Prince of Peace

6 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.

Again I want you to see that word “named” or “called”

The only way for Jesus to be the titles to us is if we call upon Him.

Let’s read Luke 2:1-20, follow along in your Bible or on your phone or tablet.

Glory to God....Peace to Man

As we have looked at these titles, we have seen both the Humanity and the Divinity of Jesus in each.

In today’s title Prince is the Divinity as He will rule His Heavenly Kingdom as the Prince, son of David.

His humanity comes through peace as He brings peace to our lives.

When we learn Doctrine, that’s great but there comes a point where we must be obedient to the Doctrine we studied as our Duty of being a Christian.

In this title, Doctrine and Duty meet Divinity and Humanity.

This where religion meets shoe leather, rubber hits the road.

Peace is the most sought after idea in the world today.

Peace not just from war, but peace within our souls as we wrestle with everything we face daily.

Especially in this season.

Because “Stupid come out this time of year.”

We see anger, anxiety, fear, worry, grief and etc.

Into this environment we have the announcement of the Prince of Peace.

The same issues faced by Israel then are the same we face today.

The coming of Jesus as the Prince of peace did two things.

God’s glory and our peace

The coming of this child will be the greatest revelation of the glory of God even among the heights of heaven.

This child will bring peace to God’s people us.

The purpose for His coming.

First God is given glory.

Second, peace is to spread everywhere this child is received.

These are the great purposes for the coming of Jesus: Glory ever-ascending from man to God. Peace ever-descending from God to man.

God’s glory sung out among men for the sake of his name.

God’s peace lived out among men for the sake of his name.

This is exactly what we need today, out of titles this is the one.

What is Peace?

Is it an entrance to tranquility, absence of chaos, a clearing of the mind, can it be earned by meditation?

Peace is the presence of joyful tranquility, being at peace with your inner self

How did God step into our lives to become the Prince of Peace?

Because God is a God of peace, we can have the Peace of God.

How then do we experience the Peace He brings to us?

Peace With God - Peace As A gift.

Romans 5:1 CSB

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

His birth is a gift to us.

Isaiah “for unto us a son is given”

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son.”

What better gift can be given to us or given to those you know.

He is God’s gift to mankind.

Don’t overlook how awesome this gift is.

Perfect with God, sin, Jesus bridge, accept Him as Savior.

He’s the only way to come to God.

There is no other way to reconcile peace with God, but through Him.

Otherwise, you’re just left with the latest self help book, video, or conference.

Glory is given to God because we have peace.

Every day you get to open this gift of peace from God.

You get to live and experience His presence daily, wherever you may go.

He’s there with you at work, in the car, at Wal-Mart, or your favorite coffee shop.

Peace With Others - Peace As A Guard

You may think, “I know I’m saved, but where is the joy, love, peace right now?”

Philippians 4:6–7 CSB

6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

We’ve memorized this verse, but I want you to take the word “anything” and replace with what your facing right now.

That may be

When am I going to die?

Why did I get sick?

What’s the diagnosis going to be?

How will I pay the electric bill?

When you do and present it to God, then the peace of God will guard your mind.

He’s good at guarding your mind.

As you go through your day and things come into your mind He says - don’t watch this, avoid that behavior, don’t follow that decision.

The heart is harder to do, but He is able to give us peace with ourselves.

You may say, I’m still worried about whatever...

You can be restored with God.

You can get over your biggest problem.

Our biggest problem is ourself.

Peace will guard

An athletic reference - He acts as a referee or an umpire

He calls what’s out, what safe, and what’s foul.

Peace takes out the bad as it passes through your heart.

By yourself you can’t get rid of it at all.

Lucy and chocolates on the assembly line.

Peace is the Holy Spirit in our lives.

He’s the constant voice of God.

He’s always with us, not just part time, but always.

The Holy Spirit gets us to recall all that we’ve seen and heard.

The word of God and He uses that to surround us with the good and replace the bad with it.

You could take the “anything” and replace with “everything”

When we’re lacking in the everything, then we don’t have enough to replace the anything in our lives.

We need to be in the word of God, to learn the ways of God, to see the works of God, thus discovering the will of God so we can worship God in our lives.

When our well is empty, the Holy Spirit has nothing to replace the “anything” with.

We need to continuously fill our life with the word of God, the work of God, to know the will of God.

We are our own worst enemy.

But the God of peace will give us Peace with ourselves.

So peace is a gift and a guard, third we have

Peace With Life - Peace As A Guide

Colossians 3:15 CSB

15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.

I want you to see how peace will guide us.

Step one: Peace with God is our initial relationship with God - that’s good.

Step two: Peace with Ourselves - we still have to deal with ourselves.

Step three: How to deal with life.

You are searching for God’s will in your life?

A lot of Christians just want to know “what is God’s will for my life?” “Who am I to marry?” “Should I take this job?”

You may be in a situation where everything is telling you to go left.

So you go left trusting that is God’s will

But, if that’s the wrong direction you trust God to get you back on His path.

How do you know the will of God?

You surround yourself with God’s word, the work of God, and the worship of God and that will lead you to the will of God.

It’s a series of steps of faith in life.

You take one step through the open door and another door will open.

With God many times we want Him to be our GPS.

We want Him to say “turn left in a 1000 feet.”

We want it all mapped out for us.

But our GPS from God never loads the next step until you take the first step by faith.

In order to know God’s will, look at the verse “Let the peace of Christ rule your hearts.”

Rule means to dominate your heart.

So much so that you are overwhelmed with peace.

You’re drawn to God beyond Sunday or the couch,

He rules your job, marriage

Ask, “How do I see you and trust you God?”

He needs to dominate every thought, heartbeat, moment.

When struggling just recall scripture, your experiences, moments with God.

Then say, “I’ll go with you like I did before.”

It’s a daily walk.

You ask, help me live you out everyday in my life, Lord.

So you do this and then go back to where you were before,

It becomes a cycle

The only way to get out of that cycle is to let the peace of God rule, or dominate, your life.

Here’s the Acid Test to know if it rules your heart:

When difficulties, troubles, trials hit your life, is the first thought you think of is a recoleection of Scripture, a movement or moment of God.

If not, then peace does not dominate in your life.

It can’t be a little me - I can handle this part, God you can have the rest.

It must be God all the time in whole.

You must stay firmly rooted in the gift of Peace of God

It needs to dominate your life.

That’s why it is so important to attend, give, serve, be involved with ministry, be in the word, and worship.

So you don’t live a “bunny hop” life.

You are not helping yourself with an inconsistent life.

What does it mean

Jesus, Prince of Peace

How do we get the peace

What do we need to do to have Jesus as the Prince of Peace.

Look To Him

Hebrews 12:2 CSB

2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

When we look and see all He’s done, then we have the peace.

Often we want one eye on the world and one eye on God.

We are called to keep our eyes solely on Jesus

Look to Him

Worship Him

Luke 2:14 CSB

14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!

Glory to God is the start to experiencing the peace.

How do you bring glory to God, to ascribe worth to Him?

We sing songs to direct you down a path to worship.

I try to have a purpose in the songs I pick, usually.

Do you worship during the week or just on Sunday?

It starts in the highest to reach us in the lowest.

Listen to Him

John 2:5 CSB

5 “Do whatever he tells you,” his mother told the servants.

Do whatever he tells you is good advice for us today as well.

Remember the Christian life is steps of obedience.

One step opens the door, then another step opens another door.

Put one foot in front of the other.

Live For Him

2 Corinthians 5:15 CSB

15 And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.

We don’t have to live for ourselves.

We have the option to live for us and come back to God.

When we get to the end of me, He is still there.

Hope in Him

Psalm 62:5 CSB

5 Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from him.

Your soul was created by God to respond to a certain beat, voice, rhythm, and reason.

Your response is uniquely yours, it’s not something that’s universal

Him being a Savior for all is, but the way you respond to Him and walk with Him is our alone.

Hope comes from a Savior that wants to give me, not just a relationship, but He cares about thoughts, my mind

He cares for every step I take.

All He asks for you to look, worship, live and hope in Him.

He is the Prince of Peace

Glory to God … Peace to Man

“Whenever, in short, it appears to us that everything is in a ruinous condition, let us recall to our remembrance that Christ is called Wonderful, because he has inconceivable methods of assisting us, and because his power is far beyond what we are able to conceive. When we need counsel, let us remember that he is the Counselor. When we need strength, let us remember that he is Mighty and Strong. When new terrors spring up suddenly every instant, and when many deaths threaten us from various quarters, let us rely on that eternity of which he is with good reason called the Father, and by the same comfort let us learn to soothe all temporal distresses. When we are inwardly tossed by various tempests, and when Satan attempts to disturb our consciences, let us remember that Christ is The Prince of Peace, and that it is easy for him quickly to allay all our uneasy feelings. This will these titles confirm us more and more in the faith of Christ, and fortify us against Satan and against hell itself.” (Calvin)