Peace: The Weary World Rejoices

Intro

I’ve been something of a student of military history for a long time. Its strange, I abhor war, but something about it draws me in. because in studying it, you find out what human beings are capable of

In my undergraduate work I was studying political science and I took a course called war and peace. In this course there was a brief history of war in the world and my professor basically laid out this unbroken line from the 30years war that started in 1618…to basically our war in Iraq.

His argument. War leads to more war...

You cant get away with saying that Korea & Vietnam, and the Iran Iraq war have nothing to do with world war 2.

And through it all we see that in our world history, we have never know the absence of war.

we have never know’s true peace.

It doesn’t matter if we are talking about the Punic wars between Rome and Carthage or if we are talking about world war 2

We have always lived in a world where violence reigns.

We have always lived in a world that is weary, broken, violent and sick

But in 2020, I think the word that defines our world is “unprecedented”

In other words…There is nothing to compare this year to.

Pandemics, shut downs…and now more than ever it seems that this pandemic is coming closer to home…We all know more and more people who are getting sick.

But not only do we have a pandemic, renewed racial tension, a divisive election…and all sorts of other issues that 2020 has brought.

We also have a loss of peace.

With cancel culture on the rise

People willing to break relationships with others over political ideals

It seems like the noise of our world can’t help but to disrupt any of the peace that we might be feeling.

Through COVID I have seen marriages fall apart, families stop talking to each other, relationships breaking

I have seen the depression rate skyrocket and one estimate is that the suicide rate has risen by 145%

But as Christians we come to the manger....And somehow we proclaim that while our world has lost all peace, in this manger we have found true peace

But see this is the problem…Everything I just said…We look at this list and think of peace as something that you and I can achieve.

We look at it and think...

Well if I just vote the right way

Well if my party had power

Well if I said the right words to my husband then I’d have peace...

If I did this or that differently then I’d have peace

But here is the harsh reality. While you and I can be peaceful people the peace that the world tries to give is very different from the peace of Jesus...

Our world is in a weary place right now isn’t it?

To be fair, our world has always been in a weary place.

Announcing Peace

Back in the book of Isaiah 9:6

Isaiah was looking forward to a day when God himself would come into a weary world. When God would break through the sinful, the broken, the violent world and when he would do something new

The New International Version Chapter 9

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.

Isaiah saw that this child would break fourth a new kingdom.

A new governance in the world. and that this child would be the prince of peace!

When Jesus was born, this is precisely what the angels announced. That this child of peace would come

and you have to think about -when Isaiah wrote this, nearly 700 years before Jesus was born

A time in which the nations around them were amassing huge amounts of power, Asyria to the north was a major threat, Babylon was becoming a major threat...

There was no peace or justice in the kingdom!

But Yet, Isaiah is standing there, confidently proclaiming that there would be a child who would be shalom...

Not just the absence of conflict…not just no war…But total wholeness and completeness

Luke 2

The New International Version Chapter 2

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Jesus was born in a weary world …There was already someone claiming to be a “prince of peace” Cesar Augustus had just won a bloody civil war ushering in something called Pax Romana, or the peace of Rome.

This “Peace of Rome” was good if you were a Roman living in Rome, but if you were a Jew in Israel, it was just kind of a cruel joke.

We have to remember that Israel at this time is occupied by a foreign power. They are living under military rule.

King Herod who was an agent of Rome, had a secret police that functioned like the SS or the KGB. They had neighbors informing on each-other.

Anyone who was a threat to Rome would be killed or disappeared.

It is in this context that the angels announce, do not be afraid! I bring you good news! Today in the town of David a savior has been born, he is the messiah!

And you can imagine what a sight it would have been to see a great company of the heavenly host praising God and saying

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

This peace is a very different kind of peace than the absence of war…a very different kind of peace from the way that the world gives peace

Because the biblical word for peace, Shalom means wholeness.

It doesn't just mean there is no fighting

John 14:25-27

The New International Version Chapter 14

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 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.

This Christmas Jesus wants to give you his peace

it is not something you can earn or attain

Its not something through mindfulness or meditation that you can magically get.

Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus is pleased to give you his peace...

And I love how he says, “I do not give as the world gives”

I think the world gives with a motive attached.

The wold gives with an expectation of receiving some sort of Good will or favor

Peace comes because the holy spirit refines us

God is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas Day Four: An Un-Christmas-Like Idea

God comes in the midst of evil, in the midst of death, and judges the evil in us and in the world. And in judging it, he loves us, he purifies us, he sanctifies us, he comes to us with his grace and love. He makes us happy as only children can be happy

Conclusion

It’s easy to let the weary world get to us

Its easy to let fear and confusion sweep over us.

The great lie of this would is to make you believe that chaos reigns…Fear and confusion bring legitimacy to this lie

But we have a choice, we can buy into the lie or hold on to the peace of Jesus.

But when we choose to hold on to the peace of God, through all of it, then we never have to experience fear and chaos of this world

God became human so that we can become human

Maybe

Ephesians 2:12-13

The New International Version Chapter 2

12 remember that at 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. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.