March
4, 2003
PEACE
IS MY GIFT TO YOU
"Peace
is my parting gift to you, My own peace, such as the world
cannot give. Set your troubled hearts at rest, and banish
your fears" (John 14: 27, NEB).
On that
evening just before His crucifixion, Jesus knew something
that His disciples did not know. He knew the end of the story.
The same is true for us today. We often go through experiences
that are troubling and upsetting. However, if we are a child
of God and have accepted His protection, and follow His direction
to the best of our understanding, the outcome is assured,
regardless of what we may have to go through.
Just
three days later, at evening on the day of His resurrection,
Jesus came and stood in the midst of His disciples and said
to them, "Peace be with you!"
And then showed them His hands and His side. "When
the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy. Jesus
repeated, 'Peace be with you!'
" (John 20:19-21).
Isaiah
prophesied, "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son
is given, and the government will be upon His shoulder. And
His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
The messianic
prophecy of a child being born who will be the "Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" has its fulfillment
in the life of Jesus. In Christ's last discourse with His
disciples before His crucifixion, He said to them, "Peace
is my parting gift to you, My own peace, such as the world
cannot give. Set your troubled hearts at rest, and banish
your fears." How is it that Jesus could give His
disciples "peace" when He was about to be crucified?
The disciples were about to go through the worst experience
of their lives up to that time. Jesus knows the end from the
beginning. He is the fulfillment of prophecy. He is the guarantor
of God's covenant to the human race. "All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth"
(Matthew 28:18).
"For
He Himself is our peace... He came and preached peace to you
who were afar off and to those who were near. For through
Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father"
(Ephesians 2:14, 17, 18, NKJV). Throughout scripture there
are many references that associate Jesus with peace. In this
reference, Jesus is our peace. By being our peace before God,
Jesus has made peace among those who are in union with Him.
To have Him is to have His peace that surpasses all understanding.
"This peace is not something that He gives apart from
Himself. It is in Christ, and we receive it only by receiving
Him" (Ministry of Healing, p. 247).
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