PROMISED PEACE WITH GOD

THIS IS TABLE ROCK FELLOWSHIP – PASTOR RYAN LADEN (DEVOTIONALS)

Promised Peace with God

Peace with God is a strange phenomenon. One can wonder: How is it acquired? And how is it applied? What does it look like? Can anyone acquire it? Did Jesus ever use the word “peace,” and if He did, when did He say it?

Let’s begin to answer some of these questions…
 

What is Godly Peace?

Shalom (the Hebrew word for “peace”) is the idea of “being whole” or “complete.” This peace can be personal or political (peace for a country). In Leviticus 26:6, God will grant shalom to the land that, “no sword will pass through your land.” In Ps 29:11, “God will bless his people with shalom.”

Through the Abrahamic Covenant that God made with Abraham, his family was to be blessed as much as the “number of stars” in the heavens. But, reading through the next chapters in Genesis, we see that Abraham’s family experienced a number of tough struggles and trials. Did they experience peace with God in these trials? We don’t know, personally. Yet, God promised Abraham in Gen 15:15, “you shall go to your fathers in peace, you shall be buried in a good old age.”

Yet, throughout the Old Testament, there seemed to be lack of peace with God. People tried to keep God’s laws but failed; Kings neglected to stay true to the LORD; Priests strayed away from proper sacrifices; and finally, God was silent for 400 years. However, during those 400 years, God wasn’t inactive. He was preparing his people to finally be able to have peace with him through the arrival of Jesus.
 

The Prince of Peace

Skip ahead to the New Testament, where we learn of the birth of a Savior, the promised Messiah, the Anointed One. At Christ’s birth the angels proclaim, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace” (Lk 2:14). Again, one can see where God says, (through Paul) in Col 3:15, “and let the peace of God rule in your hearts.” In Romans, Paul writes, “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rm 5:1). We learn in Eph 2:14, “He Himself is our peace.”
 

He is Our Peace

Finally, we have access to the one who is able to be our peace. We can now be complete and whole; back to God’s original design.

It’s interesting that in John 14:27, Jesus says, “Peace, I leave you while I am still with you.” And in John 16:33 He says, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” This is right before the crucifixion, as if He was preparing them for this huge trial of their faith.

Then, after His resurrection, in his brief return, He comforts his disciples with the words He spoke to them before He was crucified, and says in Jn 20:19, “peace be with you.”


 

Conclusion

The peace of God, promised to Abraham with the Abrahamic Covenant and longed for during the Old Testament times, was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. With Jesus’ advent and resurrection, the peace of God is made possible.

Only through Jesus, who is our peace, can we realize peace – a peace that isn’t determined by our circumstances. Since Jesus is our peace, no one can steal His peace from ruling in our hearts – ruling through us, and then flowing horizontally to everyone (hopefully) around us.

So, the last question; is Jesus’ peace (making you whole and complete in Him) truly “ruling” in your heart today? If you know Jesus Christ personally as your Savior, you can trust this, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:7). If you feel a lack of peace, reconnect with your Savior, who is your peace, through His Word.

– Esther Taylor

OUR MISSION AS A CHURCH

“TO ENCOURAGE AND EQUIP EACH OTHER IN LOVE TO KNOW JESUS AND MAKE HIM KNOWN”

 CONTACT INFO

• (541) 245-2612
• Answers@TableRockFellowship.com
• 3610 N Pacific Hwy
  Medford Oregon 97501