Seeking the Peace of the World

Here’s a detailed sermon outline on Peace, focusing on the Wise Men in Matthew 2:1-2:

Title: "Seeking the Prince of Peace"

Text: Matthew 2:1-2

Introduction

Matthew 2:1-12 shares the beloved story of the Wise Men. Like other Christmas vignettes, this mysterious group is prone to folklore like there were three of them since there were three gifts. We don’t know much of the details, but they once again assure us of God’s plan, and they emphasize the great HOPE that we have in Jesus.

Introduce the theme of Peace: The world they lived in (and ours) is full of strife, yet they sought the One called the "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). Key question: How can we find true peace in a restless world?

Big Idea: Peace is more than just the absence of conflict or turmoil. It is wholeness, harmony, and tranquility that comes from being in a right relationship with God, others, and oneself.

Here are some key aspects:

Peace with God: This is the reconciliation between God and humanity through Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 speaks to this by stating, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Peace with Others: Christians are called to live in peace with others, promoting unity and reconciliation. Ephesians 4:3 encourages believers to "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

Peace with Ourselves: This is the peace that resides in the heart and mind of a believer, rooted in faith and trust in God's promises. It's often associated with the peace that surpasses all understanding mentioned in Philippians 4:7.

Philippians 4:7 “7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

In essence, Christian peace is a holistic and deeply spiritual state that flows from a relationship with God and extends to all aspects of life. Peace is both a gift— and a practice.

How does that resonate with your understanding or experience of life today? By the end here I want you to be inspired that every interaction you have in life is an opportunity to practice a spiritual discipline.

I. The Promise of Peace (Isaiah 9:6; Daniel 9:25)

The prophecy of Isaiah:

Centuries before the Wise Men, Isaiah foretold a child to be born, called the Prince of Peace. Peace here is shalom—wholeness, harmony with God and others.

Isaiah 9:6 NIV

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.

The connection to Daniel:

The Wise Men, likely influenced by Daniel’s writings (Daniel 9:25), knew of a coming King who would bring peace and establish an everlasting kingdom. Their journey began with the promise of peace, just as our journey with Christ begins with His promises.

Daniel 9:25 NIV

25 “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.

It is agreed that these Wise Men (or Magi) came to the Jerusalem/Judea area from the EAST. Many credible sources have speculated that the strange caravan that arrives originated in the regions where the capital of the Babylonian and Persian empires were. Think about the legacy of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego back in the Babylonian and Persian empires? That knowledge, their writings and legacy of faithfulness influenced the professors and thinkers of that region. They knew of these longstanding promises. They may or may not have known about the Isaiah passage, maybe they could have gotten access to those writings— also they may not have had access to Micah, but as we will read King Herod certainly did:

Micah 5:2 NIV

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.”

A. God has an eternal plan for reconciliation with humanity. (Gen 3:15)

The ancient prophecies spoke of a coming Messiah who would bridge the divide between God and people. Remember that builds our Faith— the specifics of that fulfilment are Jesus, who is our HOPE!

God’s intention has always been to heal the fundamental separation caused by human sin. The result is to bring the world PEACE.

What we are reading today skips forward in the story—to sometime after Jesus’ birth-- but it’s this side bar story that further supports the story. Matthew carefully records this interaction as a support to his gospel writing.

Matthew 2:1 NIV

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem

Matthew 2:2 NIV

2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

II. The Pursuit of Peace (Matthew 2:1-2; Numbers 24:17)

The Wise Men demonstrated an intentional and sacrificial journey in their quest to find the newborn king.

We’ve seen his star in the sky! They were regularly looking, searching the signs and times for these changes or incidents to appear.

They had a hunger for more knowledge and a sincere desire to respond to the sign.

Their journey:

These men likely traveled hundreds of miles, driven by a longing to meet the King foretold in prophecy. They followed the star, a fulfillment of Balaam's prophecy in Numbers 24:17.

The actual sign of the Star of Bethlehem represented divine guidance for those willing to seek earnestly.

Numbers 24:17 NIV

17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth.

A. The wise men did not wait for peace to come to them, they actively seek it.

The Wise Men's pursuit puts aside cultural and geographical boundaries. Because the Peace of God that they are seeking transcends all those things.

They faced obstacles: distance, danger, and uncertainty about what they would find. Yet they didn’t waver, showing us that true peace requires effort, trust, and faith.

Are we willing to pursue the Prince of Peace, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable?

B. The wise men overcame many obstacles to pursue Jesus. Are we willing to do the same?

What are your obstacles? God is indeed revealing Himself, but what gets in our way?

Distractions, Complacency, Fear, Materialism, Cultural pressures all can mount up the argument that pursuing Jesus, the Peace and wholeness of life— isn’t worth it. It’s not going to be what we want.

III. The Price of Peace (Matthew 2:3-8)

Matthew 2:3 NIV

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

Matthew 2:4 NIV

4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.

Matthew 2:5 NIV

5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

Numbers 24:17 “17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth.”

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.””

A. True peace threatens worldly power structures.

These wise men didn’t even acknowledge Herod as the King of the area— They didn’t bow in the presence of King Herod-- for there is no hope in the kingdoms of this world-- nor is there this “great joy” in the presence of the worlds leaders.

They sought King Jesus with all their hearts and resources. (Wise men and women today still do!) They saw a separation between the world’s king— and THE King.

This is one of the hallmark distinctives of the Anabaptist tradition. In the 1500’s the church and the government worked VERY close together. It’s referred to as the church and state. There was a natural blending of the purpose of each entity. They worked in very close harmony, which in some respects worked well for both— but the radical reformers saw this as a negative for the church, and they chose to separate themselves from the “world” by forming communities that would “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, but render unto God what is God’s.” That caused many to question and call these Anabaptists rebels and traitors. That was a misunderstanding— This passage illustrates the complex political and spiritual dynamics that resist transformative peace.

The birth of Jesus further exposed the spiritual warfare surrounding God’s plan. The enemy doesn’t want wholeness and Peace for you and me.

Matthew 2:7 NIV

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.

Matthew 2:8 NIV

8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

Herod’s reaction:

While the Wise Men sought peace, Herod responded with fear and hostility. True peace often exposes the unrest in the hearts of those unwilling to submit to God’s reign.

Achieving true peace often comes at a significant personal price.

Herod sought to destroy peace to maintain control; the Wise Men sought peace by surrendering control. Jesus’ peace requires surrender—laying down our fears, pride, and sin at His feet.

Spiritual discernment becomes crucial when confronted with opposition to divine plans.

True peace often exposes the unrest in the hearts of those unwilling to submit to God’s reign.

You might spot this in someone you know. They are not settled with God, they do not have peace with themselves or God, they are most likely not going to have peace with you either.

B. The wise men surrendered their own agenda for God’s plan.

Matthew 2:9 “9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.”

Application:

What are we holding onto that prevents us from fully embracing Christ’s peace? That might be because you aren’t willing to pay the price for peace? That mean surrendering to God’s plans, rather than holding on to your own power and position— These wise men were leaders, people of prominence and influence in their own lives back home— they were KINGS themselves. But they humbled themselves and were willing to surrender their wills to God’s plans.

The promise leads us to a price, but eventually we are in the

IV. The Presence of Peace (Matthew 2:9-12)

God’s guidance continues to be there for those genuinely seeking spiritual truth. The star somehow leads them to exactly where Jesus is— that exact location isn’t as important for me, as is what they did once they knew they had found the child King.

Matthew 2:10 NIV

10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

Matthew 2:11 “11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

The Peace of finding Jesus:

The Wise Men’s journey culminated in worship as they bowed before the child. Their gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—symbolize honor, worship, and sacrifice. Peace is found in the presence of Jesus, not in the absence of conflict.

A. The response to knowing divine peace is profound worship .

Their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh symbolically represented Christ's complete identity and mission.

1. Gold is the gift for a King.

In those days, it was inappropriate to approach a king without a gift. Gold is the king of the metals, so its a perfect gift for the King of men! It was extremely valuable, and would eventually pay for travelling expenses to and from Egypt!

I like thinking of this part of the story as these wise men developing and experiencing Peace with God. God is the creator, sustainer, the King of the universe. We need to practice acknowledging that— we need to bring the Gold of our hearts and minds to lay at the King’s feet. Surrendering to the plans of the King is a hard thing to do— it’s difficult to give God the most valuable things we have...

2. Frankincense is a gift for a Priest.

The basic function of a priest is to open the way the way to God for men. The Latin word for priest is “pontifax”— which means “bridge-builder”. That is exactly what Jesus was! He opened the way to God. He made a way for us to be in the presence of God forever! Jesus makes the way for us to have peace with each other— he is our model for bridge-building in this world. Do you have conflict with others around you? Are you the problem, or hindrance to peace in those relationships— use discernment, but if you are the problem— lay that down as your frankincense today— your act of becoming like Jesus to bring peace to that relationship. How can you do that? Submit to God and find out...

3. Myrrh is a gift for one who is going to die.

Myrrh was used to embalm bodies and prepare them for burial. Jesus came into the world ultimately to die for the sins of that world.

This is perhaps the most unique gift that these wise men bring… Maybe they just assumed it would be used after this little King grows up and lives a good long life… But it would be used far too early in his life on earth. At just 33 years, Jesus will need to sacrifice himself to make Peace. To Become the peace by dying to himself.

This leads me to ask you how your relationship with your self is? Do you have peace with yourself? If you don’t — the metaphor of Myrrh could be powerful for you.

Matthew 10:39 NIV

39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

“Whoever finds peace in themselves will lose that peace— but whoever finds their peace in me will never lose it.”

Matthew 2:12 “12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”

Their change of direction:

After encountering Christ, they left by another route, symbolizing a transformed life. True peace changes us and redirects our path.

Have you encountered the Prince of Peace? How has it changed the direction of your life?

V. The Promise of Everlasting Peace (Isaiah 11:1-10; John 14:27)

The coming of Jesus isn’t just an isolated one time peace. It’s eternal!

The birth and incarnation of God as a man points to the ultimate reconciliation that extends beyond individual human experience.

Christ brings a peace that completely surpasses human understanding and conventional definitions. The prophet Isaiah writes and describes the Messiah this way: It’s exactly who Jesus is:

Isaiah 11:1–2 NIV

1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—

Isaiah 11:4 NIV

4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

Isaiah 11:5 NIV

5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

Isaiah 11:6 NIV

6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.

A. Jesus is the Prince of Peace that will bring harmony to all of creation.

Christ is uniquely positioned as the Prince of Peace, offering reconciliation between God and humanity.

Divine peace is fundamentally a gift to be received, not a concept to be merely understood.

The bigger picture:

The Wise Men’s journey foreshadows the global reach of Christ’s peace—He came not just for Israel but for the entire world (Isaiah 11:10). Jesus offers a peace unlike the world’s—eternal, unshakable, and rooted in reconciliation with God (John 14:27).

John 14:27 NIV

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Application:

As followers of Jesus, we are called to share this peace with others, becoming peacemakers (Matthew 5:9). How can we reflect His peace in a chaotic world?

Conclusion

Reflect on the Wise Men’s story: a journey from promise to fulfillment, from seeking to sacrificial worship.

Surrender areas of unrest to Him. Pursue Him wholeheartedly, even when it’s hard. Share His peace with those around you.

Isaiah 26:3 NIV

3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.