J. Grant Swank, Jr.     


"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John l6:33


Jesus stated peace cheer to His own just hours before He was murdered. The time frame is most significant.


As Jesus was about to be sliced upon the tree, He promised His own the overcoming of the world. Irony personified.


The cross carrier can never finally doubt the care of the Yoke-fellow. Yoke-fellow never ever seeks His own pleasure; it is always that Yoke-fellow seeks the care of His grace child. Always.


As Jesus was about to be spiked, He comforted His own. He obviously was utter self-lessness.


Therefore, when cross carrier hears Mentor state that believer is to learn from Him, that includes being utterly self-less. In that is the believer's strength.


If believer lives out the gospel life in order to be appreciated by humanity, he will soon give up. If he thinks he is going to be thanked by humanity, he will shut down. In fact, sometimes believer will be treated as doormat by the very ones for whom he has spilt his blood.


Nevertheless, with such mutiny a life fact, believer continues on the cross way undaunted because he is not doing one thing finally for humanity. He is doing whatever he is doing for Mentor, learning from Him how to be self-less.


Server-giver types are the most sensitive of God's lot. Therefore, their sensitivities make them most vulnerable for being used. When they are so mistreated, the knife goes in deeply. Duds of the world don't feel that much; therefore, their pain is stunted near the outset.


However, server-giver cross bearers do have Yoke-fellow to remind them that the only way to survive in serving and giving is to overcome the nastiness by doing all for Father. Jesus did all for Father. Father never gave up on Son. Therefore, Son, though treated as outcast from His own planet, could go on to perform another miracle, teach another lesson, preach another sermon, love another child.


Exhaustion did not become Son. Defeat did not take over Son.


Then the peace cheer promised disciple by Mentor is wrapped up in the self-less life of the cross. Peace cheer thereby is not so much hop-skip-and-jump giddy hilarity as it is a foundation Rock relationship. He then is our peace. He then is our cheer.


Since He is always to be counted upon, then one can overcome the world. Regardless.