Do you need encouragement in the midst of tribulation? Listen to the words Jesus gave His apostles in John 14:13-14: “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” If we love Jesus, we will be loved by both the Father and the Son and will understand who Jesus is (14:21, 23). Do you want peace in life? Love Jesus Christ and embrace the ramifications of that love – both obedience to His commandments and His permanent presence in your life. See also 15:7: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” See also 15:16; 16:23-24.
We have spoken before about the Holy Spirit teaching us through the words of the apostles the doctrine of Christ. In 14:25-26 Jesus mentions the role of the Holy Spirit in the apostles yet again. But then building on that promise, in verse 27, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” If you want to have shalom, serenity in your heart, understand that the peace Jesus gives is a spiritual peace. That is guaranteed. But that might not be the type of peace we are wanting, or at least we want something more.
When we do experience tribulation, we can find peace in knowing that God is pruning us to be more like His Son. In John 15:2, Jesus says, “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” If my tribulations are producing humility in me, or patience, or courage, or love for others, then Jesus is pruning away bad qualities, sinful characteristics, and He is making me more like Himself. For that reason, I can find peace in Jesus Christ. As Jesus prunes us through our tribulations, then we bear more fruit and we glorify our Creator (15:8). Doesn’t that bring some peace of mind?
Do you want to have peace? Observe the words of Jesus in 15:9-11: “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” Observe the link between: Love – obedience – joy. Do you want peace of mind? Love Jesus. Obey Him. And His joy will be in you. That ought to give us peace of mind.
In Christ Jesus, we are God’s friends (John 15:13) and we have been chosen by God in His Son (15:16).
Speaking of love, do you want to have peace of mind? Then make sure you are loving as Christ loved. In John 15:17, Jesus commands: “This I command you, that you love one another.” When we know that we are showing Christ’s love to others, including our enemies, when we know we have done the right thing – regardless how our enemy responds – then we can have peace of mind.
Observe in 16:22 that Jesus promises: “Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.” The blessings we have in Christ Jesus – the spiritual blessings that is – cannot be taken away from us. That ought to give us peace of mind.
Family, Jesus wants our joy to be made full (John 16:24). He wants us to have peace of mind. Remember that Paul describes God as the “God of encouragement” (Rom. 15:5) Jesus has used the word “joy” seven times in this series of chapters (John 13-17).
Paul Holland