Journey to Pentecost

April 10, 2010     John 20.19

Peace.   A five letter word that carries enough weight to stop a freight train on a dime!   How many times in nearly 30 years of ministry have I heard this word used in some form or another as either a personal desire, community desire and even at times – a congregational desire.  If you expand the reach of this word then you capture the near impossibility of reaching peace among nations.  Experts tell us since the beginning of time we have only had some four hundred years of peace – time without war in some corner of the world.

When Jesus encountered His followers after His resurrection He used this word multiple times.  Why?  Because Jesus as the creator of humanity to begin with – knew the importance of this word to each one of us.   Jesus often used this word to introduce healing, forgiveness, signs and wonders and miracles of a personal nature.  Peace.  During this fifty day journey maybe you can place yourself into that journey Jesus himself took from the tomb to His ascension.  Discover the look in His eye when He exclaimed peace to His listeners.  Catch the tone of His voice.  Sense His spirit.  Know that from the depth of His soul He attempted to speak into the lives of His listeners.   He spoke past the hidden places in the human intellect.  He spoke past the potential of His listeners to rationalize known facts and capture the heart of a person.  He spoke past fear, doubt and unbelief and drove in the hope of peace.  He spoke the reality of peace.   How did He manage to do this?  Because He is peace.  He is the epitome of peace.  He is peace personified.

Regardless of how you need peace expressed – Jesus is the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4.7).  From personal peace to family peace.  From marital peace to peace with your children.  From sibling peace to peace with your neighbors.  From business peace to peace with congregational members.  Jesus is the answer.  He is peace and His peace is manifested in your spirit man.  Trust me on this one.  I have seen the darkness of doubt, loneliness, betrayal, sin, conflict from within and without.  I have experienced the pain of emotionally pointed destruction.  I have heard the sound of being alone.  I have listened to Job’s counselors speak words that caused confusion instead of peace.   But in the middle of all the absence of peace Jesus somehow steps in as the Peace that passes understanding and rationalization.  How do we know it’s His peace?  When science can’t explain it and intellect can’t define it.  When you discover the peace that passes all understanding – then you know you have arrived.  As Kenneth Hagin Sr. used to say, “You just know it in your knower!”  You know it in your heart and no one needs to define it for you.

Jesus initiated peace to overcome the most difficult and disappointing times of our life.  During this journey – leave some things with Him.  He is the Peace Maker.  Cast all your care on Him because He really does care about you.