Our Peace
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
The Old Testament has over 300 prophecies that were all fulfilled by the birth of Jesus. For example, Micah 5:2
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”
This little book named Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus 700 years before He was born. In verses 4 and 5, we have the context for our message today.
4 He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.
5 And he will be their peace.
When the Assyrian invades our land
and marches through our fortresses,
we will raise against him seven shepherds,
even eight leaders of men.
The Child born in Bethlehem would become our peace. What would this mean for us 2000 years later? It would mean that you and I could have peace that is real and personal. So what exactly does it mean that we can be standing in our peace?
Standing in Our Peace
Standing in Our Peace
The first line of verse 4 indicates that the hope proclaimed will stand and shepherd them. Jesus, the baby born in a manger grew up to be a man that would be crucified for our sins. He took a stand for us. This prophecy gives us the ability to stand in a world of turmoil and disaster. It gives us hope and the blessed assurance that with the Lord, all will be good for those who love Him. Why can we say that? Let me give you three reasons.
It is Forever
It is Forever
First it is forever because it was and is the plan of God.
11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.
3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.
It is Firm
It is Firm
24 The Lord Almighty has sworn,
“Surely, as I have planned, so it will be,
and as I have purposed, so it will stand.
What God puts into place is trustworthy and for our very best. God’s work is always about His plan of salvation. Our basic need is to be forgiven for our sins. When Jesus took a stand for you and I, He produced the words, it is forgiven.
It is Forgiven
It is Forgiven
4 But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.
There is no peace like that which comes through forgiveness! Glory to God! We are able to receive the forgiveness from our Heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ. We can stand in His peace because of the strength of His peace.
Strength of His Peace
Strength of His Peace
Notice how this strength plays out. First, it is powerful.
It is Powerful
It is Powerful
Psalm 20:6 (NIV84)
6 Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed;
He answers him from His holy heaven
with the saving power of His right hand.
8 The Lord is the strength of his people,
a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
The establish of a fortress is just one way our God cares for His people. He is pastoral over us.
It is Pastoral
It is Pastoral
We see that not only will He stand but He will shepherd His flock. The Lord is my Shepherd. Take some time and read Psalm 23 and be reminded how our God cares for us. He provided for us His Son to continue to shepherd us.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
Do you know the Shepherd? Do you know the baby born in the stable that became the atonement for our sins? That reminds me of the many aspects of how the strength of His peace is so personal for you and me.
It is Personal
It is Personal
Remember how the shepherd left the 99 to find the one?
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
That’s personal! I am so glad that Jesus left to fold to find me when I was away from the fold! If He would do that for me, He will do it for you! What a Savior we have! Notice the Splendor of His Peace!
Splendor of His Peace
Splendor of His Peace
It is Majestic
It is Majestic
Everything about our God is Majestic!
1 The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed in majesty
and is armed with strength.
The world is firmly established;
it cannot be moved.
Micah 5:5 says the Messiah will stand in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord His God. We cannot fathom it all! Notice how God created the Messiah:
7 You made him a little lower than the angels;
you crowned him with glory and honor
8 and put everything under his feet.”
In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
He will never fade away and scripture promises that what He gives us will also never fade away!
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
It is Marvelous
It is Marvelous
It is not only majestic, but it is marvelous.
1 Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
It is Magnificent
It is Magnificent
Our God is majestic and He is marvelous. He is also Magnificent.
29 All this also comes from the Lord Almighty,
wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom.
Is your God magnificent?
If our God is standing on His peace, if He utilizes the strength of His peace for our benefit, and if we can see the splendor of His peace, then you and I can bask in the security of His peace.
Security of His Peace
Security of His Peace
There is great security in our Lord’s Peace.
It Never Fails
It Never Fails
10 Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
God has established a covenant with His people that will never fail. He never forgets His promises.
It Never Forgets
It Never Forgets
It transcends all understanding.
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
It Never Frustrates
It Never Frustrates
The peace of God will never frustrate you. It can only give you peace!
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Peace has come in the strangest of ways. Royalty was birthed in a stable, born to poverty stricken parents and placed in a manger. The shepherds praised Him. Mary marveled. The Magi wondered. And God provided. He did then and He does now. Do you have the peace of God? His name is Jesus and He loves you and has a plan for you!
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.