Prince of Peace
“PRINCE OF PEACE!”
For Unto Us a Child is Born – Part 4 of 4
Isaiah 9:6
Pastor Robby Roberson
December 30, 2007
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Is 9:6
Since the beginning of time, mankind has craved peace. When Adam and Eve came upon the bloody body of their son Abel, slain by his brother Cain, they no doubt longed for peace. But, peace has eluded mankind.
“A former president of the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and historians from England, Egypt, Germany, and India have come up with some startling information: Since 3600 B.C. the world has known only 292 years of peace! During this period there have been 14, 351 wars, large and small, in which 3.64 billion people have been killed. The value of the property destroyed would pay for a golden belt around the world 97.2 miles wide and 33 feet thick. Since 650 B.C. there have also been 1,656 arms races, on 16 of which have not ended in war. The remainder ended in the economic collapse of the countries involved” (Sermon Central – peace).
1. BECAUSE OF THIS CHILD YOU CAN HAVE PEACE WITH GOD.
“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” Eph 2:14-18
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ro 5:1
“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.” Col 1:21
“Having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.” Col 2:14
In 1962, Don Richardson was a missionary to the cannibalistic headhunting Sawi tribe of Irian Jaya, Indonesia. Try as he would, he could not find a way to make the people understand the gospel message, especially the significance of Christ’s atoning death on the cross.
Sawi villages were constantly fighting among themselves, and because treachery, revenge, and murder were highly honored there seemed no hope for peach. The tribe, however, had a legendary custom that if one village gave a baby boy to another village, peace would prevail between the two villages as long as the child lived. The baby was called a “peace child.”
The missionary seized on that story as an analogy of the reconciling work of Christ. Christ, he said, is God’s divine Peace Child that he offered to man, and because Christ lives eternally His peace will never end. The analogy was the key that unlocked the gospel for the Sawis (Sermon Central – peace).
Illustration: Paul (Saul) – Acts 9
2. BECAUSE OF THIS CHILD YOU CAN HAVE PEACE WITH OTHERS.
“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Ro 12:17-21
“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” Ro 14:19
“Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.” 2 Co 13:11
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” Ga 5:22
“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Eph 4:3
“And with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” Eph 6:15
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Col 3:15
“Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.” 1 Th 5:13
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Heb 12:14
Illustration: Aaron or consider Henry Kessinger
3. BECAUSE OF THIS CHILD YOU CAN HAVE PEACE WITH YOURSELF.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Php 4:7-9
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Jn 14:27
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jn 16:33
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Ro 15:13
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” 2 Th 3:16
Someone said, “The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you’ve started.’ So I looked around the house to see all the things I started and hadn’t finished…and before leaving the house this morning I finished off a bottle of red wine, a bottle of white, the Prozac, some Valium, some cheesecake and a box of chocolates. You have no idea how good I feel!
Well that’s one perceived road to peace, but I imagine that it will have worn off by the next morning.
Another writer defined peace like this, peace is…‘a conception distinctly peculiar to Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatever sort that is’ (Thayer)” (Sermon Central – peace).
4. BECAUSE OF THIS CHILD YOU CAN HAVE PEACE FOREVER.
“Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” Is 9:7
This prince “was foreshadowed by Melchizedek” (Criswell Study Bible, pg. 790) who was “the King of Salem” or “King of Peace” (Heb. 7:2). “The government of Immanuel will procure and perpetuate peace among the nations of the world” (MacArthur Study Bible, pg. 968).
“The Wall Street Journal carried a story of a Fayetteville, Arkansas woman a few years ago, who named the United Nations as the beneficiary of her $1.7 million dollar estate, in hopes that her money would bring about a modicum of peace on earth. Dr. J. Vernon McGee, the well-known radio preacher, after reading the article said in one of his programs, ‘That woman poured her money down a rat hole, because you cannot buy peace with $1.7 million or even $700 trillion. Jesus Christ, The Prince of Peace, is the only way to find peace” (Sermon Central – peace).
“One of America’s greatest poets was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The year 1860 found Longfellow happy in his life, enjoying a widening recognition, and elated over the election of Abraham Lincoln which he believed signaled the triumph of freedom and redemption for the nation.
The following year the Civil War began. On July 9, 1861, Longfellow’s wife, Fanny, was near an open window sealing locks of her daughter’s hair, using hot sealing wax. Suddenly her dress caught fire and engulfed her with flames. Her husband, sleeping in the next room, was awakened by her screams. As he desperately tried to put out the fire and save his wife, he was severely burned on his face and hands.
Fanny died the next day. Longfellow’s severe burns would not even allow him to attend Fanny’s funeral. His white beard, which so identified with him, was one of the results of the tragedy – the burn scars on his face made shaving almost impossible.
In his diary for Christmas day 1861 he wrote, ‘How inexpressibly sad are the holidays.’
In 1862 the toll of war dead began to mount and in his diary for that year Longfellow wrote of Christmas, ‘A merry Christmas say the children, but that is no more for me.’
In 1863 his son, who had run away to join the Union army was severely wounded and returned home in December. There is no entry in Longfellow’s diary for that Christmas.
But on Christmas Day 1864 – at age 57 – Longfellow sat down to try to capture, if possible, the joy of the season. He began:
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.
As he came to the third stanza, he was stopped by the thought of the condition of his beloved country. The Battle of Gettysburg was not long past. Days looked dark, and he probably asked himself the question, ‘How can I write about peace on earth, good will to men in this war-torn country, where brother fights against brother and father against son?’ But he kept writing – and what did he write?
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 it seems that he turned his thoughts to the One who gives true ad perfect peace, and continued writing:
Then peeled 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!” (Sermon Central – peace).
As you might now have guessed – peace is a very characteristic of God. Notice how the New Testament continues to reference it (also: Heb. 13:20):
“The God of peace be with you all. Amen.” Ro 15:33
“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” Ro 16:20
“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Th 5:23
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” 2 Th 3:16
“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” Lk 2:13-14