John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world gives, give I to you. Let not your heart be troubled… This blessed legacy our Lord has left might be considered as being peace — 1. With all the creatures. God has made a league of peace between His people and the whole universe. "For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field," etc. "All things work together for good to them that love God." 2. Among the people of God toward one another. 3. With God, for He "hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ" 4. In the conscience. Peace with God is the treaty; peace in the conscience is the publication of it. I. ITS GROUNDWORK. It is not built upon imagination, but on facts. 1. Faith in the blood of Christ. 2. A sense of pardon. 3. An intimacy with Christ. 4. The possession of the title deeds of heaven. 5. An assurance of the faithfulness and covenant fidelity of God our Father. II. ITS NOBLE CHARACTER. The peace of other men is ignoble and base. Their peace is born in the purlieus of sin. Self-conceit and ignorance are its parents. Our peace is — 1. God's own child and God-like in its character. 2. Divine in its nourishment. The daintiest morsels that ever carnal sense fed upon would be bitter to the mouth of this sweet peace. Ye may bring your much fine corn, your sweet wine, and your flowing oil; your dainties tempt us not, for this peace feeds upon angels' food, and it cannot relish any food that grows on earth. If you should give a Christian ten times as much riches as he has, you would not cause him ten times as much peace, but probably ten times more distress; you might magnify him in honour, or strengthen him with health, yet neither would his honour or his health contribute to his peace, for that peace flows from a Divine source, and there are no tributary streams from the hills of earth to feed that Divine current. 3. A peace that lives above circumstances. 4. Profound and real. III. ITS EFFECTS. 1. Joy. The words "joy" and "peace" are continually put together. 2. Love. He that is at peace with God through the blood of Christ is constrained to love Him that died for him. 3. Holiness. He that is at peace with God does not wish to go into sin; for he is careful lest he should lose that peace. 4. It will help us to bear affliction. "Your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." 5. It gives us boldness at the throne. IV. INTERRUPTIONS OF PEACE. All Christians have a right to perfect peace, but they have not all the possession of it. These interruptions may be owing to — 1. The ferocious temptations of Satan. 2. Ignorance. 3. Sin. God hides His face behind the clouds of dust which His own flock make as they travel along the road of this world. We sin, and then we sorrow for it. 4. Unbelief.Conclusion: If ye would keep your peace continual and unbroken — 1. Look always to the sacrifice of Christ. 2. Walk humbly with your God. 3. Walk in holiness; avoid every appearance of evil. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. |
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