PEACE (Advent 2021)
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Introduction |
Introduction |
1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Christmas: The Harbinger of Peace
Christmas: The Harbinger of Peace
Christ of the Andes is an impressive symbol of peace. Once Chile and Argentina were enemies and fought constantly. At last they decided it was in their mutual interest to live in peace. So, high upon their natural boundaries, the Andes Mountains, they erected a great statue of Christ with outstretched arms. The inscription reads: “Sooner shall these mountains crumble into dust than the Argentines and Chileans break the peace sworn at the feet of Christ the Redeemer.” Christmas reminds us of the coming of peace to earth.
Jesus was known as the Prince of peace. His motives, manner, and ministry all reflect peace. He said, “Happy are those who make peace, for they will be known as sons of God!” (Matt. 5:9, Phillips).
PEACE - But, Biblical peace is more than just the absence of war. It is to be whole, complete, it is a calmness. At peace is how things were created to be.
Genesis 1:31 “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”
God’s creation was good, it was finished, complete, all was clam, peace reigned and God rested.
Think about this for a moment, at creation all was as it should be.
No shame, sorrow, or sin.
CHOAS - But, It wasn’t long before Satan tempts Adam and Eve to reject ultimate peace and embrace a life of chaos. Up to this point justice, righteousness, and peace were constantly present in every part of creation.
But, the cunning work of Satan brought about disorder (human inability to manage right and wrong), murder Cain and Abel, destruction (the Flood), and separation (Babel).
Creation, once at peace was now fractured, scattered, ashamed, and without peace.
But, God, even in the midst of what seemed like chaos was working his eternal redemptive plan.
He had created perfectly, yes, humanity fell from that perfection, but he immediately explained how all would ultimately be redeemed and restored.
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
The promise was given, but Israel listed and limped along as they embraced and rejected God, but through his judges, kings, and prophets he reminded them of the redeemer and the restoration to come.
Specifically, through the prophet Isaiah God declared that he would restore his creation back to a state of peace.
But, unlike a foreigner or even an out of town sub-contrator, God would not work from a distance, he would come to establish eternal peace, completeness, wholeness, and all would be calm and bright.
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
The state of Israel was judgement at this point. They would experience the grace of God through his sovereign correction.
King Ahaz led the Assyrians against Judah, but God would not allow his people to be completely destroyed.
There would be a remnant among those who were being judged. Though many would be deceived by the ways of the world, there would be some who “wait for the Lord…and hope in him” (Is. 8:17).
In Isaiah 9, God promises to send the Prince of Peace, a child who will rule in the line of David to deliver his people once and for all.
This is a look toward Jesus and his qualifications to establish perfect peace among his people:
The Wonderful Counselor - In contrast to earthly wisdom, counsel, and leadership - Jesus will wilde supernatural, perfect, wonder inspiring counsel that would be greater than that of Solomon.
Mighty God - his person and power
Everlasting Father - his relationship to his people.
When the Israelites requested a king (1 Sam. 8) they were looking to replace the judges with a permanent monarchy. And God was happy to oblige. Jesus the Messiah would come from the line of David - the monarchy would continue into eternity future.
As Father, Jesus would be concerned, care for, and discipline his people from a position of eternal love - unlike earthly rulers who lead from a state of pride-filled self promotion.
Prince of Peace - this is a claim to the society his rule would create.
The Messiah’s rule would bring about perfect harmony, well-being, and most importantly peace with God once and for all who will trust in God’s prince of peace.
In Gen. 1 creation was at peace, but chaos was introduced in sin, but God gave a promise to restore, but how would this be?
An angel met with Mary, Luke 1:28-31 - [H]e came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
Can you imagine this situation. Mary bound by sin and death, consumed by the chaos of the fall, is now confronted by an angel with the gracious plan of God.
Many have looked wrongly at Mary here. She is a recipient of God’s grace, not a dispenser of it.
Luke Comments
Mary had been “graced” by God in that she had been chosen to bear God’s Son (1:31, 35). She had not been chosen for this task because she possessed a particular piety or holiness of life that merited this privilege. The text suggests no special worthiness on Mary’s part.
God had made peace with Mary for his purposes and for the purpose of peace among his people - “for those whom he is pleased!”
And just as the Gabriel told Mary...
Luke 2:7-14 “... she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!””
Mary had experienced the peace of God in the midst of chaos, but broader still, the shepherds were promised that peace was now to come to those with who God is pleased.
J.C. Ryle - “This peace was not a temporary peace from war, from political oppression, or relational tension - the heavenly hosts declared the perfect peace that Christ would purchase with his own blood, – the peace which is offered freely to all mankind, – the peace which, once admitted into the heart, makes men live at peace with one another, and one day overspread the world.”
We have seen creation (all in perfect peace with it’s creator), the fall, and now a promise reconciliation, and restoration.
This son of Mary would bring peace between the creator and his creation and he will restore all creation to what it should be in the new heaven and the new earth.
How then do we experience this peace - this redemption?
How then do we experience this peace - this redemption?
Romans 5:1-2- Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We, like Abraham, who have trusted in Christ have the promise of God.
It is by faith, by believing, trusting, in the promise of God to provide peace through the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Justified” - The word is a forensic or legal term meaning to “acquit”. It is simply when the accused is declared “Not guilty”.
Imagine the peace that comes over a person who has been in custody, experienced the horrors of jail, and then are declared not guilty.
“Peace” - has been purchased for us in Christ. Yes, Mary miraculously conceived a child, and the shepherds were promised peace for those in whom God was please, and here Paul is saying that you can experience this peace by faith - you can be declared not guilty!
Think back to creation, to the Garden, when Adam and Eve realized they were guilty before God and hid from him.
Jesus came to take away that shame, to cover the sin that has been brought into the light, to secure a verdict of “not guilty” by taking your punishment upon himself.
But the peace that we have with God doesn’t stop with salvation, it is an everyday, all the time peace. Remember peace is to be whole, complete, it is a calmness. It is the way things were created to be.
Romans 5:2 - Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Through Jesus we have access, continual, unhinder, unashamed access to God.
The idea is that of a begger who was an offense to the King, having full access to the chamber of a king. Not of their own merit, but through the “invitation” of another.
The begger, placing their faith in the invitation, makes their way into the presence of the king’s graces and stands confidently - not in their reputation, but in the who invited them.
Ephesians 2:14–18
For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
Having been invited into peace with God, in Christ, we stand, we remain, we are complete.
Do you see, that there is no peace apart from Jesus.
Paul wrote in Colossians that the fullness of God dwells in Christ, and we are complete in him.
So we rejoice now and look ahead with hope-filled hearts to his promised return.
And, with peace filled hearts we Proclaim by faith, what the heavenly host declared, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.
CONCLUSION |
CONCLUSION |
John Newton (London) “There is no harmony to a heaven-born soul like that in the work of redemption: mercy and truth meeting together, inflexible righteousness corresponding with the peace of offenders, God glorious and sinner saved. There is no melody on earth to be compared with the voice of the blood of Jesus speaking peace to a guilty conscience. “
It is the heart of God - that you would be at peace with him.
EX - Many of you have asked the question this season, “what is the main thing you want for Christmas?” I hope you asked it genuinely, but have you ever wondered that you may not be able to provide what they want?
God has not asked us what we want for Christmas, but he has provided what we need for all of life. It is him, to know his love - to be at peace with him!
John 3:16-17 - “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
In love God sent his Son Jesus to provide eternal life to all who believe upon him. Not judgement, not death, not condemnation, but salvation, wholeness, completeness, peace.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow captured the heart of God when he wrote in the poem “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” - PEACE on earth, good will to men...Then rang 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."
Friends, there is no peace without Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Some of you are looking for peace today in:
relationships
circumstances
My prayer for you this Christmas is that by faith, the peace of God in Christ would comfort you, just as the swaddling clothes comforted Christ in the stable in Bethlehem, perfectly within the sovereign plan of God. May you experience the peace that can only come from God in Christ Jesus.