God with Us Brings Peace

Advent Peace Candle

Not surprisingly, the Bible has a lot to say about peace, as it attributes peace to Jesus himself: the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

In fact, the word peace appears somewhere between 200-400 times in the Bible.

In addition to the items listed above, biblical peace:

Guards our hearts from the devil (Philippians 4:7) Brings us joy (Proverbs 12:20) Is a blessing from God (Psalm 29:11)

Assists us during dire circumstances (Isaiah 54:10)

Isaiah 9:6–7 (ESV): 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.

Philippians 4:4–7 (ESV): Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Luke 2:14 (ESV): 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Vorbeck family lights peace candle

Sermon Intorduction

In the middle of the Civil War, in March of 1863, 18-year-old Charles Appleton Longfellow of Cambridge, Massachusetts quietly left his family’s home, a colonial mansion that had served as General Washington’s headquarters from 1775 to 1776.

Unbeknownst to his family, he boarded a train bound for Washington, D.C., traveling over 400 miles down the eastern seaboard in order to join President Lincoln’s Union army.

Charles (b. June 9, 1844) was the oldest of six children born to Fanny Elizabeth Appleton and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the celebrated literary critic and poet. Charles had five younger siblings: a brother (aged 17) and four sisters (ages 13, 10, 8—and one who had died as an infant).

Less than two years earlier, Charles’s mother Fanny had tragically died after her dress caught on fire. Her husband, Henry, awakened from a nap, tried to extinguish the flames as best he could, first with a rug and then his own body, but she had already suffered severe burns. She died the next morning (July 10, 1861), and Henry Longfellow’s own burns were severe enough that he was unable even to attend his own wife’s funeral. He stopped shaving on account of the burns, growing a beard that would become associated with his image. At times he feared that he would be sent to an asylum on account of his grief.

When Charley (as he was called) arrived in Washington D.C., he sought to enlist as a private with the 1st Massachusetts Artillery. Captain W. H. McCartney, commander of Battery A, wrote to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for written permission for Charley to become a soldier. HWL (as his son referred to him) granted the permission.

Longfellow later wrote to his friends Charles Sumner (senator from Massachusetts), John Andrew (governor of Massachusetts), and Edward Dalton (medical inspector of the Sixth Army Corps) to lobby for his son to become an officer. But Charley had already impressed his fellow soldiers and superiors with his skills, and on March 27, 1863, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry, assigned to Company “G.”

At the Battle of Chancellorsville in Virginia (April 30–May 6, 1863) he saw no combat duty but spent his time guarding wagons.

Charley fell ill with “camp fever” (probably typhoid or typho-malarial fever) and was sent home to recover for several months with his family. That summer, having missed the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863), he rejoined his unit on August 15, 1863.

On the first day of that December, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was dining alone at his home when a telegram arrived with the news that his son had been severely wounded—inaccurately stating that he had been shot in the face—four days earlier. On November 27, 1863, while involved in a skirmish during a battle of of the Mine Run Campaign, Charley had been shot through the left shoulder, with the bullet exiting under his right shoulder blade. It had traveled across his back and nicked his spine. Charley avoided being paralyzed by less than an inch.

He was carried into New Hope Church (Orange County, Virginia) and then transported to the Rapidan River. Charley’s father and younger brother, Ernest, immediately set out for Washington, D.C., arriving on December 3. Charley arrived by train on December 5. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was alarmed when informed by the army surgeon that his son’s wound “was very serious” and that “paralysis might ensue.” Three surgeons gave a more favorable report that evening, suggesting a recovery that would require him to be “long in healing,” at least six months.

On Friday, December 25, 1863, Longfellow—as a 57-year-old widowed father of six children, the oldest of which had been nearly paralyzed as his country fought a war against itself—wrote a poem seeking to capture the dissonance in his own heart and the world he observes around him that Christmas Day.

The Poem read as Follows

I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play, and wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along The unbroken song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way, The world revolved from night to day, A voice, a chime, A chant sublime Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth The cannon thundered in the South, And with the sound The carols drowned Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent The hearth-stones of a continent, And made forlorn The households born Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head; “There is no peace on earth,” I said; “For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail,The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men.”

He would believe in his God given all the heart break, and their would be peace again in America.

We may not be able to end the personal, emotional, cultural, or physical wars we are fighting this holiday season, but even in those darkest places, we can lean into the God who is with us. Today as we continue our Advent journey toward Christmas, we are focusing on and celebrating peace, the peace that has been brought into our word by Immanuel, God with Us. My hope is that today each of us will experience the comfort of Christ’s peace deep within our souls.

If you’ve been journeying with us the past three weeks toward Christmas, you know that we have been celebrating Advent. As a quick recap, the word advent means “coming” or “arrival,” and the season is marked by expectation, waiting, anticipation, and longing. Advent is not just an extension of Christmas—it is a season that links the past, present, and future. Advent offers us the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, to celebrate His birth, and to be alert for His second coming. Advent looks back in celebration at the hope fulfilled in Jesus Christ’s coming, while at the same time looking forward in hopeful and eager anticipation to the coming of Christ’s kingdom when He returns for His people. During Advent we wait for both—it’s an active, assured, and hopeful waiting. And each week, we focus on a different attribute of God represented in the coming of Jesus: hope, love, joy, and peace. Because Jesus is Immanuel, “God with Us,” He is the embodiment of these traits, who has entered our world and who fills us with them all.

The Text

Luke 2:1–20 NKJV

1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” 15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

The Shepherds: Peace Restored

Background: Shepherds

The shepherds in the Christmas story often get a bad rap. They are presented as outcasts—a dirty, unruly group that was at the bottom rung of society. And while they definitely held a lower place in society, not all scholars believe they were so unrespectable. In fact, shepherds had at one point held a very high position in Israel’s history. Faithful Jews would have known the stories of the patriarchs of their faith who were shepherds: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and even King David—of whom Jesus was a direct descendant.

But whether or not shepherds of Jesus’s day were a totally motley crew, the profession had undeniably fallen in esteem since the days of the patriarchs. They were definitely considered a lower social class. They held a menial vocation that involved hard labor in the elements and physical work with the animals. Stinky animals. It’s safe to say a shepherd wasn’t what most mamas dreamed their boys would grow up to be. They were a pretty lowly bunch.

So in this hierarchy, shepherds weren’t exactly accustomed to being contacted by angelic beings. They didn’t expect direct messages from God through celestial representatives of light. Imagine their surprise on that star-filled night on the outskirts of Bethlehem when the brightest star in the sky dimmed, and then the whole dark expanse began to glow with the brilliant light of an angel of the Lord.

Who was missing The Elites

At the other end of the spectrum in Israel were the religious leaders of the day. Smug in their moral goodness and high positions of power, they made sure everyone else knew their place in the caste system—Pharisees and Sadducees and the like at the top; everyone else below in descending order. They kept themselves lifted up by putting everyone else down. They believed they were the ones with a direct line to God and His purpose for everyone else’s lives.

The Angels

(break down the text and explain)

Luke described the scene like this: “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified” (Luke 2:8–9)

What was going on here? And then, as if a vision of an angel wasn’t enough, the glowing guy spoke—to the shepherds! “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger’” (Luke 2:10–12).

Unbelievable! But wait . . . there’s more. Literally, more. As in, more angels: “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests’” (Luke 2:13–14).

The words were almost more unbelievable than the messengers themselves. The angels were making a proclamation of peace to those on whom God’s favor rests. And they were making it to shepherds?

Can you imagine the confusion and doubts that were probably going through the shepherds’ heads? Wait, I think they got the wrong guys. But angels don’t make mistakes. So, I guess that’s us. God’s favor is on us. And His peace is with us. Seriously?

The Scene

The angels appeared to shepherds; the shepherds received the announcement of the good news; and then they became the message bearers of peace. In three short steps they had come full circle, as Jesus’s arrival meant a kind of restoration for the role of shepherds. In fact, throughout His teaching, Jesus used shepherds as an example of good things, not bad. Jesus even went so far as to call Himself the Good Shepherd who loves and cares for His sheep. That restoration of wholeness and oneness with God is the essence of peace. The comforting knowledge that all is well and as it should be brings peace of mind and heart.

Jesus’s arrival for the shepherds marked the starting place of peace to all those on whom His favor rests—to all those with whom He is present, which includes us. The God of peace is truly with us. Peace is not based on class or position or occupation but on His purpose and design to bring good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Glory to God in the highest! The Prince of Peace has come. On this final Sunday in Advent, let’s explore together what that means and looks like throughout history and in our own lives today.

The Peace of Wholeness: Shalom

Way back in history as recorded in the Old Testament, when God gave the Law to Moses and set up the roles and duties of the priests to guide the spiritual life of the ancient Jews, He gave them the ultimate blessing to speak to the people:

Numbers 6:24–26 ESV

24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

The Hebrew word used in that blessing and throughout the Old Testament is shalom, and it conveys rich, powerful meaning. So much more than just the absence of fighting, shalom reflects safety, completeness, and wholeness.

This Christmas a storm instead of Snow

We Sing about a white Christmas but maybe you’re actually in a hurricane today

Mark 4:37–39 ESV

37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Jesus is the foundation of that peace.

He cam make still your situation this Christmas

Give you the whole peace you need

The Foundation of this Shalom:

This is the type of peace brought by God with Us. Jesus is the Prince of Shalom foretold by the prophet Isaiah:

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.

He is a sure place for your peace this Christmas.

The Jews of Jesus’s day wanted a Messiah to establish political justice against their oppressors. After all, they lived under the iron rule of the Roman Empire, and this was not by choice. They were a conquered people, at the mercy of a powerful military empire. But the Jews also understood and longed for shalom. The concept was foundational to their culture and spiritual life.

This completeness and wholeness with God is what Jesus brought into and left in our world. It is the peace that calms our souls deeply. It is the calm acceptance that “it is well with my soul” no matter what swirls and storms around me. This is the peace we celebrate today. And when Jesus returns one day, He will heal all that’s been broken and restore God’s complete kingdom of shalom. Yes, there will be the absence of war and hatred, but even that type of peace will be an extension of the wholeness that He will establish.

Peace Is a Person

Jesus gives peace

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.

Near the end of Jesus’s life, He spoke these words to His disciples shortly before He was arrested and crucified:

Application:

Jesus knew His followers were about to experience a crushing blow. But He had a gift for them that was different from anything in our world—His peace is not given as the world gives. It is not a gift that can be taken away nor is it something we can create on our own. It is not the absence of pain, hurt, noise, violence, or uncertainty. Peace is a person. Peace is Jesus with us as the Prince of Peace. And His assurance to the disciples was that even in what would appear to be the most hopeless of situations, He would be with them.

Peace in our circumstances

His peace is His presence with us no matter the circumstances.

“For he himself is our peace,” Paul told us in Ephesians 2:14. As we experience God’s presence, we become interwoven in and inseparable from the peace that He is and that He gives to us.

Paul went on to say, (Ephesians 2:14–16

Ephesians 2:14–16 ESV

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

Peace in our relationships

2 Corinthians 5:18–20 ESV

18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

God with Us brings peace between us and God, but He also brings peace among people because we are all drawn together and unified in God through Jesus. This is the perfect picture of shalom—wholeness, safety, and the restoration of all people as one. Jesus’s peace is not simply that we agree to disagree; it is that in Him we are made one. In wholeness we are reconciled to God and to others in Jesus.

Peace Through Prayer

How?

When we come to God through prayer, He changes us inside. God’s peace is able to bring a powerful transformation in our spirits. No matter what we are anxious or worried about, we can bring our needs and requests to God. Paul described the process like this:

Philippians 4:6–7 ESV

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

As we talk to Him and give Him thanks, God’s peace swells within us and guards our emotions. This is a miraculous peace, one that transcends all understanding. It doesn’t make sense given the worry and fear we are facing. It wouldn’t naturally exist in the midst of our struggles. But this is God we are dealing with! This is our Prince of Peace, the giver of shalom, the giver of His Spirit of peace. When we come close to Him—when we go to worship Him like those shepherds did—we connect with Him, and He transforms us and our outlook. No matter how bad the storm swirling around and within us, He can calm it. And He can carry us through it.

Let me encourage you in this final week of Advent to look for Him, even when the winds blow and the storms swirl. You may find Him as a babe lying in a manger or a carpenter’s son asleep in the boat. It may even initially seem to you, as it did to the disciples, that He does not care. But in the midst of whatever life holds this week, remember that Jesus comes in power as the Prince of Peace, always with us, restoring us to God through wholeness and comfort. May He be your peace this week, guarding your soul with peace, filling your spirit with the wholeness of shalom, and ruling as the Prince of Peace in your heart.

The Lord’s Supper

Benediction

“May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.” —2 Thessalonians 3:16