First Presbyterian Church (Dothan AL) Podcast

Peace I Leave with You

·28 min·2 clips

Watson Downs built a manger, but how's your peace this morning?

The episode is a sermon from First Presbyterian Church in Dothan, Alabama, titled 'Peace I Leave with You.' Pastor Rusty opens with a lighthearted anecdote about a manger kit sold in the church bookstore, then transitions to asking the congregation about their personal peace. He reads from John 14, focusing on verses 1 and 27, where Jesus comforts his disciples before the crucifixion, saying, 'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.' Rusty explains that this passage is like a will, with Jesus bequeathing peace as an inheritance to his followers. He delves into two reasons why Christians often lack peace: failing to realize what Christ has done in them through the Holy Spirit and failing to realize what God has given them. The sermon distinguishes between peace from God (an experiential rest) and peace with God (a relational position free from condemnation). Rusty uses the metaphor of a bird nesting peacefully in a tumultuous waterfall to describe life in Dothan, with its busy schedules and stresses. He describes how the enemy attacks peace by turning believers toward past guilt or future fears, leading them to seek worldly comforts like alcohol, pornography, or social media. A key story involves a Civil War deserter who hid in the woods for weeks, starving, unaware that peace had been declared, illustrating how Christians live in fear despite Christ's victory. Rusty emphasizes that true peace comes from the Holy Spirit, not from possessions or simplicity, and encourages casting cares on Jesus. He closes with a prayer for the congregation to experience this gift of peace.

As heard by us

A John 14 sermon ties Christ's peace to the Holy Spirit, changed desires, and the cares believers bring to God in prayer.

"Peace I Leave with You" stays close to Jesus' words in John 14:1 and 14:27, treating them as comfort for the disciples before the cross and as Christ's lasting inheritance for Christians.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

When your peace is frayed, John 14 invites you to receive Christ's own peace through the Holy Spirit.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from First Presbyterian Church (Dothan AL) Podcast