How Trust Becomes Peace
Preacher: The Rev. Andrew Van Kirk
Scripture: John 14:23-29
Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” And in a world so practiced in advertising peace but so poor in delivering it, those words land with startling clarity.
The peace Jesus offers is not escape, distraction, or numbness. It is the kind of peace that speaks at the Last Supper while betrayal looms. The kind that can preach, pray, and love even with death approaching. It is not fragile, not circumstantial. It is rooted in the very heart of God.
We catch a glimpse of that peace in the voice of Sullivan Ballou, writing to his wife Sarah from the battlefield. His words, suffused with love and courage, testify to a peace that reaches through fear, sacrifice, and sorrow. Not because suffering is absent, but because something deeper—someone deeper—holds him.
This peace is not just for Jesus. It is not reserved for saints or soldiers. It is for all of us who believe and love. Belief, in John’s Gospel, is not mere assent to facts. It is trust. It is surrender. It is choosing to live open-hearted, even when life is uncertain.
You may not feel this peace every moment. Most of us don’t. But the invitation remains: open your arms. Trust again. Love again. The peace of Christ is not something to achieve. It’s a gift to receive.
Reflection Questions
Where are you seeking peace from the world—and finding it lacking?
What would it look like to trust Jesus with open arms in the middle of your current fear or stress?
How have you experienced peace that didn’t come from your circumstances, but from Christ?
Is there someone you are being called to love more fully this week as an act of trust in God?
What is one way you can open yourself today to receive the peace only Christ can give?
