27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
True peace is not derived from circumstances, people or things; true peace is derived from Jesus. Christ’s peace is peculiarly His to give as He purchased it with His precious blood, He being the substitution for a perishing world. Jesus was commissioned to bring peace to mankind.
"Grace remits sin and peace quiets the conscience. Sin and conscience torment us, but Christ has overcome these fiends now and forever. Only Christians possess this victorious knowledge given from above. These two terms, grace and peace, constitute Christianity. Grace involves the remission of sins, peace and a happy conscience. Sin is not canceled by lawful living, for no person is able to live up to the law...the fact is the more a person seeks credit for himself by his own efforts, the deeper he goes into debt. Nothing can take away sin except the grace of God. In actual living, however it is not so easy to persuade oneself that by grace alone, in opposition to every other means, we obtain the forgiveness of our sins and peace with God." Martin Luther
The peace Jesus offers is precious and dearly costly compared to the worlds paste gem variety. The world gives temporary satisfactions and excitement that gratify the passions and affections and pride of the natural man for a season yet always leaves a longing for more. The world is unable to offer what Christ’s peace affords for it does not possess it to give – there is no rest of conscience with the world. Indeed, what Jesus bequeathed, the world cannot offer at all - peace of heart, peace of conscience and a peace from a sense of pardoned sin. The peace our Lord bestows is an inward calm and rest for the soul even amidst the greatest trials and tribulations – when circumstances become stern and severe. Those who possess this inner peace of Jesus wear strength and hopefulness like a robe – clad in garments of praise in lieu of shrouded in spirits of despair and death.
“To added affliction He addeth His mercy, to multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.” Annie Johnson Flint
“Peace is such a precious jewel that I would give anything for it but truth.” Matthew Henry
Furthermore, our Lord is neither unwilling nor sparing in His distribution of His precious peace to those who believe – amazingly, being far more willing to give than the world is to receive.
“Peace is Christ’s peculiar gift: not money, not worldly ease, not temporal prosperity. These are at best very questionable possessions. They often do more harm than good to the soul. They act as clogs and weights to our spiritual life. Inward peace of conscience, arising from a sense of pardoned sin and reconciliation with God, is a far greater blessing. This peace is the property of all believers, whether high or low, rich or poor.” John Charles Ryle
I am reminded of the prophet Isaiah’s words regarding the believer’s fixed focus for continued perfect peace – it always begins and ends with Jesus. This ever availability of inner tranquility encourages believers to continue to trust in the Lord. It is a quiet knowing that God can most certainly be trusted.
3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)
There will never be lacking anything on Christ’s part for the believer’s comfort - if we only come to Him we will receive. He provides every medicine for a troubled heart and provides it in abundance - always doing more than we can ask or imagine. Scripture tells us:
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Eph 3:20-21 (NIV)
10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. Psalms 81:10 (NIV)
This peace from Jesus is not mere formality; it is a real and true blessing – enriching the soul eternally. This is sufficient reason for our hearts not to be burdened down with the troubles of this world. Jesus tells us tribulations are a given – whether a believer or not. We live in a fallen world where sickness and death, hunger and poverty, deceit and betrayal press down upon us as heavy weights. Yet Jesus tells us to take heart – be courageous - for He has overcome this world:
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." John 16:33 (NIV)
The Christian’s peace affords calm in the midst of a storm. We are to be as a tender child in the comforting arms of his father who is never taken by surprise and remains with us even in lion’s dens and the fiery furnaces of life. He enables us to soar above our circumstances as we take captive our thoughts in obedience to sweet Jesus.