The Lord declares in John chapter
20 verse 19, when the Lord came and stood in the midst of them,
he says unto them, peace be unto you. Sovereign peace. He gives peace to whom He will. He sends peace to whom He will. Now the risen and glorified Lord
Jesus Christ met with His disciples on many occasions and consistently
said unto them, peace, peace be unto you. We find that in
this chapter alone, the Lord says three times to His disciples
here, peace be unto you. No need to improve the message
of grace and peace. It is always worth repeating. When you find the truth, keep
repeating it. And that's what the Lord does.
Peace be unto you. through the epistles of Paul,
many times the introduction to the epistle, remember, grace
be unto you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord
Jesus Christ. So I'm entitling this message
from the words the Lord declares unto them and to specifically
all of his elect, peace be unto you. Now, this is more than just
a common greeting as we would meet someone in the morning and
say, hi, brother, how you doing? There's more than just a common
greeting among men when the Lord says, peace be unto you. We have in the Lord Jesus Christ
a declaration of reconciliation, a declaration of peace We have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ now and forever
more. The songwriter we sang just a
moment ago, perfect rest and perfect peace we have in the
Lord Jesus Christ. Now I want us to keep in mind
when the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the
Scripture, that He immediately, upon His death, remember He said,
I commend my spirit, Father, I commend my spirit into Thy
hand. I want us to keep in mind that when the Lord Jesus died
for our sins, according to the Scripture, accomplishing all
salvation, for He said, it is finished, He immediately entered
into the presence of Almighty God. He immediately occupied
the throne of glory. For we read in Scripture, when
He by Himself purged our sin, He sat down on the right hand
of the throne on high. Remember what He said to the
dying thief? The repented dying thief? You're going to be with
Me in glory real soon, today, right now. The Apostle writing
upon this subject in 2 Corinthians 4, he said, to be absent from
the body, is to be present with the Lord. Now how much more true
was that when the Lord Jesus Christ died for us? What was
he doing those three days when his body was in the tomb? He
was in glory. He was in glory, enthroned in
absolute power, waiting to the third day. But also remember
that the Lord Jesus Christ, after His bodily resurrection from
the dead, and before His bodily ascension to the right hand of
the throne of God, lived, ate, communed, fellowshiped with His
disciples for not one day, not two days, not three days, forty
days. I've turned just a couple pages,
we can find it real quick here in Acts chapter 1. Acts chapter
1, it says in verse 1 of Acts 1, The former treaties have I
made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to teach, to
do, and to teach, until the day in which he was taken up after
the After that, he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments
unto his apostles whom he had chosen, to whom also he showed
himself alive after his passion, after his death, by many infallible
proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of things
pertaining to the kingdom of God. pertaining to salvation
in Christ Jesus. Now look down at verse 9 of Acts
chapter 1. And when he had spoken these
things, and while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud
received him out of sight. Now this is 40 days after his
resurrection. And while they looked steadfastly
toward heaven, as he went up, behold, two men stood by them
in white apparel, which also said, You men of Galilee, why
stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken
up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you
see, as you have seen him go." This same Jesus is coming back. You see, there's a man in glory
with nail prints in his hands. What does his presence there
mean to me? It means this sinner has salvation. in the Lord Jesus Christ. The
Lord had a real, the glorified, resurrected Lord had a real tangible
body, a glorified body like we shall have when the Lord is pleased
to come again and to raise our vile bodies and fashion it like
unto His glorious body. We read in Philippians chapter
3 about our citizenship is in heaven. For whence also we look
for the Savior, the Lord Jesus, who shall change our vile body.
You remember this, corruptible must put on incorruption, this
mortal must put on immortality, that it may be fashioned like
unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is
able even to subdue all things unto himself, going to have a
new body, like unto His glorious body. You know that's what predestination
is all about, being conformed to the image of Christ. We read
over here a moment ago where the Lord says, Behold my hands
and my feet, that is I myself, handle me. See, for a spirit
hath not flesh and bones, as you see me have." He had a real
glorified body. Now turn to John 20. Let's look
at verse 19, 20, and 21. Just three verses here. John
chapter 20, verse 19. The same day at Eden, this is
Sunday evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors
were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the
Jews." Why were they fearful? They weren't afraid of the Romans.
They weren't afraid of Pilate. They were fearful of their own
kinsmen according to the flesh. They were fearful that they would
be arrested and that they would be likewise crucified and slain. They assembled with the doors
shut, being fearful, and then we read this astonishing miracle,
verse 19, John 20, and the Lord Jesus Christ, God Almighty, stood
in the midst of them and he preaches unto them peace, peace, peace,
peace be unto you, peace be unto you. Now, why were they fearful? Why were
these disciples fearful? Why did they lock the door? They were afraid that someone
might come and take them away and mistreat them as they mistreated
the Lord. And while they were gathered
together behind bolted locked doors, being fearful and trembling,
maybe discussing what the women had said concerning He's risen
from the dead, the Lord Jesus open the door and walks into
the midst of them and he said, fellas, peace, peace be to you. Don't you find that an amazing
miracle of God's grace? You see, closed doors and closed
hearts are no problem for the Lord to overcome. Dead hearts,
sinful hearts, are no problem for the Lord to raise them up
from the dead. The Lord did not stand here knocking
on the door asking, won't you please let me in? Let me in. I'm trying to get you all to
let me in. They probably wouldn't have opened the door, would they?
The Lord Jesus Christ didn't, in a mysterious way, a mystery
way, pass through the door. He simply opened the door. He
had a body of flesh and bones. He opened the door and he walked
in and said, fellas, peace be unto you. Now aren't you glad
that our God and Savior is Almighty? That He has a power over our
heart, our mind, our affection, our will, every part of our being. He knows our heart. He knows
our thoughts afar off. You see, if He's not Almighty
to save, I'm in big trouble because I'm dead in sin. He's always
had all power over all flesh. He's God-blessed forever. He's
always had all power to open our heart, to raise us from the
dead, and to give us an understanding. He doesn't knock at our heart's
door begging to come in. God's not a beggar. I beg your
pardon. God, our God's not a beggar.
He's a king! A king doesn't ask for permission.
A king acts according to his wise, eternal decree, doesn't
he? Our Lord said in John 17, I have
power over all flesh and I should give eternal life to as many
as the Father hath given me. The Lord Jesus Christ, He opens
the heart. He opens the understanding. He
raises us from the dead. He gives us eyes to see Him.
You see, this is a God that we worship. This is a God to whom
we serve. The Lord came among these fearful
disciples and pronounces this glorious gospel message of peace. Peace. Peace. Peace unto you. Now think about this. Peter had
denied the Lord not once but three times. He even cursed a
little bit and said, I don't know the man. They all forsook
Him and fled. They did not believe the women
when they came and told these disciples that the Lord is risen
from the dead." These words seem to them to be idle tales, it
says in one account. Yet the Lord Jesus Christ, when
He comes among His own, His elect, His chosen, He doesn't scold
them, rebuke them and say, shame on you, you naughty boys. He
doesn't even demand an answer from them for their sorry actions,
does He? Rather, He speaks unto them in
terms of reconciliation. Peace be unto you. Let not your
hearts be troubled. This should have been a familiar
message to them, for they have heard this message before. Turn
back to John chapter 14. John chapter 14. Remember when
Peter bragged about the others? These others may forsake you,
but he said, I'll never leave you, I'll never forsake you.
And the Lord said in John 13, 38, Will you lay down your life
for my sake, Peter? Truly I say unto you, before
the cock crows, Three times before the cock crows, you deny me three
times. That is, before the sun comes
up, you're going to deny that you know me. But let not your
heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also
in me. Now look at John 14, verse 27. He said, Peace I leave with you.
My peace, my peace now, I give unto you, not as the world gives
peace, Give I you, let not your heart be troubled, neither let
it be afraid. Peace be unto you. Peace be unto
you. Turn to John 16 verse 32. John
16 verse 32. Behold, the hour cometh, yea,
now is, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall
leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the
Father is with me. Verse 33. These things have I
spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. Peace. In the world you're going to
have tribulation. You're going to have trouble. You're going
to have trial. You're going to have heartache. You're going to have sorrow.
But be of good cheer. I've overcome the world. These
things have I spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace,
peace, peace, peace, peace, peace with God. He's not talking about
world peace among nations. I think the United Nations have
a vain goal of having peace among men. That's never going to happen. It's going to be wars and rumors
of wars and all this is going to be until the Lord comes back.
Never be peace among men. But I tell you what, as sinners,
through Christ, we have peace with God. That's all that counts. Now look at verse 20. John 20,
20. So the Lord stood in the midst
of them, said, Peace be unto you. And when He had so said,
He showed them, He showed unto them His hands and His side. These were the battle scars,
the victory that He had won, putting away our sin. It says
over in Luke that He showed them His feet. Then were the disciples glad when
they saw the Lord, when they saw His battle-scar wounds. When they heard the Lord speak
these words of reconciliation, when they saw the scars in His
body, they were glad. They were overwhelmed with joy
and gladness of heart. You see, what fills a believer
with a sense of joy in his heart? Is it not to hear the Word of
the Lord and to see Him as He's revealed in the Word of the Lord? You remember those two men on
the road to Emmaus said, Did our heart burn within us when
He opened unto us the Word of the Lord? This is just as the
Lord told them that it would happen. Turn back to John 16,
verse 20. John 16, verse 20. "'Verily,
verily, I say unto you, that you shall weep and lament, but
the world shall rejoice. And you shall be sorrowful, but
your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in
travail, has sorrow, because her hour is come. But as soon
as she is delivered of the child, she remembers no more the anguish,
for joy that a man is born in the world. Verse 22, John 16, now therefore have sorrow, but
I'll see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your
joy no man is going to take from you." We have joy in Christ. Now, these wounds And the scars
in his body, the body of the Lord Jesus Christ, will remain
as a proof of his dying, redeeming love for his church. We read about the Lord Jesus
Christ all through the book of the Revelation of Christ. And
in the revelation of Christ, it reveals the Lord Jesus Christ
as the Lamb that had been slain. He's always seen there 21 or
22 times. It talks about the Lamb, the
Lamb, the Lamb that had been newly slain. He's always there
appearing in His sacrificial character as, behold, the Lamb
of God that takes away our sin. You see, His wounds and the shedding
of His blood for our sin is the only reason and ground of peace
before God. It's only peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ. When they heard His Word and
saw His body, His scars, His victory over sin, death, hell,
and the grave, they were joyful. It's only upon that ground that
we have peace with God. Only upon that ground of Christ
crucified that we have the forgiveness of sin. Now turn over here to
Romans chapter 3 for a moment. Romans chapter 3. I want you
to see this. Romans chapter 3, verse 23, Romans
3 says, For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,
being justified freely by His grace. You see that? Being justified
freely by His grace. Doesn't stop right there, does
it? Read the rest of it. through the redemption that is
in the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, we only have justification
freely by His grace because of His redeeming blood, whom God
set forth, whom God foreordained, the word set forth. to be the
propitiation, the sacrifice for our sin through faith in His
blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that
are past, through the forbearance, the long-suffering of God, to
declare, I say at this time, His righteousness, that He might
be just and the justifier of those who believe in the blessed
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no peace with God. Now listen to me. There is no
peace with God, there is no reconciliation with God apart from the Lord
Jesus Christ. Apart from the peace the Lord
Jesus Christ has made for us. Peace comes at a great cost.
You know what that cost of peace was? Turn to Colossians chapter
1. Colossians chapter 1. The price
of that peace, it was a great cost. Colossians chapter 1 says in
verse 14, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness
of sins, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
of every creature. For by him are all things created
that are in heaven, that are in earth, visible, invisible.
He's the sovereign creating Lord. whether they be thrones or dominions,
principalities or powers, all things were created by him and
for his glory. For he is before all things,
and by him all things consist. He is the head of the body, the
church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he might have the preeminence, the glory. For
it pleased the Father that in him should all the fullness of
the Godhead dwell in a body, having made peace." Here it is,
verse 20. having made peace through His
blood, the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things
unto Himself. By Him, I say, whether they be
things in earth or things in heaven, and you that were sometimes
alienated, enemies in your mind by wicked work, yet now hath
He reconciled and embodied His flesh through death to present
you holy, unblameable, unreprovable in His sight. We have peace,
reconciliation with God only through our Lord Jesus Christ. He has reconciled us unto God. Now find Galatians And then find
2 Corinthians, find Galatians and turn back then to 2 Corinthians
chapter 5. It says in Galatians 3, he redeemed
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. He
reconciled us unto himself. It's only upon the ground of
Christ crucified that we have peace with God. I can't make
peace with God. Christ did that for us. 2 Corinthians
chapter 5 verse 17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is
a new creature. Old things are passed away, and
behold all things have become new. And all things are of God,
who reconciled us to himself. by Jesus Christ, and have given
to us the ministry of reconciliation, to wit, that is namely, that
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word
of peace, reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you
in Christ's stead now, you be reconciled, you lay down your
shotgun, Verse 21, For he hath made him sin for us, who knew
no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. You see, we only have peace and
reconciliation with God through the redeeming blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ. It's always a fatal and deadly
mistake to say, as many religious people do say in our day, I'm
trying to make peace with God. You ever heard somebody say that?
If you ever hear somebody say that, tell them kindly, you can't do
that because God is too holy and you are too sinful. How are
you going to satisfy a thrice holy God? That can only be done
through a thrice holy Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you
could satisfy a thrice holy God by your puny and sinful deeds,
there would be no need for the Lord Jesus Christ to come and
to redeem us from the curse of the law, would it? If righteousness
comes by your doing, if righteousness comes by the deeds of the law,
then the Lord Jesus Christ died in vain, Galatians 2.21. This
is why we are only told to rejoice in the Lord and to have no confidence
in the flesh. By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified. That's
the word I was looking for. By the deeds of the law shall
no flesh be justified before God in His sight. We are the true Israel which
worship God in the Spirit, that rejoice in Christ Jesus, and
we have no confidence in the flesh. You see, I hope you understand
what brought separation from God. What brought estrangement
from God. Do you know what brought estrangement
and separation from God? S-I-N. Turn back to Isaiah. Find Isaiah 59. Now, if you have no concept what
happened in the garden, you'll have no concept of what happened
at the cross. You don't understand sin, you
won't understand salvation. You see, our sin, it says here,
separated us from God. Sin caused separation. God put
Adam out of the garden, and when He put Adam out, He put us out. He put a flaming sword of His
justice that you're not entering by the deeds of your hand. takes
God to satisfy God. Isaiah 59-1, Behold, the Lord's
hand is not shortened that it cannot see, neither is his ear
heavy that it cannot hear, but your iniquities have separated
between you and your God. Your sins have hid his face from
you that he will not hear. Your hands are defiled with blood,
your fingers with iniquity, your lips have spoken lies, your tongue
I want you to take that personal. Put your name right there. Tom's hands are defiled. Tom's
lips have spoken lies, muttered perverseness. None call for justice
nor any plea for the truth. They trust in vanity and speak
lies. They conceive mischief and bring
forth nothing but iniquity. As Job said, man drinks iniquity
like the water. You see, the only way this problem
can be repaired and restored. You see, the fall was great.
It put us in a terrible condition. Death and sin and judgment and
guilt passed upon all men and Adam all died and all sinned. The only way this problem can
be repaired and restored, the only way we can be reconciled
unto God is to have our sin dealt with By one who can take care
of them. By a substitute. Do you need
a substitute? Nah, I think I'm just going to
do it myself. You'll perish in your sin. You
must have a substitute. You must have a Savior, the Lord
Jesus Christ. You must have the Lord Jesus
Christ deal with your sin to put them away. You know that's
why He came? He came to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
The Lord Jesus Christ died that just for the unjust that He might
bring us unto God. Only upon the basis of Christ
putting away our sin completely Do we have peace with God? Only
upon the basis and ground of the Lord Jesus Christ satisfying
the law of God for us do we have peace with God. Apart from that,
we still have separation. Only upon the basis and ground
of righteousness being established do we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, are you still in the book
of Isaiah? Turn to Isaiah 32. It's only
upon the ground of righteousness being established by this One
who is obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Isaiah
32, look at verse 17. And here's the work of righteousness. Isaiah 32, 17. And the work of
righteousness shall be peace. Now whose work of righteousness
is he talking about here? Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness to everyone that believeth. The work of righteousness
shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness shall be quietness
and assurance forever. You want assurance? Look to Christ. Rest in Him being justified. Now turn to Romans chapter 5. I want to read this to you. Romans,
I know we know this verse, but I want us to see it one more
time. Romans 5, and then look at verse
1, and then back up one verse. The Lord Jesus Christ was raised
from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses and raised again
because He justified us, Therefore, being justified by faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. That's the
only way we have peace with God is through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I'm making no apology here
for reading Scripture. Turn to Ephesians chapter 2.
I want you to see these things. Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians
2, look at verse 12. Ephesians 2, verse 12. That,
at that time, you were without Christ, Ephesians 2, verse 12,
being alien from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the
covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the
world. That's just by nature. But now in Christ Jesus, you
who sometimes were far off. Far off by what? What caused
separation? Sin. What puts sin away? Who puts sin away? Christ. "...are
made nigh by the blood of Christ, for He is our peace." Do you
see that? He is our peace. "...who hath
made both one, who hath broken down the middle wall partition,
having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments,
containing the ordinance for the two, in himself of the twain
one making himself of two one new man, so making peace." Let's
read verse 15 again. "...having abolished in his flesh
the enmity even the law of commandments contained in ordinance, for to
make him himself of the two one new man, so making peace, that
he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross,
having slain the enmity thereby," now watch this, verse 17, "...and
came and preached peace to you." them which were far off, and
to them which are nigh. For through him we both have
access, Jew or Gentile, by one Spirit unto the Father." He came
and preached peace, peace, peace. Turn back to John 20. Look at verse 21. Then said the Lord
Jesus to them again, Peace. You see that? Peace be unto you. As the Father hath sent me, so
send I you. This is our gospel message. The
same as the Lord proclaimed to His disciples. The same message
that the apostles preached throughout the book of Acts. Don't turn,
let me just read this to you in Acts chapter 10. The word
which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by
Jesus Christ, that he is Lord of all. Acts 10, 36. We read
in scripture, God is called the God of peace. Hebrews 13, 20. The God of peace that brought
again from the dead the Lord Jesus Christ, that great shepherd
of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant.
The gospel of God, turn to Romans 10. Romans 10 verse 15, and stay
in the book of Romans for just a minute. Romans 10 verse 15,
the Gospel is called the Gospel of Peace. Romans 10 verse 15,
How shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of
Peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. In the book of Romans. Turn to
Romans 15, 13. How is this peace that we have in Christ, how is
this peace received and enjoyed? Turn to Romans 15. Here's the
answer. Romans 15, 13. Now the God of
hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing. You see that? Joy and peace in
believing that ye may abound in hope to the power of God the
Holy Spirit. And this peace of God, do you
know what it does? Find Colossians chapter 3. Colossians
chapter 3, I want you to see these things. Colossians chapter
3, maybe you want to mark them. Colossians chapter 3 verse 15. Do you know what this peace of
God does? It rules our heart. Colossians
3, look at verse 15. Let the peace of God rule in
your hearts, to which you're also called in one body, and
be ye, be ye thankful. This peace of God rules our hearts. Because He's the Prince of Peace,
He's the King of Peace. Now, last scripture. Turn to Galatians chapter 1. Grace and peace be unto you through
our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no peace apart from
the grace of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. You notice the
introduction to Galatians chapter 1, verse 1, Paul, an apostle,
not of man, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the
Father who raised him from the dead, and all the brethren which
are with me under the churches of Galatia. Look at verse 3,
grace be to you and peace. Grace and peace always go together.
From God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Now here's
the ground of peace. And here's the reason of grace. Here's the fruit of grace, rather.
"...who gave himself for our sins, that He might deliver us
from this present evil world, according to the will of God
our Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. We believe through the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved. You see those four
points there? The Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself for our sin.
He obtained eternal redemption for us. He delivered us from
darkness and death by His power, it's all according to the will
of God, of His own will beget He, yes, with the word of truth.
And who gets the glory? Christ alone. This is the only
way God can be just and justify the ungodly. Now, this will be
the last scripture reading. I'm sorry, I forgot about this
one. Turn here in Isaiah, and I want
you to see this scripture here, and this will be the last place
where I have you turn. Isaiah 57, verse 19. I want you to see this. Isaiah
57, verse 19. I create the fruit of the lips,
peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith
the Lord, I will heal him, But the wicked are like the troubled
sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. The fruit of idolatry is dirt. There is no peace, saith my God
to the wicked. Now, there is nothing more wicked,
now listen to me, There's nothing more wicked than to seek salvation
upon the ground of your own righteousness. That's wicked. That's wicked.
There is no peace to the wicked. There's only peace in the Lord
Jesus Christ. We have peace in Him. Okay.