Finding True Peace Amid Life's Storms
Summary
In the midst of life's storms and uncertainties, the words of Jesus in John 14:27 offer a profound promise: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you." These words were spoken to His disciples during a time of great distress, as they faced the impending loss of Jesus' physical presence. This peace is not like the fleeting peace the world offers, which often relies on ignoring problems or indulging in temporary distractions. Instead, it is a deep, abiding peace that sustains us even in the face of trials and tribulations.
The essence of the Gospel is encapsulated in this promise of peace. It is a peace that transforms us, as seen in the life of Peter, who went from denying Christ in fear to boldly proclaiming the Gospel. This transformation is a testament to the power of the peace that Jesus offers. It is a peace that stands the test of crises, revealing the inadequacy of worldly philosophies that crumble under pressure.
The root of our unrest, as Jesus reveals, is self-centeredness and sin. Our ambitions, pride, and selfish desires lead to anxiety and fear. We are often troubled by the fear of losing what we have or not achieving what we desire. This self-focus is the source of much of our anxiety and fear. The world attempts to address this through escapism, wishful thinking, or temporary pleasures, but these solutions fail to address the core issue.
Jesus offers a different solution. He exposes the true cause of our unrest and provides a cure through His sacrifice. By reconciling us to God, He offers forgiveness and a new nature, enabling us to live in peace. This peace is not dependent on external circumstances but is rooted in a relationship with God. It allows us to face life's challenges with confidence, knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God.
Key Takeaways:
- The peace Jesus offers is distinct from the world's peace. It is a deep, abiding peace that sustains us through trials and tribulations, unlike the temporary distractions the world offers. [01:41]
- The root of our unrest is self-centeredness and sin. Our ambitions and pride lead to anxiety and fear, as we are troubled by the fear of losing what we have or not achieving what we desire. [29:07]
- Worldly solutions to anxiety, such as escapism and wishful thinking, fail to address the core issue. They are temporary fixes that do not provide lasting peace. [26:33]
- Jesus offers a cure for our unrest through His sacrifice. By reconciling us to God, He provides forgiveness and a new nature, enabling us to live in peace. [39:47]
- This peace is rooted in a relationship with God and allows us to face life's challenges with confidence, knowing that nothing can separate us from His love. [45:43]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:10] - Introduction to John 14:27
[00:33] - Context of Jesus' Promise
[01:12] - The Disciples' Crisis
[02:01] - The Gospel's Offer of Peace
[03:19] - Fulfillment in the Disciples' Lives
[05:28] - The Christian Faith's Central Claim
[06:08] - Testing Our Views in Crisis
[08:31] - Examining Our Faith
[10:40] - The Parable of the Sower
[12:15] - The Problem of Anxiety and Fear
[17:28] - The World's Inadequate Solutions
[27:04] - Christ's Realistic Approach
[28:29] - The Root Cause: Self and Sin
[37:14] - Christ's Cure for Our Unrest
[42:18] - The Eternal Perspective of Peace
[46:25] - Conclusion and Invitation
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- John 14:27
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Observation Questions:
1. What specific promise does Jesus make to His disciples in John 14:27, and how does it differ from the peace the world offers? [00:10]
2. How did the disciples react to the news of Jesus' impending departure, and what does this reveal about their understanding of His promise of peace? [00:33]
3. In what ways did Peter's transformation, as described in the sermon, demonstrate the fulfillment of Jesus' promise of peace? [04:39]
4. What are some of the worldly solutions to anxiety mentioned in the sermon, and why are they considered inadequate? [26:33]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the peace that Jesus offers challenge the self-centeredness and sin that are identified as the root causes of unrest? [28:29]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that worldly philosophies fail during times of crisis, and how does this contrast with the peace offered by Jesus? [06:08]
3. How does the concept of reconciliation with God through Jesus' sacrifice provide a foundation for lasting peace, according to the sermon? [39:47]
4. What role does a relationship with God play in enabling believers to face life's challenges with confidence, as discussed in the sermon? [45:43]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you felt anxious or fearful. How might embracing the peace Jesus offers have changed your response? [12:15]
2. Identify an area in your life where self-centeredness or pride might be contributing to unrest. What steps can you take to address this issue? [29:07]
3. Consider the worldly solutions to anxiety that you might be relying on. How can you shift your focus to the peace that Jesus provides? [26:33]
4. How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with God to experience the peace that surpasses understanding, especially during challenging times? [45:43]
5. Think of a time when you, like Peter, felt fearful or denied your faith. How can the transformation of Peter inspire you to boldly live out your faith? [04:39]
6. What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of the eternal perspective of peace that Jesus offers, especially when facing trials? [42:18]
7. How can you support others in your community who are struggling with anxiety and fear, by sharing the peace that Jesus offers? [18:05]
Devotional
Day 1: The Distinct Nature of Jesus' Peace
The peace that Jesus offers is unlike any peace the world can provide. It is a profound, enduring peace that remains steadfast through life's trials and tribulations. While worldly peace often depends on ignoring problems or indulging in temporary distractions, the peace of Christ is a deep, abiding presence that sustains believers even in the most challenging times. This peace is a gift from Jesus, as He promised His disciples in John 14:27, and it is available to all who trust in Him. [01:41]
Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV): "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock."
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you seeking temporary peace through worldly means? How can you invite Jesus' enduring peace into those areas today?
Day 2: The Root of Unrest
The root of our unrest is often found in self-centeredness and sin. Our ambitions, pride, and selfish desires lead to anxiety and fear, as we are troubled by the fear of losing what we have or not achieving what we desire. This self-focus is the source of much of our anxiety and fear. The world attempts to address this through escapism, wishful thinking, or temporary pleasures, but these solutions fail to address the core issue. Recognizing this root cause is the first step toward experiencing the peace that Jesus offers. [29:07]
James 3:16-17 (ESV): "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere."
Reflection: Identify a specific ambition or desire that is causing you anxiety. How can you surrender this to God and seek His wisdom instead?
Day 3: The Inadequacy of Worldly Solutions
Worldly solutions to anxiety, such as escapism and wishful thinking, fail to address the core issue of our unrest. These temporary fixes do not provide lasting peace and often leave us feeling more empty and anxious. True peace cannot be found in the distractions of the world but only in the transformative power of Jesus' peace. By turning to Christ, we can find a peace that surpasses all understanding and stands firm in the face of life's challenges. [26:33]
Jeremiah 6:14 (ESV): "They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace."
Reflection: What worldly solutions have you been relying on to cope with anxiety? How can you begin to replace these with practices that draw you closer to Jesus?
Day 4: Jesus' Cure for Our Unrest
Jesus offers a cure for our unrest through His sacrifice. By reconciling us to God, He provides forgiveness and a new nature, enabling us to live in peace. This peace is not dependent on external circumstances but is rooted in a relationship with God. It allows us to face life's challenges with confidence, knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Embracing this peace requires a shift from self-reliance to reliance on Christ's finished work on the cross. [39:47]
Colossians 1:19-20 (ESV): "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."
Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life where you struggle to accept God's forgiveness. How can you embrace the peace that comes from being reconciled to God?
Day 5: Peace Rooted in Relationship with God
The peace that Jesus offers is rooted in a relationship with God and allows us to face life's challenges with confidence. This peace assures us that nothing can separate us from His love, providing a foundation of security and hope. As we cultivate our relationship with God, we experience His peace more deeply, enabling us to navigate life's storms with assurance and trust. This peace is a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel in our lives. [45:43]
Romans 5:1-2 (ESV): "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
Reflection: How can you deepen your relationship with God this week to experience His peace more fully? What specific steps will you take to prioritize time with Him?
Quotes
Peace I leave with you my peace the peace that I've enjoyed myself and of which I am the author I give unto you now I'm calling your attention to this far obvious reasons we've been on a number of Sunday evenings now looking at the present situation in which we find ourselves in a general way showing how the scriptures how the Bible alone explains why such situations keep on recurring why it is that in a world that has never been so well educated and so on that there should still be these problems which have characterized the life of men throughout the centuries. [00:01:43]
The test of any teaching or of any view or philosophy of life is simply this what is it like in a crisis now everybody listening to me at this moment has got some view of life or we've all got some sort of a working philosophy and we say now that's my view that's how I see things and you are living according to your view now we can agree about this I'm certain that the test of any view whatever it is is how does it stand up to a crisis to a test. [00:06:11]
You see there are many people who say oh yes of course I'm a Christian I was christed when I was a child I've always been brought up to be a Christian of course I'm a Christian and yet you find sometimes that such people when they are up against some test or crisis just don't know where they are at all and what they have called their faith doesn't help them to the slightest extent they're exactly as if they were not Christians there is no difference between them and the people who are out in the world. [00:09:01]
The problem of anxiety and the problem of fear let let not your heart be troubled he says that means anxious let not your heart be troubled neither Let It Be Afraid and by that word afraid he really means being afraid he means being alarmed and terrified as it were and tiering because you don't know where you are nor what to do now I say that this is the great problem and it's never been a greater problem than it is at this present hour again surely there'll be no difference of opinion about that. [00:12:15]
The world is always offering its peace that is why the world you see doesn't turn to Christ that's the problem why is it that as things are this evening that the whole world of men is not turning back to God not looking in the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ who is called the Prince of Peace why not well because they believe that they can disc discover peace in their own ways he he says it's impossible but the world is still claiming it. [00:17:44]
Self which is just another name if you like for sin but that's the whole cause of the trouble let me show you now how it works I'm only going to give you a very superficial analysis tonight because of time but you see self works like this self leads to ambition self leads to Pride self leads to self-importance self always leads to selfishness self always leads to self-will and when you you examine the things that cause you lack of ease and that upset you and cause your nerves to be Frid and makes you frightened of the whole of life and of the future you'll find that it's always in terms of one or the other of those things perhaps all of them together at the same time. [00:28:29]
The Lord Jesus Christ not only exposes the cause of our ills but thank God having exposed it he can cure it the gospel doesn't merely Delight to convict us of sin it convicts us of sin that it may lead us to repentance and then to Salvation and Redemption peace I leave with you my peace I give to you how does he do it well he does it first and foremost by convicting us of the truth of what I've been trying to say by means of his holy spirit he just gives me this picture of myself and I say that's absolutely true that is me there I am I see it now he says very well as long as you're like that you'll never know peace because your whole view of yourself is wrong and your view of God is wrong. [00:37:14]
He does it of course by introducing us to God the moment you see yourself as you are and as the cause of your own restlessness you see at once that you've sinned against God in the law of your being and you say well how can I find God how can I know God if God can give me peace how can I arrive at God and the first thing you see is I must be forgiven I need forgiveness how can I be forgiven and here Christ comes in with his answer he says my peace the peace I'm going to purchase for you I'm going to that cross let not your hearts be troubled I'm going there why because well you'll never know peace unless I go I'm going to Bear your sins I'm going to take your punishment upon myself I'm going to reconcile you to God and make you his children and then he will shower His blessings upon you. [00:39:47]
He gives us his own nature he gives us his own life he gives us himself that's an essential part of this new testament teaching you can have a new mind a new outlook indeed you're a new man you're in the same world but you're a new man and because you're a new man you see everything else in a different way you've got an entirely new view of yourself you've got an in new view of life in this world you've got a new view of how life is to be lived no longer running away from things but looking at them in the strength that Christ supplies living a life of Holiness as he lived right with God going on yes and even able to look into the face of death because if you're a Christian when you look into the face of death you see through it you see beyond it you see that death is nothing but the door that opens a way of entry into a bliss into a glory into a life of peace and joy that baffles description. [00:42:18]
As Christians we enjoy this peace because we have long since come to see and to know that this is only a passing world and that doesn't terrify us death doesn't terrify us whatever the world may do it cannot touch the land to which I now belong the place that God hath prepared for them that love him listen to our Lord saying it let not your heart be troubled he believe in God believe also in me in my father's house are many mentions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there ye may be also. [00:45:43]
With the strength that the Son of God supplies I'll go on doing my duty day by day knowing that nothing shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our lord yay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us if you haven't got the peace rush to him go to him confess it to him accept his diagnosis confess your sin and ask him to receive you and to cleanse you with his blood from all your sin and to give you life a new and he will receive you him that cometh unto me he says I will in no wise cast out amen. [00:46:25]
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