
John 14:15-31
One
widespread question asked during the Christmas season among friends, both
Christian and non-Christian, is, "Have you done your shopping yet? We are
busy decorating Christmas trees, buying presents to place under the tree to
open on Christmas Day, planning a family Christmas dinner, or preparing for a
Church nativity play, etc. I wonder what Christ, because of whom all these celebrations
are all about, would think of our busyness?
During
this crazy-busy time, popular Christmas themes of Hope, Faith, Joy, Peace, and
Love find their place as ornaments on a Christmas tree or on greeting cards, or
remain mere words. They seem to lose their meaning and impact on our lives. For
the past several weeks, we have been following Christmas themes such as Be
Thankful, Be Hopeful, Be Faithful, Be Joyful, and today we learn what it means
to Be At Peace: With God, Ourselves, and Others.
While
elaborating on loving one's neighbor, apologist Michael Ramsden spoke of a
colleague who, while in Asia, asked his audience to close their eyes and
imagine Peace. After a few seconds, the audience was invited to share their
mental pictures of Peace. One person described a field with flowers and
beautiful trees. Another person spoke of snow-capped mountains and an
incredible alpine landscape.
Still
another described the scene of a beautiful, still lake. After everyone
described their mental picture of Peace, one thing was common to them all—there
were no people in it. Ramsden commented, "Isn't it interesting, when asked
to imagine peace, the first thing we do is to eliminate everyone else."[1] Is Peace the absence of
people? Can we live in Peace in a chaotic world? Who can truly give us Peace?
What does Biblical Peace look like? John 14:15-31
I. The
God Of Peace
We
often talk longingly of Peace, but what is Peace? The dictionary defines "
Peace " as a state of tranquility or quiet. A freedom from civil
disturbance. A state of security within a community provided for by law or
custom. A freedom from being disturbed or bothered by people, noise, etc. A freedom
from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions. It is harmony in personal
relations. A period of mutual concord between governments. A pact to end
hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity."[2]
In
scripture, the Hebrew word Shalom appears 237 times. It means health,
security, welfare, tranquility, and prosperity. It is used in a greeting
to ask about someone's welfare. To make Peace with someone. It is depicted as a
satisfied condition, an unconcerned state of peacefulness. It is a harmonious
state of soul and mind, both externally and internally. Shalom can mean the
absence of strife; it usually is much more. It expresses completeness, harmony,
and fulfilment. When the Jewish people greet someone with "Shalom,"
it implies a blessing.
This
one word, Shalom, is rich in meaning, and its context determines it. What is
the source of true Peace? Who authorizes and grants it? Peace is not something humanity
invented; if anything, we are great at destroying it. True Peace originates
from God and is gifted to God's children, who are encouraged to live in Peace
with others living in a troubled World. It is interesting to observe how in
various religions, their gods are depicted as war gods and goddesses.
For
example, "in Greek mythology, Ares is the God of war and
courage. He is the son of Zeus and Hera. He
embodies the physical valor necessary for success in war, but he can also
personify sheer brutality and bloodlust, in contrast to his sister Athena,
whose martial functions include military strategy and generalship."[3]
What is our God like?
The Biblical God is totally different than any other
false gods and earthly leaders. Let's examine what the Bible says about our
God. The famous priestly blessing that Aaron was to pronounce on the Israelites,
which our brother Keith always passionately sings, is as follows: "The Lord bless
you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."' "So they will put my name on the Israelites, and
I will bless them." Num 6:24-27. That is who our God is: He wants to bless
us.
Our
excellent Bible teacher, Cyril, taught us how God calmed Gideon's fears and
clarified his doubts. This was what God said to him when he had thought he
would die, 'Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going
to die." So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it
The Lord Is Peace."
Judges 6:23-24. The Hebrew Name for God is Jehovah Shalom.
Consider the following scriptures that convey our God as
the God of Peace. II Thes 3:16, Now may the Lord of Peace himself give you Peace
at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you." When I am
troubled in spirit and anxious, my go-to passage is Phil 4:7-8.
When I choose to rejoice in the Lord and be
anxious for nothing, but thank him in everything, and bring my requests to God,
something calms me down. The Peace of God, which is beyond my understanding,
guards my heart and my mind. Not only that, when I empty my mind of harmful and
hateful thoughts, and instead fill it with positive, pure, loving, and noble thoughts
I know by faith, the God of Peace will guide me through in this World.
What are you anxious about now? Does living in
this chaotic, often unsafe World frighten you? Have the leaders you trusted
disappointed you, and friends turned against you as foes? Is your life filled
with confusion, and your mind and heart are raging with vengeance? Be at Peace,
we have the Promised Child of God who was born on Christmas Day. He was called
the Prince of Peace." What does this Prince of Peace want from his
children and followers?
II. Being At Peace with Ourselves And With Others
Living
in this troubled World, many of us long for, and even crave, Peace, because we
know what it is to live without it. I have some good news for you: that longing
can only be fulfilled by making Peace with God! The scriptures tell us that since
Adam and Eve, we all were born and live in sin, which makes us God's enemies,
which warrants pursuing Peace with God.
Yes, our God is all-loving and Peaceful, but he also
punishes the guilty sinners like you and me. What then can we do to appease the
wrath of God and avoid possible punishment? Nothing we could do; that is why
God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. He died on the cross while
we were yet sinners and God's enemies. In Romans 5:1, "Therefore,
since we have been justified by faith, we (let us) have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Only in and through Christ can one have and
continue to live in safety and security. Unlike the world leaders who promise Peace
through strength and legislation, this is what the Prince of Peace promised us,
John 14:27, "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."
Let's receive this promise of God's Peace during
this Christmas. It is yours by faith only. Once your inner Peace is restored,
now we need to work for the corporate Peace of the World. That is indeed a tall
order, but it is possible. God bestows a blessing on Peace Makers; they shall
be called the Children of God.
Matthew 5:9 As God's children, we are called to
make an effort to live in Peace with others. For further reading: Hebrews
12:14, Romans 12:18-19, II Corinthians 13:11. What steps can you take to live
in Peace with others? Let us make these popular Christmas themes: Love, Joy,
and Peace, a reality by bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Gal 5:22. "May
God himself, the God of Peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole
spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ." I Cor 5:23.
