The Gospel of John: John 14.15-31

Read and meditate on John 14.27, 28.
Jesus promised a peace unlike anything they’d ever known, peace strong and true enough to overcome all their trials and fears.

                          ²⁷“I leave My peace
with you; I give it to you – not a peace
such as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your heart be troubled; nor should you
fear anything. ²⁸For you have heard Me say
to you that shortly I must go away,
but I am coming back again. If you
loved Me, you would rejoice to hear this, too,
for I am going to the Father, Who
is greater than I am.”

- John 14.27, 28

Reflect
1.  The peace people seek in the world is based on achieving favorable conditions. World peace, domestic peace, and so forth, all depend on getting and maintaining the right circumstances. The peace of Jesus is not like that. Explain. Complete this prayer: Thank You for Your peace, Lord, which I know and enjoy as I…

2.  The peace Jesus promised is connected to the coming of the Spirit as our Helper, Comforter, Teacher, and indwelling Power. This peace is obviously a precious commodity. Why? What is it about the peace of Jesus that makes it so desirable? How can we have this peace? Lord, when I am experiencing Your peace, I…

3.  The opposite of Jesus’ peace is a troubled and fearful heart. But Jesus exhorted His disciples not be troubled in their heart, nor to be afraid. He implied, of course, that troubles and reasons to be afraid would be coming (as we shall see). But we do not need to be overcome by these, so that they keep us from living as Jesus intends. How would you counsel a new believer to draw on the peace of Jesus in the face of troubles or fears? What should that new believer expect from doing so? Lord, I know that whenever I’m afraid, or facing some trial or trouble, I can know Your peace by…

4.  In the Kingdom of God, the peace of Jesus and His joy are closely related (cf. Rom. 14.17, 18). Let’s not miss the basis for our ability to rejoice. We rejoice not because of things we can see, but because of unseen realities that we knowby faith alone (cf. Heb. 11.1). Why did Jesus say the disciples should rejoice (v. 28)? What should they have understood would happen by His going away? Why should this give them joy? Lord, let all my joy be grounded in You, and the knowledge that…

5. Jesus said the Father “is greater” than He is. This should not be taken to imply some subordination of the Son to the Father, as if the Father were somehow more fully God than the Son. Rather, Jesus is speaking only about roles in the divine Trinity and the unfolding Kingdom economy, which began with Jesus’ coming to earth. The Father is greater than the Son only because of His overall position in the divine plan. Should we expect this mutual respect and submission to be reflected in our lives together in the church? Meditate on Ephesians 5.18-21 as you think about your answer. Bring together into one your prayers from questions 1-4.

Summary
“And yet it is in him and from him that we have peace, whether it is the peace he leaves with us when going to the Father or that which he will give us when we ourselves are brought by him to the Father. And what is it he leaves with us, when ascending from us, other than his own presence, which he never withdraws? For he himself is our peace who has made both one. It is he, therefore, who becomes our peace, both when we believe that he is and when we see him as he is. For if—so long as we are in this corruptible body that burdens the soul and are walking by faith, not by sight—he does not forsake those who are sojourning at a distance from himself, how much more, when we have attained to that sight, shall he fill us with himself?” Augustine (354-430 AD)

Jesus is our peace, which He mediates to us by faith as we walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. By keeping Jesus’ words, we increase in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit. This is life in the Kingdom of God, which Jesus has received from the Father, and given to us. What does it mean for you to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, peace, and joy each day?

Closing Prayer
The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion.
Rule in the midst of Your enemies!
Your people shall bevolunteers
In the day of Your power;
In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning,
You have the dew of Your youth.

Psalm 110.1-3

Psalm 110.1-3 (Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation)
“Sit by Me at My right hand,” the Lord says to my Lord,
"Until I make Your foot stand on all who hate Your Word.”
From in His Church the Savior rules all His enemies;
While those who know His favor go forth the Lord to please.           

T. M. Moore

We are happy to offer each week’s Scriptorium studies in a free weekly PDF, suitable for personal or group use. You can download all the studies in our series on the Gospel of John by clicking here. Please prayerfully consider sharing with The Fellowship of Ailbe through your giving. You can contribute to The Fellowship by clicking the Contribute button at the website or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.

Men, God is calling you to pray. Watch this brief video, then seek the Lord about joining our Men at Prayer movement.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.