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Eyes Up - part 4 - Peace

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“...where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord....
Psalm 121:1-2 NIV

 There are just some things that we need help with and that is just a fact. So in this series of posts we are looking at a few of those kind of things and trying change our focus to the One that can give us true help with these things. We have been focusing in on Psalm 121:1-2 for this “Eyes Up” refocus. The psalmist realized that there is really only one true source of help and refocused attention to that source. The topic of today’s post is one that is really only found in Jesus.

 Peace. What is that anymore?

 Look around you, turn on the news or scroll Facebook/Twitter and you will see there is really no such thing as peace anymore. People are constantly at each other because of their opinions and refusing to accept one another’s views and move on with life. There is chaos in the line at Walmart because someone cut in line and instead of just letting them have the spot - a verbal fight breaks out. There are posts on Facebook that end up in a verbal war - behind a screen - because people just let it go. I see people yelling and mscreaming at other people and then I realize it’s because they forgot to get bread. There are riots and protests and tension all over. There is no peace because we have the wrong focus.

 David writes:

 “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
Psalm 133:1 NIV

 I am sitting here writing this post in a state of peace - because I refuse to engage my energy in stupid arguments that will not get me anywhere. You may not believe me. There are times when I scroll through Facebook and see something that I could comment on - and boy is it a good comment. But I keep scrolling because I know 20 comments later - after the battle of opinions - that I am going to be mad at the whole situation because in the end it was just a waste of time. We have lost what it means to be unified and live in peace with each other. We all have to be right right right and it’s robbing us of our peace.

 How do we get true peace? - Eyes Up.

 Jesus had been with His disciples for about 3 years now. They had become close and learned a lot from Jesus and each other. Then one day they sat down to dinner with Jesus and Jesus started talking and acting weird.

 First, He got down one His hands and knees and started washing their feet - a job that was meant for a lowly servant. Then Jesus told them that one of the people at the table would betray Him. Finally, He looked at Peter and told him that he would deny every knowing Jesus (John 13). Wow! What a dinner right!

 Jesus and the disciples then go on a walk. They were walking to the garden where Jesus would often pray. He has a conversation with them along the way and tells them a lot of things that led them to have a lot of questions. Jesus also told them that the world would hate them for having and continuing to follow Him (John 14-16).

 Well, isn’t that just good news! Jesus was on a roll with the crazy talk.

 But then He said the words below to His beloved friends and our eyes up answer for peace:

 “I have told you these things, so that in me may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33 NIV

 Did you catch it? It’s easy to fly over these two simple words. I did. I went right by them and I have even taught this verse. But the Bible breathes (2 Timothy 3:16 + Hebrews 4:12) and is alive! Words that you have read in the Bible before can come to life at different season of your life. So I ask again - did you catch the two words?

 “I have told you these things, so that in me may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33 NIV

 Jesus basically says - the only way to have true peace is - “in me”. In Jesus alone will we find true peace. Jesus is the only One that has “overcome the world”. If Jesus beat the world - we can too. We just need to have our eyes up and see how He did it.

 And I can tell you one thing - Jesus (and the disciples) didn’t have peace by engaging in pointless arguments. The disciples watched Jesus who had His eyes up and by watching Jesus the disciples knew where to fix their gaze.

 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith...” Hebrews 12:2 NIV
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