Gift 2: Peace
Peace. So many things can be said about that word. It sparked a controversy during a time of conflict in the Vietnam War. During the 80’s it was a two fingered symbol and saying. To a foreigner coming to our land, if you said the word peace to them, they might think you’re talking about a piece of something…pie or cake maybe. Can you imagine coming to America with all of the slang words we use? Geez, how confusing would that be?! “Peace!!! Piece, what? Of pie? Ha!!!
Back to reality now, ultimately, peace is something that is used throughout the Bible. The word peace is used 271 times in the OT and 96 in the NT for a grand total of 367 times. There are 365¼ days a year, so we’ll round it up to 366, so, for every occurrence of the word peace, there is a day…and one extra for the trying times. All I am trying to do, is drive home the point of how exceptionally important peace is for us.
According to New Man magazine, write, theologian and onetime Harvard professor Henri Nouwen once broke away from his busy schedule to live for six months in a monastery. Here is why:
I realized that I was caught in a web of strange paradoxes. While complaining about too many demands, I felt uneasy when none were made. While speaking about the burden of letter writing, an empty mailbox made me sad. While speaking nostalgically about an empty desk, I feared the day in which that would come true.
In short, while desiring to be alone, I was frightened of being left alone. The more I became aware of these paradoxes, the more I started to see how much I had fallen in love with my own compulsions and illusions, and how much I needed to step back and wonder, “Is there a quiet stream underneath the fluctuating affirmations and rejections of my little world?”
That quiet stream of contentment that Henri is referring to is obviously only found in the Lord. But during this busy time of Christmas, we are reminded even more so of the busyness that consumes our lives. A time of solitude with God, like I mentioned in The Old Stone Tablet this month is something we need to engage in all the more often. It can be absolutely crucial in finding peace in our lives.
Today is Gift 2: Peace. Our Scripture for today, we’ll read John 14:25-27. I only put in the bulletin verse 27 because that is the verse I want to focus on today, but for reading purposes, we need a little more background, so we’ll start in verse 25.
25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, 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. 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.
Verse 27 is jam packed with information. I chose this verse is because it says everything about peace that God gives. Let’s trudge our way through. First, let’s define the word peace. Peace is “freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions.” In other words, you’re free from worry; that is the essence of peace. Pretty basic, right? Let’s keep going.
The first sentence is a basic statement. Jesus is saying here that he leaves his peace here, and not only that, but he gives it freely. This is an important fact because Jesus has this way about him. Not only was he the only human to live a perfect life, but imagine a life free from worry. Jesus had it. There was not one thing in this world that he worried about. Not even his crucifixion worried him.
Scripture in Matthew 26:38 says that Jesus was filled with sorrow, but not worry. Jesus knew what was coming while praying in the garden of Gethsemane. He was grieved and sorrowful about it, but not worried to the point that he lost his peace over it, otherwise he would not have handled the situation with Peter and the guards as he did. He still had the peace within him.
For Jesus to say that he give us his peace means all the more now that we have discovered this fact. Not even a crucifixion could worry Jesus, so when we get the peace from God, there is not one thing we should worry about. Human nature however, disturbs that fact.
Moving on, the next line for me was huge. Jesus says, “I do not give to you as the world gives.” What exactly does that mean? Well, the first thought to my head was, on Earth, humans are just a bunch of empty, thoughtless, gifting people who then want their gift back. The first thing I thought of when I read that line was the person who gives the gift then demands it back. Jesus is not that type. He will not give a gift and then demand it back later. When Jesus gives a gift, we know that it is a willful, permanent gift. We should not attach the human staple to it.
This next sentence wraps up what Jesus means by the word peace. He says to not let our hearts be troubled and not to be afraid. The two Greek words here are great indicators of what is really going on. The word English comes up with is troubled. However, the Greek word means “shaken, stirred up, to cause great distress and to cause a riot.” Wow…to cause a riot?! Really? That’s some serious stuff. The word English comes up with for the second part is afraid in most versions or fearful in the NASB and a couple others. The Greek word here means, “be cowardly or fearful.” Ok, not quite a serious as causing a riot, but still, being cowardly is still seen as a serious things.
So what is it that Jesus is truly getting at? In my opinion, he is telling us here that in our heart, we are not to be overwhelmed with cowardice, fear, shaken or stirred up to the point that our peace is gone. Think about it for a second. When you’re stirred up or shaken, what’s really going on? You’re at war with yourself aren’t you? “To cause a riot or great distress” is not too far off of the mark. And when we are fearful, we are cowards aren’t we? A coward is nothing more than someone who lacks peace and confidence…they’re afraid. Most times we think of cowards being bullies. Jesus gives us peace to overcome both of these scenarios.
Last year, I was working with a friend of mine on my mother-in-law’s roof because it was in bad need of repair. While we were working on this, another project came up in the back bedroom of the house. The ceiling in the far right corner of the room all the way to the door was dethatched from the ceiling and falling down. It hadn’t fallen yet because it was built in the 70’s when they had the wires running through the house in the ceilings for heat. Those wires were all that was holding it together. So, after we got the roof done, we went into the back bedroom to start working on this ceiling. It was going to be a complete renovation job. We were taking it from a 70’s red room to a modern day room. First task however, was to pull the entire ceiling down so we could redo it. As we were contemplating this, my buddy goes, “I think we’d better start by cutting a 4x4 hole in the ceiling. It’s always the first move.” So, naturally, having never done this before I agreed. I stood across the room watching as he cut this section out and then subsequently put his ladder in that space. He proceeded to explain that they do this so that if the entire ceiling falls, there is a space where it is clear and they won’t get taken out by the falling drywall. He then started to cut down the line where the ceiling was coming undone. I was still across the room watching and he cut and pulled on the ceiling and it budged a little, but when it did, the whole ceiling jerked. Immediately, I started wondering if I needed to move out from under the remaining ceiling. No sooner than I thought that, than he said to me, “I think you need to come stand behind me just in case.” So, I moved over and he put his hands back up where they had been on the ceiling and no sooner than I got under the open space than the entire ceiling came crashing down to the floor. He had barely moved it and it was all over. Sherri, being in the next room, heard the collapse and was yelling for us because she thought we’d been killed in the process. Neither one of us dared to open our mouths yet because the insulation in the ceiling was the old ground up newspapers and I am not kidding when I say it looked like 9/11 in that room. You couldn’t see anything, and my buddy was standing literally right in front of my face. After it had cleared a bit, we told Sherri we were ok and dug ourselves out from under the blocked door. When we got out, we both went outside and took a break and let sink in what had just happened. We both knew we had been protected by God and were nearly killed. Talk about peace…
Over this next week, and the following weeks to come, spend some time in solitude, and Henri Nouwen did earlier in the sermon to break away and find that quiet stream of contentment that only comes from God. Allow yourself to realize that the hope that Jesus gives us flows into peace, and that Jesus gives this peace willingly and will not ask for it back. Allow it to comfort you, to keep you from rioting with yourself, and from being fearful. Truly let the words of Jesus in John 14:27 take you straight to Jesus, where the gift of peace flows like a river.
Back to reality now, ultimately, peace is something that is used throughout the Bible. The word peace is used 271 times in the OT and 96 in the NT for a grand total of 367 times. There are 365¼ days a year, so we’ll round it up to 366, so, for every occurrence of the word peace, there is a day…and one extra for the trying times. All I am trying to do, is drive home the point of how exceptionally important peace is for us.
According to New Man magazine, write, theologian and onetime Harvard professor Henri Nouwen once broke away from his busy schedule to live for six months in a monastery. Here is why:
I realized that I was caught in a web of strange paradoxes. While complaining about too many demands, I felt uneasy when none were made. While speaking about the burden of letter writing, an empty mailbox made me sad. While speaking nostalgically about an empty desk, I feared the day in which that would come true.
In short, while desiring to be alone, I was frightened of being left alone. The more I became aware of these paradoxes, the more I started to see how much I had fallen in love with my own compulsions and illusions, and how much I needed to step back and wonder, “Is there a quiet stream underneath the fluctuating affirmations and rejections of my little world?”
That quiet stream of contentment that Henri is referring to is obviously only found in the Lord. But during this busy time of Christmas, we are reminded even more so of the busyness that consumes our lives. A time of solitude with God, like I mentioned in The Old Stone Tablet this month is something we need to engage in all the more often. It can be absolutely crucial in finding peace in our lives.
Today is Gift 2: Peace. Our Scripture for today, we’ll read John 14:25-27. I only put in the bulletin verse 27 because that is the verse I want to focus on today, but for reading purposes, we need a little more background, so we’ll start in verse 25.
25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, 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. 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.
Verse 27 is jam packed with information. I chose this verse is because it says everything about peace that God gives. Let’s trudge our way through. First, let’s define the word peace. Peace is “freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions.” In other words, you’re free from worry; that is the essence of peace. Pretty basic, right? Let’s keep going.
The first sentence is a basic statement. Jesus is saying here that he leaves his peace here, and not only that, but he gives it freely. This is an important fact because Jesus has this way about him. Not only was he the only human to live a perfect life, but imagine a life free from worry. Jesus had it. There was not one thing in this world that he worried about. Not even his crucifixion worried him.
Scripture in Matthew 26:38 says that Jesus was filled with sorrow, but not worry. Jesus knew what was coming while praying in the garden of Gethsemane. He was grieved and sorrowful about it, but not worried to the point that he lost his peace over it, otherwise he would not have handled the situation with Peter and the guards as he did. He still had the peace within him.
For Jesus to say that he give us his peace means all the more now that we have discovered this fact. Not even a crucifixion could worry Jesus, so when we get the peace from God, there is not one thing we should worry about. Human nature however, disturbs that fact.
Moving on, the next line for me was huge. Jesus says, “I do not give to you as the world gives.” What exactly does that mean? Well, the first thought to my head was, on Earth, humans are just a bunch of empty, thoughtless, gifting people who then want their gift back. The first thing I thought of when I read that line was the person who gives the gift then demands it back. Jesus is not that type. He will not give a gift and then demand it back later. When Jesus gives a gift, we know that it is a willful, permanent gift. We should not attach the human staple to it.
This next sentence wraps up what Jesus means by the word peace. He says to not let our hearts be troubled and not to be afraid. The two Greek words here are great indicators of what is really going on. The word English comes up with is troubled. However, the Greek word means “shaken, stirred up, to cause great distress and to cause a riot.” Wow…to cause a riot?! Really? That’s some serious stuff. The word English comes up with for the second part is afraid in most versions or fearful in the NASB and a couple others. The Greek word here means, “be cowardly or fearful.” Ok, not quite a serious as causing a riot, but still, being cowardly is still seen as a serious things.
So what is it that Jesus is truly getting at? In my opinion, he is telling us here that in our heart, we are not to be overwhelmed with cowardice, fear, shaken or stirred up to the point that our peace is gone. Think about it for a second. When you’re stirred up or shaken, what’s really going on? You’re at war with yourself aren’t you? “To cause a riot or great distress” is not too far off of the mark. And when we are fearful, we are cowards aren’t we? A coward is nothing more than someone who lacks peace and confidence…they’re afraid. Most times we think of cowards being bullies. Jesus gives us peace to overcome both of these scenarios.
Last year, I was working with a friend of mine on my mother-in-law’s roof because it was in bad need of repair. While we were working on this, another project came up in the back bedroom of the house. The ceiling in the far right corner of the room all the way to the door was dethatched from the ceiling and falling down. It hadn’t fallen yet because it was built in the 70’s when they had the wires running through the house in the ceilings for heat. Those wires were all that was holding it together. So, after we got the roof done, we went into the back bedroom to start working on this ceiling. It was going to be a complete renovation job. We were taking it from a 70’s red room to a modern day room. First task however, was to pull the entire ceiling down so we could redo it. As we were contemplating this, my buddy goes, “I think we’d better start by cutting a 4x4 hole in the ceiling. It’s always the first move.” So, naturally, having never done this before I agreed. I stood across the room watching as he cut this section out and then subsequently put his ladder in that space. He proceeded to explain that they do this so that if the entire ceiling falls, there is a space where it is clear and they won’t get taken out by the falling drywall. He then started to cut down the line where the ceiling was coming undone. I was still across the room watching and he cut and pulled on the ceiling and it budged a little, but when it did, the whole ceiling jerked. Immediately, I started wondering if I needed to move out from under the remaining ceiling. No sooner than I thought that, than he said to me, “I think you need to come stand behind me just in case.” So, I moved over and he put his hands back up where they had been on the ceiling and no sooner than I got under the open space than the entire ceiling came crashing down to the floor. He had barely moved it and it was all over. Sherri, being in the next room, heard the collapse and was yelling for us because she thought we’d been killed in the process. Neither one of us dared to open our mouths yet because the insulation in the ceiling was the old ground up newspapers and I am not kidding when I say it looked like 9/11 in that room. You couldn’t see anything, and my buddy was standing literally right in front of my face. After it had cleared a bit, we told Sherri we were ok and dug ourselves out from under the blocked door. When we got out, we both went outside and took a break and let sink in what had just happened. We both knew we had been protected by God and were nearly killed. Talk about peace…
Over this next week, and the following weeks to come, spend some time in solitude, and Henri Nouwen did earlier in the sermon to break away and find that quiet stream of contentment that only comes from God. Allow yourself to realize that the hope that Jesus gives us flows into peace, and that Jesus gives this peace willingly and will not ask for it back. Allow it to comfort you, to keep you from rioting with yourself, and from being fearful. Truly let the words of Jesus in John 14:27 take you straight to Jesus, where the gift of peace flows like a river.
Ryan I never thought that hair raising experience would make a sermon but we did almost lose our lives that day. I think we often take for granted how God protects us and keeps us safe. Even in near disaster we can have peaceful hearts because of our trust and confidence that Jesus is our Lord and Savior and we will experience eternal life someday because Jesus has saved us. Even though God protects us we are not to live foolishly and are to make wise choices in our lives. As Christians we are never to be martyrs but are to be wise, cunning and to overcome the wiles of the enemy so we can experience the fullness of life and have complete victory through Jesus.
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