Peace Nothing Can Destroy


My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.--John 14: 17.

The world may give you things that will make you feel at ease, and so at peace. But you can lose those things, and then your feeling of ease will be gone, and the peace that feeling gave you will be turned into anguish and bitterness.

The peace Christ gives is His peace--“My peace I give to you.” He was poor, had not where to lay His head (Luke 9: 58). But poverty didn't disturb His peace. He was hated and crucified, but that didn't break His peace. He died, saying, “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23: 46). The source of His peace was trust in the heavenly Father, the doing of His will, the consciousness that there was nothing between Him and the Father. And that is the peace He gives us. He removes the barrier of sin that separates us from the Father, and brings us into a trustful and obedient relationship with Him. Thus, the source of His peace becomes the source of our peace.

This is peace which the world can neither give nor take away.

After His resurrection Christ appeared to the disciples, and said to them, “Peace be unto you.” (John 20: 19). The words had back of them the power and authority of His resurrection. He had defeated all the forces which destroy the peace of men. The disciples were in great fear because of the hostility that encompassed them, the self-same hostility which had encompassed His death. Now, having overcome death, He said, “Peace be unto you.” It was as though He said: “The things you fear cannot harm you. Death is not the end--behold me alive! Be at peace, for whether in life or death you are safe.”

He then showed them the crucifixion wounds in His hands and in His side, so that there might be no doubt in their minds that He was the Lord. And then He repeated the same words, prefacing a commission: “Peace be unto you; as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (v.21). They were to be sent as He had been sent, to accomplish the Father’s will and purpose. By the fact of His resurrection, they could be at peace and assured of being victorious in their mission, even though they went His way of suffering and death.

The peace Christ gives is abiding--peace nothing can destroy.