(Isa 9:6 NIV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Jesus is the way to peace with God
(Rom 5:1 NIV) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
(Acts 10:36 NIV) You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
The most important kind of peace to have is to have peace with God. This kind of peace comes when we have made amends with God and His wrath is no longer on us. This is only possible when we have had all our sins forgiven through faith in Jesus Christ.
When Jesus died on the cross, He took the penalty of all our sins. If we believe this, we experience God’s forgiveness for all our sins. God looks at us as if we had never sinned because we are covered by the blood of Jesus.
Jesus gives peace through forgiveness of sin
Even after we have experienced salvation through faith in Jesus, we continue to struggle against sin in our daily life. When we sin, our conscience pricks us and there is no inner peace. We need to come to God regularly to seek forgiveness.
(Luke 7:36-50 NIV) Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. {37} When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, {38} and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. {39} When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is–that she is a sinner.” {40} Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. {41} “Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. {42} Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” {43} Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. {44} Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. {45} You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. {46} You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. {47} Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven–for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” {48} Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” {49} The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” {50} Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
When we sin against God, we have no peace with God. King David was tormented internally when he committed the sin of adultery with Bathsheba. His inner spirit dried up. It was only when he cried out to God for forgiveness that he experienced inner peace.
Jesus can give us peace by extending forgiveness to us. Are you experiencing no inner peace because you have some unconfessed sin? The way to receive Jesus’ peace is to do what that woman did – that is to come to Him to receive forgiveness.
Jesus gives peace from suffering
(Mark 5:24-34 NIV) So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. {25} And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. {26} She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. {27} When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, {28} because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” {29} Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. {30} At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” {31} “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?'” {32} But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. {33} Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. {34} He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
This woman who touched Jesus had no peace. She was suffering from a bleeding problem for twelve years. Not only that, when Jesus asked who touched Him, she was filled with fear and trembling.
Jesus gave her peace in the midst of her suffering. Are you suffering today? Jesus can give you that peace because He is the Prince of peace.
Jesus gives us peace in the midst of persecution
(John 16:32-33 NIV) “But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. {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.”
Before Jesus left this world, He warned His disciples that they were going to experience persecution because of Him. Yet they can have peace because Jesus had overcome the world.
If you are experiencing persecution today, commit the matter to God and let Him who has overcome the world take control of the situation.
We have the peace of God when we trust in Him
(Mat 8:23-26 NIV) Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. {24} Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. {25} The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” {26} He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
In the midst of a life-threatening situation, Jesus was found sleeping. Now that’s peace! He had so much peace because He trusted in His Father to protect Him. He did not look at the current situation. Peace comes from trusting in God.
(Rom 15:13 NIV) May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Phil 4:6-7 NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. {7} And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Jesus kept the peace and avoided conflict
(Mat 26:50-52 NIV) Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. {51} With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. {52} “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
Jesus was a man of peace. He avoided conflict at all cost. When one of His disciples retaliated in anger, Jesus rebuked him.
We must learn from the Prince of peace the need to avoid conflict. Some of us are quarrelsome and some may be confrontational. This is often reflected in our attitude towards others and the things we say to them. Is there a way we can achieve the same purpose and fulfill the aim of avoiding conflict?