Reflections

Today's sermon was on the Triumphal entry found in John 12:12-19, and the question "What is peace?"

John 12:12-19 (NET 2nd ed.)

12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him. They began to shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!” 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, 15 “Do not be afraid, people of Zion; look, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt!” 16 (His disciples did not understand these things when they first happened, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about him and that these things had happened to him.) 17 So the crowd who had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead were continuing to testify about it. 18 Because they had heard that Jesus had performed this miraculous sign, the crowd went out to meet him. 19 Thus the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you can do nothing. Look, the world has run off after him!”

The Jews were expecting a conqueror to set them free from Rome, not a perfect sacrifice to set them free from Sin and Death. This is what would bring true peace in their lives, regeneration and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

One of the texts referenced was Romans 5:

Romans 5:1-5 (NET 2nd ed.)

1 Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have also obtained access into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory. 3 Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance, character, and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

You can have peace through suffering, because ultimately peace comes from God, and from abiding in His will, not yours. Sometimes you don't need the situation to change, you need to change.

Granted, there are times when the situation is within your control and you do need to change some things because the chaos and pain is self inflicted. By all means do so and lean on the Holy Spirit for wisdom in how to change things. But if the chaos is outside of you control, then you need to lean on God to sustain you in your time of trouble.

Philippians 1:6 (NET 2nd ed.)

6 For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.