SATURDAY 25th APRIL 2020

SATURDAY 25 APRIL 2020

“The fruit of the Spirit is PEACE”

On the evening before he died, Jesus spoke words of comfort to his followers.

He said, “Do not be worried and upset,” Jesus told them. "Believe in God and believe also in me. There are many rooms in my Father's house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so. And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am. You know the way that leads to the place where I am going” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; so how can we know the way to get there?”

Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life;”

“If you love me, you will obey my commandments. I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will stay with you forever. He is the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God. The world cannot receive him, because it cannot see him or know him. But you know him, because he remains with you and is in you.

“When I go, you will not be left all alone; I will come back to you.

“I have told you this while I am still with you. The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.” (John 14)

I have spoken these words countless times over the years at funeral services. I believe they are as comforting today as they were the night the Saviour first spoke them. And it’s interesting to note that the words spoken by Jesus the evening before he died, are very similar to those spoken to frightened followers on the evening of his resurrection.

"When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

The promises of Jesus are fulfilled in the presence of his followers.

He has come back to them; he has given them the breath of the Holy Spirit, a wee taste of what is to come when the Spirit will fall upon them in 40 days time. And he once more speaks words of PEACE.

Jesus followers were worried, anxious, they were grieving, they weren’t sure what the future held for them. But, Jesus knew everything about them in those days, and..........Jesus knows everything about each one of us today and every day.

To know his PEACE in these days is such a wonderful fruit to enjoy.

I used to be chaplain to a primary School in Alloa. The head teacher was a wonderful Christian lady, and did not hide this fact from the children, parents or staff in the school.

The children sang songs by Fischy Music at school assemblies and I was always encouraged to bring a Christian message to the children, either at school, or when they visited the church.

I know that sometimes she was given a hard time for this, but she did not ever waver ever in her faithfulness to her Lord.

The first time I visited her in her office I was surprised to see this picture hanging on her wall.

It shows a lighthouse keeper standing safe and sound in the midst of a storm.

I asked her about it and she said it was to remind her that no matter what storms came her way in her work, she could know the PEACE Jesus promised her. PEACE that the world did not understand, but she did.

I pray that PEACE intoyour lives today,

God Bless.