Jesus Our Peace – Part One

Having peace is part of living the abundant life that Jesus came to give us (John 10:10). Peace can be experienced as a feeling of calm and knowing that God is in control. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace or Sar Shalom (Isaiah 9:6, 7). We normally think of peace as being mentally calm, freedom from disturbance and having serenity, quiet and tranquility but Jesus gives us much more than that. He doesn’t just give us peace; He is our peace! According to Wikipedia (en.m.wikepedia.org), Shalom is the Hebrew word meaning peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility. Jewish people still use this word as a greeting or blessing today. The New Testament Greek words for peace mean the same things.                                                                                                                                                                        

1) We must first have peace with God through Jesus before we can have peace in our lives. We have peace with God through Jesus (Romans 5:1) and the chastisement for our peace was upon Him on the cross (Isaiah 53:4, 5). God loves you, and He wants you to live in peace with Him and to receive eternal life and live forever with Him (John 3:16).

Peace comes from being in harmony with God, and is found in the person of Jesus Christ. He is peace, but He did not come to bring world peace. He came as a peacemaker who is a person who brings about peace especially by reconciling adversaries. He came to reconcile us to God, the Father.

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household’. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 10:34 – 39 (NKJV)

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Colossians 1:19, 20 (NKJV)

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:18 – 21 (NKJV)

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh, the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.Ephesians 2:14 – 16 (NKJV)

Everyone must decide what they will do with Jesus. That means this decision can even divide families, may cause persecution from society and from those in the world, etc. There is opposition to the gospel! His mission is to give His peace to those who follow Him (John 14:27; 16:33).

If you would like to experience the love of God and to have peace with Him through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, pray this suggested prayer out loud right now. You can also pray in your own words. Remember, it is not words or prayer alone that will save you. Prayer is a way to reach out to the Lord and must be done in faith (completely trusting in Him to save you). Christ will save you if you pray these or similar words in faith.

Heavenly Father,

Your Word says that whoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved. I ask You to forgive me for my sins. I want to turn from them and turn to You. I am calling on You and ask Jesus to come into my heart and be Lord over my life. I believe that Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood for me. I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead and He is alive today. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me the Holy Spirt to live inside of me. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and Your healing power in my life. I now belong to You. Help me to live for You and obey You all the days of my life.

In Jesus name, Amen.

If you prayed the prayer for salvation in faith, you are now a child of God and are in His family (John 1:12).

2) Jesus bequeathed (left) His peace to you as a child of God and all who embrace the gospel – His followers! When you have Jesus as your Savior, you can experience His peace. We need to live our lives on the peace that Christ won for us through the finished work of the cross.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NKJV)

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:1, 27 (NKJV)

And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”Mark 5:34 (NKJV)

Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” Luke 7:50 (NKJV)

The LORD will give strength to His people; the LORD will Bless His people with peace. Psalm 29:11 (NKJV)

For the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17 (NKJV)

The Holy Spirit who lives on the inside of us as believers in Christ is the One who enables and empowers us to walk in peace. He is the Spirit of Peace (Galatians 5:22; Romans 14:17). When we trust in Christ and rely on the Holy Spirit, walking in God’s peace through relationship with Him, helps us to spread the peace that God gives us to our families, our communities and to the world around us. His peace is transferable!

Next week we will discover more about Shalom, the peace that comes from God through Jesus Christ.