John 14:23-29
For one last week, we look at Jesus’ remarkably comforting words to his disciples at the last supper. This morning we are talking about that very underrated fruit of the Holy Spirit - peace.
The worldly culture we live in tries to sell us its version of it every day. It’s not hard to see how much time and energy and attention and purpose we spend in the search for peace of some sort.
We may not use the word ‘Peace,’ but it is the one thing everyone in the world seeks.
We struggle to become educated or skilled or competent at something in search of a – a way, or a series of ways, to live so we are not anxious about anything. Peace that will spare us from the anxiety of not doing well in life, of not having what we think we need.
A peace that will attend enough to our self-esteem that we will find some satisfaction.
We work hard and save money in order that we may have some peace in our old age, so we can be free from the anxiety of whether we will be able to have food on the table and a roof over our heads.
And we seek that peace with all our energy. We think if we can just get to that next level, get over that next hurdle, over that next hill, we will find that peace. We try anything to get it, it’s just round the corner, If I could just grasp it!
The peace that frees us from the anxiety of being poor or hungry or a failure. The fear of not finding our place in the world. The great anxiety of illness leading to death.
It’s a funny thing; we have more food, more leisure time, more money, more ‘stuff’ than any other time in history. Yet many studies show that we are less happy and more anxious than at any other time.
In some ways, our society has delivered us the opposite of peace.
What the world calls peace costs money. Which means that someone is selling it. Our society profits by believing that this is what peace means. But does it close the gap between who we are and who we want to be?
Does it close the gap between the reality of our life and the inevitability of our death? Does the peace which the world has to give really heal us when we are broken and comfort us when we grieve?
But now we are talking about another sort of peace of course. And to speak of it, we have to speak an entirely different language. A language of faith, a language of promise, a language of love, and a language of covenant.
To understand the peace that Jesus left with the disciples, we need to understand what Jesus meant by the word. And that is the Jewish concept of ‘shalom’ which we translate as peace but means a whole lot more.
It means peace and security, freedom from anxiety, safety and friendship, and health and salvation all rolled into one.
In the bible ‘shalom’ is present with us because God is present with us. Present because God is present. That’s the peace that we’re talking about here.
You’ll recall that after the resurrection, the very same night, Jesus came among his frightened, disappointed disciples and the first thing that he said to them was ‘shalom, peace.’
A week later he visited them again and said exactly the same thing, ‘peace.’
Peace because he would be eternally present with them because they now shared in his victory over death.
This is the peace that the world cannot give, because this is the peace that comes to us as a gift from this beautiful God who has chosen to love us at any cost, to love every single one of us at any cost.
This is a peace spoken in a language of covenant; a new covenant or testament where this peace cannot be compromised or lost. This is the opposite of what the world offers us.
The peace the world offers is something to be chased, something to be bought and sold, something to be traded or bartered with, and compromised with deal-making. ‘If I do this then I’ll get that and be able to do this.’
If I sacrifice here, or spend here, or if I study this, or connect with this or that person, I’ll get that peace. In my own strength I’ll seek it, find it, buy it, make a transaction, own it, earn it, wrestle it to the ground and control my whole destiny.
And suddenly I’m worshipping an idol, myself!
How often does the peace that the world gives, that phoney holy grail that we so diligently seek, turn out to be made of cardboard. Often, I think.
But Jesus says in v.27 of today’s reading; “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives! (my italics). Do not let your hearts be troubled” The peace that Jesus left us is not a commodity, it is a covenantal promise kept.
Now, remember what Paul said about the promises of God? “For in Christ Jesus every one of God’s promises is a ‘Yes!’ (2 Cor 1:20, my exclamation mark).
This is the peace spoken in the language of faithfulness and love, a peace that cannot turn on us.
The peace that Jesus offers is a peace that cannot be undermined, that cannot be mistaken. It is the very shalom of God. The peace that Jesus is talking about here is the true and real presence of God among us, with us, and for us.
Jesus tells us we will know of the full ‘shalom’, the full peace of Jesus’ presence. It is the fruit of the gift of the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in Jesus’ name, and what we celebrate in two weeks’ time at Pentecost.
This same Holy Spirit will teach us all things and cause us to remember all that Jesus says to us. This is what we do at Church!
We can tend to shy away from the role of the Holy Spirit of God. It is too mystical, even freaky. We can’t touch it or see it, so let’s just talk being kind and loving to others.
But love and kindness are just outward signs of what the Holy Spirit has done is us. Peace is the point and the heart of the matter. A peace made evident, made tangible by the presence of the Holy Spirit among us.
This peace is the gift given to us by the Father through the resurrected and ascended Christ. The movement is from God to us. The peace is from God to us. It is a moving, dynamic, living gift and left by Christ for us. ‘My peace I Leave with you,’ Jesus said.
The consequence of this peace is not only a freedom from anxiety and fear, but also a freedom to truly live in this peace. A freedom to live confidently. A freedom to be kind, to discover our real selves as children of God, as the object of God’s perfect will.
I say this or something similar often. One of the most difficult thing about being a Christian is to permit our minds to acknowledge and know how very much God loves and cherishes us.
There is no greater love story written than God’s love for us. There is no more passionate love affair than God’s love for us. In fact, our gospel today says that our Father and Jesus have come and made their home in us.
They’ve moved into your place and made their home in you and they’re not budging!
When we finally know this, we are truly filled with the peace of God. Peace is the knowing and experiencing of the magnitude of God’s love for us. This is the peace that the world cannot give.
Now shortly, as we do every week, we will exchange the greeting of peace with each other. This is quite a significant thing we are doing. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.”
Jesus left his peace, his shalom, on earth for this very reason; so we may share it.
When we exchange the peace we are blessing each other and saying: ‘May you know God’s passionate love and protection for you, may you know that he will look after you intimately every day of your life, so do not let your heart be troubled, be filled with peace.’
Knowing that Jesus left his peace for us, let me pray …