HIS Peace

Intro:

Often times we find ourselves looking for God and Peace in the wrong places. We look all over and some of us even take long exasporating journeys to look for what we have read about or been told about of peace. Peace is a powerful thing, because peace is something that generally cannot be purchased. Peace is something that exists on the interior not the exterior. In a world full of turmoil from this pandemic we need peace. In a place of financial and economic obscurity we need peace. In a country so divided racially and split politically we need peace. In a time where political leaders refuse to accept the will of the people in a democratic election process we need peace! In a season in which it seems like we glorify evil and yet disdain righteousness Lord knows we need peace! The question I offer today is who’s peace.

Text Work

In the second chapter of Luke the stage is set for the Advent of the Christ to be delivered. We have a the orders of an earthly king in Caesar ordering everyone to pay taxes. So his order of registering everyone came to be a portion of the cause for Jesus the Christ to even be in Bethlehem. Which helps me because sometimes we forget what God told us and that is “All things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to HIS purpose”! Sometimes we forget that although things pop up unfairly it is part of the plan to position us for the greatest blessings! So Joseph took his wife Mary to the city in which his blood lineage was connected to. Joseph being of the lineage and house of David had to go to the city of David which was Bethlehem of Judea. While sojourning to the decree of the earthly king they were not fully aware that they needed to be in the King’s city meaning city of David, to deliver the real king! Don’t miss that church. God will send you to places in which you don’t want to go at a very uncomfortable time in order to deliver you the miraculous. She was big pregnant and he was big ashamed because they were betrothed and Joseph knew the people had suspicions, but he went anyway. When they got there she couldn’t hold it any longer and they couldn’t find Marriott, Holiday Inn, or a Double Tree hotel so they went into the most humble place anyone could go and that is a stinking barn full of nasty animals and she delivered him there. Can I pause for just one quick notation of thought. Church if the King of Glory can come out of a dung filled barn surely God can bless us from the situations in which we were born. So don’t focus on your start just know that God has plans for you even if you come out of a nasty and stinking situation!

Message of Peace:

After the baby Jesus was delivered God sent witnesses to fully culminate the event. The Bible says there were shepherds who lived outside with their flocks and kept watch or protected them overnight. Notice the text says them which means there was more than one which means they were together. Just a side note wouldn’t it be great if shepherds today in churches I am referencing could be together so that we could her the same Angelic message at the same time instead of retreating to our denominational alliances and staying separated by race, socio-economics, church style, and church size, I digress! Notice that God chooses in Luke’s account those of humble estate to be witnesses of something so great! God could have chosen anyone , but in Godly fashion chooses those who normally are left out. God seemingly loves to choose persons who normally would not be considered. The angel stood before them and the Glory of God shone around them. Notice who’s glory was shining. Not the angel’s glory but God’s glory. Luke points this out because we need to understand that an angelic being had glory, but it was never their glory. Let me help someone, because angel is translated as being messenger. Can I talk to some preachers? It is never about the messenger’s glory but it is always about God’s glory shining around us and through us , so that God always gets the glory! The angel said do not be afraid for I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. The phrase good tidings of great joy can be translated from the great word Evangilizo which means good news. This comes from the root word Evangelion which is translated Gospel. So God sent evangelists from heaven to deliver the gospel to shepherd who then watch this become evangelists. Notice that God doesn’t leave anyone out of this. To all people and that’s why we need to check ourselves. When our efforts, rhetoric, and social lives are exclusive to some people then we know we are not living the will of God, because is inclusive hence All People!

Closing:

After the angel preached to the shepherds they also told them where the baby Jesus would be and how he would look. Look for a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths. The baby the Christ the Savior in a stinky manger full funky animals wrapped in bandages or something like toilet paper is the one who you need to look for. Notice in Matthew’s account the magistrates or Wise Men saw and followed a star, because they were astrologist, but here in Luke the Angel said look for a manger. See church shepherds didn’t need a star, because a real shepherd knows where to look for barns. God gave them both something to look for that they would be able to identify. which brings me to a point God knows how to show you the way to Jesus! He may use a friend with one and enemy with another, but God knows how to get you to Jesus! I am closing. So after the angel preached to the shepherds suddenly a multitude of angels appeared saying Glory to God in the Highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men! We have to understand that there are different kinds of peace.

There is peace with God This is the peace that showed up in Bethlehem of Judea in that manger because in Genesis when Adam and Eve fell humanity lost peace with God, and over the years we offered a peace offering but it was only good for a season. Peace with God means you can stand before God and/or have a right relationship with God. God spoke in Genesis that And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel. Christ came to re-establish our peace with God because of Jesus we can have peace with God.

There is the peace of God. This peace represents the peace that Jesus will later preach which is peace that passes all understanding, because the peace that God gives does not even come from here. That’s why people cannot understand Christians who have peace in the midst of the storm. That’s why people get frustrated because you are not upset like they are. When you have the peace of God or the peace that comes from God you can stand even when you are going through.

Then there is the peace in God! This is the peace when you completely trust God and give it to him. The psalmist He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” another Psalmist said,Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. When you understand Jewish culture they say Shalom which means peace be unto you. Peace in the since of the Hebrew word Shalom also means prosperity which is not limited to finances, but also speaks HIS Peace to you physically, Financially, and Spiritually! So today I declare HIS peace be unto you!