Jesus Christ went to the Cross to open the door for us to share in the peace He had when facing the Cross. The world has forms of peace; financial peace, peace treaties, but Christ offers a peace that He earned for us and that is beyond any form of peace this world offers, it is to have peace with God.
Jesus has been telling them, what’s He been telling them? He’s telling them that He is going to die. He has been telling them that He is going to be betrayed. He has been telling them that He is going away. And they’re troubled. They’re sorrowful. But Jesus is calm.
What?! Jesus calm?! You’re just a few hours away from going to suffer one of the most painful indescribable deaths. I mean do you recognize crucifixion, yes, it was meant to kill. But it was meant to put a person in the most agonizing torture, oftentimes for days.
In fact, Pilate was surprised that Jesus died so quickly. Typically, they did not die that quickly. It was a horrible way to die. “What Lord? Peace? You’re talking about peace and calm. You’ve got this tranquility and you’re going to be scourged. You’re going to be maligned, you’re going to be abused. They’re going to pound you… And above all, the Father’s cup of wrath awaits you and you’re at peace? How can this be?”
Now listen, this is the kind of peace I want. There are two things about this type of peace. It is obviously a peace that transcends circumstances even the most horrible circumstances. Look, no one has ever been on the eve of such horrors as Christ is at this moment. This is a peace that transcends all circumstances. But this is a peace I want, because I don’t only want that peace that transcends all circumstances. But this is the peace of one who has never sinned. I mean, do you recognize that? I don’t want a different kind of peace than what He has. I want the peace of one who has never sinned. That’s the kind of peace I want! Isn’t that the kind of peace you want?
Jesus was constantly in a peace before His Father as One who had always done His Father’s will. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself is going to the cross, I want that kind of perfect peace. Jesus went to the cross to open the door for us to share that peace. What kind of peace? The peace of being in a position where I can stand before the Father as though I’ve never sinned. There is no condemnation. He finds no blemish in me. I wear the robe of righteousness. Jesus went to the cross that I might have His peace just like that. It’s unlike any peace that you can find in the world.
Now look, the world has forms of peace. I was thinking, what types just popped in my head? Financial peace. People talk about that today. An officer of the peace, a justice of the peace. Peace treaties, they’re always trying to get one over in the middle east. I’m good with financial peace. When it’s there, I like it. Do you not like it? There are forms of peace in this world. I like to see the peace officer drive by my house. I live in a rough East Side neighborhood. That gives me some comfort.
But you know, what’s the problem with all the different kinds of peace that the world gives? Well, I’ll tell you this one. If there is an angry God waiting on the other side. Then it is no good, whatever kind of peace it is. It is hollow, shallow, it’s fleeting. It’s just temporary peace. That’s what this inner circle with Jesus is all about. He is saying “Come in, I want you to have this peace.” It is a peace where there is the confidence in the Father’s love. It is a peace where there is that confidence that we are accepted by the Father. You see, we still sin but He never did! He never was in a position like that. And oh, the devil is artful in using that against us. But do you see this all comes to it being a peace that He earned for us. It’s a peace like the one He had. He can stand before His Father with no sin. It’s this truth of justification, oh we’ve got to live on it. I will tell you, this peace is only going to be nurtured as we thrive on, as we put our teeth into this doctrine of justification. That He laid down His life. That in the courtroom of God there is nothing against my account. There is nothing held. There is nothing to my record. There is total forgiveness. “All my sins not in part but the whole,” they’re all nailed there, they are nailed to His cross. I don’t bear any of them, not a single sin.
That is where this peace comes from. You can have a bad day and live in this peace. Jesus never had a bad day. He lived in the peace of His own righteousness. But you can have a bad day because you don’t live in peace or not in peace before God based on your own merits. You’ve been brought into an inner circle that has been purchased by Christ. He is this eternal life that came into this world. He is the Word of life, He came as the light of life. And He shines it upon us, we trust Him. And we have His love, we have His peace. And there is one more thing, there is His joy.
