Prince of Peace
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We are fully enveloped in the holiday season this morning. Thanksgiving was a couple of weeks ago, Christmas is a couple of weeks away.
And the world is running at full speed. I was in walmart the other night to pick up dinner, and saw no less than 4 tvs rolling through checkouts. Carts and lines were all over full, the milk racks were mostly empty. I heard one guy cussing into his phone as he exclaimed his need to get out of there, because it was too busy.
And in that moment, part of me was a little bit put off - because hey man, you’re cussing about lines at the grocery/tire/tv/laundry/pet food store? But as I have thought about it more, I havet come to the conclusion that this guy was expressing, in his own personal conversation that I wasn’t invited into either to hear or to preach about later, his guy was expressing a deep - heart wrenching - broken desire for peace. And that resonated. That struck me.
Because the human condition - desires peace.
As we begin our Christmas celebrations, I wanted to take some time this morning and discover again what it means to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus, the Prince of peace.
Before we get into the word of God, lets pray.
The problem:
Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land will not be like that of the former times when he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. But in the future he will bring honor to the way of the sea, to the land east of the Jordan, and to Galilee of the nations.
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.
You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before you as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils.
For you have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as you did on the day of Midian.
For every trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire.
For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.
Prince of peace is one of the four names given to Messiah as prophesied by Isaiah.
Isaiah gave the condition of the world, the gloom of the distressed land.
Do we know some gloom of some distressed land? If you were to read or listen to the news today - would you find some reasons to be disturbed? I certainly have been. And yet in this prophesy, Isaiah tells us that it will be different - in the future, “for a child will be born to us”
that Child is the one we celebrate in this season, because he has been born.
Since our time in the garden, mankind has lived at odds with its creator. Our desire to rebel set us against our God. And so He sent Jesus to be born, to live, to die on the cross for our sins, so that we might be reconciled to the Father. So that we may have peace.
So that we understand it, Peace, Shalom in Hebrew, is not simply an absence of conflict. Shalom is attributed to a total well being, prosperity, and security, it meant wholeness, health, and salvation. It means to be right, in right relationship with God, or with others. In any context, Shalom was not something that you could really accomplish by yourself.
Even in this season, when we are excited about Christmas, and we are busy about the celebration - peace is something that we cannot gain on our own.
Because we live in a fallen world.
We have experienced pain. And loss, and suffering.
It seemed like several years in a row, Thanksgiving in my family was traumatic. My sister lost a baby, my uncle passed away, it seemed like one year after another was just nonsense. To a point, that we were hardened by it. Thanksgiving lost its flavor. It was a painful season. We had no peace.
As a child, most holidays were chaotic for me. I had a split family, and those families had split families. And everyones stuff was at slightly different times and so I spent holidays going from one place to another place to another place. There was no peace.
This last week, several families were displaced by an apartment fire here in town. They lost everything. The building is a loss from not only fire but water damage. Those families will struggle to have peace. We live in a fallen world. And yet we long for it.
God knows that. So His prophet Isaiah spoke.
And so the angels spoke to the shepherds in the fields.
Luke 2:14 (CSB)
Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!
Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!
The answer
Because of that moment, when Christ was born.. .those two things that Luke records the Angels declared - happened.
God was Glorified. And peace was possible on earth.
The shepherds went to bow down before the king.
Wise men came from a far to bestow him with gifts.
The angels in the heavenly host declared how wonderful God is.
Jesus came and lived a life among us. He was Emanuel. We can in scripture that Jesus experienced life. He got hungry and tired. He cried. He was cared for by a loving mother. He bled, and he died.
And because of that, peace is possible.
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
We can be restored, we can be at peace, we can be made whole again.
Because of Emanuel. God with Us.
And yet, if we are not careful, we can still miss it.
It is not the busyness that steals our peace, it is us that allow it to be so easily forgotten.
And missing the peace that has been made available for us - is as equal to it having never been provided.
A man who doesn’t read is no better off than a man who cannot..
A person who doesn’t respond to that peace - is no better off than a person who has never received it.
So how do we respond? What do we need to be doing this season, to acknowledge the gift that is Jesus?
Find Peace
Make Peace
Share Peace
Find Peace
Peace isn’t missing but we might have lost it. As we approach this season of grace, we should make efforts to make sure that we have that peace, close at hand.
The Bible says that Jesus himself IS our peace. To have peace this morning, we might need to draw close to him.
For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh,
he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace.
He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.
He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
Counseling - I always get the same answers:
Are you reading your bible
“well, not as much as I should”
Well, whats your prayer life like
--- not as good as it should be....
You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you.
Trust in the Lord forever, because in the Lord, the Lord himself, is an everlasting rock!
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Make Peace
There are situations in our life that come up that cause strife in our lives. There are circumstances that cause division. There are Circumstances that steal peace from us. The Bible tells us that it is our responsibility to make those things right. Jesus said in his sermon on the mount
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife.
Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good.
Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another.
Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; serve the Lord.
Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.
Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes.
If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.
Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord.
Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.
So we need to find peace, we must make peace. And we must share peace.
Share Peace
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus,
that you were enriched in him in every way, in all speech and all knowledge.
In this way, the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you,
so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful; you were called by him into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.
For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, by members of Chloe’s people, that there is rivalry among you.
Conclusion:
Jesus came as the Prince of Peace.
The Angels declared, once Jesus was born - that God was Glorified, and peace on earth.
We get busy, we get overwhelmed. But We don’t want to lose our peace. Especially during this season.
And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.