Advent 2020: Peace for Today

Isaiah 9:6–7 ESV

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. 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.

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent.

Over the last few weeks, we have lit the various advent candles.

The candle of Hope

The candle of Preparation

Joy

Today, we light the candle of peace.

John 14:27 ESV

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.

These words have never rung more true than they do today.

In the midst of everything we have encountered and experienced in the last year, many of us have lost our since of peace.

We have become filled with doubt and worry.

We worry about getting sick and not being able to recover.

We worry about how this whole thing started.

Could it be part of some plot or conspiracy?

If so, what is their agenda? Who are we dealing with?

We worry about the impact this pandemic will have on our economy.

Our ability to work.

We worry about how this might be used to take away our personal freedoms.

It seems that, everywhere we turn, there is a reason to worry.

Worry brings fear and doubt.

Fear and doubt erode our trust in God.

Two thousand years ago, the Jews were filled with reasons to fear and doubt.

They were under the control of a godless government.

Their own religious leaders were more concerned with rituals, ceremony and debating theology than they were with knowing God and serving him.

They were made to feel that maybe God had abandoned them.

And into the midst of this, God sent his only begotten son, Jesus.

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Immanuel means “God with us.”

Do you remember when you were a child, and you got scared?

Maybe you were alone in your dark bedroom, afraid of what might be in the closet or under the bed?

You called out for help, and your mom or dad came in.

Or maybe it was a stormy night, and the thunder was terrifying?

You went running to your parents’ room, and they let you crawl into bed with them.

And you felt better, because you weren’t alone anymore.

There is peace in knowing that you aren’t alone.

Jesus lived among us, and he proved he had the power to deliver us from hardship.

He healed the sick.

He opened blind eyes.

He made the lame to walk.

He fed thousands from just a little bit of food.

He raised the dead.

Then Jesus gave us the ultimate reason to have peace.

Jesus took our place on the cross, paying the price for our sins and granting us direct access to God the Father.

We don’t have to make sacrifices or perform any kind of ritual to make us worthy of God.

Because of what Jesus did, we are reunited with God forever.

And as we accept what Jesus did for us on the cross and devote ourselves to following him, we are promised a place with God in heaven forever!

We cannot change what is going on around us.

Storms come and go.

Problems rise and fall.

We will continue to experience happiness and sorrow.

What we can do is choose how we deal with these things.

No matter how dark and scary things may seem, I choose to remember that God is with me.

He sent his son to live as a man, so he understands what I go through.

He let his son die on a cross so that I could have eternal life.

He sent his Holy Spirit to live with me now.

He’s not just with me. He’s alive IN me.

He brings me peace in the midst of my storm.

I look all around me, and I see reminders of what God has done.

I see the Christmas tree, and I am reminded that God created the trees and everything else.

I think of how the tree is shaped like an arrow, pointing up to heaven.

I see the ornaments, and I am reminded of the beauty Jesus brought into my life.

And I am reminded of another tree, on which our Savior was hung, so that I might be set free from sin.

I see the Christmas gifts, and I am reminded of God’s gift to us when his own son came to be born in a manger so that he could shed his blood for me.

I see the candles of Advent, and I am reminded to live in Hope and Preparation, to choose Joy and Peace.

This year, more than ever before, we need peace in our lives.

Thank God for sending Jesus to be our Prince of Peace.

No matter what the world throws at us, we can have peace today.

(Sing It Is Well)