When Peace Isn’t Peaceful

Scripture: 

Matthew 10:34-36 NLT

"Don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. [35] 'I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. [36] Your enemies will be right in your own household!'

Introduction

The Christmas season is often associated with peace—calm scenes of shepherds, angels singing, and “Silent Night” playing in the background. Yet, Jesus Himself said He did not come to bring immediate peace but a sword. This seems to contradict the message of Christmas. How do we reconcile this tension when seeking peace in a world that feels anything but peaceful?

1. Peace Disrupts the Status Quo

Illustration:

Imagine the moment a new baby is brought home from the hospital. The house is no longer quiet or orderly. Feeding schedules, sleepless nights, and crying disrupt the household, but this upheaval is a sign of new life and love.

Point:

Jesus’ arrival was not tranquil for everyone. The birth of the Messiah disrupted:

The plans of rulers like Herod

Challenged the religious establishment

Turned ordinary people’s lives upside down

True peace, the kind that Jesus brings, often starts with disruption. It challenges sin, injustice, and complacency. While this process feels anything but peaceful, it is the first step toward God’s greater plan for restoration.

Application:

This Christmas, don’t be surprised if God’s peace begins by disrupting your comfort. Ask yourself: What is God calling you to surrender or change to experience His deeper peace?

2. Peace Divides Before It Heals

Illustration:

Consider a surgeon performing a life-saving operation. The initial act of cutting into the body causes pain, but it is necessary to remove the disease and bring healing.

Point:

Jesus warns that following Him will sometimes lead to division, even among close family members (Matthew 10:35-36).

This is not because Jesus promotes conflict but because the truth of His Gospel forces people to make a choice. Standing for Christ may cost relationships, comfort, or approval, but this temporary division paves the way for eternal peace with God.

Application:

Is God asking you to take a stand for your faith this Christmas? Perhaps sharing the message of Christ’s birth might bring discomfort or resistance in your family or community. Trust that the peace Jesus offers is worth the cost.

3. Peace Comes Through Delivering Oneself Up for Surrender

Illustration:

During World War II, soldiers on the battlefield often had to wave a white flag of surrender to stop the fighting and secure peace. Surrender feels like defeat, but it is the first step toward reconciliation.

Point:

True peace comes when we surrender our will to God’s will. The Christmas story is full of examples of surrender:

Mary surrendered to God’s plan despite the risk of scandal

Joseph obeyed the angel’s message despite his fears

The shepherds left their flocks to worship Jesus

Each act of surrender brought them closer to the Prince of Peace.

Application:

What is God asking you to lay down this Christmas? Pride, fear, or control may need to be surrendered so you can fully experience His peace. When we stop striving (Ken Brown used to say, “Quit trying.”) and let God reign, His peace fills the deepest places of our hearts.

EARLIER: 

Romans 5:1 declares, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

We don’t enter into a holy state of zen! We don’t have peace in LIFE’S CIRCUMSTANCES, but peace with God brings peace in trouble. 

Conclusion

What is the worst sin that has ever happened? The murder of Jesus. What’s the greatest thing that has ever happened? The death of Jesus. If God can make the worst thing the best thing, don’t you think He can make all YOUR things work together for good? For peace? Even those things which may not seem peaceful at the moment?

I’m reminded of two songs. The chorus of the first is based off a quote by the famed preacher, D.L. Moody and says, “God is too wise to be mistaken. God is too good to be unkind. So when you don’t understand, when you don’t see His plan, when you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart.” The chorus to the second simply says, “There’s not a victory without a fight. There’s not a sunrise without a night. There’s not a purchase without a cost. And there’s not a crown without a cross.”

Jesus’ peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of His Kingdom in the middle of our struggles. The peace of Jesus disrupts, divides, and requires delivering ourselves up for surrender, but it leads to a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Invitation:

As you reflect on the Prince of Peace this Christmas, ask yourself: Am I willing to let His peace disrupt my plans, divide me from the world, and lead me to delivering myself up for surrender? The peace of Jesus may not feel peaceful at first, but it will transform your life, always be for your good, and bring you closer to Christ.