Advent - Prince of Peace

“Prince of Peace”

Luke 2:8-20

Isaiah 9:6

Set up Video – “Prince of Peace”

• Video – Peace (Bluefish)

Introduction

• Parts of video we don’t like
• Death, fighting – no conflict
• Peace might be all is well in life (Yankees, car, job, kids, marriage)
• What is this…? “Prince of Peace”
• Illustration – John Lee against rabbits
• Use people in audience

Vs 6 - For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

What is Prince of Peace?

• Prince = Ruler, authority, we look to for help, what are you going to do about it?
• When I say Peace you say… Ziva David Hebrew (Shalom)
• Shalom – wholeness, unity, a restored relationship
• Nancy Dorhout’s experience with friends
• High school friends gathered – different places and cultures collided – but they could still talk and still friends
• We like to lay a rug over it

Isaiah is predicting shalom;

• What are the angles saying to the Shepherds?

“Gl             

LXX – translates Heb to Gr

• shalom is eirēnē

Where is this word in the Christmas story - Vs 14 - Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace (eirēnē) to men on whom his favor rests.”

• Wholeness, restoration of relations
• To… anthropos – human beings
• Said to Shepherds who were outcasts
• Living out in the fields – not getting to the temple (wasn’t clean-living)

What happens when you receive a message…?

• Not about clean-living, but about shalom
• Watch this Video
• Where is it going to come from

Things that Cease the Peace

• Faking it
• Cappuccino’s can be painful
• Good system
• My arm
• Sunday morning
• Joe Dykstra’s struggle on the road

Vs 15-18 - When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

Peace that surpasses

1. The Shepherds talked to one another
• Small group talking about their lives
2. Let’s go…
• I am going to do this… telling someone how God has convicted you
3. Hurried off and found…
• What did they find…?  Shalom
• When your obedient shalom is multiplied
4. They spread the word…
• The word about what…? Shalom
5. Everyone who heard was amazed…
• Outcasts (shepherds) were speaking
• They had shalom

Php 4:7 - and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

Cancer is a good thing…?

• Eldora said this after Bill died
• Because of the peace he discovered after finding out that God loved him at the prayer for healing at H&B