Two Peaces

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 20:19

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Peace (or shalom) was--and probably still is--a greeting among observant Jews. So it is a wish. One can see why...the Jews have had many things in their history as a race, but peace is not one of them. Peace, as Jesus taught, is based on obedience to His teachings (really His Commandments, to call them only teachings make them sound kind of voluntary).

Kind of like when people call Jesus a "great teacher." Sort of like my great teacher in high school Mr. Craney...but not more than a great teacher. And if Jesus teaches that He is God, and the person doesn't buy it, could that person really call Jesus (that teacher) "great?" Kind of like a math teacher saying 1 plus 1 equals 3. No, that would be a stupid teacher.

But, God's Commandments are in one sense voluntary...we don't have to obey them. But when we don't obey, chaos within and without forms a tag-team that busts us up. Pretty much a sure thing in life on this planet...a sure thing in eternity where all the books are cleared. Moral gravity is in full force in eternity. Now, it is moral gravity lite. Not everyone gets what they have coming to them in this life (good and bad).

These two verses of peace--one close to the cross pre-crucifixion, one close to the cross post-resurrection, are a bridge of peace. Without Jesus being raised from the dead, His promise of peace to His disciples before Golgotha would have no pillar to rest on the other side of His death. It would just kind of dangle out there in space...no foundation. Jesus's peace would then only be what the world offers.

Yet, since Jesus's pronouncement of peace is also stated by Him after he came back to life, you can bank on it baby. A sure pillar. Payment in full for our debts and peace as our return...no government pork project financing needed here. Now, that it is an real effective bridge to somewhere and not nowhere.

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