Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your
heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27
The theme for the the 2nd Week of Advent is Peace. Of all the weeks, I think this is the hardest to present. As much as we try to explain it, we don't adequately capture the fullness of the Peace that Jesus Christ offers us. Our worldly perceptions of Peace--the absence or avoidance of conflict--falls dramatically short of Biblical Peace. Nothing in our worldly experience even comes close.
The Peace that Christ gives is the blessing of our Redemption. It comes as the separation of us from God is removed and grows into its fullness in direct proportion to the intimacy we have with God The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As our heart is sanctified and the corruption of sin is removed, Peace abounds. One day, we will experience a never-ending and complete Peace as the eternal blessing of our salvation.
This Advent Season, whether from a pulpit, in a small-group or personal conversation with family, friends and strangers, let's be sure to invite people to The Eternal Peace of Jesus Christ. It may be hard to explain or to understand but, it is certainly something all of us want to experience. My father-in-law, who preached often in local churches as a Lay Preacher and is now enjoying the beauty of Heaven, told me in my early days of ministry that whenever I preach or teach to make sure that I speak of the love of Jesus.
It remains great advice because receiving and experiencing the love of Jesus is the path to Perfect Peace.
Christ Has Come. Christ Is Coming Again!
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