Advent 2025 (Week 2)
Notes
Transcript
The arrival of peace
The arrival of peace
On the night when Jesus stepped into humanity, He brought the promise of peace. And that good news 2000 years ago continues to be good news today. In Christ and only in Christ can we find a peace so unusual and so remarkable that it literally goes beyond our capacity of understanding.
Prayer: Lord, with all the confusion and chaos around us today, help us experience the peace that only comes from a relationship with Christ. Help us lay our problems down and release those things that hold our focus and attention and take our eyes of the cross.
Allow me to read our beginning scripture this morning found in Isaiah 11:6-9.
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze;
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.
They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
We will also look at these verses found in the book of Philippians.
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Welcome Beloved!
Today we continue our journey back to Bethlehem. Back to where the miraculous birth of Jesus changed the world forever… We celebrate this journey through the season called Advent, which is derived from the Latin word "adventus," meaning; "coming" or "arrival." Arrival, that’s the specific event the season of Advent leads us to… The moment when Jesus arrived, and with Him all the prophetic hope and promise of a Messiah to redeem the people of God.
Last week we began this Advent series by looking at the prophetic hope of the Messiah through the eyes of the Israelites and the specific writing of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. We will continue today by turning back to Isaiah to consider the prophetic promise of peace that only the coming Messiah could bring.
That sounds like a crazy promise because we live in a world immersed in war and division… But it’s from this place of improbability that we turn our eyes to Christ.
Isaiah 11:6-9 paints a beautiful picture of the type of peace that will come with the reign of the Messiah. It’s a description of the future, yes, but also a picture of how the peace of God can be present in our life here and now as well. Let’s jump in together.
Read Isaiah 11:6-9
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze;
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.
They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
As Isaiah makes a stark contrast between natural predator and prey, think of the contrast this would mean to the world you know and the world to come. That is the point, we are unable to completely understand what Christ offers us. We can have some idea based on the imagery used in scripture, but we are “looking through a glass darkly” as scripture says. Jesus brought the promise of peace in the Kingdom.
Promise of Peace in the Kingdom
This passage gives us a detailed description of natural enemies living in harmony with one another. We understand these images, and the improbable nature of a wolf dwelling in peace with a lamb, a leopard laying down with a calf, or a child putting their hand into a snake's den… How could that ever happen? What kind of alternate universe could this be?
Are there people in your life who you can’t even imagine eating a meal with or spending an evening next to? Is there a specific relative coming over this holiday season that you just know is going to cause trouble for everyone else? What are you going to do?
One picture that comes to mind is the moment when Jesus is hanging up on the cross, and He looks out over all the people. The Jews were there, alongside the Romans… and everyone was looking up at Him as His crucifixion unfolded. "Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they do…” Luke 23:34. What Jesus asked for those gathered around the cross that day is the beginning of peace.
Forgiveness.
Forgiveness is the doorway through which peace enters the spaces in our lives. Isaiah 11:6-9 gives us an amazing picture of enemies dwelling together in harmony… This reality isn’t just a defining feature of Christ’s everlasting kingdom… It can be a reality that we experience here and now, with one another.
Forgiveness is a gift offered to all of us through Christ. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” John 3:17… And forgiveness is one of the most powerful gifts we can extend to others. In many instances where we have enemies or division with others, there needs to be a process of forgiveness.
Think back for a moment to those relatives coming over that you’re not too excited about… Is there something there that needs to be dealt with? Is there some past event, frustration, or friction that you need to address? If there is, then I trust that Christ can grant you the strength and courage to step into the process with the ultimate goal of finding peace… Part of Christ’s ultimate plan and purpose is to restore creation to a place of peace.
Restoration of Peace
Read Isaiah 11:9
“They”... The natural predators will neither harm nor destroy on the “holy mountain of God.” And this holy mountain ”does not refer to Jerusalem or Sinai, but to the entire earth.1” We all look forward to the day when the earth will be filled with the knowledge of God and the world will be at peace because of Christ, the Messiah. This reality is reflected again in the book of Colossians when Paul writes these words;
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
There’s that word again, peace. Christ made peace through His blood, shed on the cross and it’s through Christ that we can experience redemption, restoration, forgiveness, and peace. That’s good news worth sharing with others… Even if that person is your weird uncle Chad or awkward aunt Karen… Christ died for them too.
Remember Him This Holiday Season
The holidays can be a difficult time… And as a pastor, I’m reminded of this reality every year as I meet with individuals and families. And as I shared last week, in my own life, this year is extremely difficult.
As we think this Advent season about the arrival of Jesus, we are reminded that part of the Messianic hope and promise was a world restored in peace. I think we can all agree that the world needs peace now, just as much as it did in the time of Isaiah, and just as much as it’s going to every day until Christ returns. Forgiveness is a powerful path to peace, but so are things like empathy and understanding. Maybe there are people around you that just need someone to listen to them? Maybe they just need someone to say, “I can imagine how you feel, and I’m sorry.”
I know it’s a busy time of year, but what would it look like to share some time and space with others this holiday season? As we remember Christ, let’s also remember that we live in a world weary of sin and destruction. It’s a world longing for peace, and we know where eternal peace can be found.
Conclusion:
The arrival of Christ two-thousand years ago changed everything… On the one hand, His arrival brought anything but peace to many of the people in and around Jerusalem… In fact, king Herod had all the first born boys murdered just to try and stop the specific messianic prophecy from coming true… But on the other hand, Jesus did live and accomplish His purpose here on earth.
Through Him we can have peace in the midst of life’s storms. Through Him we can experience eternal forgiveness and salvation. In Christ we have a peace that goes beyond our understanding;
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
If you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, discouraged, fearful, or frustrated this holiday season, then I want you to know you’re in the right place today. It’s only through Christ that we can find the peace we so desperately long for… And the good news is, we don’t have to wait another thousand years to experience it; the peace of God is available to us because Jesus has arrived.
Let go of your anxiety and fear… Pick up the gift of Christ.
And share Him with others - share the good news of great joy, which we’ll be talking more about next week.
Points to ponder:
What picture does Isaiah 11:6-9 paint?
How does the feeling of chaos affect you during the holiday season?
Is peace something you long for in your life?
We have the promise of coming peace during the end time reign of Christ; but, do you believe you can have that peace today?
Are you willing to let go of the feeling of anxiety and embrace the Peace that only Christ can give?
