From the Home Place

March 29, 2026

Good morning everyone! welcome to another Sunday! Today’s forecast reads this way: 38 right now, headed toward 74 for a high temperature, with winds out of the NW at 14, gusting to 25. I would say that the Lord has given you a really nice day to go to church.

As is my normal rhythm for Sundays, the Lord poked me in the ribs at 3:30 a.m., we visited for right at an hour, and now here I am typing on a computer at 4:30 a.m. One of the things I love about this time of the day is that it is quiet, making it easier to listen to our Lord’s gentle voice.

Today, He wants us to visit about a word that is found often in the New Testament – “Peace.” Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you, Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” (Jn. 14:27)

Allow me to begin by reminding us of the obvious, within the holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, there is perfect peace. They never argue with one another, and They never worry, nor are They ever fearful. Why? Because there is no sin among Them! Thus, the term Holy Trinity!

Today, Palm Sunday, we remember a day when Jesus entered Jerusalem, to die on a cross. While Jesus was upon that cross we find the only moment ever recorded that there was disunity among the Trinity. While Jesus was upon the cross, the sin of all humanity, for all time, was placed upon Jesus, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” At the moment that our sin was placed upon Jesus, His Heavenly Father looked away from Jesus and Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me!”

I believe at this exact moment, Jesus experienced the greatest pain of being crucified as the sacrificial Lamb of God, the moment when sin divided the perfect relationship between Father and Son. During that moment in eternity, God looked away from His Son, because of our sin! Yet, a short time later Jesus uttered another amazing phrase, “it is finished.” The death of Jesus paid the full price for peace, a gift that He gives to every believer. Yet, every minute of every day, sin attempts to rob us of the most precious gift ever given: To be at peace with God so we can know the peace of God.

In John 14, Jesus reminds humanity of the two major elements that destroy our peace: worry and fear. You see, we too often think of “peace” as the lack of conflict. Wrong! Real peace is an attitude of calm in the midst of conflict. Peace is what Jesus brings in the middle of a storm – Remember when Jesus calmed the sea with His presence in the middle of a raging storm that was threatening the lives of the disciples? Or look at John 19:20-21 where you will once again find fearful disciples, and peaceful Jesus.

The peace that Jesus brings, usually shows up in the middle of conflict, not in the absence of conflict. The peace of Christ always reminds us that He is in control. That He is always concerned for us as His disciples and that He is always victorious over the things of this world, even sin.

If you have worry and fear in your life, it is because of choosing to listen to sin instead of listening to Jesus. “Be still and know that I am God,” is spoken into our lives when sin is attempting to destroy our peace. “Be still and know that I am God,” is not spoken during some mystic time of prayer, God reminds us of His presence and His power when Pharoh’s army is closing in on us. Right when our world appears to be falling apart, and the sea of life is at its roughest, at that moment, Almighty God invites us to quit focusing upon the circumstances and to focus upon His Son, Jesus Christ.

Why? Because right in the middle of the worst circumstances engineered by sin, the “peace” of Christ is only one breath away. “My peace I give you.” You see my dear friends; Jesus went to the cross to provide peace between humanity and God; and to provide peace between you and those around you. Please, as we enter into this “Holy week,” do not allow sin to win. Allow Jesus to speak these words into your soul, “Fear not, for I am with you always.”

Celebrating peace with you, Neal