John 16:33 "... in Me you have peace."

I read this verse because I heard it partially quoted this past Wednesday night, and have heard it quoted from the pulpit many times this past year. I suppose now that I read it, I should say it is "misquoted" or only partially quoted. This made me angry.

This is what the WHOLE verse says;

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

This is part of a discourse Jesus was teaching His disciples the night before His death. Let me break it down for you. In Him, you have peace. The word for "you may have" is echō, which means "to have". Its the same word before "tribulation" translated "may have" first and "have" second, but it is the same word. In Him you have peace, if you listened to what He has spoken.

The word for "world" is kosmos, which means "world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly". The world's system. Jesus is making a contrast here, very plainly, very simply. If you are in Him, you have peace, if you are in the world's system, you have tribulation. Can it be more plain? Or simple?

The word for "overcome" is nikaō, which means to conquer, He IS victorious over the world's system.

"These things I have spoken to you..." What things? Everything He said since His public ministry began is boiled down to one phrase found in Matthew 4:17 "Change the way you think, the Kingdom of God is here!"

This is my plea to all who grab a mic or stand in front of believers professing to be a "preacher", one who declares the gospel, or good news:

QUOTE THE WHOLE VERSE!

They are using one piece saying that we should expect tribulation, or troubles in this world. Well, yeah, IF YOU ARE NOT IN HIM! Yes, I am yelling. Does that mean that we should not expect trouble? From the world's perspective, yes, but from Jesus' point of view, you should expect peace!

Remember the storm in Mark chapter 4, the disciples and Jesus were on a boat, the disciples were panicking, but Jesus was asleep? They said to Him, "Don't You care that we are perishing?" Jesus responded, "Where is your faith?" Was there a storm? Yes. Was there panic? Yes, to those who didn't understand Jesus. Was there peace? Yes, Jesus slept.

Here I set before you a choice. Peace, or tribulation. Jesus, or the world view. I choose Jesus. Get into Him, read His words, listen to Him, seek first the Kingdom of God, repent, which means to change your mind, and for crying out loud, QUOTE THE WHOLE VERSE!!!!!!