My Peace I Give to You, John 14:25-31

25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.

John 14:25-31

These things…

What things?

Jesus kicked off the meeting by washing their feet then launching into the Upper Room Discourse which included things like: a new commandment I give you, love each other with My love, one of you will betray Me; three times Peter will deny Me; don’t be troubled, believe Me, Dad’s house is huge, I’m going there to prepare a place; I’ll come back and get you. If you know Me, you know the Way, and you know My Father. Don’t worry, I won’t leave you orphans; another Helper will come to you, and be in you. If you love Me, keep My Words, which is God’s Word…

The disciples are scratching their heads thinking, that’s a lot of things—should we be taking notes? How can we remember all that—let alone keep it?

Of course, Jesus knew they’d need help and said…  

26 But 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 things that I said to you.

The Helper, (Also called, another Helper, the Spirit of Truth, the Comforter, the Advocate) is the third person of the Trinity; God the Holy Spirit.

He will teach you, and remind you. (Of course, to remember, we need to have heard; thus, the importance of reading His Word, and attending Church where His Word is heard).

Jesus is telling them, I know you feel ill-equipped, like you’re not ready for Me to leave. That’s good, because it’s true.

What I call you to know is beyond you.

What I call you to do, is bigger than you—but not bigger than Me; not bigger than your Helper.

He will help you, teach you, remind you, of everything I’ve told you.

Then you’ll do greater works than I have done (John 14:12).

Then you’ll say, greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

It happened just as Jesus said.

About fifty days later the Helper came, with tongues, (Acts 2).

Those in the crowd said these guys are drunk.

But an unlearned fisherman spoke up, a guy named Peter, who had a gift for sticking his foot in his mouth, but this time, instead of his shoe, his mouth filled with words and wisdom and he said these are not drunk as you suppose, but this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel… and he articulated with understanding and authority beyond his own, and the power of his words penetrated the hearts of the people and by the time he was done 3,000 souls were begging to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Stephen was a waiter, working a food line, feeding poor widows. The Holy Spirit worked through him with such power and wisdom that one of his sermons fills most of, Acts chapter 7. At the end of that sermon, he saw heaven opened and Jesus gave him a standing ovation.  

Upon hearing that, the religious folks freaked out, grabbed rocks and stoned Stephen, to death.  

But before he died, before Jesus welcomed him to heaven, he took one last look at his stone-throwing accusers and at that moment, it’s likely, the Holy Spirit brought to his remembrance the words of Jesus from the cross. “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” and the Helper helped, Stephen find the words through bloody, swollen, lips, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.”  Acts 7:60.

The death of Stephen was like blood to sharks and sparked a great persecution against the Church. (Like the feeding frenzy against the Jews today).

However, the persecution helped the Church to grow. Instead of hovering around Jerusalem, they scattered everywhere preaching Jesus. Acts 8:1.

 Philip, another waiter with Stephen went to Samaria. The Holy Spirit’s work through him started a revival that filled the whole city with joy. Acts 8:8.

Then the Holy Spirit told him to leave the revival and head over fifty miles south to a lonely desert road between Jerusalem and Gaza; Acts 8:26. (NOTE: Today, Israel is exterminating the murderous hamas terrorists from Gaza).

Would you leave a revival to go to a lonely desert road?

Philip obeyed and met a man (Eunuch to the queen of Ethiopia) in a chariot reading out loud from the prophet Isaiah, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter…”  (Isaiah 53).

Philip asked the man if he understood. He didn’t. Philip rode in the chariot and from that Scripture preached Jesus to him.

The man understood and believed and received Jesus into his heart and asked if he could be baptized. So, they found water and Philip baptized him.

Now, when he came out of the water, the Holy Spirit caught Philip away and the man saw him no more. But you can bet that man never forgot, and talked about Jesus all the way to Africa.

Philip was found twenty miles north in a place called Azotus. Without missing a beat, he preached in every city from there to Caesarea sixty miles up the coast. Acts 8:26-40.

The Helper still helps.

He didn’t come only for folks in the Bible. He came for you and me, too.

However, we must receive His help. He won’t force it.  

How do we do that?

Acknowledge His Presence

Acknowledge His desire to help

Acknowledge our need for His help

Invite Him to help

Now, recognize His help. He helps you find just the right words to say to that person who’s struggling. He helps you know when not to say a thing but just be a friend. He helps you help that person get their house in order, and make ends meet. He helps you give comfort to the grieving. He helps you keep believing for that unbeliever. The Helper helps you hold fast in faith and prayer. He helps you forgive, and love, know you’re never alone, God is on the throne, no matter how dark the world gets.

Don’t forget, to thank Him for His help; in so doing, He will help you find His peace, that passes understanding.

27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.

My peace…

Notice Jesus says “peace” twice. He’s not talking about peace as in no conflict. All hell is about to break loose in His life. Spiritual warfare for the whole of mankind is at a climax.

The disciples will need His peace in a big way. In less than 24 hours the One they love, and trust and put all their hopes and dreams and future… they’ll see Him go through tears, and trials, and torture. They’ll hear Him cry from the cross, “It is finished.” They’ll watch His Life drain out. Feel theirs drain out too. They’ll wrap His lifeless body in linen, and lay it in a tomb.

His peace, is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of God.

His peace, didn’t mean He didn’t feel pressure. Jesus knew the weight of the world’s sin was about to be placed on Him. He knew the beating and scourging and nailing would hurt physically. But worse, He knew He’d be separated from His Father the moment He took our sin upon Him. That had never happened. It had to be scary. Like getting cast off a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean. Or an astronaut becoming untethered from the spaceship.  

And what did Jesus do?

He went to His Father. He prayed, so earnestly His sweat became as great drops of blood. He asked the disciples to pray; but they took a nap instead.

Bottom line, He said, Father, I don’t want to do this, but I want to do Your will more than Mine. So, Your will be done, not Mine. Then, an angel came and strengthened Him. Luke 22:43.

Our relationship with the Holy Spirit should mirror the one Jesus demonstrated between Himself and His Father.

Jesus lived an example of the relationship He wants us to have with Him. He constantly listened to His Father. He only said what He heard from His Father. He only did what He saw from His Father. He acknowledged that He could do nothing without His Father. John 5:19.

And thus, He walked this earth never leaving His Father’s presence, and thus remained in His peace.

That’s how He could sleep in the midst of the storm. Mark 4:36-40.

It’s Philippians 4:7 peace that passes understanding—beyond this world’s comprehension.

 

27… Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid… this is the second time He’s said this in this chapter.

God tells us not to fear, one time for every day of the year. 365 times, the Bible tells us not to fear.

It’s not a suggestion.

Revelation 21:8 has a list of folks that’ll wind up in the lake of fire. Among the list are these: unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars.

But there’s one more, I didn’t mention the first one listed. You know what it is?

The fearful.

Revelation 21:8

But the cowardly (fearful), unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

The cowardly lion won’t make heaven.

If you are fearful, that’s not from God. 2 Timothy 1:7.

God is love and perfect love casts out all fear. 1 John 4:16-18

If you are fearful, feel free to let me know, we will stand with you, pray with you, (in)courage you, love you.

28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.

Father is greater than I…  Theologians call this: Functional subordination.

It has to do with role not value. The Lord created family as an example of how this works.

A husband and wife are equal but have different roles different functions. A child and parent are equal in value but have different roles.

Jesus willingly put off His Deity to put on humanity. He took on the form of a baby, a man, a human. He yielded to the confines and limits of mankind. Thus, in function and role, His Father was greater.  

That’s what makes what He did for us, such deep, passionate, powerful love. It was real. He really was tempted; there was a real battle against His soul. He could’ve given up; He could’ve thrown in the towel. He was tempted in every way we are, yet He never gave in, never sinned. He endured the shame, rejection, pain, out of His great love, for you.

Some religions, Jehovah’s Witness, will totally miss the mark, take this passage out of context and claim that this means Jesus is not God. Don’t even entertain such foolishness.

Jesus repeatedly, unashamedly, clearly, articulated that He indeed is God. We’ve already touched on that multiple times in our study of John.  

29 “And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.

Therein once again is the theme of the Book of John, and the Bible, that you may believe, John 20:31.

30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

Judas is not the enemy, the Jews aren’t, the Romans aren’t, your noisy neighbor isn’t the enemy; nor your spouse, or, crazy uncle, not even the government.

The ruler of this corrupt, cursed world, is the enemy, he is satan.

Jesus says, the enemy is coming, but “he has nothing in Me.” I never gave him a foothold, never yielded to his temptations, so, nothing he tries to do to Me, will stick...not even death.

31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do…

But that the world may know… It was for us, so we would see His Divine example of love, and follow.  

Because I love, so I do. Like the two most popular words in a wedding. I do.

Because I love My Father, I do.

Because I love you, I do, lay down My life for you; as the perfect Sacrificial Lamb, for you.

The ruler of this world, will think he’s killed Me, but all he’s done is plant Me.

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. John 12:24.

 

 Arise, let us go from here.

Arise, let us go from here...

Let’s finish up, and get out of here. But that takes a few more chapters before they go.

They finish their wine, the last pieces of bread or lamb or dessert or whatever’s left on their plate.

Some say they leave the upper room right here, but John 18:1 indicates they don’t leave until after chapter 17.

It’s not really that important.

What is important is to be ready for the next time He says, “Arise, let’s go…”

One day soon He’s going to call for His Bride to rise.

Are you ready to rise?

 

Let’s pray.

Lord, we acknowledge Your presence and thank You for Your desire to help us; oh how we need You. We invite Your Help in every area of our lives; in body, soul and spirit.

Thank You for reminding us—You know we need that more and more as we get older.

Thank You for Your peace, that passes understanding, beyond the world’s comprehension.

Thank You for loving us with Your love that casts out all fear.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

 

 Prayer Requests:

Call or text: 612-554-2522

Email: pray4measap@aol.com

Watch online:

Facebook: My Peace I Give to You, John 14:25-31

You Tube: My Peace I Give to You, John 14:25-31

Please “Subscribe” to our YouTube channel to help us be able to live stream from that venue as well.