To Understand Christmas we must understand that Christ is our Peace
Notes
Transcript
We Have Peace Because Christ Came
We Have Peace Because Christ Came
1 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
The Nation of Israel according to the Prophet Isaiah were walking in Darkness…In fact he says their whole land was a land of Deep Darkness.
The wording in this passage is the same wording used in Psalm 23 that we studied a few weeks ago. It is literally means they live in the land of the Shadow of Death.
In that land there is no hope, no joy, no love, and no peace.
But look at what Isaiah says...
Those who dwelt in in a land of deep darkness…ON THEM LIGHT HAS SHOWN
Where else do we find God speaking light into the darkness?
1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
It was God who spoke light into the world of chaos and darkness in the beginning…and it was God who was going to speak light and life into the lives of his people that would bring them peace...
Listen to what John wrote in His gospel...
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
This is why Isaiah writes in verse 6...
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Jesus…he was the one that God sent into the Valley of Shadow of Death...
He is our shepherd who leads us into Green Pastures and Beside still waters.
Jesus is the one who came to give us peace.
But we dont have peace just because Christ Came…(Next Point)
We Have Peace Because Christ Conquered
We Have Peace Because Christ Conquered
Look at Isaiah 9:3-5
3 You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. 4 For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
At the time of Isaiah’s writing…it would have been weird to have all of these statements in the past tense.
You have multiplied the nation
You have increased its joy
You have broken the yoke and rod of the oppressor ...
But what this tells us is that the promises of God are so sure that it is as if they have already happened.
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Then he goes on…v. 5
“For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garmet rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for fire.”
The promise that God proclaims through the Prophet Isaiah in this passage is this...
There is coming a day when I will crush your enemies that oppress you...
I will break the rod and the staff that afflict you
I will free you from captivity
I will increase your joy
I will put an end to all of your fighting...
I will give you victory
I will give you PEACE
What day was Isaiah Talking about....verse 6...
For to us a Child is born…to us a Son is given...
Christmas morning...
Jesus is that Child…He is that Son…He is our Prince of Peace
You see there is an even greater oppressor that has captured us this morning
Sin and Death...
Paul writes
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Just as Christmas was the day that gave the people of Israel hope and peace in Isaiah’s day…Christmas is also a time for us to remember that Christ was born to give us peace...
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ came to conquer sin and death so that we might have freedom, victory, joy, and ultimately PEACE...
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Christ came to give us peace...
True Shalom…Wholeness…He came to reconcile us to God…and he came to put an end to the suffering of the world....
But maybe you are doubtful this morning…because you look at your life…and you look at your world…and you say “All is Not well...” “I dont have a ton of peace...”
We Have Peace Because Christ is Coming Again
We Have Peace Because Christ is Coming Again
Here’s what’s interesting about this passage this morning…God made these promises to the people of Israel around the year 740 BC...
The means that the people who heard this prophesy never got to see the day that Jesus was born...
The people of God had to wait nearly 750 years...
And this is where we are this morning…we are in this season of waiting...
We have the benefit of looking back…knowing that Christ has come and that he’s conquered...
But like the people at the time of Isaiah…we are waiting for the ultimate fulfillment of Christ bringing total peace…total Shalom...
But here is the hope we have…Christ is coming again...
He is our Wonderful Counselor, our Prince of Peace, our Everlasting Father, Our Prince of Peace…even in our waiting...
This is the promise we have this morning as we wait...
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
God will accomplish what he’s promised…
So in this Christmas season…let’s remember that Christ has given us peace
in his coming (on Christmas morning)
in his conquering sin and death (on the cross)
and let’s anticipate the peace that he will bring (when he comes again)
The question for us this morning is what we will find when Jesus comes for us...
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Have you taken up your cross to follow Jesus?
Do you love Jesus more than family? More than life itself?
Have you given your life to him?
If not…would you make that decision this morning by faith?
