John 14:27

THE PEACE OF CHRIST

‘My peace I give unto you.’

John 14:27

The word peace in the Hebrew seems to have the idea of completeness—something which if a man has, he wants no more; it is a word in which all good is summed up; we should call it happiness.

‘My peace I give unto you.’ These are the Words of the Prince of Peace, the King of Peace, the Lord of Peace, and therefore the peace He gives to His people is princely, kingly, lordly peace. It is the ‘peace of God.’ God’s peace is Christ’s gift. For, indeed, the world cannot give it. How can the world give what it does not possess? The way of peace it has not known.

I. Peace is in a Person.—That Person is Christ. All peace is treasured up in Him. ‘He is our peace’ (Ephesians 2:14).

II. He made peace by the Blood of His Cross (Colossians 1:20). Round the Cross mercy and truth met together, righteousness and peace kissed each other. He is the great Arbitrator, for He made peace between God and every believing man, and He lays His pierced Hands on both.

III. He speaks peace.—He stilled the tempest by saying, ‘Peace, be still.’ That was what we call a miracle, but it was a parable too. We must believe that Christ meant us to gather that what He did once under certain circumstances—that, or something akin to it—He would do always under similar and analogous conditions. So all down the ages He has been walking on ‘the waves of this troublesome world,’ and whispering ‘peace.’ And ‘when He giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?’ (Job 34:29).

IV. He gives the peace He made.—He applies it by His own Spirit. And the Spirit of Peace sheds peace on the heart like the morning spread on the mountains. Every night the believing man lies down in peace. ‘The pilgrim they laid in a chamber whose window opened towards the sunrising. The name of the chamber was Peace, where he slept till break of day, and then he awoke and sang.’ And when the last night comes, ‘after life’s fitful fever he sleeps well,’ for he sleeps in peace. ‘The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God, and there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die; and their departure is taken for misery: but they are in peace.’

I ‘publish peace,’ and ‘how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!’ (Romans 10:15). I ‘publish peace,’—I can tell you where it may be found, I can point you to the Fountain-Head of peace; but only Christ gives it. May the Lamb of God grant us His peace, till we come to the ‘everlasting peace there where all the spirits of all the redeemed turn to Him, as all plants turn to the light, and drink in the sunbeams of His Presence softly and silently for ever.’

Rev. F. Harper.

Illustration

‘ “Peace” is an empire with three provinces, and the provinces cannot really be divided, for there is one King of all; all belong to Him, and He is “Peace”; He is “the God of peace.” First, there is the “peace” which a man has with God as soon as he is reconciled to God by an act of faith in the blood of Jesus Christ, and his sins are all forgiven. Then there is the “peace” which every forgiven man carries in his own bosom; “peace” with his conscience. And then there is the “peace” with man. Why are some persons so irritable, and so uncomfortable with everybody? They are uncomfortable in their own breast; they are not at peace with God, therefore they are not at peace with themselves; and therefore they cannot be at peace with any one.’