Prince of Peace

The Christmas season is now upon us and busyness has taken over… hustle and bustle… shopping… parties… gifts… family obligations… who has time for anything else.

As we begin the Christmas season, we tend to focus on the things that have nothing to do with the true essence, purpose and meaning of Christmas.

This morning (this month) I want to encourage all of us to reclaim Christmas for Jesus.

Slow down, take in the season, let Jesus captivate our hearts again this Christmas. Put Jesus at the center of our lives, our families… let the presence of Jesus be the motivator for loving and serving one another.

As we present and receive gifts that we would remember the greatest gift of all… Salvation has come… God is now with us… so let Jesus be the center of our Christmas.

I believe that we are so familiar with the birth of Jesus, with the nativity, the manger, angels, shepherds, Mary and Joseph in a barn as Jesus was born in Bethlehem… that we miss the peace that Jesus came to bring.

The peace in the storm, in the unknown, the peace when we become anxious and wanting, hoping and waiting.

God Gives us Peace in the Waiting

We often skip over the waiting because we know what happens at the end… It’s like watching an old sporting event or binge watching an old tv series on netflix. We know the end, we know the story, there is no anticipation or waiting so we can just relax and enjoy it.

But the more we know the story and know the ending, the message can quickly become background noise.

The nation of Israel was waiting and hoping for the Messiah to deliver them… they didn’t know the end of the story.

The world was in chaos, the Romans were taking over, the priests and the religious authority were seeking power over the people, along with King Herod.

The people were in the middle of this conflict yet they still believed. They looked to Scripture, they believed God’s Word. They were waiting for their promised deliverer, Savior, and Messiah who would come and make all things right.

The prophet Isaiah wrote over 700 years before the nativity, the angels, shepherds, Mary and Joseph…

Isaiah 9:6–7 (ESV)

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

The Messiah would come to earth as a little child but will grow up to be a mighty, wonderful, and eternal king.

The Messiah will be a king who will judge and rule with perfect righteousness… HIS authority and HIS peace will be endless.

There is a relationship between real Peace and Righteousness and that relationship cannot be separated.

We have to be under God’s authority if we are going to know and experience God’s peace.

Peace is not necessarily the absence of conflict, or having power over, or subduing our enemies.

When it came to the OT prophecies about the Messiah, the Jews interpreted them in a limited way, they were expecting the Messiah to come and set the nation of Israel free, by destroying there enemies.

Jesus came to save all humanity, to set all people free…

The gift of salvation was not just for the Jews but for the Gentiles as well.

The gift of salvation can only benefit us when we surrender our life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

That’s why God had to send the second Elijah to prepare the way for Jesus the Messiah.

The last book of the OT Malachi which was written about 400 years BC.

Malachi 4:5–6 ESV

5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

After 400 years of silence, John the Baptist become that second Elijah… to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers…

John came to set the table for Jesus’ ministry…

John came claimed to be the fulfillment of Isaiah (40:3) the Prophet…

John 1:23 ESV

23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

As we look at Israel, waiting in anticipation for the Messiah… as we prepare ourselves in the waiting for Christmas… as we continue to wait on the Lord and trust in HIS timing… remember that God gives us peace in the waiting.

Peace comes when we believe that God’s timing is always perfect.

As we recognize John the Baptist and learn the background from the OT prophecies, let’s shift our attention to Luke 1.

This chapter begins with a priestly couple named Zechariah and Elizabeth who knew the scripture, they knew the prophecies and God’s promise.

This is an older couple who faithfully served the Lord not only in their priestly duty but it says that they walked blamelessly before the Lord obeying HIS commandments and statutes but they were unable to have children.

As Zechariah was fulfilling his priestly duty in the Lord’s temple.

Luke 1:9–17 (ESV)

9 According to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

We see here that Zechariah prayed for this very things… The Angel Gabrial said that your Prayer has been heard...

You may be waiting for God to answer your prayers… don’t stop… trust that God’s timing is always perfect.

You will have great Joy and many will rejoice at his birth.

He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even in his mother’s womb...

Elizebeth said the baby leaped in her womb as she was filled with the Holy Spirit when Mary entered the house with a greeting.

He will have the spirit and power of Elijah… to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.

God answers Zechariah and Elizabeth’s prayer beyond just having a child… beyond just taking away the curse of there barrenness… no the angel said that this child will be used by God to do incredible things… Elijah-level things… he will be used to turn hearts back to the Lord.

Luke 1:18 ESV

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

It’s interesting how Zechariah, a man of God doubts when a prayer gets answered. He doubts because there seems to be too many odds against him.

As if the angel didn’t know, He was quick to remind him that he and his wife are old… Gabriel, you are a few years too late, it’s not possible anymore.

Maybe we don’t know the whole story.

Maybe they had a few painful miscarriages.

Maybe he wanted to Elizebeth from another heart break.

I can be a lot like Zechariah… I’m praying for a miracle but seek the evidence before completely trusting HIM with the outcome.

Peace comes when we trust in God’s perfect timing.

It’s not about whether it’s possible or not… with God all things are possible. We just want the guarantee, we just want the evidence before we are willing to step out in faith. We think that peace will come when we know the outcome.

Zechariah wanted the evidence so God gave him the evidence, just not the way he expected it.

Luke 1:18–20 ESV

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

Gabriel said you want evidence, here’s the evidence… I’m just the messenger who stands in the presence of God and I was send here to speak this good news but because you did not believe my words you will not be able to speak until God’s Word is fulfilled.

And God’s Word was fulfilled right on time because it was in HIS perfect time.

Luke 1:24–25 ESV

24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

Zechariah could not say anything..

This must have been a strange time in there marriage because he had nothing to say, he had no grievances, no complaints, nothing… for 9 months, he couldn’t say anything.

But even in his silence, as he watched God unfold HIS wonderful plan, as he saw his wife pregnant for the first time after years of waiting, as he was there when Mary came by as a young pregnant mom, as she was meeting up with Elizabeth the joy of the the Lord filled all of them as he watched God’s plan being fulfilled right before he very eyes.

God’s promise was unfolding but he could not say anything.

He just took it in and watched God work out HIS promise.

He just took it in as the Messiah would soon be born, and his son John would prepare the way.

God begins to stir things up in his heart and when John was born he was still silent.

Then the 8th day came, the day when the child was to be circumcised and the father’s responsibility was to name the child. They would have called him Zechariah after his dad but mom spoke up and said (v.60) “NO, he shall be called John.”

Without having a conversation, God was speaking the same message to Elizabeth.

Luke 1:63–64 ESV

63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.

Even in the silence, God was speaking, God was confirming, God was working out HIS plan, preparing the way for the Messiah.

If God can used an old couple who would appear to be well past there expiration date, who are we to say that God can’t used me.

God not only can used you, God wants to used you, and will used you as you...

Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, BelieveHIS Word, and Commit your life to Jesus everyday.

Righteousness is the connection to God’s peace.

God’s peace can only come as we trust in Jesus, live for Jesus, and follow Jesus everyday.

Jesus came so HE can be our Prince of Peace.

Our world can only give us temporary peace, circumstantial peace, material and financial peace but when those things are gone so is our peace.

But Jesus reminds us…

John 14:27 ESV

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

TAKE AWAY:

Jesus came to be our Prince of Peace

We put on God’s Peace when we trust, live, and follow Jesus.

Put on God’s Peace so you can patiently wait on God’s timing because HIS timing is always perfect.