Why do so many Christians live their lives feeling miserable and having so little peace? There are many reasons for this, but I’d like to point to one very important fact. We don’t have peace because we allow our heart to preach to us, instead of preaching the scripture to our heart. We are always thinking things, saying things, believing things, lies from the devil, like we aren’t good enough, it’s not gonna work out, everything is going to fall apart, it always happens this way, but we need to preach the word of God to our hearts: I have peace in Jesus, all things work together for the good of those who love God, I can do all things through Christ, and as we do that, we guard our heart, and as we preach to our heart, our heart changes, and pretty soon our hearts are preaching the word of God to us, and then, a barrier is formed, the truths are in our heart, and we can live from those truths.
The last few weeks we’ve been looking at some of the most important moments from the life of Jesus. We’ve looked at the raising of Lazarus, the transfiguration on the mountain last week, and we began all this with the crucifixion. Today we come to yet another pivotal moment in the life of Jesus.
Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel, thousands had cheered his entrance in the streets waving palm branches.
Over a million people had gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the festival of the Passover. The Passover was celebrated once a year by Israel, similarly to the way we Christians celebrate Christmas, or the Resurrection each year.
It was a festival to celebrate how God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt, how God forced Pharaoh to let his people leave, through his servant Moses.
Jesus had gathered with his twelve disciples to celebrate the Passover. But this would be a very special gathering. Jesus would be giving some of his last instructions to the disciples before he went to the cross.
It was on this night that Jesus would be arrested, and taken before the authorities.
So today we’re looking at the last instructions given by Jesus. And what may surprise you is that these instructions have a lot to do with comfort and with peace. And I think we’re going to see that Jesus told his disciples, and tells us today, that we can choose peace through the difficulties we face in life, if we’ll abide in Him.
The disciples are in an upper room prepared for their dinner together. It’s at night. Judas the betrayer has already left to go inform on the authorities where Jesus could be found. They are sitting around a table, having finished the Passover feast, and now Jesus speaks these words, among many others, to his disciples.
As always, as you listen, listen for how you can apply what Jesus is teaching to your own life.
I want to pull in verse 1, it says this: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me.” -John 14:1
He reminds the disciples, don’t let your hearts be troubled. Instead, believe.
First point today, guard your heart. I’m learning about this myself. Sometimes we get so focused on something, we start to turn it around in our heads, we let it in our hearts, and then when it doesn’t go our way, we’re devastated. Jesus says “don’t let your heart…” Which implies that we can block things from our heart, we can block feeling troubled from our heart. And if we need help with that, believe in God, believe in Jesus. That’s trust.
I wanted to start with that, because we want to understand today about peace, we can choose it, we can allow it into our heart, or we can choose to be miserable. Two things, guard your heart, and believe in God, is a great starting point. Choose peace, and choose trust in Him.
Jumping down to verse 15: “If you love me, keep my commands.”
Jesus does this a lot, and it’s echoed in the New Testament letters, I’ve heard preachers say God’s love language is obedience. If we want to show that we love God, by our actions we should keep his commands.
What are the commands of Jesus? The most important are these two:
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ -Matthew 22:37-39
But there are many others as well, and we’d have to go back to our series called the Kingdom of God, in which we looked at the parables of Jesus. Every parable contains teachings we can and should follow as believers.
But love is the greatest command, to love God, and love fellow humans.
Second point today, keep the love commands of Jesus to ensure peace. I have no peace when I’m disobedient to God.
Next, verses 16-17: 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 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[c] in you.”
Where does the peace of God come from, as it flows through us? The peace comes from the Holy Spirit. God in us. We have the Father who is over us. The son Jesus who is walks beside us through life. And the Holy Spirit, God within us.
He is called the advocate. The Greek word for advocate here is paraklētos which gives the picture of a legal counsel, an advocate who is supporting someone is a court case, or in a more general sense, a helper, one called to be an aid to someone else.
The Spirit of truth Jesus calls the Holy Spirit here, because in this section of scripture, Jesus is emphasizing that the Holy Spirit will continue to teach the disciples after Jesus goes to the cross.
The world can’t accept the Spirit, non-believers don’t have the Spirit, though at some moments the Spirit may use a non-believer to speak to us. But the Spirit dwells within believers, because we know Him and He is in us.
Third point, the peace of God is not produced in us, it comes from Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, to us. And peace comes through truth, peace will not rest on lies.
Next Jesus says, “ 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.”
Jesus is giving a promise to the disciples about what is about to happen. Jesus knows he about to die on the cross. And he knows how they will feel afterward. They will feel so troubled that they will want to give up completely, even go back to their old lives.
But, Jesus gives them this promise that he won’t leave them like orphans, he will come to them.
This is an important reminder for us as well: When difficult things happen, God will not leave us like orphans, God will come to us, help us, encourage us, and lead us toward something better.
Many times I’ve felt so alone and depressed. Many times I’ve felt like I can’t handle the situation I’m trapped in, but God, as I pray, gives me the strength I need to endure.
Next point today, God will not leave us like orphans, he will be with us in the difficulties. And when we know that, we can have peace.
Verse 20, “ On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”
On that day you will realize, I love that! In the future you will understand what I mean.
It takes years of walking with Jesus and living the faith, and slowly we understand new concepts about who God is and who we are. These are moments of revelation. Wow, I get it now. You can probably remember a few times when you finally understood something from the Bible that had alluded you for a long time. We’re slow to learn, God understands that, he’s patient with us.
After everything would happen, Jesus would be crucified, the disciples would go into hiding, and Jesus would entombed, the disciples would be confused, praying, seeking answers, waiting, but finally, Jesus would rise from the dead, and appear to them by the sea of Galilee. And at last they would understand who he really was.
They would realize, that Jesus is in the Father, and they are in Jesus, and Jesus is living within them.
Once again, this realization is powerful. When we realize that Jesus is one with God the Father, we know Jesus has total authority over us, he came from God. When we realize we are in Jesus, then we know that we can exercise kingdom authority because we’re already seated with Jesus on the throne, and when we know Jesus is living in us, we know that we don’t have to be afraid. We can have peace beyond measure.
Next, verse 21: "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.”
Jesus already loves the disciples and he loves each of us. We live from a place of safety and security, already fully loved by Him. But, Jesus once again reminds us, if you want to express your love for me, obey what I taught you. That’s how we communicate to Jesus that we love him back, by following the pattern of life he taught us. All of that is based in love for God and love for neighbor. And if we obey Jesus, it’s an expression of love for God. God loves us as well. Jesus loves us too, and shows himself to us.
I’ve found, as we walk in faith with Jesus, we know God more and more, and as we love God more and more, we obey Jesus more and more. And as we obey Jesus, our relationship becomes so intimate, that Jesus will show us profound mysteries. He will share his great secrets with us. And we will be amazed. On the deep end of the Christian life, we find supernatural experiences. That is the spice of life of the Christian life. So many stay in the shallow end, go in deep in your obedience, your prayer, your chasing after God, and you will experience Jesus in powerful ways. This experience of Jesus deepens our experience of peace.
Next, we get a question from one of the followers:
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
23 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. 24 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.
It’s a question we’ve all wondered about I’m sure, why doesn’t Jesus just show himself to the entire world, then everyone would follow him, right?
Jesus wisely reminds the disciples, it’s not about seeing, it’s about the heart. God doesn’t just show up to every person on the planet visually. But it is God’s desire that everyone be allowed to make their own decision. No one should be forced to believe.
Instead, Jesus says, the real test is, anyone who loves Jesus will obey him, and those who don’t, will not obey him.
The doorway is faith. Believing in Jesus even though we don’t see him, yet we know he’s real from his word, and his Spirit. Then, after believing, we show our love by obeying Him, then Jesus reveals himself to us. And we go from believing in Him, to knowing Him.
This deep trust that leads to knowing leads to profound peace. In short trust leads to peace.
Next, verses 25-26: “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 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.”
What’s the ministry of the Holy Spirit in you? First, to teach you all things. The Spirit is always teaching me something. It’s not always from the word of God itself, but it lines up with the word. Second, the Spirit will remind us of the word of God, the Bible.
That’s why it’s important though to know the word, because the Spirit will remind you of the word, but if you don’t’ know the word, how can the Spirit remind you of it?
The Holy Spirit is your teacher.
Next, "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
The more important portion of the scripture for our purpose today, we’re told very clearly that Jesus gives us peace.
Do you long for peace? Do you often feel anxious and afraid? Keep this scripture close to your heart. Store it in your heart. Write it on a piece of paper and put in your fridge. Recite it each morning in your prayers.
Peace I leave with you. Now I believe the peace he speaks of here is a person. Peace I leave with you. Peace is the Holy Spirit with them.
A traditionally Jewish greeting common during the time of Jesus was, “shalom” which means peace, or peace to you. If you want to speak it strongly, you would say, “shalom shalom.” Peace peace to you. Jesus says it twice, shalom I leave with you, my shalom I give you.
Peace of the Spirit Jesus gives us. But also the peace of Jesus he gives us. Shalom shalom. A double portion of peace is heaped upon us, placed gently into our souls.
We need peace is a difficult world. But we can have peace. Double peace. Peace from the Spirit and peace from Jesus.
Jesus says I don’t give to you as the world gives. When the world gives there’s always a price tag involved. "You help me and then I'll help you." It's quid pro quo. And what the world gives quickly rots away and doesn’t last. But, the shalom shalom we receive from Jesus lasts the test of time. It’s new every morning, as we receive it and hold onto it.
He says again: “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Like verse 1 today, guard your heart, guard the shalom, and tell fear, you’re not welcome here.
Declare it over your life: I choose peace. I choose shalom. I say no to fear. I say yes to Jesus love. I guard my heart. I will obey my Jesus. I let peace rule in my heart. I receive the shalom shalom of Jesus and the Spirit. Amen.
Next, verses 28-29: “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.”
This is another reminder to the disciples, Jesus is predicting his death on the cross, and his rising again to life, and his appearing to them again later. He reminds them that they should be glad, because he’s going to die for them, and he’s going to do the will of the Father.
He’s telling them ahead of time, so when they see him die, they will know, he said this would happen, we believe in Him.
God does the same for us. He will tell us a hard time is coming, so that when we go through it, we can remind ourselves of what God said to us, and it helps bring us through. God has done that for me numerous times, often using a particular scripture for a particular era of my life. For one era it was Isaiah 40:31, another it was Hebrews 12:1-3. What scripture has God spoken over this era of your life? Ask Him in prayer, and search the word. And like I said earlier, as you know Him more deeply, you’ll receive more revelation from Him, whispers about the past, the present, and the future.
Lastly, verses 30-31: "I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me."
“Come now; let us leave.”
Who is the prince of this world? It’s Satan, the adversary. Jesus reminds them, I’m not a victim of Satan. I could strike him down at any time. I could call on angel armies to overcome him. But, Satan is coming because the whole world must see that Jesus loves the Father, and does exactly what the Father commands.
Jesus gives us the perfect example to follow, Jesus obeys the Father so completely, not because he fears the devil, he doesn’t, not because he fears God, though I’m sure Jesus walked in the fear of the Lord, but, because He loves the Father so dearly, because the Father is pure love and entirely good.
God is the truth. In a world of lies, God gives us the Spirit of truth. And as we walk in obedience to God, our peace is total. If we walk in disobedience we won’t have peace. But, as we love God, and obey God, the double peace of God fills our hearts, and we can have peace in any situation, even in difficulties, even when the enemy attacks, our peace is made complete through Jesus.
Last thought, the last thing Jesus says is come lets us leave. It’s a great reminder, that though we have peace in God, this peace does not sit by itself, it’s an active peace, a shalom that is active, moving from place to place, doing the will of the Father.
Review of Main Points:
1. Guard your heart: Don’t allow grief to take over, choose Peace and pursue it
2. God’s love language is obedience: If you love Jesus obey His commands, this brings peace
3. The Holy Spirit of Truth is In Us: Peace of God flows from God within us
4. God will not leave us like Orphans: In struggles, God comes to us and helps us
5. When we realize that Jesus in our Hearts, we are no longer afraid
6. As we go deeper in our relationship with God, peace increases
7. The doorway is faith: Trust in God leads to peace
8. The Holy Spirit is our teacher showing us the way/lifestyle of peace
9. Jesus gives us a double-portion of peace, shalom shalom: Choose to allow this peace to reign in your heart
10. In difficult seasons of our lives God will speak a scripture over that season to give us peace through it, to return to the promise over and over
11. Like Jesus, we obey God because we love Him: Obedience in love leads to peace
12. The Peace of God is Active, it means serving faithfully wherever he sends us
