Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
A
peace treaty is a declaration that two warring parties have ceased their
hostilities. The Treaty of Paris ended
the Revolutionary War. The Treaty of Versailles
brought an end to WWI. Numerous cease-fire
agreements ended several other wars. And
whether it was an actual peace treaty or a cease-fire declaration, both
proclaim that men and women are brought out of warfare, danger, and
trouble. This is our idea of peace. That we’re brought out of trouble, that
hostilities cease, and that there’s no more fighting.
But
in today’s Gospel text Jesus says, “Peace I leave with
you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not
your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Jesus has a different idea of
peace. Jesus’ idea of peace isn’t to end
all the bad stuff in your life. His idea
of peace isn’t to bring to an end those things that annoy. Jesus’ idea of peace, as a pastor from
Colorado recently put it, isn’t to
remove you from trouble but to remove trouble from you.
Sin.
That’s the trouble. That’s what’s
working against peace. Do you see it in
your life? Do you keep God’s Word, as
Jesus says in the Gospel text? Does your
heart lust? Are you satisfied with what
God has given you? Do you love your
neighbor as Christ has loved you? Do you
reserve you fear, love, and trust for God alone? Sin separates us from God. It’s what drove Adam and Eve out of the
Garden, it’s what caused God to confuse the peoples’ language at the Tower of
Babel, and it’s what, ultimately, leads to the final separation from God.
Because of our sin, because of our
sinful nature, peace has been broken between God and there’s nothing we can do about it. So God does. “These things I have spoken to
you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your
remembrance all that I have said to you.”
Today is Pentecost, fifty days after
Easter and the Lord gives us the Paraklete the comforter, the helper, the
advocate. The one whom brings us peace.
How does He do
this? He leads you to Christ. The Holy Spirit is the “shy” Person of the
Trinity, He doesn’t draw attention to Himself, but points you to Jesus. He’s your guide for people who are separated
from God because of Sin who leads you to the cross of Christ; where you’re
given rest and comfort; peace and joy.
The ironic thing
is that the Holy Spirit guides you to peace with God by pointing you to one of
the most violent instruments of death created: the cross. Jesus’ death that was died for you. This Spirit leads you to Him who, viewed from
human eyes, is the most inglorious thing ever.
A dead man hanging on the cross doesn’t look very glamorous or glorious,
how can that ever bring peace? The blood
spilled from the sacred veins of the Son of God, to the world, looks
shameful. But through the Spirit and
through the eyes of faith that He brings to you, the crucifixion on the cross
is Jesus’ great and glorious moment… It’s your great and glorious moment.
The Spirit leads
you to Him who willingly died a sinner’s death for you. The Spirit leads you to Him who took all your
sins upon Himself and paid for them in full.
The times you’ve grumbled against God, the times you’ve lusted, the
times you’ve not been content with what you, and the times when your love for
God and others has failed. There’s not a
sin that Jesus didn’t die for. Even the
really bad ones. The ones you don’t want
anyone to know about. The ones that
cause you shame and grief. Jesus died
for you. That’s the Spirit’s task is to
lead you to Him who is your peace, your life and salvation. Who, by His death and resurrection, turns our
hearts full of trouble, into new hearts ready to love God and our neighbor. Who takes our sin out of us and takes them
upon Himself for you.
Now we can also
look at the world in a different light too.
Wars, tornadoes and floods will come, we still endure the results of a
world that’s fallen into sin. We still feel
the effects of this fallen world that’s full of trouble, but since Jesus has
died on the cross, even this fallen world need not frighten and terrify you,
even though you can be sure trouble will find you. Since Christ died on the cross, we have the
sure hope and comfort that He’s with us through disaster. God can even, though it’s sometimes hidden,
make good come from calamity. He gives
you the promise that because of the death of Jesus, He’s set all things right.
Peace has been
made between you and God. You’re
forgiven, God loves you. The Holy Spirit
leads us to the cross and opens our lips so that our mouths will declare His
praise. Of ourselves, we have no peace
with God, but because Jesus gone to the cross, you’re at perfect peace with
God. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses
all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life
everlasting. Amen.
