Week 2: The Shepherds - PEACE

SLIDE: Scripture

Isaiah 9:6–7 (NLT)

6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

SLIDE: Welcome Home

SLIDE: Title

Introduction

SLIDE: Advent Themes

I want to welcome you all today to worship as we continue in our Advent sermon series. Advent is the season that prepares us to celebrate the coming of Jesus, it focuses on four different themes: hope, peace, joy, and love. The Christian Church has traditionally seen these themes as the true gifts of Christmas that come from the arrival of Jesus Christ in the form of a baby in a manger. Last week, we took a look at the first theme of hope. We discovered a man named Simeon, who had faithfully waited on the arrival of the promised Savior. We learned that our waiting is not an idle laziness, but rather it is an active preparation that can be filled with hope. Today, we are going to turn our attention to the second theme of Advent, peace.

Story: I am not much for shopping during the holiday season because of the traffic and chaos. However, a few years ago I decided to go stand in line, with the rest of America apparently, to get into Walmart early one morning for some amazing deals. It was a cold morning, and I nearly froze in the middle of a line that was almost a mile long. I was waiting until the doors of Walmart were finally opened for the shopping to begin. Finally, the time came, and the doors were opened. It was a mad dash and things escalated quickly. Suddenly, there was shouting and shoving up and down the line. What once was a fun adventure turned into a retreat to safety. This was not an isolated incident; this same scenario played out all over America several years before COVID and to an even more violent degree sometimes.

How is it that the joy and peace of the Christmas season is so often turned in the anger and frustration of the human spirit? Most every family I know of wants to experience peace at Christmas. Every individual wants to experience peace at Christmas, but too often, conflict, frustration, and disappointment are what’s present.

And this chaos is in direct opposition to peace.

Main Teaching

Much of the Bible is written by people who found themselves in the midst of conflict and struggle as well. In fact, much of the Old Testament is a story of the people of God who are under siege by surrounding nations, exiled to foreign countries, or enslaved to powerful empires. The Old Testament writers were often crying out for God to bring peace. One of the prophetic promises in the book of Isaiah addressed the need for a new leader who would come and be the “prince of peace.” They believed that God was faithful and that He always kept His promises, and so they eagerly waited for God to send rescue.

READ Isaiah 9:6–7

Isaiah 9:6–7 (NLT)

6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

The promise of God that is penned by Isaiah is for a coming ruler who would usher in a new government that will have no end. There will be a child who is born, a son, who will be a wonderful counselor, a mighty God, an everlasting father, and a prince of peace. This is not the reality at the time of its writing, but it gives hope and peace to the Jewish people and reminds them that God has not forgotten about them.

Story: It is no secret that we live in a time where there is little peace around us. We can watch the news for just a few minutes and see that all around the world (and especially now in Israel) there is struggle and pain. We see it in the lack of water and food in far-off countries. It is a reminder that we live in a broken world. We see it in the unrest in our country. We see it in global pandemics and wars. Sometimes we see it closer to home in our own families when people are at odds with one another. Whether far or near, we can relate to the people of God’s desire for there to be one who would rule over all and bring order to the chaos and healing to the brokenness.

Unfortunately, as we look at our society today; whether it be in the halls of government, in social media or elsewhere: There is sort of insatable hunger for conflict. It seems that at a drop of a hat people fly off the handle at some of the silliest things.

So, if we are honest, we long to see peace come to the world and we long to see God fulfill His promise of one who will rule with love and compassion. Hundreds of years later, the promise comes to pass. The first people to hear about it are a bit of a surprise.

READ Luke 2:8–12

Luke 2:8–12 (NLT)

8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

In a field outside of Bethlehem, there is a group of shepherds who are watching their flocks of sheep during the night. Now typically, when we think about the shepherds in the Christmas story, we think about cute little boys with a staff and a sheet wrapped around them. The shepherds of the ancient Near East were anything but cute.

Shepherds were seen as some of the lowest of the low in Jewish society. They were a nomadic group who would live off-grid and travel to find pasture for their sheep to graze in. They were single young men without children. They were not clean. They probably did not smell good. They were a blue-collar crowd who worked hard and long to earn a living. They were considered second-class and untrustworthy. And yet, these are the first people to hear the birth announcement of the long-awaited one.

SLIDE: For Everyone

POINT #1: THE PEACE OF CHRIST IS FOR EVERYONE.

There is a sense from the very beginning of this Christmas story that the hope, peace, joy, and love that arrive with the birth of Christ is not just for the powerful and perfected. The child who is born is for everybody everywhere. The peace that will come with His leadership and rule is not for the ones who are already in power, but for the ones who are scratching and clawing just to make it another day. If you don’t feel like you are worthy of the peace that is found in Jesus, just know you are in good company. This message of peace is for you.

An angel of the Lord appears to these men out in the fields. Their first response is absolute terror. They are fearful because the glory of the Lord shines around them in the dead of night. It must have been an overwhelming experience. But look at the first words that are spoken to them: “Do not be afraid.”

The first words spoken over the shepherds, and I believe over us today, are words of peace: Do not be afraid.Though you may be facing a painful situation, do not be afraid. You may be facing an unfavorable diagnosis; do not be afraid. You may be struggling to restore a relationship; do not be afraid. You may be anxious about the circumstances that swirl all around you; do not be afraid.

Here is why—the angel says that he brings good news of great joy for all people.

Story: I always get anxious whenever someone comes to me and says, “I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?” I always want to answer: I only want one of them, the good news. But, because I usually don’t have a choice, I want the good news last. When I have good news to hang onto, I know that there is still hope.

Maybe you could use some good news today because your spirit has not known peace for quite some time. In the arrival of Jesus Christ, we are given good news. The good news is this: you have not been forgotten by God. In fact, He has come to be with you in the midst of your struggle. He was born in the city of David, and He is the Messiah and the Lord. He is in charge. He is King. He is the one you have been waiting for.

SLIDE: The Presence of God

POINT #2: PEACE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF CONFLICT; IT IS THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

The peace that Jesus brings into our lives is not necessarily the absence of trouble, but instead it is the confidence that we are not alone. The kind of peace that comes with the fulfilled promise of old looks different from what we may have expected.

Story: Long ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace. Not finding one that satisfied, he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece. The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide. Finally, the great day of revelation arrived. The judges uncovered one peaceful scene after another, while the viewers clapped and cheered.

The tensions grew. Only two pictures remained veiled. As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd. A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy green birches under the soft blush of the evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep grazed undisturbed. Surely this was the winner. The man with the vision uncovered the second painting himself, and the crowd gasped in surprise. Could this be peace?

A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice; the crowd could almost feel its cold, penetrating spray. Stormy gray clouds threatened to explode with lightning, wind, and rain. In the midst of the thundering noises and bitter chill, a spindly tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls. One of its branches reached out in front of the torrential waters as if foolishly seeking to experience its full power. A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch. Content and undisturbed in her stormy surroundings, she rested on her eggs. With her eyes closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones, she manifested peace that transcends all earthly turmoil

(from A Wardrobe from the King by Berit Kjos).

You see, true peace can be experienced in the midst of the chaotic when we recognize that peace is not about our circumstances, it is about the One who is faithful to walk with us through even the most difficult times.

That first Christmas morning, the angels brought good news. A child has been born in the town of David, and He will be a better king who will rule and bring peace. Luke is borrowing from the prophetic promise in Isaiah and keying in on a time when the nation of Israel knew peace. The angel is referring to a time when David was king. You might call it “the good ole days.” This was a time that every Israelite wanted to see as a reality once again.

This time, however, it would be even better than David. This time the baby who would be found wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger was the God of the universe, who had moved into the neighborhood to live among them. The peace would not come from a mortal man, but from the divine. As soon as this announcement is made, the good news inspires singing.

READ Luke 2:13–14

Luke 2:13–14 (NLT)

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

The song ends by saying that peace will come to those on whom God’s favor rests. So, you want to know peace? Then you must receive God’s favor.

SLIDE: At Peace With God

POINT #3: GOD’S FAVOR COMES FROM BEING AT PEACE WITH GOD.

The story of the Bible reveals that the most important place where we need to experience peace is not within the relationships and circumstances around us. The greatest need for peace is between us and a Holy God. The book of Romans tells us that the rule that governs over us most is the rule of sin, and it stirs chaos and conflict within us.

READ Romans 8:6–7

Romans 8:6–7 (NLT)

6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.

When we find ourselves lost in sin, our spirits are at odds with God. We don’t submit to Him and we won’t submit to Him because we think we know better. Isn’t this the headwaters of every conflict that we face? Are we not at war with one another and harming one another because, in the end, we think we know what is best?

SLIDE: A Prayer

Listen to this powerful prayer that Saint Augustine of Hippo once shared:

“Lord and Giver of all good things, the magi travelled for miles to bring the Christ child the first Christmas presents. So, may we, too, remember with thankful hearts the love that comes with each present we open. We also thank you for the love you have for each of us, and we thank you for the many gifts that you give us, especially the gift of life itself. Amen.”

Conclusion

You see, the birth of this promised king is the coming of a new rule for the entire world, and that rule begins inside each and every one of our hearts. This baby grew up to be a man who offered Himself on the cross as atonement for our sins.

SLIDE: Submitting

The peace that we find at Christmas comes from submitting to the lordship of Jesus Christ. It reorients our hearts, and it makes us friends of God. So, though the world may be in chaos around us, we find comfort and confidence in knowing that we have been made right with God through the blood of Jesus and that He is with us. His presence in our lives brings us peace.

Maybe today you recognize that the reason there is no peace in your heart is because you have not made peace with God. That peace is available to you today. Because of God’s grace, we can, in faith, trust Jesus with all aspects of our lives. I want to invite you to pray this prayer today and know the peace of God.

ALTAR CALL

Pray:

Jesus,

I am in need of the peace that you so freely offer. I want you to come and rule in my life. I confess that I have sinned and have been at odds with you. Forgive me and allow me to receive the favor that comes by your grace. Make me an agent of peace in the world, and may my life reflect your love.

Amen.