The Gifts of CHRISTmas (2)

Week 2: The Gift of Peace Luke 2:8–14; John 14:27

INTRODUCTION

Last week, we opened the Christmas season by looking at “The Gift of Hope” from Isaiah 9 and Luke 1.

We were reminded that hope is not wishful thinking or emotional optimism.

Hope is the confident expectation that God keeps His promises, even when darkness seems to dominate.

Isaiah looked across seven centuries of difficulty and declared a message of hope:

Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: And the government shall be upon his shoulder: And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

In Luke 1, we heard Gabriel speak hope into Mary’s heart:

King James Version Chapter 1

The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God

Hope was promised.

Hope was conceived.

But Hope is not the end of the story, like we said last week hope is the light that shines on everything else—hope lights the path forward to what God will do.

Now peace, that deals with what God has done and is doing right now.

Hope lifts our eyes.

Peace settles our hearts.

Hope steadies our future.

Peace strengthens our today.

And so today, as we turn from Isaiah’s prophecy and Gabriel’s promise, to the angelic proclamation here in Luke 2, we move from The gift of Hope to the gift of Peace .

This is not a fragile, temporary, world-made peace that collapses under pressure.

This is a deep, soul-steadying peace that only comes from Jesus — the Prince of Peace.

So, Let’s unwrap together “The Gift of Peace.”

In order for something to be considered a gift, you have to have a recipient of the gift

So that is what we see first....

I. The Recipients of the Gift

(Luke 2:8)

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field…”

Every generation sings about peace, prays for peace, longs for peace — yet never seem to find it.

Our world is filled with conflict and hearts are filled with turmoil

People are exhausted emotionally, mentally, spiritually.

Fearmongering dominates headlines and fear overwhelms the human heart.

But into a time much like ours, God sent a message through angels on a Bethlehem hillside

— a message not of fear, but of peace.

The first recipients of heaven’s announcement were not kings, priests, or scholars — but shepherds.

These were ordinary men living ordinary lives, working the night shift, overlooked by society.

visiting the shepherds, the angel revealed the grace of God toward mankind.

Shepherds were considered outcasts in Israel—ceremonially unclean and socially disregarded.

Their work not only made them ceremonially unclean, but it kept them away from the temple for weeks at a time so that they could not be made clean.

God’s choice of audience is intentional:

The shepherds remind us that you don’t have to be prominent to be precious to God.

The peace of Christ is offered especially to those who feel unseen, overwhelmed, or unworthy.

The phrase ‘peace on earth, goodwill toward men’ means peace comes to those who respond to His grace.

Are you a recipient of peace?

Is your heart and soul restless this morning?

If you have never recieved the gift of peace, today would be a great day.

We see the Recipients of the Gift

secondly we see...

II. The Revelation of the Gift

(Luke 2:9–12)

“…and the glory of the Lord shone round about them…and this shall be a sign unto you...”

The quiet night sky exploded with the brilliance of God’s glory.

The shepherds were terrified — and the angel spoke the first words we all need:

“Fear not.

Mary Magdalene would hear similar words at the empty tomb. When hope seemed gone, an angle spoke peace into her fear

Just as they did to the shepherds

I remember the day I heard those words from my Savior: ‘Fear not… fear not death… fear not eternity.

I bring you good tidings of great joy...”

The words good tidings mean good news.

Fear disappears when you receive the good news i.e the gospel.

And what is this good news?

“For unto you is born this day… a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

“It wasnt that God had sent a soldier or a judge or a reformer, the good news, was that He had sent a Saviour to meet man’s greatest need.”

The world didn’t need another politician, another military commander, another religious system.

Humanity needed a Savior — One who could heal the broken hearted and reconcile the sinner back to God.

A. The Source of Peace

— A Savior Is Born (Luke 2:11)

“For unto you is born this day… a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

Every word in this announcement matters:

1. “Savior” — Peace With God

Our greatest need is forgiveness and reconciliation.

Peace begins not in the emotions

but in the soul when guilt is removed through Christ.

2. “Christ” — God’s Anointed One

He is the promised Messiah,

the One who fulfills every longing of the human heart and every promise of God.

3. “Lord” — The One Who Reigns

He is not merely a baby in a manger;

He is King.

He is the very creator

He is the Lord

This is the heart of the good news.

You can look to our government leaders for peace

You can go to a physiatrist for peace

But these are temporary

Lasting peace only comes through the Prince of Peace

Even a philosopher like Epictetus recognized this truth when he wrote… ‘The emperor may give peace from war on land and sea… but he cannot give peace of heart.’ Only Jesus can do that.”

A. The Source of Peace

B. The Sign of Peace

— The Manger (Luke 2:12)

“Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

The sign of God’s peace is not a throne, not a palace, not an army — but a manger.

The Prince of Peace comes in humility, not power;

in simplicity, not splendor.

The gospel is so real in what the shepherds would find:

The Babe—humble and lowly. The Swaddling Cloths—hinting at His mission from the very beginning. The Manger—a feeding trough; Jesus, the Bread of Life

This teaches us:

God knows what you are going through

God brings peace to the broken and the dying

God fills the hungry and anxious soul with peace

Peace is not found in perfect circumstances, but in the presence of Christ.

You can have a recipient of a gift, and even reveal the gift to the recipient, but how the recipient responses to the gift is what really matters.

III. The Response to the Gift

Luke 2:15-17

Verse 15 says, “Let us now go”

They Responded immediately to the revelation of the gift

They took the message seriously.

and then two things happened:

A. They Hastened to it

“They came with haste…”

Response to Peace is not passive — it calls for movement toward Christ. (use a response to a peace plan in war as an illustration)

They did not delay, debate, or doubt.

Practical Principle: You cannot experience the peace of Christ if you do not respond to the Christ who offers it

A. They Hastened to it

B. They Heralded about it

“They made known abroad the saying…”

Peace received becomes peace shared.

Genuine peace turns spectators into messengers.

Once they experienced Christ, silence was no longer an option.

Verse 18 of Luke 2 says that all they that heard it wondered at the saying.

Some of those that heard and listened to what the shepherds had to say, recieved what the shepherds did, but I am sure there were some that laughed and mocked them.

A gift had been reveled but the response to the gift was one of disregard. “ Not today”, “cant be”, “You are lying, if He was the real Messiah He would be in a palace”

Many still respond the same way.

How will you respond this morning.

If they lived long enough to hear Jesus say John 14:27, imagine how their hearts would have responded: ‘This is the One the angels told us about

(Illustrate what these shepherds might have felt)

Jesus’s words in John 14:27 explains how the angels’ announcement becomes a present reality for those that respond the correct way,

we not only receive peace in our hearts, we receive Christ who is the Prince of Peace.

Not the kind of peace that world gives, temporary, unstable, But an internal, eternal, unshakeable peace.

The world can cease conflict; only Jesus can calm a heart.

“Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”

We must trust Him.

Yield to Him.

Believe His words over our fears.

The Shepherds heard the message — but then they responded with faith, obedience, and worship.

So must we.

Conclusion:

In a world filled with:

fear

uncertainty

pressure

conflict

brokenness

…God has given a gift: Peace through His Son.

The angels declared it. The manger displayed it. The Savior purchased it. And Jesus Himself now offers it:

“MY peace I give unto you.”

Friend, your heart does not have to remain troubled. Your soul does not have to remain afraid The Prince of Peace has come — and He offers you His peace today.

Peace must be received, not simply admired.

Ask:

Am I at peace with God?

Am I allowing Christ’s peace to quiet my fears?

Am I carrying this peace into my relationships?

The gift of peace is opened through faith, surrender, and obedience.

Will you receive it?