The Peace of Christmas

Good morning. It is great to be here joining you again this morning glad to have you with us. I wish it was in person face-to-face, but our board thought it was wiser list for us to follow the lead of our schools in our community who are not meeting for a little while after Thanksgiving to slow the spread and we want to be a responsible member of our community to so we thought it was best if we did the same thing and we called off for this week. So we will resume in person worship on December 6th. I hate starting the first week of Advent out this way, but we will get together next week in our hope is by delaying a week now that we will be able to still be gathering at Christmas time. So December 6th will be back here for in-person worship. So stay tuned for that. Also youth group will resume on December 6th also from 6 to 8 p.m. So keep that in mind and a one important thing. I want to plan out there in announcement is we are the clothes a kid thing through Love INC again, like we've done the last several years. So please if you're interested contact the church office or contact out Arnold and let him know that you will take a kid for that. So please do that if you feel lead to do so and we've always had a great success with that every year as I said this is the first week of Advent so I'm going to read the first Advent reading for us today on the first Sunday of Advent we would like the first purple candle and this candle symbolizes peace are verse for that is Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6 just 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 Peace is one of the greatest gifts. The Lord has brought to us in this first week. Just read the prophet Isaiah helps us to recognize the peace. We will have upon Christ arrival and goes on to proclaim the glory and Majesty of who he is and his purpose for coming. In calling Jesus our wonderful counselor the prophet Isaiah points to the Messiah as king a king who will always be there to direct us and guide us a king who is mighty to carry out his plan of action in the world. However, he is also a king who the world will know as loving and compassionate and they will also know Jesus is a king who cares about each and every one of us in the smallest details for lives. But Isaiah gets Jesus the title of Mighty God he refers to his divine power when God spoke the Earth the Sun the moon and the stars all came into being according to his plan. This Mighty God parted the Red Sea this Mighty God calm the storm in the ways. This Mighty God performed Miracles all throughout the land that we still talked about today.

Isaiah gives us great confidence and security when he uses the name of everlasting father his name indicates that the grace and mercy of our God our never ending. It also gives us the assurance that God will never leave us nor forsake us.

And finally, Isaiah calls Jesus the prince of peace to remind us that only through Jesus Christ will we have true peace of mind and soul? Is our faith in Christ that brings us peace with the father it is because of this piece that with the father that God's favor of great internal peace rest on all who called Jesus Lord and savior. Please bear with me in prayer. Wonderful counselor Everlasting father Prince of Peace. We praise you and your glory and Majesty this day and always we thank you for your comfort guidance and provision. May be ever mindful of who you are and what you have done for us. And Lord, I pray that we will always seek your peace and know that is the only true and everlasting. Peace. You make this prayer in Jesus most. Holy name. Amen.

Looking at our Joys and concerns that we have certainly want to remember those in our care for sale Sylhet. He's Marcille King Bill and Bonnie are and if you heard the news this week Christie passed away this weekend. We certainly want to remember her family and her loved ones as we will be having a private family viewing and ceremony on Monday. And hopefully after we get past a lot of this covid-19 will be able to have a celebration of life service in the spring for Christy but being prayer for the family as they continue to grieve their loss. But you know, we also need to remember others need care facilities as it is a very difficult time for them as discovered continues to spread and they are in lockdown and can't see their loved ones. So keep them in your prayers.

Also be praying for those in our congregation who need continued healing Ron sticky his healing in his own treatment and the loss of his brother Russell and Mary Jane Nichols get Nussbaum Tim Dame and I'm sure there are others who are suffering from different things. And we also want to be very mindful of any of those in our church family and congregation that have covid-19.

And it's always want us to remember to pray for our service members age and Ruth Rouse having two boys Benny Marina in our very own Bryce Bennett pray for what they do to provide us with the freedoms that we have is a nation, please bow with me in prayer. Most gracious heavenly father as we come to you today Lord. We thank you for the many blessings that you give us. And Lord as we celebrated Thanksgiving Lord, we pray that you will feel each and every one of us with a thankful heart and Lord in the midst of all the trials and turmoil what's going on in our world in our nation right now Lord. I pray that you would fill us with your peace. Or that we would not only be thankful. But in the midst of that thankfulness Lord that we would have. Peace. In the midst of the chaos in our world that we would have peace because our peace is based in you. And Lord I pray that you will be with. Family of Christie Frick delord as They Mourn her loss toward help them during this time and Lord. I pray that you will just help us as a church family to come around them support them through their loss. No type Rae is this we hear your words this morning Lord to chill help all of us to quiet all the distractions in our minds and our hearts and Lord listen to your word and what it is that you have for each of us to learn today. Pray the saw in your most. Holy name. Amen.

Star message this week is about the Peace of Christmas. You know this Global pandemic has changed our world in ways. We never could have imagined and it seems that the guidelines that we are given are always shifting always evolving as our government officials and Healthcare professionals. Try to slow the spread of this pandemic. All of that can lead to a lot of uncertainty and that uncertainty can cause us to experience anxiety like we have never experienced before. So I thought that it was important this year for us to start off our Advent Journey looking at where we can find. Peace.

And just for a minute, I want you to imagine a world without Jesus. If we didn't have Jesus, where would we find our peace?

You don't normally during this time of year are greatest concern is how are we going to balance all of the shopping in the parties and the family get-togethers and school programs with are already overloaded schedules. But this year is different. Instead of trying to decide how to schedule all the different family things that we're doing. We're trying to decide if it's even safe to meet. If we do meet how many people can be there, how should we do the food? How should we arrange the seats? Do we all need to wear mask? How long is it safe for us to be around each other? All of these are questions that we never had to answer before. And I haven't even mentioned all of the social and political unrest in our nation. In the midst of this time a time, which is supposed to bring such happiness and joy and peace. Where do we find? Peace? For decades statistics of showing that people are far more lonely and unhappy during the Christmas season than any other time of the year. And that's in a normal year. I can't even imagine what those statistics will show this year. But I always wonder why is it always like that? I believe it relates directly to the fact that so many people look for their joy in their peace and the wrong place. The whole world is crying for peace every day that our conference is meeting speeches demonstrations and rallies all over the world calling for peace. Is obvious that people are looking for peace, but yet it seems to be extremely elusive. It just doesn't come to them. Why is that? Because they're looking in the wrong place. We attempt to find peace in this world. We might be tempted to try out a lot of different things only to become more frustrated by the very things that we thought would bring us peace. The things that we thought would bring us joy. Just add to the frustration. The only real place to find peace is in the arms of God.

But for those who are not believers, they might ask but why is his peace so much better than the peace that the world can offer. And that is where as Christians we need to be able to chime in and offer them why God's peace is better. The first reason that God's peace is better is because God's peace is not of this world. In John Chapter 14 verse 27 we read 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. You know, we must understand that true peace doesn't come from our possessions. It doesn't come from an end to the panda make it doesn't come from a new legislation that mandates equality. True peace only comes from The Giver of peace. And he's this passage. I just read Jesus made it very clear that the only real peace is peace that comes from our heavenly father. If you look at the burst just before that one John 14:26. You read what the counselor the Holy Spirit whom the father will send in my name will teach you all things can remind you of everything I have said to you. Jesus tells us here that it is through the holy spirit that today we can remember what it is that Jesus came to give. The Peace of Jesus came to this world to give this available to us and the Holy Spirit will come alongside each of us to help us to live it. Jesus wanted to stress the special quality of the peace that only he can give and emphasized that he can offer us a piece unlike anything. This world has ever seen or experienced.

We have to remember it is Supernatural. Peace. Not of this world. Can a world without Jesus even be a piece? I don't think so. We know the solution to all the world's problems. It has been and always will be Jesus Christ. Apart from Christ there is no hope for true. Peace. The world's brand of Peace may seem like it will get the job done. But the reality is that it can not even compare to the peace that Christ can bring you. The second reason that God's peace is so much better than anything the world has to offer is that God's peace is available to those who were once far off.

You have to think about it. Doesn't that really describe all of us? Notice these two very Vivid passages of scripture that describe how we were once far away and God brought us near to him through peace and forgiveness. Colossians chapter 1 verses 19 through 22 reeds for God was pleased to have all his fullness while in him and through him to reconcile to himself All Things by their things on earth or things in Heaven by making peace through his blood shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and enemies in your own minds because of your evil Behavior. But now he has reconciled You by Christ physical body through death to present you holy in his sight without blemish and free from accusation.

Isn't that just amazing to think about? Are Paul put it this way in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 12 through 15 pulses remember? The app that time you were separate from Christ. Excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. 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 himself. One new man out of the two thus making peace.

You know, I love the imagery here. Stuff first century person last on quickly to what Paul was saying. You notice the words far away and brought near and verse 13 and destroyed the barrier the dividing wall of hostility in 14.

You see in the first century. There was a temple in Jerusalem where both the Jew and the Gentile were able to visit in to worship. But the Gentiles were restricted to the Gentile court and not allowed to proceed any further into the more intimate areas of the temple. They were relegated to the common area. So how did they know how far to go and where their area came to an end? There was a wall or partition that made a clear demarcation between the two areas. So even if the Gentile wanted to worship the one true God in the temple, they were always held a far-off and had to pray in the common area. Of course, this caused a lot of hostility as many deemed unfair because some lack the privilege or opportunity to draw near to God. That's why it is referred to in Ephesians as the dividing wall of hostility. This verse says that for Jew or Gentile God longs to have peace and intimacy with anyone who asked for forgiveness from him. Therefore getting saved is like God tearing down any barrier that has kept you from having peace and intimacy with him. And you can now approach God's Throne because you are his child. Ephesians chapter 2 verses 16 through 18 says 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. See it is through the cross that we can have peace that we can come directly to the God of Peace a child of God can run to the God of Peace Anytime by virtue of his relationship with Christ as his child. Hebrews 4:16 says let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find Grace to help us in our time of need. I see prior to accepting Christ as your savior. We were not at peace with him and because of our sin God must judges and punish us for the sin that we deserve. but upon requesting forgiveness from God we become not recipients of his wrath but recipients of his grace his peace and his Mercy The third reason that God's peace is better than the Peace of the world is that God's peace can change the world.

John 3:16 Says for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. And he will allow you to make that change. You don't try to change your habits and then come to Jesus. You can come to Jesus and he will give you the new life so that you can change.

the peace that comes from the Cross of Christ is the piece that can changes that can take us from where we are to where we should be not in our power button hits not I but Christ it is a choice that we have to make to allow him to save us some Otis into who intended us to be

Who remembers the story of Ebenezer Scrooge? You guys remember that one?

Do you remember that when he has treat dreams showing him the things of past present and future? ECS Scrooge looked into his dark future future that involve no. Joy, no. Peace. No. Hope he had a choice to make Pikachu's continue down the path that he was on or he could choose to change. This is the choice that we are each faced with. Christ came to give us life and to give it to us in abundance, but we must choose to accept that life. We must see and understand that Jesus is the one who gives us life. Jesus through his love and sacrifice gives us peace. Jesus Through the holy spirit gives us joy, Jesus through his example of forgiveness takes away our bitterness. Jesus through his atonement for our sins brings us near to him. Jesus covers Us and his love Jesus forgives us of our sins. Jesus cleanses us tomorrow and righteousness and through his birth in Bethlehem because he did come to us as a little baby and ultimately what he did on the cross. Jesus saves us.

So I asked the question again. I imagine a world without Jesus. Where would our peace come from? There would be no hope and no peace. But here's the good news. You have a choice.

In the movie Scrooged said are these the things that will be or the things that may be?

He was asking if you had a choice.

And you have a choice, but that's the final thing. I want to ask you. What choice will you make? Will you keep settling for the Peace of this world or will you take hold of the Everlasting peace that only Christ can offer you? Please buy with me in prayer.

Heavenly Father we thank you for the many blessings. You give us some Lord. We thank you that you have even provided the technology like this for us to be able to worship together virtually. It may not be what we like it may not be what we prefer but lord it's still allows us to connect with you and to feel some connection to the others in our church body. So we want to say thank you Lord and show our appreciation for that and Lord. I pray that as we go through the rest of this holiday season or this we continue to go through all the changes that have been brought on by this pandemic Lord that we will see that our circumstances are not what dictate whether or not we have joy and hope and peace. But Lord, I pray you will help each and every one of us to cling to that piece that comes from you. And you know Lord that you are the only true source of lasting. Peace. Lord I pray that you will be with each and every one of us or may you fill our hearts and our minds with your peace and Lord help us to share that with others and pray this all in your most. Holy name. Amen.

Are benediction I want to go over Isaiah 9:6 again for a child will be born to us a son will be given to us in the government will rest on his shoulders and his name will be called wonderful counselor, Mighty God Eternal Father Prince of Peace. Have a blessed week and hold on to the Everlasting piece of Christmas and share it with others.

Have a blessed week. Hope to see you all in person next week. Amen.