Advent: Peace
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Prince of Peace
Prince of Peace
Matthew 24:6-8 says,
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
All these are the beginning of birth pains.
When we turn on the news, we hear of distress. There are wars and rumours of wars. In many countries, there is fear because of the potential of civil wars. In our lifetime, we have seen civil wars, we have seen terrorist attacks, and all that it does, is stir up a feeling of anxiety and uncertainty of the future.
Israel was divided into two kingdoms around 900BC. About 750 years before Jesus Christ was born, there was great uncertainty and unrest in the northern kingdom of Israel and the Southern kingdom known as Judah. Assyria was a powerful country that was causing havoc with the nations around them. Assyria was in the region where parts of modern day Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria are. Eventually Assyria took the northern kingdom of Israel into exile, but they weren’t able to conquer Judah even though they threatened them.
You may know of the city of Ninevah which was its capital. This was the city that Jonah refused to go to. You may have heard of the story of Jonah and the whale.
During this time God made a promise,
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
and He promised that one day this Son would be born.
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.
Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
Despair
Despair
When you look at those around you, is there something that brings hope? When we look at the world around us, it can bring much despair. Many won’t watch or listen to the news because it seems like a broken record. As Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun.”
Struggle, testing and temptation is something that is common to mankind.
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
I Heard the Bells...
I Heard the Bells...
There’s an old Christmas carol that was written from a poem, “I heard the bells on Christmas Day.” It was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Before I read part of it, I’d like to share a little background to what led to it.
In 1861, while Henry was taking a nap, he awoke to find his wife’s dress on fire. He did everything that he could to put it out. First, with a rug, and then himself, but her burns were so severe that she died the next day. Longfellow was also burned badly enough, that he couldn’t go to his own wife’s funeral. After this he suffered with depression. His grief was very severe.
In 1963 his eighteen year-old son, Charley, wanted to enlist in the Union army so he snuck off but later got his father’s permission.
On November 27, 1863, while involved in a skirmish during a battle of the Mine Run Campaign, Charley had been shot through the left shoulder, with the bullet exiting under his right shoulder blade. It had traveled across his back and nicked his spine. Charley avoided being paralyzed by less than an inch. (Justin Taylor)
I’ve never lived through war. I’ve never experienced getting news that a loved one had been injured in battle. I can’t begin to know what Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was going through, but he knew that his own country was divided and was being destroyed by a civil war. It was depressing I’m sure.
He started writing a poem when he heard the bells of Christmas chiming.
Here are some of the words to that poem that became a hymn written on Christmas day in 1863.
“I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
and wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
“For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.”
In a world of turmoil and despair, we have been given the hope that we can have peace.
The Prince of Peace
The Prince of Peace
Isaiah spoke of this Prince that would come and bring peace. He spoke of this One that would be the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
This speaks to the incarnation which literally means God becoming a human. This seems impossible, but with God all things are possible.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
It takes the Mighty God who can do anything. It takes the Wonderful Counselor because He needs to have great wisdom to work in difficult situations. The Everlasting Father who knows the beginning from the end sent this Prince of Peace.
The wording can seem a little confusing when we look at the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You might ask, how can the Son be the Everlasting Father? We believe in one God, three persons. All three persons of the Trinity are one. They are completely in agreement. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one in unity and purpose.
Peace when He came
Peace when He came
Jesus brought peace when He came. He came to restore peace between God and humans.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
perseverance, character; and character, hope.
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Because of sin, missing God’s expectations, His standards for humanity, Jesus came to reconcile or to mediate between God the Father and humanity.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
In Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself. That pretty much explains Christmas. God sent Jesus, the Second person in the Trinity, to become one of us to restore our relationship with God.
Bargaining talks
Bargaining talks
Maybe you’ve been a part of a strike where there was a break down in relationship between the owners of the company and a union. There can become a time that a mediator or an arbitrator is sent in to restore the relationship between the company and its employees. The mediator comes in and determines what the union’s demands are and also finds out what the owner is willing to do. At this point, the attempt is made to come to a consensus that both groups are willing to live with.
Jesus, our mediator
Jesus, our mediator
In our case, God sent in a mediator. Relationship had been broken because of disobedience.
Humans had absolutely no way of restoring this relationship, so God made a deal that He would pay for the cost of the broken relationship. The only way that payment could be made was that somebody had to be sacrificed, so God sent Jesus to become the payment.
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
There are only three things that we need to do: 1. Acknowledge that we are sinners, that we have done things that broke God’s law. 2. Believe that Jesus died for us. 3. Confess that Jesus is Lord
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Peacemakers
Peacemakers
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Earlier we read about being given the ministry of reconciliation. What this means is that we bring people to God so that they can find peace with God just as we have.
God’s justice demands that death is the payment for our sins, and God’s love demands that Jesus was that payment.
How can we become ministers of reconciliation?
How can we become ministers of reconciliation?
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
We have been called to go. No matter what our vocation is, we have been called to bring this message of peace to those who need to hear this message.
But Pastor Dave, how do I do this?
Tell your story. Tell people what Jesus has done in your life.
Jesus simplified it:
Love God & Love others
Love God & Love others
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Just as we need to make peace with God and we need to bring others to God the Father through Jesus Christ, we need to be reconciled to one another.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
Just lately I watched a short news clip regarding the transport driver, Jaskirat Sidhu. He is going to be facing deportation for the tragedy that affected so many lives. Many of the families of the Broncos feel that the only way that they can bring closure is to have Sidhu deported. Others say that he had no intention to do anything so he shouldn’t be deported.
My point this morning isn’t that I even give an opinion. We could have people on both sides of this issue here. Many times seeing what we see as justice, does bring closure.
I bring this story up because we live in a broken world where we don’t and can’t pretend to have all the answers.
I believe that when we go through tragedies, Jesus would ask us to pray for those who are our enemies. It takes God’s grace working in our lives to be able to extend grace when life seems so unfair.
You’ve probably seen stories where the offended took justice into their own hands, but Romans 12:14-21 says,
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
We live in an age where injustice seems to be all around us. So many things seem SO... unfair, and yet we need to pray for godly wisdom as we navigate.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
In this advent season, we look back at the peace that Jesus brought us on the cross, and yet we look forward to
The peace He will bring
The peace He will bring
Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
Before Jesus went to the cross He said
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.
When Jesus comes back, He will bring peace once again. Jesus will make peace, He will not keep the peace.
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.
His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.
After Satan has been thrown into the lake of fire, once the enemy that wages war against our souls is defeated, John who wrote the last book in the Bible wrote,
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
Tying up loose ends
Tying up loose ends
“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll.
And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Let’s bring this message of peace to our world. Amen!