Devotional by Ray Stedman for March 11-The Way To Peace

Topic:The Way To Peace

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name…
Phil 2:9

Our Lord Jesus was given in his resurrection and ascension that name which is above every other name that has ever been given in heaven and on earth. It is the name we call Jehovah. It is translated Lord in our English versions of the New Testament. That is exactly what Paul says: and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Paul says Christ is the one who has won that position because he unhesitatingly and unreservedly committed himself to that attitude of his own heart that led him first to mortality, then to ignominy, and finally to unequalled glory.

The result is peace! You see how this picture is drawn for us? Here is the end of the story: every knee to bow, every tongue confessing, every voice unitedly ascribing praise to him above all the created universe. If you want to complete the picture, read the closing chapters of the book of Revelation, and chapter 5 where every tribe and tongue and people and nation is gathered before the throne singing, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.

This is the word of peace, and it results from the work of our Lord. Now all of this is wonderfully true, and I’m sure every one of us subscribes to this doctrinally. But what I am trying to get at here is, do you subscribe to this in terms of your relationship with others? The KJV reads, Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. In the letter to the Corinthians Paul says, We have the mind of Christ. He doesn’t say, seek for the mind of Christ, struggle to achieve this, try to imitate it. He is saying, you have the mind of Christ if you have him. All that he is, is available to the one who is available to him. We must stop resisting him. The inevitable result will be peace.

If you were holding the door closed and I wanted to enter the room and asked you to let me in, what would you do? Wouldn’t you stop resisting, step aside and open the door and let me in? That is what Paul is saying here: let the mind of Christ, involving the renunciation of your rights and the willingness to accept injury, break through in your life. Accept these conditions as God’s will for you. This is why you have Christ in you. Accept the hurt without complaint, and without fail he will bring you through to victory and to peace. Do you believe that? You will only experience the mind of Christ to the degree you accept it. If you don’t believe it, then don’t say Christianity doesn’t work, or that having Christ doesn’t make any difference. You are simply not using what is available to you.

Thank you, Lord, that through your Spirit you have given me the mind of Christ. Teach me to use what is available to me in every circumstance.

Life Application
Because of the miracle of Christ’s indwelling Presence, Christ’s disciples have access to the mind of Christ Himself! Do we value this incomparable treasure, bringing our own thinking under His Lordship?