You have His Gift of Peace (14:25-31)

You have His Gift of Peace (14:25-31)

"Shalom"—peace—is a precious word to the Jewish people. It signifies far more than the mere absence of war or pain. "Shalom" is wholeness, completeness, health, security, and even prosperity in the best sense. When you’re in God’s peace, there’s joy and contentment. However, God’s peace is not the “peace” the world provides

Resources are the foundation for the world’s peace. Relationships are the foundation for God’s peace. To be right with God means to enjoy the peace of God. The world depends upon personal ability; the Christian depends upon spiritual adequacy in Christ. Peace is what you hope for or work for in the world, but to the Christian, it is God's wonderful gift received by faith. Unsaved people rejoice in peace when there is no trouble. Christians rejoice in peace even in trials because of the presence of power, the Holy Spirit.

The people of the world walk by sight and depend on the externals, but the Christians walk by faith and depend on the eternals. The Spirit of God teaches us the Word and leads us (not drags us!) into the truth. He also reminds us of what He has taught us so that we can trust the Word of God in the difficult times of life. The Spirit communicates His peace to us through the Word (John 14:27), His love (John 15:9-10), and His joy (John 15:11). If this message fails to comfort a troubled heart, nothing else will!

Jesus again assured them they would see Him again (John 14:28). Why celebrate His return to the Father? Because our great High Priest is now in heaven and His intercessory ministry is on our behalf (Heb. 2:17-18; 4:14-16). We have the Spirit within us, the Savior above us, and the Word before us! What enormous resources for peace!

John 14:30–31 names two of our formidable spiritual enemies: the world and the devil. Jesus has overcome the world and the devil (John 12:31), and the devil has no hold on Him. There is no part of Jesus Christ where the devil can crawl in. Because we are “in Christ," Satan has no foothold in the believer's life unless we give him one. If we yield to the “peace of God” (through the Holy Spirit), neither Satan nor the world can trouble our hearts.

Jesus’ statement “My Father is greater than I” (John 14:28) was not a denial of His own deity or His equality with God, for then He would have been contradicting Himself (John 10:30). When Jesus was on earth, He was voluntarily limited by having a human body. He willingly laid aside the independent exercise of His divine attributes and surrendered Himself to the Father. In that sense the Father was greater than the Son. Of course all the Son had laid aside was restored to Him again when He returned to heaven (John 17:1, 5).

Jesus demonstrated His love for the Father (and for the world) by going to the cross willingly. He didn't hide or run away. He willingly gave up His life. It is possible that He and the disciples left the Upper Room at this point (John 14:31), and thus what Jesus said from then on was spoken on the way to the garden. Or, maybe, they had gotten up from the table and lingered a little as He taught them. As they walked that night through the vineyards, they easily visualized the allegory of the vine.

His own perfect peace assures us that He alone can indeed give us peace. Jesus is Master of the situation, and He helps us to take control of our lives as we surrender to Him and receive His legacy of peace.