Revealed Peace

Advent is a time to slow down, check our hearts, prepare our hearts to reach out with the message that God does love the world so much that He gave us the Christ-child, to tell us God is approachable, not an uncaring distant relative who writes once a year, a Christmas card, if you are lucky.

Advent is a time to get our hearts ready to allow Christ access to our lives.

Children’s play – Harold the Inn keeper - Harold ran up to the couple and said in a loud voice so that everyone could hear, “Wait a minute. Come back. You can have my room.” Contributed by Rodney Buchanan

Can Christ have your room? Will you allow Him to reveal His peace in you?

Luke shares a message from angels about the Christ-child in our scripture this morning.

Please honor the reading of God’s Word

Luke 2:1–20 NIV

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 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.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

THE WORD OF GOD, FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD

ILLUSTRATION: A hurricane had struck. People were huddled together. A preacher was praying with great oratorical effects during this violent storm, crying out "Send us the spirit of the children of Israel, the children of Moses, the children of the Promised land." An old man with less oratory but more directness prayed,

"Lord, don’t send nobody. Come yourself. This ain’t no time for children.

Contributed by: Bob AuBuchon

So God came Himself. In the form of His Son, a baby lying in a manger.

The angels sang “Glory!” and “Peace!”

How do we find peace in a world of storms and turmoil? Is it possible?

We often become so accustomed to our life being filled with the stresses and turmoil of daily life that we think it is normal. We just get used to it. We COPE. We have long forgotten what peace looks like and don’t recognize it when we see it. Listen closely to what people talk about, and you will find that the stresses and turmoil of our times has robbed people--even Christians--of their peace. At this Advent season, we can reflect on where we are and come back to the Restorer of our peace.

Peace is On The Way

Hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah came on the scene to bring prophecies of salvation to people who were weary and beat down by the stresses of their life--by the turmoil of war and chaos brought on by the Assyrians. Peace was not a part of their ordinary life. They didn’t know what it looked like anymore.

Isaiah 11 begins by saying, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse, from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” Judah the royal line of David would be like a tree chopped down to a stump but from that stump a new shoot would grow--the Messiah. He would be greater than the original tree and would bear much fruit.

This is Isaiah’s way of saying “Peace is On the Way” because out of this destruction and turmoil of war and chaos where peace doesn’t exist, “a green shoot will sprout.” You might say, “So what. What’s this have to do with peace?”

Isaiah is saying, Jesus the Savior--the hoped for Messiah--is going to come to bring peace and

The royal family (David) was cut down and only the stump left, almost leveled to the ground and lost completely, yet Isaiah says it shall SPROUT again.

Job 14:7 says, “At least there is hope for a tree. If it is cut down it will sprout again and its new shoots will not fail.”

Rev. 5:5 says, “See the Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David has triumphed.”

The house of David was reduced and brought very low at the time of Christ’s birth--think about the obscurity and poverty of Joseph and Mary at that time. Going to a stable? How is this going to possibly work out?

God reveals His peace through Jesus.

Peace Today?

Can We Have Peace in Times of Turmoil?

How is this going to possibly work out in my life? How can I experience peace in the job I have, or in my family, or with the problems I am facing? How can I have peace with the COVID virus loose? How can I have peace in my circumstances? How can I have peace when the new is full of strife? How can I have peace when my country seems divided?

2020 has been a crazy year. Everything is different! Wearing masks everywhere we go. We’re having church online! I can’t see my family during holidays or not even on the weekends.

Can we personally experience peace in our lives today because of Jesus?

Isaiah says, “Yes” because Jesus is QUALIFIED to bring the peace we need.

The prophecy in Isaiah 11 goes on to say,

Isaiah 11:2 NIV

2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—

He has been given these qualities. We need these same qualities in our daily life. We need Jesus.

When we have Jesus in our lives, we can experience peace. His peace will be revealed in our lives.

How Do You Choose to Live?

How Do You Choose to Live Your Life?

The coming of Christ can motivate us to live in peace with one another. We can’t wish away the conflict and uncertainty in today’s world. Can’t wish away the virus or ignore it! But we can choose to live our lives in a different way from the world--in a way that will bring peace.

You might wonder how you have missed it in the past. Maybe you were looking for peace in external things such as a cabin in the woods away from the stresses of daily life. Maybe sitting beside a quiet lake with a fishing pole in your hand. A week on the beach with nothing but sun and the sound of the waves. External peace can be shattered quickly.

How have we missed it? I think it is because we have not fully realized what Jesus came to bring us. When we try to make it on our own, we forfeit peace. We fail to realize that when we come to Christ He not only becomes our Savior, but He wants to become the LORD OF OUR LIFE. Too often when He works a miracle in our life we say, “OK, thanks, but I can handle it from here.” We tend to take off on our own. We want to pick and choose. And then on our own, peace flies out the window. We need the qualities that He possesses to help us live in a world of turmoil.

We need his wisdom to make daily decisions. We need His power to live an overcoming life when stresses try to tear us down. We need his counsel when we are confused and don’t know which way to turn.

We choose to live our life:

- with Him on the outside looking in

- on the fringe--just enough of a Christian to “get by”

- or to allow Him to be the Lord of Our life

The Lord himself speaks to us in Isaiah 48

Isaiah 48:17–18 NIV

17 This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. 18 If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.

Scripture reminds us that we don’t get peace by just doing as we please and living our lives any old way to suit ourselves. It is when we come into right standing with God and seek to follow His ways that peace will be there. Peace comes with repentance--by turning around and going a different way. Peace comes with turning towards God --not away from Him.

Turn to God - he will reveal His Peace within you.

I want to close with part of Paul’s closing remarks in his letter to the Philippians:

Philippians 4:7–9 NIV

7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, 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. 9 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.

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