Read
John 13:31-18
Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
“My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”
Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”
Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!
Reflect
Here, Jesus tells his disciples they couldn’t go where He was going. They didn’t have the courage or stamina to accompany Him to the cross. They had followed Jesus for three years, yet they still didn’t comprehend His mission.
At the cross, we are invited to follow Him. In doing so, we receive the Holy Spirit, who lives inside us. The Spirit turns our hearts from sin to Jesus.
Peter’s life demonstrates this transformation. He was once a brash, self-involved fisherman. But after receiving the Holy Spirit, he shared Jesus with others. Through the Spirit, Peter, a fisherman with little religious training, was able to quote Joel. He could have feared man’s opinion but instead, through the Holy Spirit, he called others to Christ.
Likewise, we do not need to fear. The Holy Spirit lives inside us! Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?”
Because of Jesus’ work and the Spirit’s indwelling, we don’t have to be fearful. Because of that, we can experience peace.
Read
Psalm 85:8-10
I will listen to what God the Lord says;
he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—
but let them not turn to folly.
Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
Pray
Dear Jesus, You paid the price for my sins. You sought me out and bought me with your blood. Now I have your everlasting peace in me. I know I often get caught up in this temporary life, but you have kept me steady through it all. You have granted much needed peace in this sinful world. Therefore, I calm in Your Spirit. To the creator who has granted me peace, Amen.
Sing
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King:
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with th’angelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Refrain:
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of the Virgin’s womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th’incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel. [Refrain]
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth. [Refrain]
Emma Jenkins and Lela Jenkins