Peace

Good Morning!

On the eve of His crucifixion, Jesus gathered His disciples together for a last meal. He talked about many things that night with His disciples … and it is really hard to hone in on any one aspect of the conversation. Today’s verse of the day on BibleGateway is:

John 16:33 (New International Version, ©2010)
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Being the curious sort, I took a look at the whole chapter to see what “these things” might be. Here’s the first part of the chapter:

John 16
1 “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, 5 but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”


This message is still valid for the 21st century Christian. Once our world embraced Christianity – and Christianity responded with a number of very good things. Most major universities were founded by Christians. Most charities have Christian roots. Most of the laws that have served as trusted guides come from Christian influence. But today the Christian and the principles that guide him / her is held in contempt. Why? I believe because the majority today does not know the Father … and believe they are doing a service to mankind to denigrate those principles. And it makes being a Christian difficult. Jesus told us this would happen. And He told us so we would not fall away … we would hang in there.

I love the promise of this passage. Jesus told us the Advocate would come … that the Advocate would be the Spirit of Truth and that we would guide us in the truth. Sometimes that is all we have to hang onto in this world. Sometimes all we can rely upon is that Spirit of Truth speaking clearly to us in this jumbled up world. Rely on the Spirit of Truth. Allow the Spirit of Truth to speak to you and through you in the coming year.

Jesus told His disciples (and we are His disciples) these things so we would have peace. How did Jesus overcome the world? He overcame death. For nonbelievers … and for most of us believers … death is a frightening event that all will face unless Jesus returns. But Jesus overcame death … and promised that we would too. So if the worse thing the world can throw at me is death … I can have peace in knowing that death is not the end but the transition.

Peace be with you this day and everyday that follows.


Agape’


Mr. Jim


New Prayer Need:
Pastor Eddie Herring of Prospect United Methodist church has had surgery to reattach a detached retina. The recovery involves being face down for 45 minutes of each hour for several weeks. Please pray for Eddie and his recovery.