Peace in the Chaos

INTRODUCTION

Everybody loves a good story. It’s intrinsic to being human. Every good story has a certain feel.

It has interesting characters, a difficult problem, an engaging plot and moral significance.

We all are living out our own story right now. You have yours. I have mine. We even have a story of our country and our World.

Our love and need for story is intrinsic to being human. It’s why kids love them. It’s part of the human condition.

God is also an author with a story. Our lives are the pen he uses to write the script. Just like great stories get recorded in history. God’s greatest story is recorded in the Scripture.

You might call that story the story of Jesus. Or, in our case, “When Christmas Comes.”

The story of Jesus is the greatest human DRAMA.

By “drama” I mean it in the technical sense. A human story with intense and emotional conflict.

The story of Jesus is what we tell during Christmas. It’s a story of hope, peace, joy and love.

We remember this story through seasons like Advent. This week our focus is the gift of True Peace. The title of the message is “Peace in the Chaos.”

When I think about Chaos I think about the movie “Home Alone.”

Do you remember the opening scene?

Everybody was crammed into the McCallister’s house because they were leaving for Paris the next day. Pizza was ordered and everybody but Kevin’s brother Buzz was eating the cheese pizza he wanted and he made a commotion that got everybody mad? That’s a good picture of chaos.

The next morning the family leaves for Paris and Kevin is left behind. By the time they notice, the plane is far gone. At first Kevin loves it but later his peace goes too.

The chaos builds for each character until it resolves within Kevin’s heart while visiting the church. He has a conversation with his neighbor and together they find some peace.

Set the Table

It’s a wonderful picture of Matthew 1 and how to find true peace in the midst of our chaos.

Matthew’s genealogy showed the peace of God in chaos. His description of Jesus’ arrival points to something similar..

Matthew’s tells the story from Joseph’s perspective.

People rarely think about Jospeh during Christmas. That’s a shame, because he can teach us a lot, especially about the gift of God’s peace.

True peace DEPENDS on our nearness to Jesus.

Why? Because peace is given through the gift of God’s presence. The gift of God’s presence is given through Jesus. Jesus is Emmanuel, “God with us.”

Matthew 1:18–23 CSB

18 The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit. 19 So her husband, Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly. 20 But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.”

Matthew’s description of the Christmas story is very different than Luke’s Gospel.

There are No shepherds, no angels, no “Joy to the World.” There’s no journey to Bethlehem or refusal at the inn. There’s no manger, no animals, no Christmas hymns at all!

Those things are unstated because Matthew has a different aim. His goal is proving Jesus as Israel’s promised King.

Unlike the kings before him, Jesus is very different. Matthew first proved that through his genealogy. Today, he does it through a quotation of prophecy.

The prophecy was originally from Isaiah to King Ahaz (Isaiah 7:14). He was fearful of the Assyrian army and their threat to invade his land.

In an effort to give him peace God promised him a sign. A virgin would conceive and have a son named Emmanuel. God would keep that promise but Ahaz didn’t care.

By quoting Isaiah’s prophecy, Matthew is saying something similar.

Life can be DIFFICULT and God still give you peace.

True peace comes from God’s presence not your circumstances.

When life gets crazy, God is there. When life gets twisted, God is there. God is present on the mountain tops. He’s present in the valleys low.

“When peace like a river attendeth my way… when sorrows like sea billows roll. Whatever my lot thou hast taught me to say It is well, it is well with my soul!”

There is a peace from God, surpassing in every way. That peace is found in Jesus and Jospeh shows the way.

PEACE THOUGH

Let’s begin by exploring these difficult circumstances. You might not see it with a cursory glance.

Notice the prepositions Mathew uses in verse 18.

“AFTER his mother had been engaged to Jospeh…BEFORE they came together…it was discovered that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit.”

Remember the song? “First comes love… then comes marriage… THEN comes the baby in the baby carriage.”

That’s not what happened with Mary, Jospeh and Jesus. He was conceived AFTER their engagement but BEFORE their consumption.

Every Jewish marriage had two stages. The first was the Kiddushin (or Betrothal). It lasted 6-12 months. The second was the Nissuin (or Chuppah) where they consummated their marriage in their home.

The word translated “engagement” describes this first stage of marriage. It was a legally binding contract just like a marriage license. It was attached to something of value (ring/coin) and declared before public witnesses.

During those 6-12 months, they were treated as if they were married. To nullify the betrothal a certificate of divorce was needed. The only practical restriction was living together and having sex. (The woman would stay with her parents and the man would prepare them a home.)

Disrupted Plans

Joseph was a godly man. Mary was a godly woman. They came godly families and were expected to live a godly life.

This character was probably why God chose them for this task.

That purity is in contrast to the stain of an unwed pregnancy. It might be common today but it wasn’t for 1st century Jews.

Not only did it violate God’s design, it was punishable under the law. There were different penalties for different actions but adultery was punishable by death! (Deut 22:13-29)

God can give you peace though life derails your plan.

Obviously, Mary didn’t commit adultery but there wasn’t any evidence to the contrary. Joseph knew that it wasn’t him and he knew how babies were made.

Not only were their plans derailed, this news would derail their life! Even though they were innocent, there wasn’t any way to prove it.

Imagine if you were Jospeh. What would you be thinking?

You’ve spent months working on the house. You’ve sacrificed time and money. He kept himself pure for Mary but now a child was in her womb. He knew it wasn’t his! And she’s saying it came from God.

Imagine if you were Mary, engaged to a godly man. What would be be thinking? How would you respond?

We actually don’t have to wonder because Luke gives her response. “Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?”” (Luke 1:34)

Mary knew she was innocent. She knew she did nothing wrong. And yet this plan “from God” would upend her whole life.

Disgraced Name

Joseph’s response to this news gives us another truth.

What Jospeh plans to do is shield Mary from disgrace.

Matthew 1:19 CSB

19 So her husband, Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly.

God can give peace though your plans get disrupted.

God can give peace though others disgrace your name .

What’s interesting about this passage is the description of Jospeh’s character. Not only was he a righteous man, he never wavered in his love for Mary.

I’m sure Mary told Jospeh the truth. I’m sure her innocence was persuasive. If Jospeh was a solid believer, I’m sure he was willing to accept it.

The decision to “divorce her secretly” wasn’t for HIS protection. It was in deference to Mary, to shield her from disgrace.

There are many things you can hide. Being pregnant isn’t one of them. Once Mary started to show, people were going to talk.

We don’t live in an honor/shame culture so it’s hard for us to imagine. But the shame to them and their families was going to be significant.

If people went up to Mary and asked her how she got pregnant, she couldn’t tell the truth without shaming herself or her Joseph. If people came up to Jospeh the same would apply to him.

It didn’t matter who believed them, the social shaming was inevitable. It wasn’t just their reputation. Their families would also be shamed.

Every Jewish betrothal required a divorce certificate. It kept a pubic record of the person deserving of shame. Typically, the woman was shamed unless she was the victim of abuse.

Mary’s virgin conception created an impossible choice. The only path that could minimize the shame was a divorce that flew under the radar.

The righteousness of Joseph’s character wasn’t a cold-hearted legalism.

His righteousness actually foreshadows the merciful justice of God.

Because God is just he cannot lie or dismiss our sin. But God is also loving and steadfast in his mercy.

In his steadfast love he shows mercy to sinful people. In this zeal for truth he by no means clears the guilty.

In an effort to maintain grace and truth Joseph takes this path. It would minimize harm to Mary but keep Joseph from living a lie. Grace and truth, held in tension, no wonder he was a dad for Jesus.

Deeper Than

True peace can be experienced through difficult circumstances. Your plans can get derailed and your name can be disgraced.

Both of these were true of Jospeh and yet he found true peace.

God’s peace is deeper than your very worst day.

What difficult circumstances have robbed you of YOUR peace? Maybe, like Mary, you know God willed it and you simply don’t understand!

Your plans got derailed. It’s really unpleasant and it’s leads to a crisis of faith.

But your faith need not crumble nor does your peace. True peace surpasses the absence of difficulty. It is not measured by the comfort we enjoy.

God’s peace lives beneath the surface. It’s infused with holy teflon. It’s not easily shaken.

You plans will be disrupted and your name will be disgraced. But God’s gift of peace doesn’t rest on either one.

DECIDING ON PEACE

Joseph’s whole life has been thrown into chaos, and yet the peace of God is still available to him.

Up to this point, everything has been happening to Joseph. Now we see what Joseph DOES in response.

Matthew 1:20–21 CSB

20 But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Imagine Joseph leading up to this dream.

He’s turning everything over in his mind.

He has a plan – divorce her quietly. That plan feels reasonable. It feels safe.

It feels like the best way to limit the damage.

But then God’s Word interrupts his worry.

Not only does he affirm that Mary wasn’t lying. He also asks Joseph to complete the marriage process.

This is the nature of God’s revelation. God gives a revelation and asks us to respond.

True peace is never automatic or passive. It doesn’t just “wash over you” while you sit there scrolling on your phone.

True peace requires a DAILY DECISION.

God’s peace is a gift you must CHOOSE to receive.

In your remaining notes I’ve listed five decisions that are necessary for peace. Joseph models each of them but their timeless in application.

The first decision is deny the voice of fear.

The second decision is to discern what God is saying.

The voice of fear is what robs us of our peace. The Word of God keeps us in perfect peace.

Denounce Fear

Before God gives a Word to Joseph he tells him NOT to fear. A heart of fear will just not hear the Word of God when spoken.

You cannot walk in the peace of God if you keep siding with the voice of fear.

Decision #1: Denounce the voice of fear.

You’ve probably heard the claim that the Bible says “Do not fear” 365 times (one for every day of the year). That’s actually untrue. It’s well under 100. Even so, a heart of fear will work against your faith.

God doesn’t change Joseph’s circumstances in order to give him peace. He says, “Don’t fear.” He doesn’t even lead with the reason the fear was silly. He just says, “fear not. fear not.”

The voice of fear is powerful because it’s really loud. It’s one of the most powerful feelings we have. It speaks with such certainty even though it rarely knows the future.

Fear always speaks about the worst-case scenario.

If you stay with Mary, your reputation is done.

If you obey God here, everybody will think you’re a fool.

If you move toward this calling, you’re going to regret it.

If you trust God with this situation, He’s going to let you down.

Another reason fear is so powerful is because it’s not always wrong about everything.

The problem is it’s response to a known truth causes it to magnify an unknown truth.

It’s not that Joseph’s risk wasn’t real. It means God’s presence was more real and greater than what he’d face.

Some of you are living with a constant soundtrack of fear in your head. “Fear about finances, health, what people think, kids, grandkids, politics, education, etc.”

Most of us don’t even realize how much we agree with fear all day long. Every time you replay that time you’re giving fear authority and you’re robbing yourself of peace.

Are you going to let fear have the final word, or am I going to denounce that voice and let God speak instead? God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.”

True peace doesn’t mean you never feel afraid. It just means fear never sits in the drivers seat.

Discern Truth

The next daily decision to discern what God is saying.

Look again at verses 20-21. “…what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Often, when a messenger from God says “fear not” the very next words are the reason why not.

Not only does God give Joseph important answers. He focuses his attention on the most important truths.

The thing about fear is it shifts our attention aways from important truths.

It moves us away from the important truths and over to the urgent truths, or angry truths, or selfish truths or unknown truths.

Is this not why Paul - in describing God’s peace - says, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable … if there is any moral excellence …if there is anything praiseworthy… DWELL ON THESE THINGS.” (Phil 4:8)

God is focusing Joseph on what matters the most.

Mary was NOT unfaithful to you, her husband.

Mary HAS been chosen by God for something special.

YOU, Son of David, have a role to play as well.

The child in Mary’s womb will save God’s people from their sin.

As His Father, you shall give his name.

God’s explanation reframes Joseph’s entire situation. What looked like a moral disaster was a miracle of grace.

What looked like the end of his future was the doorway into God’s greatest promise.

Joseph’s peace doesn’t come because the facts change. It came because his interpretation changed about the fact.

He learns to see his situation through God’s truth, not his own assumptions.

Think about going to the doctor. You’ve got symptoms, but you don’t understand what’s wrong. You Google it (bad idea). You imagine the worst. You lose sleep. Then you finally get a clear diagnosis.

The symptoms didn’t vanish in that moment. But now you know what’s happening. You know what it is and what it isn’t. Truth doesn’t erase the pain, but it anchors your mind. It’s the same spiritually.

If you want true peace then let God define reality. You cannot have true peace without truth and revelation.

Depend Upon Promise

Part of that truth was a promise about salvation. Which leads to the next decision if you want true peace.

Decision #3: Depend upon God’s promise

Matthew 1:22–23 CSB

22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.”

Matthew zooms out. He wants us to see that Joseph’s crisis is not random. It sits inside a centuries-old promise.

What’s happening in Joseph’s little house in Nazareth was foretold in Isaiah 7.

God promised a sign to a terrified king. Ahaz didn’t believe it. But God still kept His word. Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of that promise.

This is not just a baby. This is God with us. He’s not up in heaven distant and detached. He’s moving pieces of history towards his end.

If God kept His promise then he’ll be faithful to his promise today and everyday.

Every day, you have the choice: To live like you’re on your own, or to live like Immanuel is true: God is with me.

Do What God

After Joseph hears this word he has a choice to make. In verse 24 Matthew tells us what he does.

Matthew 1:24–25 CSB

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him. He married her 25 but did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son. And he named him Jesus.

This is one of the most beautiful lines in the whole passage. Joseph wakes up and does exactly what God told him to do.

Decision #4: Do all that God demands.

He doesn’t say, “Let me think about this for a few weeks.” He doesn’t argue with God or negotiate the terms. He gets up and obeys.

And that obedience is costly. The shame was real. There was a cloud of suspicion that followed them for good. (Used against Jesus. John 8:41)

But even though the obedience was costly, the peace it unlocked was greater than the shame. It surpasses human understanding. Doing what is right isn’t easy but in doing what’s right we have all that we need.

Obedience doesn’t “earn” the peace. It brings us into alignment with God’s design. You can’t have the peace of God and ignore his commands. (ILLS: Driving East to go West?)

Devote Your Life

Matthew ends this section with two details: both of them are acts of devotion.

Joseph honors God’s unique work in Mary’s womb by refraining from consummation until Jesus is born.

Joseph names the child “Jesus,” just as the angel commanded.

By naming the child, Joseph is not just obeying; he is owning his role in God’s plan.

In that culture, a father naming the child was a legal act of adoption. Joseph is publicly declaring, “This is my son. I am staking my life on what God has said about Him.”

Joseph is devoting the rest of his life to raising, protecting, and serving the very One who came to save him from his sins.

Joseph’s peace is not anchored in a clean reputation, a comfortable life or a predictable future. His peace is anchored in a person: Jesus. Immanuel: God with us.

Joseph’s whole life becomes wrapped around this Child. That’s a picture of what it means for us as well. Peace is a byproduct of total devotion.

You must daily decide: “Will Jesus be at the center or the margins of my heart and life?”

If Jesus is an accessory you will never have true peace. He must be your ultimate desire and affection.

You devote your mind, your time, your relationships, your decisions, your money, your everything to Him.

Not because you’re trying to earn His love, but because you’ve already received it in full.

Joseph’s life didn’t get easier when Jesus showed up. In a lot of ways, it got more complicated.

But it also got richer, deeper, and more full of God’s peace than he ever could have imagined.

CONCLUSION

In all of these ways, Joseph is a picture of what it looks like to find true peace. But Jospeh is just an example.

The true source of peace isn’t Jospeh or even his example. Jesus is the SOURCE of peace.

Everything God calls Joseph to do in a small, imperfect, human way, Jesus does in the truest and ultimate sense.

And because He did, He didn’t just model peace for us, He BECAME our peace.

Jesus had to denounce fear (in the dessert/cities/garden/cross). Yet says “Father into your hands…”

Jesus had to discern what God was saying. (only go where Abba). But Jesus IS the Word. He IS what God has spoken/is saying. You’ve heard it said… I say to you. Prophets < Son.

Jesus depended upon God’s promise. (Trusted Father 2 deliver) Why Forsaken? Father into Hands I commit my spirit. Didn’t believe Emmanuel. Jesus IS Emmanuel.

Jesus did all that the Father commanded. In childhood, in private, in public when popular when crucified. “Father not my will but yours.” He was “obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Jesus was fully devoted to the Father. The Father’s will to save the Father’s World. He cried out “It is finished.” The price was paid, the work was complete.

Jesus doesn’t just show us the way to peace. Jesus is our peace.

It’s not because of what WE do but because of what HE did first.

Not because we always denounce fear, but because He never surrendered to it.

Not because we always discern truth correctly, but because He is the truth and never believed a lie.

Not because we always depend on the promises of God, but because He trusted the Father perfectly in our place.

Not because we always do what God demands, but because He fulfilled all righteousness for us.

Not because we always devote our lives perfectly to Him, but because He devoted Himself completely to the Father’s will, even at the cost of His own life.

When Paul says in Ephesians 2:14, “He Himself is our peace,” this is what he’s talking about.

Peace is not a feeling that you chase but a Person you must trust. True peace died for your chaos so you could be delivered.

But here’s the thing: like any gift, peace must be received. Joseph still had to wake up from that dream and say “yes.”

He had to take Mary into his home.

He had to name the child “Jesus.”

He had to step into a future he did not fully understand, simply trusting that God was good and God was with him.

You and I have the same choice. Jesus has done everything necessary to be your peace. Peace with God, peace in life, peace in death. But you must respond.

You receive that peace by turning from your sin and trusting in Jesus Christ alone as Savior and Lord.

Draw near to Jesus this morning. Bring Him your disrupted plans. Bring Him your disgraced name.

Bring Him your fears, your questions, your failures. He has not changed.

He is Emmanuel he can save you from your chaos.

True peace is not found in having a life without chaos. True peace is found in having Christ IN your chaos.

“Peace in the Chaos” isn’t a Hallmark slogan. It is a Person, a cross, an empty tomb and living Savior.

He’s calling to your this morning, “Come to me, everyone, who is weary and heavy laden. Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy, my burden is light and you will find rest for your soul.”