Sermon Tone Analysis

One of the major questions we wrestle with or think about during the Christmas season is this (whether we admit it or not)— “How can I actually have peace during Christmas?

If Jesus came bringing peace…how can I actually have it, especially if I don’t feel very peaceful.

we sing it — “Peace on earth and mercy mild…God and sinners reconciled...”

why is this question asked...

Think of the dimensions:

For some of us, it’s personal…we are struggling, perhaps loss, grief, depression, trauma, bad memories of Christmas—and our souls—don’t feel very peaceful.

It feels chaotic, stormy, hostile.

and if you try to find solution-- If you google, “what is the best way to find peace, a list like this will appear...” ready for this: “Think positive.Practice meditation.Read at least twenty minutes a day.Relax your expectations.Give yourself time.Open your feelings with someone you trust.Take a walk.Listen to classical or ambient music.

fall asleep to Pastor Rick’s sermon.”

Does this list really give you peace?

especially lasting peace...

There is a relational dimension—for some of you, holidays are not filled with sweet gatherings and a holly jolly Christmas.

Instead, getting together with family can be tense.

conflict.

things unresolved or unsaid.

certain looks.

it feels chaotic in your family—and if anyone brings up Covid or politics, it can explode your family gathering.

How can I have peace in my family during this time?

for others there is societal or world dimension—if Jesus came bringing peace, why is the world so divided?

Do you know how many major wars or conflicts are going on in the world right now? by major, averaging more than 10,000 deaths per year?

Well according to Wikipedia 4—and one of those conflicts has been going on since 1978 in Afghanistan.

and in terms of wars (so not major ones)—where on average between 1,000 and 10,000 people die a year—do you know how many are going on—about 19—and one of those has been going on since 1948 in Myanmar.

they even have 2 more categories below wars called:

minor conflicts (100 - 999 deaths)

and skirmishes (less than 100)

there are currently 25 minor conflicts

and 12 skirmishes going on.

so add up major wars 4, wars: 19, minor conflicts: 25, and skirmishes 12—you have at least 60 areas of tension in the world that result in death regularly.

or just think about how divided our country is right now...

I saw a Pew research center poll.

and they surveyed 18 different economically well off countries, and of those countries, those from the US scored highest in saying that we are the most divided country.

“Nine-in-ten U.S. adults say there are conflicts between people who support different political parties, while an overall median of 50% say the same across all advanced economies surveyed.

Similarly, about seven-in-ten Americans say there are conflicts between people with different ethnic or racial backgrounds in the U.S., more than all the other countries surveyed.

As a comparison, only about a quarter in Singapore and Taiwan and a third in Spain say the same.

On religious and urban-rural conflicts, the U.S. has the third-highest share saying there are conflicts in each case (50%).

The only places where a larger share holds these views are France and South Korea.”

The Bible also talks about cosmic conflict—that we have a spiritual enemy, the devil, and his kingdom of darkness.

He like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.

so how do we actually have peace during the holidays

—personally

—relationally

—globally

—cosmically

Look at these declarations of peace: (every time I get to the word “peace” I want you to say it)

and now Luke 2: (Christmas story)

how do we have real peace during the holidays...

4 areas — personally, relationally, globally, cosmically...

Let me show you a video resource—that looks at peace--

this is from a resource called The Bible Project

www.bibleproject.com

This video is part of their advent series.

It is an excellent resource

so what is peace:

absence of conflict

or presence of wholeness.

life is complex full of missing pieces and out of place—so you want it to be restored, and whole

and SHALOM in the Bible is about the presence of wholeness, fullness...

multi-faceted, where every part of our being is whole.

there can be a physical shalom where every part of our body is working

a mental and emotional shalom—joy and fulfillment and purpose

a communal or social shalom—where communities are healthy—schools, businesses, gov’t, churches are working together.

so how do we have peace...

personally...

relationally...

globally...

cosmically...

The answer:

Focus on peace with God first.

(the personal part) (Hub)(the sun and everything orbits around that)

true shalom- at the center is about being right, being restored to God

and this answer may be different if you are a believer in Jesus

or a non-believer.

for instance, if you are a non-believer or not sure, the Bible says we don’t have peace with God. in fact, it describes us as enemies of God.

look at this Romans 8:7-8

God made us for relationship with Him to enjoy Him, but at the core of our heart is a selfishness, and a self-absorption.

You don’t believe it?

Just ask someone who knows you well—do I ever struggle with self.

The answer for all of us is yes.

The Bible says there is no one righteous before God, not even one.

and we read earlier—there is no peace for the wicked, that’s all of us without God.

that we are like the waves constantly moving.

this is sin which disrupts our shalom with God, with others, adn self.

Don’t believe me?

where are you looking for peace and wholeness and shalom right now?

for some of us—we are looking for it in every place but God.

money, sex, power, relationships, career.

Is it working?

even if you claim to be a believer—sometimes we look to God—not for God himself but for what He can get us.

God is a means to an end.

It’s like we are a gold-digger with God - we married God for his money or blessing.

but here’s the good news—true peace—though we are enemies of God—He came to make us whole, to give us peace, true wholeness Him.

Jesus Christ came—incarnation—to live perfectly on our behalf, which we failed to do, and die for our sins in our place.

on the cross, He lost His peace, the Shalmo, as He bore the weight of our sin, so that we could have peace and be restored.

and when we confess our selfishness and put it in Jesus—He gives us peace with God—we are forgiven it’s a fact.

and He also gives us an inner peace.

but warning:

doing this doesn’t always feel peaceful.

To confess you are a sinner and turn from your sin—one theologian said it’s like pouring antiseptic on a wound; it stings!

you have to come to grips with your sin, failings, or self-righteousness and pride (that’s painful).

but it does lead to peace