Peace on Earth: How the Prince of Peace Unites Us to God and Each Other (Luke 2)
advent 2023 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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What is peace?
What is peace?
Peace means many things to different people. If you area a soldier in battle, it means the war is over. If you are a work-a-holic, maybe it means calm and rest from a hectic life. If you are a patient in the hospital suffering from a disease, it means healing or at the very least, acceptance. If you are someone with a trouble heart or anxious mind, peace means tranquility.
When Jesus was born, an angel came to Shepherds watching their sheep in the dead of night. After some instructions, the sky filled with a multitude of heavenly host praising God saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!
They announce “peace on earth.” The angles seem to recognize what all of us experience living in a Genesis 3 world; we are not at peace. The fallen world groans under the curse of sin. Part of that groaning is the chaos that sin brings to mankind. Sin separates us from God and from each other. Paul describes our relationship with God as one at enmity with Him (Romans 8:7-8). Enmity is a strong word used to describes being hostile to God. He raise our fists in rebellion to Him and refuse to obey His commands. Our war with God spills over onto our brothers and sisters. We treat have malice in our hearts toward each other. God commands that we love our neighbor. When you are hostile to God and refuse to obey his commands, you refuse to love your neighbor. Thomas Merton breaks down simply when he says,
We are not at peace with others because we are not at peace with ourselves, and we are not at peace with ourselves because we are not at peace with God.
Thomas Merton
So, when the angels announce peace on earth, it should cause us to pause and say, “What is this great thing? Peace on earth to the people God favors? How can this be?”
Luke explains to us in his gospel how sinners who war with God and each other can have peace with God and each other. Through the lens of Luke’s second chapter of his gospel, we see God keep his promise to bring peace on earth through the birth of His precious Son. In other words,
Jesus is your promised Prince of Peace who reconciles you to God and each other.
Jesus is your Promised Prince of Peace (Luke 2:1-5)
Jesus is your Promised Prince of Peace (Luke 2:1-5)
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. 2 This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, 5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
In the modern Christmas hymn, “Who Would Have Dreamed,” Bob Kauflin and Jason Hansen beautifully capture the heart with what is happening in Luke 2:1-14.
On a starlit hillside, shepherds watched their sheep
Slowly, David’s city drifted off to sleep
But to this little town of no great renown
The Lord had a promise to keep
Prophets had foretold it, a mighty King would come
Long awaited Ruler, God’s Anointed One
But the Sovereign of all looked helpless and small
As God gave the world His own Son
And who would have dreamed or ever foreseen
That we could hold God in our hands?
The Giver of Life is born in the night
Revealing God’s glorious plan
To save the world
Working backwards, I want you to pay attention to the who was born and where he was where he was born in our text.
Who was born?
Who was born?
The angels identify Him the promised King who would come to save he world
Luke 2:11 (HCSB)
Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord...
Where was he born?
Where was he born?
4 And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, 5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant.
The City of David, Bethlehem. Bethlehem is where the prophets foretold the King would be born. For example, look at
1 Now, daughter who is under attack, you slash yourself in grief; a siege is set against us! They are striking the judge of Israel on the cheek with a rod. 2 Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; One will come from you to be ruler over Israel for Me. His origin is from antiquity, from eternity. 3 Therefore, He will abandon them until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of His brothers will return to the people of Israel. 4 He will stand and shepherd them in the strength of Yahweh, in the majestic name of Yahweh His God. They will live securely, for then His greatness will extend to the ends of the earth. 5 He will be their peace. When Assyria invades our land, when it marches against our fortresses, we will raise against it seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men.
Micah tells Israel that the Messiah will come from Bethlehem. He says, “ Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; One will come from you to be ruler over Israel for Me. His origin is from antiquity, from eternity.” Micah goes on to describe the Messiah born in Bethlehem as the “peace of his people.”
What does Micah mean when he says, “He will be their peace”?
What does Micah mean when he says, “He will be their peace”?
He will be their Shalom.
The peace described here is God’s shalom. The Hebrew word shalom means “well-being.” It’s often conveyed as wholeness or being complete. It can refer to health, prosperity, security, friendship, and salvation.
When God talks to Israel about providing the Promised Land, the place for them to enter his rest, he is speaking of shalom. God promised to give them peace on every side of life. Your children will grow old from good health. You will have houses you did not build and vineyards you did not grow. It will be a land flowing with milk and honey; two symbols of health and prosperity. God conquered their enemies to protect their security. In God’s rest, His people flourished and experienced abundant life. They had shalom. They had peace.
The New Testament draws heavily on the Old Testament regarding peace. The equivalent Greek word to Shalom is eirene. This is the word Luke used in 2:14, when the angels said “peace on earth.” Eirene is the gift Jesus gave his disciples before he was to be crucified. He said,
27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.
Eirene is what Jesus gave to His disciples when he first appeared to them after his crucifixion,
19 In the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because of their fear of the Jews. Then Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 20 Having said this, He showed them His hands and His side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 After saying this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus gives His eirene to His disciples, He is giving them His Shalom. His peace. His rest. Their wholeness.
The problem in this world is sin remains and disrupts our peace. Eventually Israel, like all of humanity, disregards God’s law and breaks covenant with him. They follow after other gods. In turn, Israel breaks fellowship with God and each other. Their idolatry leads to infidelity and corruption throughout the land. Eventually God draws the line and he exiles his people. They have lost their peace. They traded their peace for turmoil.
Isn’t that humanity’s problem? We keep believing we can achieve shalom on our own. We keep believing we can be our own God running our own lives, doing what we think is right on our own eyes. Israel made the mistake of believing they could have God’s Shalom apart from Him and God exiled them from his rest. Brothers and sister, our friends, family, and neighbors believe the same thing as Israel; maybe even some of you. How hard do you fight for shalom in the American Dream? How much do you demand shalom from your spouse? Are you banking on your children or grandchildren to be your shalom? Does your job define you shalom? If you were to loose any of these in your life, would you loose your peace? If you say yes to any of these, friends you are living in exile, away from God’s peace.
Heres the glory of God in the highest. God promised Israel that he would send a Messiah who would redeem his people, restore them, and solidify their peace. He would take away the enmity between God and man and absolve all their our sin, and provide an always and forever eternal shalom. The Messiah will be the Prince of Peace.
Isaiah the prophet identifies this person as the Prince of Peace.
6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah promised, as Micah promised, God would send a child who will bring God’s wholeness, his shalom, his restful peace with is righteous reign. Not just Israel, but the nations will live securely in His kingdom at rest with God and each other forever. This begs a question. How will God going to make peace with sinners who are hostile to Him? How can a holy and just God be at peace with sinners who commit treason and are hostile to Him? You need to know seriousness of the problem to see the glory of the solution.
God is Holy.
God is Holy.
God is holy. To be holy is to be separate from the rest. R.C. Sproul says of God’s holiness,
The Holiness of God Chapter 3: The Fearful Mystery
When the Bible calls God holy, it means primarily that God is transcendentally separate. He is so far above and beyond us that He seems almost totally foreign to us. To be holy is to be “other,” to be different in a special way. The same basic meaning is used when the word holy is applied to earthly things.
11 Lord, who is like You among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?
2 There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one besides You! And there is no rock like our God.
To be holy is to be morally superior.
To be holy is to be morally superior.
God is separate from us in that he is morally pure; morally superior.
3 Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? 4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not set his mind on what is false, and who has not sworn deceitfully. 5 He will receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Habakkuk says of the Lord
13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate those who are treacherous? Why are You silent while one who is wicked swallows up one who is more righteous than himself?
We are unholy.
We are unholy.
We are sinful. Our sin separates us from a Holy God. God says to sinful humanity
2 But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have made Him hide His face from you so that He does not listen.
Micah says
4 Then they will cry out to the Lord, but He will not answer them. He will hide His face from them at that time because of the crimes they have committed.
We (the unholy) are ruined by God’s holiness.
We (the unholy) are ruined by God’s holiness.
Furthermore, look at what happens when sinful man gazes upon a Holy God? Isaiah tells us when he saw the Lord in his temple
5 Then I said: Woe is me for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips, and because my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.
Sinful man is ruined before a holy God. In antiquity, appearing before the King in an improper manner leads to death (Esther 4:11). Standing before a Holy King will lead to death. God told Moses
20 But He answered, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.”
The seriousness of our unholiness is eternal condemnation.
The seriousness of our unholiness is eternal condemnation.
Man cannot see His face and live. If you stand before God in your sin, you will surely die. And death of this kind is eternal judgement. Sin separates mankind from God. There is no peace with God. As a matter of fact Paul says that mankind is at war with God.
7 For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Some translations use the word enmity for hostile. To have enmity with someone is to hate them. Humanity, by nature hates God. There is hostility between God and his fallen image bearers, and that hostility makes us enemies.
So the question remains, how does sinful, hostile, enemies of a Holy and righteous God live peacefully in His kingdom with Him?
So the question remains, how does sinful, hostile, enemies of a Holy and righteous God live peacefully in His kingdom with Him?
Now comes the glory in the highest of heavens! God provides peaceful reconciliation for sinners through His Prince of Peace!
Jesus is the Peace that reconciles sinners to God and each other. (Luke 2:6-12)
Jesus is the Peace that reconciles sinners to God and each other. (Luke 2:6-12)
6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough—because there was no room for them at the lodging place. 8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”
God knew we could not come to Him and make peace. God demonstrated his love for us that while we were sinners, hostile enemies to His holiness, he sent Christ into the world as a holy human being for the sole purpose to reconcile us to God. We need a holy human mediator. He needs to be holy so he can stand rightly before God. He needs to be human so he can mediate on our behalf. In other words, our mediator needs to be fully God and fully man. The only way that happens is if God leaves heaven and comes to earth as a person. That is what Christmas is all about!
But to this little town of no great renown The Lord had a promise to keep...And who would have dreamed or ever foreseen That we could hold God in our hands? The Giver of Life is born in the night Revealing God’s glorious plan To save the world!
Christmas is about God keeping His promise to send His Holy Son, fully God, to be born on earth as a human being, fully man, in order to bring peace between God and man.
Christ alone can bring lasting peace—peace with God—peace among men and nations—and peace within our hearts.
Billy Graham
How does Jesus reconcile sinners to God? How does he achieve peace between God and Man?
How does Jesus reconcile sinners to God? How does he achieve peace between God and Man?
Looking back at Luke 2:6-12, the angel reveals how Jesus will be the peace that reconciles sinners to God and each other.
The angel describes Jesus as “Christ the Lord.” He is the Messiah, or as the HCSB translates it, the Savior.
Do you remember what the angel Gabiel told Joseph about the baby in Mary's womb?
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
Isaiah said of the Prince of Peace in,
4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
The Savior would come into the world to reconcile God’s people to himself and each other by being pierced for their transgressions and crushed for their iniquities. The Prince of Peace would have to come as a human being to die on the cross for the sins of his people.
In order to atone for our sins, a holy sacrifice has to be made. For God has said,
22 According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
The child born from Mary’s womb would have to one day shed his own blood on the cross to be the Holy sacrifice needed to bring peace between God and man. His sacrifice is bale to cover every sin ever committed on earth. That is the power of His holiness. But it is only given to those whom God favors,
14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!
Peace comes to God’s elect. God’s elect are those whom the Holy Spirit draws to the Father for salvation. Those who come to the Father express faith in the Son’s work on the cross. If the Holy Spirit is speaking to you now, do not neglect his voice. Do no harden your heart to his leading.
You can have peace with God if you confess you are a sinner at war with God. Confess you have broken his law and deserve His judgement. Ask Him for forgiveness for your rebellion. Ask God to cleanse you with the blood for Jesus and invite him into your heart to live and rule. Repent of your sin. That is, turn form it and live a life under rule and power of the holy Spirit that is pleasing to God. You will have his Shalom, Eirene, His peace and you will be at peace with your neighbors because he will be your peace.
Christmas is a time of advent. Advent is a time of expectation. The prophets of old longed to see Jesus come. He did come and did everything God promised he would do. However, he ascended into heaven leaving the church to continue his mission. He gave us his Spirit to empower us to joyfully advance the kingdom of Hod by making much of Jesus in the church community and home. We are to advance his kingdom of peace throughout all the world. That is missions.
We are still in a time of advent. We are waiting for Christ to return once more. This time, it will be for good. Remember, the Angels said “peace on earth.” That is God’s goal ultimately.
Jesus is the peace that Will one day unite the entire world. (Luke 2:14)
Jesus is the peace that Will one day unite the entire world. (Luke 2:14)
The angels say, “Peace on earth.”
14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!
The prophet Micah describes the kind of peace the Prince of Peace will bring when he comes to restore God’s kingdom.
1 In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s house will be established at the top of the mountains and will be raised above the hills. Peoples will stream to it, 2 and many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us about His ways so we may walk in His paths.” For instruction will go out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 3 He will settle disputes among many peoples and provide arbitration for strong nations that are far away. They will beat their swords into plows, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not take up the sword against nation, and they will never again train for war. 4 But each man will sit under his grapevine and under his fig tree with no one to frighten him. For the mouth of the Lord of Hosts has promised this. 5 Though all the peoples each walk in the name of their gods, we will walk in the name of Yahweh our God forever and ever. 6 On that day— this is the Lord’s declaration— I will assemble the lame and gather the scattered, those I have injured.
Notice five things about the peace the Messiah will bring:
His peace will bring prosperity.
His peace will bring prosperity.
In the immediate context, Micah is speaking of Yahweh restoring Israel’s prosperity (Deut 4:30; Isaiah 2:2; Hosea 3:5; Daniel 10:14). Israel will return to the Lord and once again experience his rest. Jerusalem will be the center of worship of Yahweh where God’s authority will be respected.
2. His peace will be for the nations.
2. His peace will be for the nations.
Israel will not be the only one resting in Yahweh. 4:1 says people will stream to Jerusalem to be in Yahweh presence. Salvation will be for all who call upon the name of the Lord, both Jew and gentile.
3. His peace will be a product of his righteous judgement.
3. His peace will be a product of his righteous judgement.
God will judge righteously over all the nations and both Jew and Gentile will obey his law and walk in righteousness. We will no longer have to deal with shoddy elections, corrupt politicians, and rogue corporations lobbying for their agenda. The King will rule with wisdom, righteousness, justice, and honor.
4. His peace will be worldwide.
4. His peace will be worldwide.
In 4:3, it says “they will beat their swords into plowshares and into pruning hooks.” Israel lived in an agricultural economy. They were mostly farmers. During a time of war, Israel would beat their plowshares and pruning hooks into weapons, like swords.
When the Messiah comes, the Prince of Peace, swords will no longer be needed. He will bring worldwide peace. Isaiah describes the messiah’s peace
4 He will settle disputes among the nations and provide arbitration for many peoples. They will turn their swords into plows and their spears into pruning knives. Nations will not take up the sword against other nations, and they will never again train for war.
5. His peace will unite the peoples of the world in worship of Yahweh.
5. His peace will unite the peoples of the world in worship of Yahweh.
In 4:5, right now the nations walk according to their own false gods. When the Messiah comes, he will unite them to worship the one true God, Yahweh.
To this end God’s Messiah will come
4 He will stand and shepherd them in the strength of Yahweh, in the majestic name of Yahweh His God. They will live securely, for then His greatness will extend to the ends of the earth. 5 He will be their peace. When Assyria invades our land, when it marches against our fortresses, we will raise against it seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men.
What Micah describes is the complete and total reconciliation of sinners to God and each other. There is no more hostility between God and man. God blesses his redeemed people with prosperity and worldwide peace. The world will live in righteousness. Holiness will fill the entire earth. It will be like what it was in the Garden of Eden before the fall.
What does peace mean to you?
What does peace mean to you?
Peace means many things to different people. To those whom God favors, it means you have been reconciled to God through His Prince of Peace. You have God’s peace in your heart; you have his shalom. You have it now, and you will have it even more when Christ returns to bring peace on earth forever. That is the what peace means to Christmas. Now go and live in peace with God and your neighbor.