Welcome to Week 35 (and our last message of 2023) of our “Weekend Wind-Down” series. This series is where we take a piece of scripture, get its background information, and dig deeper into it to see what the Bible says about it and what we need to walk away with.
Our scripture focus today is John 16:33 which says:
33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.
John wrote this Gospel to prove once and for all that Jesus is the Son of God and that all who believe in him will have eternal life.
Jesus tells his disciples to have courage. Feel confident. Be strong. Through all the struggles they would inevitably face as a follower of Christ, Jesus reminds them that they would be alone. He didn’t abandon them, and he doesn’t abandon us when we struggle. He may feel far when we hurt, but he’s still with us. Like a child that runs to their parent or a loved one when they get hurt or are scared, Jesus provides us the same feeling here. We can run to get when we hurt and remember that he has overcome. Suppose we remember that the ultimate victory has already happened through Jesus. In that case, we can find and utilize the peace of Christ when we feel the most troubled. What is this peace? John 14:27 says:
27 “I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
When we think of peace, we tend to think of it as the absence of conflict. The peace that Jesus provides confidence and assurance in all circumstances, not just when we have no conflict. Sin, fear, doubt, and anxiety constantly fight to control our minds and hearts. The peace from Jesus restrains these forces from taking over and provides comfort instead of conflict. It’s a glorious gift; all it takes is to accept it. We have to accept the gift of Jesus’ peace because no earthly force can substitute it. We can find things to numb our struggles, like alcohol, porn, gambling, and more, but there is nothing like the peace of Jesus that can calm the mind and allow us to work through our problems.
Paul tells the Romans this about Jesus’ peace in Romans 5:1:
1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
We find peace with God, which can be different from feeling peaceful. Becoming peaceful with God means that we have been reconciled with him. What does reconciled mean? Generally, it means to restore friendly relations between two parties. More specifically, it means to cause coexistence in harmony. God brought us into harmony with him. God brought us into a right-standing relationship with him. How? Through the sacrifice of Jesus.
Peace with God is possible only because Jesus paid the price for our sins through his death on the cross. Even in the greatest of tragedies, we can have God’s peace because of our hope and faith in his promises.
What a word to end 2023 on, right? What are you hoping for as we walk into 2024? Is it peace? Is it being stress-free? Is it stability? Whatever it is, we know that Jesus Christ walks with us hand-in-hand on the path God created for us. Let’s make 2024 the best year yet!
That said, let me share with you a preview of what to expect for our blog because God is doing big things. God has pushed me to create more. So, instead of two blogs per week, we are moving to five blogs per week. God has said, “If you want to take this seriously, I want to see the work.” The outlet this blog has been for me over 2023, with seven new series and a new devotional series, has been indescribable. I’ve been able to learn and apply many new teachings and understandings of scripture and who God is into my life by teaching you about it. I will also continue the two YouTube videos and two podcasts per week on the same schedule they’re in. I’ll discuss that in my 2023 Review/2024 Preview next week. Here’s the schedule of what you can expect:
The big gap in the review/preview blog is that I feel God wants me to share my story from 2023, which has been a rough year. With that, I will need to write, prepare, edit, format, and pray over what that will look like. I know it will be an emotional story to write and share, and I want to ensure I do this in the healthiest way possible. So, be prepared. Until next year, friends, stay blessed!
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