Peace – Fruit of the Spirit

  Posted on 15th November 2016  by Tom Barns  No comments

John 14v23-31

The world is quite keen on peace – national peace, interpersonal peace, personal peace.

But do they have peace?

• Isaiah 59v7-8 – they don’t know peace
• Isaiah 57v19-20 – there is no peace for the wicked
• Jer 6v14 – they say ‘peace, peace’ when there is no peace

Jesus gives peace not as the world gives. What does the Bible say about peace?

Peace with God

This is the peace the world doesn’t seek.

See how we lost it – Genesis 3

But throughout the scriptures, though men are afraid of God, and of his messengers, the message they bring is a message of peace and reconciliation (Judges 6v22-24, Luke 2v1014)

This is a peace that comes through Jesus Christ (Rom 5v1-2, Isaiah 53v5)

Throughout the New Testament letters, of Paul, Peter and John, the headline greeting is of grace and peace coming from God.

We can be sure of this peace because we have the Spirit as our advocate.

Personal peace

Jesus offered peace to his disciples even in a time of great trouble: John 14v1, 14v27, 16v33 Trouble. How can we have peace in it? Because Jesus says ‘I have overcome the world’. So pray to him in everything (Phil 4v6-7) He cares for you.

Peace with others

It is our responsibility. See all the following verses which emphasise how we are responsible to strive after it: Matt 5v9, Rom 12v18, Rom 14v19, Col 3v15, Heb 12v14, 1 Peter 3v10-11 Pursue it – the word used is the same one as Paul’s persecution of the church, chase it down, hound it down. Take the initiative.

And this is part of being transformed into God’s image, by the Spirit: 2 Cor 13v11

National peace

Read Isaiah 2v3-5. It’s a peace that is brought about as individuals

• are reconciled to God
• walk in his way

This too is the work of the Spirit.

And it’s a peace that increases forever (Isaiah 9v6-7)

And all of these start with peace with God.