The Peace of Christ Ruling in Your Heart - Colossians 3:15
"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful." (Colossians 3:15 ESV)
This lesson defines the peace of Christ and explains how we can have the peace of Christ ruling in our hearts. Bible verse quotations are from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless indicated otherwise (Ref. 1).
Consider. Do you have the peace of Christ ruling in your heart?
1. The peace of Christ is the tranquility of our heart and mind knowing that God has saved us and has forgiven us through his Son Jesus
As believers in Christ, our hearts are calm and tranquil because we know we are saved by God's grace through faith in Christ (Thayer's Greek Lexicon - Ref. 2, Ephesians 2:8-9). We have the peace of Christ in our hearts because we know that God loves us and has forgiven our sins (Romans 5:1, Romans 5:8, 1 John 1:9). We have the peace of Christ in our hearts because we know we have received God's gift of eternal life (John 3:16, Romans 6:23, John 10:27-28).
When we trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we have nothing to fear from God. We have peace with God. Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me" (John 14:1 NKJV). 2. The peace of Christ comes from Christ, not from the world. Jesus is the giver of true peace.
On the night before his crucifixion and death, Jesus was preparing his disciples for his departure from them. Jesus told them about this precious gift that he was giving them -- his peace. Jesus gave them -- and he gives us, people who have faith in him -- the same gift, his peace. Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid" (John 14:27).
The things of the world will not give us peace (1 John 2:15-17). Only Jesus, the one whose nature is peace, gives us true peace, the peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:6-7). True peace, the peace of Christ, is tranquility of our soul despite the worldly circumstances around us. 3. The peace of Christ rules in our hearts when we are completely submitted to his will and have yielded control of our lives to him
The Greek word translated as "rule" in Colossians 3:15 means to direct and control (Thayer's Greek Lexicon - Ref. 3). To have the peace of Christ ruling in our hearts, we must yield completely to God's direction and control of our lives -- present and future. Don't be like Jonah who knew God's will for him and then rebelled against God (Jonah 1:1-3). Be like our Lord Jesus who lived on earth to do his Father's will (John 6:38) and said to his heavenly Father, "not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42 KJV).
When we trust God and are yielded to God's will for us in each of life's circumstances, we will know the peace of Christ. The apostle Paul writes, "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7). The peace of God [that peace which reassures our heart] keeps our thoughts and our hearts quiet and at rest as we trust in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7 AMP, Philippians 4:7 TLB). 4. God calls us as believers in Christ to live as one body in the peace of Christ
The Lord Jesus, by his blood shed on the cross, has made Jewish and Gentile believers into one (Ephesians 2:11-14). He has made believers of diverse (ethnic, national, gender, economic, civilized/uncivilized, etc.) background into one body (Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11, Ref. 4). He also calls us -- as diverse and uniquely gifted believers -- to live in unity as one body of Christ (Ephesians 4:1-6, Colossians 3:15, 1 Corinthians 12:12). Yet, Jesus is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). We can live with our brothers and sisters in Christ in the peace of Christ when we put on a heart of compassion, have patience with one another, forgive one another, and love one another as the scriptures instruct and as Jesus commanded (Colossians 3:12-14, John 13:34).
5. And be thankful
An "attitude of gratitude" is a hallmark of a Christian who is at peace with God, themselves, and other people. Through Christ, we can be thankful through difficult circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). We have the peace of Christ knowing that our Lord Jesus loves us, has forgiven us, is with us in the present, and assures us of our future with him (Philippians 4:4-7, John 14:2-3 AMP).
Prayer. Lord Jesus, I yield control of my life to you. I submit to your will and direction for my life. Come, Lord Jesus, and rule in my heart. Thank you for giving me your peace. Help me to live in peace with others and to share you, the giver of peace, with others. Amen.
Related Lessons
"The Remedy for a Troubled Heart (John 14:1)" "The Peace of Believing Prayer (Philippians 4:6-7)" "What is Eternal Life?" - John 17:3
References
1. https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/English-Standard-Version-ESV-Bible/ 2. https://biblehub.com/greek/1515.htm 3. https://biblehub.com/greek/1018.htm 4. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/colossians/3.htm Barnes Notes on Colossians 3:11
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Come to Me and Rest - Matthew 11:28 - 123RF Image - Used under license
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
This lesson explains Jesus' invitation in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
This lesson is the third in a series on God's Invitations in the Bible, specifically, the "Comes" of God's word. The first lesson in the series is "Come Now, Let Us Reason Together (Isaiah 1:18)" (Ref. 1). The second lesson is "Come to the Waters (Isaiah 55:1)" (Ref. 2).
Consider. What heavy burden is weighing you down today?
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden
If you are weary (literally, exhausted from labor), then Jesus' invitation is for you (Ref. 3). If you are weighted down with a heavy burden such as worry, sin, or sorrow, then Jesus' invitation is for you. To receive the rest that Jesus promises, please accept his invitation and come to him in faith.
Jesus who says "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden" is the same God who says "Come, everyone who thirsts" (Isaiah 55:1) and "Come now, let us reason together" (Isaiah 1:18). Jesus also says, "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out" (John 6:37). I will give you rest
Jesus himself is the Rest Giver (Ref. 4). Jesus can dispel your fear and give you peace (John 14:27). Jesus forgives our sin (1 John 1:9) and gives us a clean conscience (Hebrews 10:22). When you come to Jesus, he will give you that rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me Yoked Oxen Pulling a Loaded Cart - 123RF Image
HELPS Word-studies defines a yoke as a wooden bar placed over the neck of a pair of animals so they can pull together (see illustration). Figuratively, a yoke is what unites (joins) two people to move (work) together as one (Ref. 5).
Notice that in Matthew 11:28-29 Jesus gives us a two-part summons. Our response to both parts is needed for a full Christian life. In the first part (as we discussed above), Jesus invites us to come to him for pardon, refreshment, and rest. In the second part, Jesus asks us to take on his yoke -- to submit our will to him, to learn from him, to obey him, to serve him, and to become like him (Ref. 4). Coming to Jesus is not just a one-time experience -- it is for a lifetime. Coming to Jesus includes willingly taking on the yoke of Jesus by learning from him and serving him the rest of our lives in an ongoing relationship. Are you willing to submit to his yoke? You will find rest for your souls
Jesus promises that when we take his yoke upon us by accepting his teaching and by serving him that we will find rest for our souls. The Greek word here for rest means inner rest (tranquility) (Ref. 6). Jesus quotes the prophet Jeremiah, "Thus says the Lord: 'Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls'" (Jeremiah 6:16).
My yoke is easy, and my burden is light
Jesus contrasts his yoke to the heavy burden of minute legal observances that the scribes and Pharisees of that time put on the shoulders of the Jewish people (Matthew 23:1-4, Acts 15:10, Ref. 7). In contrast, Jesus says that "my yoke" (literally, the yoke of Me) "is easy" (gentle, pleasant, kind) "and my burden" (literally, the burden of Me) "is light" (of little weight and easily carried) (Ref. 8, Ref. 9, Ref. 10).
Key Questions.
Apply. In prayer, give your heavy burden to Jesus. Receive from him the rest that he promises. Submit your will to him, and willingly receive his yoke of instruction. Serve Jesus gladly, joyfully yoked with him in an ongoing relationship.
Related Lessons
"Our Burden-Bearing God (Psalm 68:19)" "Come to the Waters (Isaiah 55:1)" "Come Now, Let Us Reason Together (Isaiah 1:18)"
References
1. https://www.scriptureway.com/home/come-now-let-us-reason-together-isaiah-118 2. "Come to the Waters (Isaiah 55:1)" at the link below: https://www.scriptureway.com/home/gods-great-invitation-come-satisfy-your-thirst 3. https://biblehub.com/greek/2872.htm 4. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/maclaren/matthew/11.htm 5. https://biblehub.com/greek/2218.htm 6. https://biblehub.com/greek/372.htm 7. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/matthew/11.htm 8. https://biblehub.com/interlinear/matthew/11-30.htm 9. https://biblehub.com/greek/5543.htm 10. https://biblehub.com/greek/1645.htm |
Daily Bible Verse(Published on my Bluesky account) AuthorMr. Whitney V. Myers. Christian. For more information, please visit the Author Page. Posting ScheduleI plan to provide new postings about once a month. Planned Topics(subject to change) Recent Posts(most recent three months) Popular Posts(top 10) Categories
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