A Different Kind of Peace

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” – John 14:27 (ESV)

Recall with me the context in which Jesus gave this wonderful promise of peace to His disciples—and to us. All the disciples were gathered with Jesus in an upper room in Jerusalem.

It was the night of the last supper when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, or Memorial Supper. Judas had already been dismissed by the Lord with the words, “What you are going to do, do quickly” (John 14:27). He left to betray Jesus to the authorities. Jesus’ arrest, trial and crucifixion were immanent. He was giving his disciples very important information They knew something extremely important was impending, but they could not fathom what it was.

Imagine the feelings of dread and fear the disciples were experiencing. Jesus told them He would go away from them “for a little while.” Amidst the tension, Jesus’ voice was no doubt forceful, firm and comforting. He gave them important concepts that would help them later to live through a most difficult time and regain hope: “Let not your hearts be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me…(John 14:2). “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6). “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26).

Peace surely must have seemed a distant condition for the troubled disciples. Roman rule was obeyed to the letter. Even though the Jews were allowed to worship in the Temple and in their synagogues, the exacting government spared no cruelties in keeping in bondage a people longing to be free. Peace? Absence of war? Oh! But listen to Jesus’ promise: “not as the world gives give I to you. The peace Jesus promised them was a different kind of peace. It was not dependent on political conditions, humanitarian laws, or even freedom from want. “My peace I give to you. That same peace He promised His disciples then is available to believers now. The peace Jesus offered His disciples that night in the upper room was infinite, consistent, unconditional. It was a peace that emanated from the heart of God the Father and was transferred by the Lord Jesus Christ. It would be kept alive in the hearts of believers through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.

A faithful saint of the Lord, 93 years of age, and his wife had morning devotional time together. That morning, he pulled out from their daily scripture card box the verse from John 14:27. He read it, and he and his wife joined hands and thanked the Lord for the peace that passes understanding which Jesus gave them in their hearts. He moved from the table to his recliner. A little later, when his daughter and wife tried to awaken him to go with them to the shopping mall, he could not be roused. He had fallen into the deep sleep of death and peace. He had gone to meet the Lord in person. A. B. Simpson writes, “So precious indeed is peace that it was a legacy left us by our departing Lord.” Whatever situation you or I face now is not too big for our Master and Lord. Hear Him: “My peace I give to you…Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.” -Ethelene Dyer Jones 08.24.2014