Advent: Peace (Week 2)

This time of year we are remembering and celebrating God with us, Emmanuel. We are remembering God becoming flesh, dwelling among us. It is one of the biggest times to celebrate. Regardless if you believe Jesus was born in August or September, choose to celebrate in December, the fact remains that Christ appearing, His coming was the most significant birth to happen in all of history.

Let’s take a look at some of the most famous captions and paintings of this historic event!

FAMOUS NATIVITY PAINTINGS

Image 1: Fra Angelico, Convent of San Marco, Florence

Image 2: Philippe de Champaigne, National Gallery, London

Image 3: Peter Bruegel the Elder, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels

Image 4: Benozo Gozzoli, Medici Riccardi palace, Florence

FAMOUS NATIVITY CARTOONS

Image 5: Charlie Brown

Image 6: Little People

Image 7: Pop Culture

Image 8: Hipster

Last week, Rick kicked off our season for Advent, and he mentioned that Advent simply means coming or appearing in Latin. The word in Greek is parousia.

You may remember me mentioning this idea before that oftentimes prophecy has multiple layers of fulfillment. There is often a present state of fulfillment, along with a future understanding of how it will again come to pass, and there even remains the possibilities of multiple layers of fulfillment (giving credence and remembrance to God’s Word to us). A final fulfillment is most often understood in relationship to the reign and rule that Christ will bring to earth with His final appearing.

Listen to how Paul places supreme importance upon the notion of Christ appearing to us:

1 Corinthians 15:3–7 NIV

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,

Part of our story of what Jesus has done for us is how He has appeared to us. This is why in our Mission and Vision you hear us say: ENCOUNTER, CONNECT, GROW. We believe God appears to us; we have a life-changing encounter with Him. We taste and see that the Lord is good. We experience His kindness, which as Romans tells us leads us toward change, transformation, and repentance.

John Wesley, one of my heroes in the faith, talks about after knowing so much about God, even keeping rules and regulations he self imposed, that he encountered the Lord in a real and meaningful way.

He was attending a meeting in Aldersgate, England (latter of which this experience would be called his Aldersgate Experience).

It was there, while someone was reading from Martin Luther's Preface to the Epistle to the Romans, that he felt that his heart was "strangely warmed". He describes it as:

I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.

There is part of our story, testimony, that incorporates Christ revealing Himself to us. And over 2,000 years ago, humanity experience this most epic moment in history. Let’s ready what Isaiah prophesied about Christ coming.

Isaiah 9:6–7 NIV

6 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. 7 Of the greatness 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.

Jesus was anticipated for centuries before His arrival. The common Jew believed that a Messiah would arrive on the scene and put an end to their slavery once again, establishing a kingdom that would bring stability and rest for the people of Israel.

One of the things these verses highlight is the unique nature with which God would establish His kingdom. It would be established with justice and righteousness. His government and peace would be everlasting. The common interpretation was a physical kingdom established through the Christ, freeing and leading the people into peace and rest.

The word peace is repeated in both of these verses describing the nature of this Savior as well as the type of reign and rule He would bring.

This morning I want us to look at who this coming One was and is...

As well as, some of the barriers of peace we experience in our lives.

2. As well as, some of the barriers of peace we experience in our lives.

I want us to consider for a few minutes this morning the great truth that He, the Messiah Jesus Christ, is peace. Christ is the peace of advent. Peace defines His person or character; and it defines the work He came to do. One of the Messianic titles declared by the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 9 is that He will be called the Prince of Peace. Jesus Christ is peace and He came to bring peace. What is this peace that He came to bring us on that first Christmas?

Our experiential understanding of “peace” is that it is always temporary at best. Think about how peaceful the tiny baby looks in his or her mother’s arms, yet only a matter of minutes later, when the crying starts, there is no peace – for the baby, or for the entire household – perfect calm one minute; perfect chaos the next. This illustrates for us the nature of peace on earth. We start crying at the beginning of our lives; and the crying never fully ends until the end of our life. In between we look for peace, and during our lives we find different degrees of peace.

STORY: As many of you know we have had quite a few foster children through our home over the past few years. We have had more babies than anything. Part of this is due to the ages of our own kids, but also has to do with the nature and disposition of my wife, Candi. In addition to our 2 biological kids, we have had 6 other babies in the past 3 years. Each of these kids came from different families with different genetic makeups and dispositions. What we began to notice was how important environment was to their stability and success in our home. Candi is a baby wearer, partially out of necessity but partially out of desire to bond and create a soothing environment for the child. As a result of her calm demeanor and ability to create a soothing aurora each child we had was significantly happier and good natured. This isn’t to say if you have fussy babies there is something wrong with you. Instead, it is to recognize that we absorb and even imitate the atmospheres we are most often around.

The Lord is the Prince of Peace, and, as Scripture would remind us, we benefit from this peace when we remain fixed on Him.

Listen to this verse out of Isaiah:

Isaiah 26:3 NIV

3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

The Hebrew words translated “perfect peace” are a duplication of one word for emphasis. It says, “You will keep in PEACE PEACE (SHALOM SHALOM) whose mind is stayed or kept on you...”

The peace we experience in this life has less to do with mindfulness and more to do with the One with whom we become mindful of. What do I mean? It is has more to do with the object of our thoughts and attention that brings us this eternal peace. It has to do with His very nature as the Peace-maker, that brings us peace when we fix our thoughts on Him.

Have you ever been anxious about something? For me, it consumes my thoughts. I realize that I can’t do anything about it; I can’t change it, but it doesn’t keep me from becoming obsessed with dwelling on it. My mind is not on the Lord, but rather on the situation or problem. Rather than keeping my thoughts and mind on the Problem Solver, the Peace Maker…I allow myself to go down every rabbit trail that leads to my own emotional destruction.

God reminds us to fix our thoughts on Him. Trust Him. Trust in Him forever…because he is the Rock eternal (vs. 4).

Isaiah 26:4–8 NIV

4 Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. 5 He humbles those who dwell on high, he lays the lofty city low; he levels it to the ground and casts it down to the dust. 6 Feet trample it down— the feet of the oppressed, the footsteps of the poor. 7 The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth. 8 Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.

Isaiah 26:4-

Remember, just a couple of weeks ago we talked about how Scripture teaches us how pride keeps God’s grace at bay from operating in our lives. Pride says, “I can handle this on my own; I don’t need You (GOD) or anyone else for that matter.” It has less to do with God removing His grace form our lives and more to do with our position to no longer receive His enabling.

“He gives grace to the humble, but abhors the proud.”

TRANSITION

Paul begins his letters with a twist on the ancient greeting custom of his day. He would often begin each letter with “grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Grace always brings benefits and one of these benefits is reflected in the word “peace” which the Apostle always associates with God’s grace. In fact, the order is significant. First grace and then peace. Until we know and appropriate grace, we can’t experience peace. “Peace” was a typical Jewish greeting (cf. ), but for the Christian, it carries a much deeper meaning than it did among the ancient Hebrews

(1) Grace stresses God’s character and man’s sinfulness while mercy stresses God’s strength and man’s helplessness. Grace finds its necessity in (a) the fact of God’s holiness and in the sinfulness of man, and (b) in the nature of God as the Creator and man as the creature.

(2) Grace is opposed to and excludes any idea of works for merit, works done as a means of blessing or as payment for what is done. Grace means you never deserve it nor can you earn it even by the old fashion method of working for it.

Once we understand and know the God we are approaching, coming to His throne of grace (as the author of Hebrews would write), we can know Him in truth and experience the full benefits of both being known and knowing Him fully.

John Wesley, like us at times, found himself trying to earn God’s good grace. That’s just the thing. Grace by its very nature can’t be earned. It it is worked for and can’t be included as a wage. Once we come to the revelation of the grace given to us through the Good News of what Christ has done for us we can experience all the benefits He has made available to us.

We can experience His Divine peace.

During that Advent of Christ, the angels declared peace…they declared in song to the shepherds who were watching their flocks the night that Jesus was born. They declared singing...

Luke 2:14 NIV

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Inner Peace

Isaiah 26:3 NIV

3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Isaiah

The One being born was indeed to Promised One, the Messiah, who would restore all things. The angels sang in exuberation for all to give glory to God. Look at what He has done. The benefit to all of us that are under His favor, experiencing His grace (literally His free gift) would be peace.

Ezekiel, speaking nearly 600 years before Christ, says of the One to come:

Ezekiel 34:23–25 NIV

23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24 I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken. 25 “ ‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of savage beasts so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety.

Ezekiel

Malachi, speaking nearly 450 years before Christ, says:

Malachi 2:5 NIV

5 “My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name.

The people of Israel expected, anticipated, and hoped for the coming Messiah. They believed this coming Messiah would end their struggle for freedom, release them from bondage and slavery. They believe this Messiah would usher in a season of peace like they had never experienced before. They had interpreted what this peace would look like it, what it would mean for their current circumstances.

What they failed to realize was where they most needed peace wasn’t between their nation and a neighboring rival. That conflict was all a side-effect, if you will, of an inner turmoil. Jesus came to bring peace, but He came to bring peace primarily between us and God.

ADD: All other peace – whether it is personal peace, relational peace or national peace – starts with this peace, peace with God. This peace doesn’t vary or fluctuate with the circumstances of life; this peace is objective; it’s permanent and it’s lasting, because it rests upon and depends upon the person and work of Jesus Christ. As the Prince of Peace, Jesus came to earth in order to provide this kind of peace for us. Advent is a time of celebrating peace, not because we necessarily experience more of it – for often Christmastime produces more stress and less rest – but it’s because we celebrate and rejoice in the one who is peace. The first Christmas didn’t bring world peace; it brought the Prince of Peace. And He came in order to make peace with God for us.

ADD: The peace that Jesus brings to our life is very real. It mends the relationship that has been damaged and destroyed since the Garden. It does not, however, mean that we will no longer experience conflict or hardship in this life. Instead, it ensures us a right standing with God, the One who will never leave us despite the valleys we may walk through. It ensures us that the Victorious One is on our side, and we can trust Him with the outcomes for our life in all things. The peace Christ brings isn’t the absence of difficulty but is with us and provides for us peace despite difficulty.

ADD: The peace that Jesus brings into our lives is much like everything else this Good News provides for us. It is not something we can earn.

Many people think that they have to find their way to God. They have to make their peace with God by doing something – by going to church; by giving money to the poor; by doing good deeds for others; and the list goes on and on – in order that God will accept them.

Christmas teaches us the exact opposite – God did something for us; He sent us a Savior – and Christ did what was necessary in order for us to have peace with God. We don’t make peace with God; God makes peace with us, and He does it through Jesus Christ. This is why the Apostle Paul says,

Romans 5:1 NIV

1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Christ has done the work of reconciliation; He has justified us – He alone can give us peace with God, because only Christ can forgive your sins – thus it’s our responsibility to believe Him; and to trust in Christ by faith. The peace we need is the peace of Advent; the peace of salvation that only the Prince of Peace can give.

TRANSITION:

Now, because of what Jesus has done for us we have peace with God. As most of what we discuss each week, what He does for us and in us He also want to do through us. Paul writes in Ephesians that Jesus has brought peace between us and God. Where there was disunity, He has brought unity. Where there was division, He has made all things whole and one. Where there was hostility and a barrier, He has made a way and brought His peace.

Ephesians 2:14 NIV

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

The kingdom of God that is being established begins in the reconciliation of the earth, earthen vessels, made of clay, restored to their original design and intent in God. His kingdom is then extended through us as we partake in His purposes to see all mankind reconciled and make peace with Him.

SLIDE: Peace with God, Peace with Self, Peace with Others, Peace with Creation

One of the attributes that would mark the people of His kingdom is mentioned in the beatitudes of Matthew. Jesus proclaims from that mountain:

Peace with Others

Matthew 5:9 NIV

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

God has called us to walk as He does, to be peacemakers. When we imitate our Father, peace will be the results in the wake of our relationships. Oftentimes, we complicate what this could or should look like, so I want to share a few practical points on how to maintain peace in your life after you have been reconciled with God:

How does He bring His peace to earth?

SELF

How can we bring His peace to earth?

Excessive self blame

This is part of His Kingdom come, His will be done...

Thinking everything is 100 percent your fault--whether it's a failed relationship or an accident--will affect the way you see yourself and the world around you. You can't always prevent bad things from happening.

Ephesians 2:14 NIV

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

Mentally strong people take appropriate accountability. They recognize they're responsible for their choices, but they also acknowledge factors beyond their control--like the state of the economy, the weather, and other people's choices.

The victim mentality

Thinking the world and the people in it are out to get you will prevent you from being your best. In fact, if you blame all of your problems on external circumstances you'll never take responsibility for your life.

Mentally strong people acknowledge their choices, even in the face of tragic circumstances. They focus on the things they can control, and they refuse to waste their time hosting pity parties.

The pursuit of perfection

Striving for excellence is healthy. But insisting on perfection is an uphill battle. You'll never feel good enough if you set the bar impossibly high.

Mentally strong people accept that they're going to fail and make mistakes. They are able to acknowledge their flaws and weaknesses.

Complete self-reliance

Thinking you can do everything on your own is about acting tough--not being strong. There will be times when asking for help is important.

Mentally strong people aren't afraid to admit when they need help. Whether they rely on a higher power, ask for professional help, or lean on a friend during a time in need, they gain strength from others. Knowing they don't have to have all the answers gives them a renewed sense of inner peace.

Mentally strong people aren't afraid to admit when they need help. This includes turning to God as well as knowing when to ask for professional help, or lean on a friend during a time in need. These are ways we gain strength from others. Knowing we don't have to have all the answers gives us a renewed sense of inner peace.

OTHERS

Engaging with toxic people

The people you surround yourself with affect the way you think, feel, and behave. Engaging with people who lie, gossip, bully, or cheat takes a toll on your well-being.

Mentally strong people don't waste their energy trying to change toxic people. They establish healthy emotional and physical boundaries.

The victim mentality

Thinking the world and the people in it are out to get you will prevent you from being your best. In fact, if you blame all of your problems on external circumstances you'll never take responsibility for your life.

Mentally strong people acknowledge their choices, even in the face of tragic circumstances. They focus on the things they can control, and they refuse to waste their time hosting pity parties.

Grudges

You may think holding onto a grudge somehow punishes someone else. But, in reality, clinging to anger and hatred only reduces your life.

Mentally strong people let go of grudges so they can focus their energy on more worthwhile causes. That doesn't mean they allow themselves to be abused by people, however. It just means they don't allow pent-up resentment to overtake their lives.

CREATION

Trying to impress people

You could waste a lot of your life trying to make people like you. Depending on admiration from others, however, gives others power over you.

Mentally strong people are comfortable in their own skin. They don't waste their time worrying about whether other people approve of their choices. Instead, they focus on living according to their values.

PIANO MAN

CONCLUDING:

Peace is more than just a state of mind; it’s more than just a calm or content feeling, or a temporary absence of conflict. You can experience peace but not necessarily be at peace. You can substitute the artificial peace that the world offers you – through money, materialism, self-help, and the like – yet never be at peace. Jesus came to bring us peace with God, and we can only experience that peace through Him, by trusting in His work of salvation on our behalf.

May you all have the peace of Advent because you know and trust the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

PRAY