Go in Peace! – Sharing God’s Wonderful Grace With All People

Preached on August 18, 2024

Because of God’s grace Jesus left us with His peace. In the battle of good and evil, what are you leaving with those you interact with? The last thing we should leave with others is bitter and sour fruit! Join Pastor McCrary as he goes over how Jesus instructs His disciples to go in peace and bear the good fruits of the Spirit.

Introduction

Your every interaction with someone will have an affect on them for the good or for the bad.  As a child of God, the goal is for us to bear the fruits of the Spirit which will uplift those who eat of it.  Our goal should be to leave peace with others rather than leave them feeling bitter, hatred, or in despair.  So, we must answer the question today:  what are you giving and or leaving with others?

Jesus Gives His Peace

John 14 opens with Jesus telling the disciples not to let their hearts be troubled but to have faith in Him.  Jesus said that after identifying His betrayer (John 13:21-26), and telling Peter that He would deny Him three times (John 13:37-38).  Even more, Jesus said that after speaking of His approaching death (John 12:32-33).

So, it makes sense that the disciples were troubled in their hearts but Jesus did not want them to despair.  So, in my key verse, Jesus once again told the disciples to not be troubled in their hearts nor to be afraid.  However, this time, Jesus gives them the reason why they ought not be troubled.  Jesus tells them that He has given to them His peace.

Do you understand how valuable Jesus’ peace is?  The world, through its riches, is unable to give us peace like Jesus’ peace.  Yes, the riches of the world can make us happy but that happiness only lasts for moments.  Sinful man is unable to give the peace that Jesus gives because his nature is corrupt.  Yes, we can make each other happy for moments, but at the same time, we can give each other a headache!

Eternal rest for the soul

Now, the last thing Jesus desired was to leave the disciples alone and with a headache (John 14:18).  So, He said to them that He would pray to the Father and the Father would give them another Helper to abide with them forever (John 14:16).   Now, those of a worldly mindset can’t receive the Spirit because they don’t know Him. However, the Spirit of truth would dwell with and be with the disciples forever (John 14:17).

When He spoke about the role of the Spirit of truth, Jesus said that the Spirit would testify of Christ and guide His disciples into all truth (John 16:13).  This meant that Jesus was leaving the eleven with confidence in knowing the way of God.  In other words, Jesus gave them rest from having a heart of fear, anxiety, worry, and doubt.  That sounds like peace to me!

As Jesus left and gave the eleven peace of mind, He will give you peace of mind.  As shown throughout the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit can be received by anybody.  As Peter once preached, the Holy Spirit comes upon and is received by those who repent and abide in the will of God (Acts 2:38-39).  So, to all who are of true faith, Jesus has left with us the Spirit of truth— peace of mind, heart, and soul.

What Do You Leave With Others

Knowing that Jesus has given His peace to all of us, has caused me to consider of late, what are we giving to others?  In my two prior sermons of this series, we have seen the impact of Daniel’s conviction on his friends.  So, what impact are you having on your family, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers?  

Bearing and leaving good fruit

I don’t think we fully understand the impact we can have on each other on a spiritual level.  Proverbs 27:17 tells us of the positive impact we can have on those around us.  The proverb states, “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”  While this positive impact is true, we know that the opposite holds true as well.

If one’s soul is foul, bitter, and upset, it can have a negative impact on you.  If one’s soul is miserable or in despair, it can bring the soul of others down to a dark place as well.  This is why scripture is filled with encouraging positive interactions!  For example, in Hebrews 12:14-15, the writer encourages us to “pursue peace with all people.”  The writer desired that no root of bitterness would spring up in us and cause trouble and defile many.  

As a child of God, your goal is simple:  leave with others good fruit that uplifts them!  We are to bear the fruits that are of the Spirit which include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23).  It is impossible to bear such fruit from a spirit that is bitter and evil!

Therefore, as Paul said, we ought not judge one another nor put a stumbling block or a cause for falling in the way of others (Rom. 14:13).  To cause another to stumble and to fall wouldn’t be righteous, would it?  To the Cornithian church, Paul called on believers not to give offense in anything so that our ministry may not be blamed (2 Cor. 6:3).  So, again, I tell you that the goal and directive is quite clear:  go in peace and love.  

The goal is to leave others with the peace and love of Christ and not to leave them with a fruit that is bitter and sour!  As we know, the manna, the fruit of God, is sweet to the taste and desirable to consume.  As David said, we must convince others to taste and see that the Lord is good and that His word is sweeter than honey and the honeycomb (Ps. 19:9-10; 34:8)!

How to Go in Peace

Now, let’s take a look at scripture from Matthew 10:5-16 so that we can see how Jesus directs us to go in peace. This is a passage of scripture that covered Jesus sending out the twelve for the first time.  

Move out of sincere love, not selfishly

Let’s first notice what Jesus told the twelve to share with others in Matthew 10:7.  Jesus instructed them to “preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  Let’s be very clear that the primary focus of the twelve was the kingdom of heaven and not anything else.  This was a message that called on listeners to repent and prepare themselves to stand before the Lord.

Guess what we should be preaching today?  The kingdom of heaven being at hand is a powerful message, isn’t it?  It is a message that all need to hear, isn’t it?  Now, I want you to notice the manner of conduct Jesus instructed the twelve to have in ministering this message.  

Jesus instructed the twelve to “heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out demons (Matt. 10:8).”  With those gifts, Jesus told them, “freely you have received, freely give.”  It doesn’t sound like the disciples were supposed to use those gifts for profit, does it?  It doesn’t sound like the disciples were to be ministering for gain, does it?  Jesus gave them those gifts freely and they were supposed to share them freely!

Like the disciples, we have received gifts freely from God because of His grace and through the Spirit.  Therefore, when we share our gifts, shouldn’t we give them freely?  God desires that we share them freely.  Whatever we do should be done in His name and out of sincere love rather than selfish ambition!

So, there is a certain kind of dignity, honor, and respect we must have in bearing our fruit, isn’t there?  Yes, there is a certain kind of dignity, honor, and respect we must have towards all people.  We must move in the highest kind of dignity, honor, and respect with sincere love and not selfishness.

Returning the grace of others

This highest manner of conduct is further instructed by Jesus to the twelve when He spoke to them about entering a town or city.  

When entering a town or city, Jesus instructed them to inquire about who was worthy (deserving or welcoming) and stay with them (Matt. 10:11).  Now, these instructions don’t fit our day considering that if we travel somewhere, we can make reservations.  However, within these instructions, I’d point out the idea of not encroaching or imposing on others.

Now, notice what Jesus said they were to do when entering into a home.  Jesus instructed that when they entered a home they were to greet the household (Matt. 10:12)!  Jesus was essentially telling them to be polite, courteous, and respectful!  When I was growing up, mom and dad raised us to say hello when we entered a house or room – that’s the polite, courteous, and respectful thing to do!

The point of Jesus instructing the twelve to conduct themselves in this manner is summed up in Matthew 10:13.  Jesus instructed the disciples to let their peace come upon the household that was worthy (welcoming) to them.  This concept is one we learned growing up – grace received should be returned in kind!  

When you are treated with love, shouldn’t you return that love?  When someone shows you grace, you should certainly return their grace!  What have they done to us for us to return their grace by mistreating or despising them?  We all learned the golden rule growing up that we should treat others the way we want to be treated (Matt. 7:12).

To mistreat those who are kind and nice to us is the highest form of wickedness and evil!  Is that what the Lord desires out of us?  Absolutely not!  Jesus’ call is for us to go in grace and to go in peace no matter!

Always giving grace

Now, the problem that many of us face today is that it feels more and more rare to receive grace from others.  We live in a society that is quickly becoming more and more mean-spirited.  As I have said in recent weeks, there is a vileness and cruelty that is celebrated in our world as people become more mean-spirited.  

There is this thought that quite a few folks have today to where if someone is mean-spirited towards them, they will be mean-spirited in return.  Is this the proper mindset for a child of God?  We who are of sincere faith know that such a mindset isn’t proper.  However, for those that have the burning desire to be mean-spirited in return, let’s take a look at Jesus’ instructions.

In Matthew 10:13, Jesus told the twelve that if a household wasn’t worthy (welcoming), then they were to let their peace return to them.  Now, some of you may sit up and say to me, “See, Pastor, Jesus tells us not to give them our peace.”  However, I want you to think hard about this statement to consider what it means.

Consider this:  were the disciples supposed to respond to a household that rejected them with anger and hate?  Would that be something that Jesus would do?  Absolutely not.  

Were the disciples supposed to respond to a household that pushed them away by being rude to them?  Would Jesus have responded rudely ifHe was pushed away.  When Jesus first announced His ministry, His own hometown was filled with wrath and desired to kill Him.  Jesus passed through the midst of the anger and went His way (Luke 4:16-21; 28-30).

The disciples were supposed to “let their peace return to them” or keep their peace.  Rather than lashing out and trying to impose themselves on others, they were supposed to have self-control – remain peaceful.  Keeping their peace still was a manner of actually imparting peace and grace to those that had rejected them!  This is shown to us when Jesus told the disciples to shake off the dust from their feet and go their way (Matt. 10:14). 

Sadly, such a concept has been lost on us as many will try to impose their will rather than let people be.  We must remember grace for grace is the notion behind Jesus’ instructions going in peace.  What this means is that the Lord is constantly pouring out His love and blessings onto us and we should move in that love.  Whether we have been loved or rejected by others, we should never be moved from the grace God has shown us!

Follow Jesus’ Example

When He first sent out the twelve, Jesus understood very well that He was sending them into the midst of wolves (Matt. 10:16).  Jesus understood what it was like to be in the midst of wolves because He Himself moved in the midst of wolves!  So, Jesus told them that in the midst of wolves they were to be “wise serpents and harmless as doves.”

When He washed their feet, Jesus said to the disciples, “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you (John 13:15).”  Again, these are words that penetrate my heart and force me to ask and answer if I’m doing my best to follow His example?  

In the battle of good and evil, we should be following Christ’s lead!  The lead Christ set was not one of being rude and vindictive!  The lead Christ set was not one of having a superiority complex.  Jesus sat with sinners, ate with sinners, spoke with sinners, taught sinners, and today, He intercedes on the sinner’s behalf to justify them!

Jesus healed all comers whether they were possessed with many demons or were blind.  Jesus even forgave the woman with “many sins” and said to her, “Your faith has saved you.  Go in peace (Luke 7:50).”  Just look at those examples!

In today’s battle, are you moving to have a good impact on others?  No, we may not have the power to lay hands and instantly heal all people.  However, I do believe we have the power to be courteous, polite, and kind!  I do believe we have the power to lift people up on days when they are falling down. We can do better than what we have done!

So, I’m calling on us to do a better job of moving with peace and imparting the peace of Christ in the hearts of all we interact with.  We must do a better job of moving with hope and leaving hope in the hearts of others.  We must also do a better job of moving with happiness and joy in our hearts to leave happiness and joy in the hearts of others.  This is what we can give and should leave with all we interact with.