Spirituality Column #753

April 20, 2021

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

End Game: Peace in Our Time

By Bob Walters

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27, Jesus to the disciples in his closing comments at the Last Supper.

Jesus spoke deeply and personally of peace toward the end of the Last Supper.

But I doubt anyone there – his disciples and other followers who might have attended – truly heard his words let alone understood the peace Jesus was describing. 

Peace could not possibly have been on their restless minds.

They had spent the week with Jesus in tumultuous Jerusalem.  It was already crowded because of the Passover and abuzz with the presence of Jesus who had raised Lazarus out of the tomb just a week or so before.  It was also full of angry Jewish leaders, a Roman governor named Pilate, and an extra 2,000 or so Roman soldiers.

For the disciples, the Last Supper kicked off what had to be the weirdest and most non-peaceful four days of their lives.  They knew the Jewish leaders were trying to kill Jesus, they themselves were lying low, hiding in fear for their own lives, and Jesus himself told the disciples He would die but return in “a little while.”  Confusing.

When the disciples argued who was best among them – again, no peace – Jesus removed His outer garment and, nearly naked, washed their feet. Unsettling.

Then He commanded them to be servants to others and not to compete to be “the most important.”  Unnatural.  He told them to love others in humility.  Unfamiliar.

Jesus declared a looming betrayal of Him by one of them to the Jewish leaders.  Alarming.  He then identified and dismissed Judas to go do exactly that.  Horrifying.

Jesus in His own way reaffirmed He was the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, and their Lord.  And that He would die.  Frightening.  And come back.  Mystifying.

How could the disciples find earthly peace, as they understood it, amid the fear and uncertainty of those perilous moments?  They were worried about their physical safety and Jesus’ dire predictions. None grasped that the peace Jesus described was himself, the peace of his Person through whom they would be saved and know God.  This peace was not an absence of trouble; it was a real relationship with Jesus Christ.

We think of Jesus in that moment, himself knowing all that would happen to him in the next 24 hours. The sins of the world would fall on his shoulders.  He would be crucified.  His mother Mary and beloved friend John would watch Him die a horrid, violent death. The Jewish leaders would cheer.  The Roman soldiers wouldn’t care.

This is more “trouble” than any of us will know in our lifetimes.  The lesson to us, even now, is to trust in and be obedient to God. On the cross, Jesus showed us how.

We will never find peace by railing at the world, cursing God or Satan, or heaping blame on injustice and misfortune.  We find our peace by calling on the person of Jesus.  We run to Him, stand with Him, and trust what He knows: the eternal peace of God.

Our peace in Jesus cannot be gauged by worldly safety, but He is our one shot at peace in our time.  Peace is our relationship with Jesus, and our assuredness in God’s eternal promise and purpose of salvation ahead: our life with Him in heaven.  

Our purpose in this life is to glorify God by believing Jesus is His Son and by loving others.  That can be tough amid the worldly turmoil and ungodliness we see every day.  Peace is trusting the end game, and the end game is the resurrected Jesus.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) talks a big game but admits to unpeaceful moments.