Peace in Believing John 20

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 "The Peace of Believing"  Acts 4:32-35; I John 1:1-2:2; John 20:19-31

"I rest beneath the Almighty's shade,

My griefs expire, my troubles cease;

Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stayed,

Wilt keep me still in perfect peace."

Charles Wesley.

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee"  Isaiah 26:3

The word peace is eirḗnē (from eirō, "to join, tie together into a whole") – properly, wholeness, i.e. when all essential parts are joined together; peace (God's gift of wholeness) biblehub.com

1.  Fear present . gk phobia-from phebomai, "to flee, withdraw" In its usage, " (a) fear, terror, alarm, (b) the object or cause of fear, (c) reverence, respect."  biblehub.com

John 20:19 sets the scene when Jesus comes to the Disciples. 

They locked the doors for " fear of the Jews"

What strikes fear into our hearts?   

2.  Peace comes when fear leaves. The cost is " Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith unto  them, ' Peace be unto you'.  And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side"  Jn 20:19

14:27 " My peace I give unto you; not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

3.   “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”22When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

--We are to be peacemakers instead of antagonistic and argumentative.   This will take some effort on our part.  In the body we are one in Christ, but it takes work to be unified in Christ.  We should set our affection on things above, and not on the things of the earth.  

4. Lastly and the title of the message is here, " Peace in believing " peace of believing".... or .  Thomas , the twin, Didymus.

True peace came to him finally , " My Lord and my God"

" Jesus is mine ---in Him I have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, a saving interest in all the promises and in all the perfections of God.   He will guide me by his counsel,  support me by his power, comfort me with his presence, while I am here; and afterwards, when flesh and heart fail---he will receive me to his glory!"   John Newton ( who wrote Amazing Grace )

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