To hear this Morning Devotion, please click The only place to find true peace
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So many people lack inner peace.
They’ve tried to find it but they’ve been looking in the wrong place.
It’s not in the bar.
It’s not in the rented bedroom.
It’s not in the “glad I knew somebody” job.
It’s not at the poker table.
It’s not in the cyber gutter of computer porn.
And it’s certainly not in the driver’s seat of the “really can’t afford this” car or boat.
There is only one place to find the peace that surpasses understanding.
That place is at the cross.
That is the place where our failures and our filth and our flaws can be washed away by the blood of the Messiah who never failed, who had no filth and had no flaws.
That is the place where our repentance of sin sets the stage for our restoration by the Son.
Today’s reading in the One-Year Bible contains a powerful and crystal-clear pathway to inner peace. The Apostle Peter is preaching in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, 50 days after the crucifixion and 10 days after Christ’s ascension. Thousands of Jews from around the Roman Empire have gathered to hear this first public sermon about Jesus and how He was the promised Messiah foretold in the Old Testament.
So many were there looking for inner peace because they knew that their traditional beliefs and political biases had left their souls feeling empty and guilty of murder. Remember, many of those gathered before Peter had likely screamed “Crucify!” just before Jesus’ death.
After a powerful sermon filled with Old Testament confirmations of Christ’s Messianic status, here is what happened:
“Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
“Peter replied, ‘Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles — all who have been called by the Lord our God.’
“Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation!’
“Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.
“A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity — all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:37-47).
On the “before” side of their repentance and baptism, Peter’s listeners were stuck with relying on a placebo peace that ignored obedience to Christ.
On the “after” side of their repentance and baptism into Christ, however, they were cleansed, transformed and the sealed by the Holy Spirit with a peace from God that is eternal.
It is undeniable that the believers described in the latter part of the passage above were experiencing great inner peace. They didn’t need stuff in order to be happy. They didn’t need their egos stroked. They didn’t need to be part of a “cool” clique.
They had Jesus.
They had cleansed, transformed souls.
They had the Holy Spirit guiding them and empowering them.
They had like-minded believers with whom they shared life.
And they had the growing respect of people around them who saw the sincere changes in their lives.
Do you have these five things?
If not, I encourage you to follow their example in repentance and baptism if you have not already done so. The promised forgiveness of sins and gift of the Holy Spirit that will result are crucial to your gaining that peace that surpasses all understanding.
As always, I love you
Martin
