C127 2/23/58
© Project Winsome International, 2000

"PRELUDE TO PEACE"
Dr. John Allan Lavender
Jn.10:30; Jn 3:7

This is the second in a series of teachings on the theme: You Can Have Peace. It is based upon The Last Will and Testament of Jesus Christ in which he bequeathed to his disciples--and that includes us--the gift of peace:

"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27).

As we continue, I direct your attention to two verses of scripture which I believe describe, in very simple language, just exactly how you can appropriate this peace.

The first of these is John 10:30 where Jesus said,
"I and my father are one."

The second is John 3:7 where he declared,
"Marvel not that I say unto thee, ye must be born again."

It is in a wedding of these two verses: "I and my father are one" and "You must be born again" that we find the initial key to the cherished treasure called peace.

In the opening chapter of his book Peace of Mind, Josh Liebman tells how, as a young man full of "exuberant fancy" he decided to draw up a catalog of the most desirable qualities in life. He gave the matter a great deal of thought and came up with a list of seven things: Health. Love. Beauty. Talent. Power. Riches. Fame.

When he was through, he took his list to an old friend who had been something of a spiritual mentor to him, handed him the list and said, "This is the sum total of moral good. If a man could posses all of these things, he would be as a God."

His friend studied the list for a moment and wrinkles of amusement began to gather in the corner of his eyes. Then he said,
"This is an excellent list. Well digested in content. Set down in reasonable order. But it appears, my young friend, that you have omitted the most important element of all. You have forgotten the one ingredient, without which everything else becomes a hideous torment."

"What is that missing ingredient?" asked Liebman. His elderly friend took a pencil stub and crossed out everything on the page and then, having demolished the young man's adolescent dream structure in a single stroke, he wrote down three syllables: "Peace of mind." His friend continued, "This is the gift God reserves for his special proteges. Talent and beauty he gives to many. Wealth is commonplace. Fame is not rare. But peace of mind, that is his final guerdon of approval, the fondest sign of his love and he bestows it charily (sparingly)."

Well, we can all heartily agree with Josh Liebman's friend . Peace of mind is much more desirable than fame or wealth. Beauty or health. But there's one point with which we cannot agree. That's his assertion that God gives peace only to his "special proteges."

Jesus made it unmistakably clear that the gift of peace is for all who place their trust in him. He put no limitations upon his promise when he said: " Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you." It is for everyone who is willing to fulfill the prescribed requirements. And, that's the rub! Fulfilling the prescribed requirements.

As we learned last week, the peace Jesus offers does not come by merely wishing.
"It is not something that can be bought and bottled, or applied like a cosmetic to the surface of the skin. It's not something that can be obtained by taking a tablet before meals or by enrolling in a course three evenings a week."

It comes only in a certain way and at a certain price. Because the price of spiritual of peace is high, there are many who try to get it at a bargain rate. They race palled-Mel after the cheap substitutes that look good on the surface, only to discover not one of them can bring real peace of soul. There is only one way. In the long run it's the least expensive way. What is that way? What is that price? Where is this path that leads to the perfect peace Jesus proffers?

Well, let's look at our texts again. Here is the initial clue. Jesus said:
"I and my father are one" and "you must be born again."
In the first verse Jesus is speaking about his own relationship with God.
In the second verse he is declaring our basic need of achieving a similar relationship.

Now let there be no mistake about the fact when Jesus said, "I and my father are one" he was describing a relationship far different from any you and I can ever have with God, for Jesus wasand is God. His deity is not something conferred upon him, as is the case when we are made tobecome sons and daughters of God. For Jesus, it was built in. His oneness with God was inherent. Jesus was God, in human flesh.

He oneness was unique. It was separate from anything you and I can ever know and, this perfect union with God accounts for the perfect peace -- the unruffled equanimity -- with which Jesus was able to face all of life's exigencies.

But, when he also said, "Ye must be born again" he was making it clear that you and I can know akind of oneness with God. In fact he said it is not only possible, but necessary! A transformationmust take place within us if we are to be the children of God. And when that transformation does take place, a spiritual oneness with God is conferred upon us. We begin to enjoy all the consequent benefits of that oneness: Love. Joy. Peace. Life eternal and abundant.

According to Jesus then, the basic requirement for peace is oneness with God. "Ye must be born again, " he said. What did he mean by being "born again?"

Not Mere Goodness
One thing is certain. He did not mean merely living a good life. I hope all of you will write that down in large, indelible letters upon the tablet of your memory. You will not find peace of soul just by striving to be good.

The conversation Jesus had with the rich, young ruler is evidence of that. You remember the story: One day a young man came to Jesus, asking what he had to do to inherit eternal life. He was a wonderful young man. Full of grace and goodness. In fact, he was so appealing the Bible says Jesus loved him.

He was not a down-and-outer at the end of his rope. He was a man of consequence in the world. He had power and authority and in the face of all temptation he had kept the commandments from his youth.

I suppose that if someone like that were to come to us seeking help, we would be tempted to say: "You don't need any help. You don't have any problem. You're living a good life. Keep it up."

But Jesus knew mere goodness is not enough. He looked at this young man whom he loved and said: "One thing thou lacketh - sell all thou hast - and come, follow me."
There had to be a complete reordering of his life, for being born again involves more than merely being good.

Not Joining The Church
Likewise, being born again is more than having your name added to the membership roll of some church. How I wish, you would write that down indelibly on the tablet of your memory.

We are a nation of joiners. When we want a sense of status, we join a country club. When we are overweight, we join a health club. When we feel philanthropic, we join a service club. So it naturally follows, that when we feel religious we join a church club.

But joining a church and being born again are vastly different. They are not in any way synonymous. A man can be born again and never join a church, although I doubt that will happen often. If we love Christ -- we will love the things that Christ loves -- and the Bible says that "Christ loved the church and gave himself for it."

But it is nevertheless possible for a person to be born again and never join a church. It is equally possible for a person to join a church and never be born again. And that happens again and again and again!

Perhaps that's why Billy Graham stated recently that 95 percent of the people making decisions in his mammoth crusades are church members who have never been born again. That's a terrifying statement. Yet, it's one I fear is true. I 'm afraid there are thousands of people who have their names on the record book of some church, whose names will not be heard "when the roll is called up yonder."

A Personal Relationship With God
When Jesus talked about being born again, he wasn't talking about being good or joining a church. He was talking about a personal, living relationship with God. And, beloved, there is no peril like the peril of being satisfied with churchianity and missing out on Christianity. Of having a form of godliness, but missing out on that vital, living, transforming, redeeming, personal relationship with Jesus, which makes a difference in your life -- here and now.

Last week I quoted Dr. John Hues, of Trinity Church in New York City, and this morning I'd like to refer to something else he said: "There are only two truly unique experiences in life. One is falling in love. The other is getting real religion. Both of them have one thing in common. They are experiences of personal relationship.

"Both are adventures in the unknown. And until you have experienced them you cannot possibly understand what it is like. Likewise, he who has experienced them can never adequately describe what has happened. But, if it is genuine, it makes all the difference in the world.

"Falling in love always makes a new man, a better man, a happier man. And, falling in love with God -- for that's what real salvation is -- always leads to a new life of inner power, happiness and peace."

In other words, being born again is not turning over a new leaf. It is creating a new life. It is bringing into birth a new you. A you made in the image of God. A you centered, not in self, but in Christ. Not in time, but in eternity. Not in the transient stuff of this world, but in the eternal things of infinite worth in the world to come.


It means the old you dies, and a new you come alive in Christ so you can say with him, "I and my father are one! The things my father loves, I love. The things he hates, I hate. His will is my will. His interests are my interests. His affections are my affections. His desires are my desires. His peace is my peace."

That's what it means to be born again -- to bring into birth a new you -- a you recreated in the image of Christ so you can say with great calm and assurance: "I and my father are one!"

The New Birth A Necessity
But there is another important word in this entreaty of Christ, and that is the little word "must." "Ye must be born again." This personal, life-transforming relationship with Jesus is not just oneof the ways to find peace. It is the only way to find his peace. This is not hypothetical. It is categorical. It is not questionable. It is unqualified. It is imperative. Absolute. Unconditional.
"Ye must be born again." And until you are born again -- until you have this transforming experience of Christ in your life, and come into a personal relationship with the living God so you can say "my father and I are one" -- you will never know the pure, empowering and pacifying peace Jesus is so eager to give.

Again, let me show you what I mean. Tucked away in my files I came across this dog-eared record of John Wesley's conversion. He was, as I'm sure you know, the founder of the Methodist Church, and one of the truly great spiritual leaders of his day.

But, according to this clipping, there was a time in his life when John Wesley was disillusioned, discouraged and disappointed. He knew something was wrong, but he didn't know what it was.
He had been raised in a Christian home. He had a Godly mother. He had a father who was so devout he was willing to go to prison for his Christian conviction. Wesley had attended Oxford University and had been ordained to preach. He had lived among saints. Yet, he had not experienced in his life what they had experienced in theirs.

Like so many of us who feel our problems are external, John Wesley thought the demands of a busy life and the distractions of a godless society were hindering him in his quest. So he decided to go to America as a missionary, where he would have more time and less hindrances to distract him. But he didn't have to wait until he arrived in America to discover the might and power of God.

During the eight-week journey, he had time to observe a group of people called Moravians who were aboard ship with him. One day, after they had gathered for one of their religious services, a violent storm broke loose. Water began pouring over the deck and Wesley was terrified. He thought that he was going to die - and since he hadn't learned to live -- he was afraid.

He was also puzzled by the fact that the Moravians continued to hold their services despite the storm. They sang their hymns of praise to God. They went on with their prayers and devotions. And he asked himself, "Why? Why is it they have no fear and I, John Wesley, a graduate of Oxford University, am terrified?"

When it was all over he went to some of the people and asked, "During the storm, weren't you afraid?" And they said, "Thank God, no." So, when Wesley landed in Georgia he went to the leader of the Moravians, a man named Spangenberg, and asked why the Moravians could go on singing in the midst of a storm which threatened to take their lives.

Spangenberg, listened to Wesley and then said, "Brother Wesley, I'd like to ask you a question or two. The first one is this, "Do you have the witness within you?" Imagine asking that question of a missionary. Imagine asking a young Oxford graduate who had come all the way from England to give his life in the service of Christ, "Do you have the witness within you?"

John Wesley was utterly speechless. He didn't even look Spangenberg in the eye. He couldn't. So the man said, "Brother Wesley, does the Spirit of God bear witness with your spirit, that you are a child of his?" And again, Wesley was silent. He didn't know what to say.

Then his friend took good aim and said, "Brother Wesley, do you know Jesus Christ?" And Wesley said, "I know he is the Savior of the world." But Spangenberg was not satisfied with this evasion. So he repeated, "Do you know Jesus Christ? Do you know he died to save you?"

Wesley replied, "I hope he died to save the world." "Hope is fine," Spangenberg replied. "But hope is not enough. Do you know him for yourself? John Wesley, do you know Jesus Christ, the son of God, for yourself?"

Wesley, confused and embarrassed, said "I know him." But a little later in his Journal he wrote: "Those were vain words."

And they were vain words. John Wesley had no happiness. He had no peace. His ministry in Georgia was a failure. His preaching had no power. His work had no sense of direction. And so, after two miserable years, he decided to go back to England.

As he started home he knew something was wrong because there was a gospel saying, "Peace, Joy, Love and Mercy," and here was his life saying, "Misery, Heartache, Disappointment and Despair."

Then, one evening, while attending a small meeting in London, something happened. Jesus came! He spoke to John Wesley. And in writing of this later, Wesley said, "He seemed to say, John, you've been searching for me. You've been after me. You've been wanting to have fellowship with me. And here I am. Now let me ask you. Do you love me?"

John Wesley answered: "Do I love you? Why do you ask a question like that, Jesus? Why, I preach about you all the time."
But Jesus said, "Yes, I know, John, but do you love me? Really love me?"
Wesley responded,
"Why, Lord, you know I am always building up great arguments to prove you exist. You know I am always defending you, Lord."
And the Lord said, "But, John, you cannot understand me. You cannot understand love. You can't even explain it. But are you willing to love me with all your heart and mind and soul? With the totality of your being? For you see, John, it's either everything or nothing. I want all of you, John, or I won't get any of you. I want your mind, and I want it to be greater than it is. I want your heart, and I want it to be more compassionate than it is. I want all of you, John. I don't want just your mind. I don't want just your heart. I want everything about you. And until you are willing to give me your all, you will go on seeking without finding the joy and peace you so much desire. Come, John, give me yourself. Let me make you -- whole!"

It was that night, in that little meeting, after having been raised in a Christian home, having been a student at Oxford University, having been ordained to preach the gospel, having been a missionary to America, that John Wesley was born again, as he said, "Lord, here I am. I give you my love. I give you my life. I give you my all."

In that moment he became a new creation. Old things passed away. All things became new. He lost his hectic, harried, strident ways. He ceased living for self and self alone. He became a man of great compassion, and traveled the length and breadth and width of England preaching "Jesus."
Whenever and wherever people would let him -- in churches, fields and city squares -- Wesley stood before them and proclaimed "Jesus." For John Wesley now knew there wasn't a person in England, whom Jesus couldn't change for the better.

That's my message to you this morning: Jesus! There isn't one of you listening to me right now whom Jesus cannot change for the better if you will let him. Do you love him? Do you love him enough to let him have all of you? Does the Spirit bear witness within you that you are his and he is yours?
Can you say with the apostle Paul:
"I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day?" (2 Tim. 1:12)

If you know Christ like that, if you've been truly born again and you can say with Jesus "I and my father are one" you can have peace. And nothing -- absolutely nothing, be it victory or defeat, success or failure, delight or difficulty, joy or sorrow -- nothing will be able to separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Do you know him this morning? If so, then revel in the peace that passes understanding, knowing you and the Father are one. If you don't know him, receive him now!

The following was printed and distributed to worshipers along with the Order of Worship.
Spiritual Prescription For Today
"Ye must be born again" (Jn. 3:7).
Directions: To be "taken" each morning along with this daily reminder:

Jesus could say, "I and my Father are one." The result was a sense of inner poise and power which enabled him to be "in control" at all times and under all conditions. Through my "new birth" I, too, amone with God. Because I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior, the limitless resources of God are also available to me. Today I will link up my life with his, so the power which controlled Jesus will control me, producing poise and peace within.

Dr. John Allan Lavender
Morgan Park Baptist Church
11345 So. Bell, Chicago, Ill.