RJ - Jesus - Prince of Peace
Notes
Transcript
ARTICLE
Jesus Loves you, He really loves you
When He says He will never leave you nor forsake you, He will never leave or forsake you
In uncertain times, He is certain
Things were uncertain when Jesus was born, there was conflict
The Jewish people were looking for a liberator
I can imagine what it was like for Mary & Joseph - total uncertainty, but a promise from GOD
Jesus was manifested in the middle of this conflict - not as the war hammer they were expecting, but as a baby, a servant, born in a lowly manger.
The one who would establish Peace for Eternity - The Prince of Peace
6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
The name “Prince of Peace” is the Hebrew Shar Shalom, which means “the one who removes all peace-disturbing factors and secures the peace.”
What ever is happening in the world today, in the middle of it all, Jesus will be - The Prince of Peace in the middle of it all.
1.The Secret of Peace
13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. 14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. 17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
Here the apostle Paul tells us the secret of peace. The secret of oneness is a Person: "He is our peace."
And when Christ Jesus makes peace -- between individuals or between nations -- that peace will be a satisfying, permanent, and genuine peace. It will be a real peace that will last and last. And it will be a totally satisfying experience.
What Paul is saying is that in order to live at peace, you must have peace. The problem with most of us is that we want to start by clearing up only the results of conflict.
God never starts there; he starts with the person. He says peace is a Person, and in order for you to live at peace with someone else, you must be at peace with the Person of Jesus Christ. If you have His peace, then you can start solving the conflict around you. But you never can do it on any other basis.
So the place to start, the origin of peace, is the settling of any problems between you and Jesus. That is always the place to start.
If you are feeling a lack of peace at the moment you need to refocus on Him, come to the Prince of Peace!
3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
165 Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble.
2. Peace is still in the chaos
Jesus intercepts the chaos of our lives
“True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.” Martin Luther King
You see peace is not the absence of turmoil, it is the presence of Jesus.
In the Bethelehem recount, we see the turmoil and the powerful presence of Jesus!
His Presence is intercepting the chaos as we speak.
Human Nature - The disciples even had Jesus in the flesh and struggled with His presence during turmoil - Mark 4 (Disciples are in the boat, the storm rages and Jesus is asleep. They said “Teacher don’t you care about us? We are going to drown!”
Jesus commands the waves to be still and the wind stopped & the lake became calm. He asks ‘why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
Sometimes our approach to justice is not what Jesus has in mind.
47 But even as Jesus said this, a crowd approached, led by Judas, one of the twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus to greet him with a kiss. 48 But Jesus said, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49 When the other disciples saw what was about to happen, they exclaimed, “Lord, should we fight? We brought the swords!” 50 And one of them struck at the high priest’s slave, slashing off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said, “No more of this.” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus spoke to the leading priests, the captains of the Temple guard, and the elders who had come for him. “Am I some dangerous revolutionary,” he asked, “that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? 53 Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.”
Disciples didn’t get the gist....trying to bring justice via agression, whilst Jesus would bring justice via the route of peace.
33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
3. Seek peace
We have to be awake to bringing the person of Jesus Christ to every encounter we engage in.
Lets not give the enemy any more ground.
Lets not quarrel among ourselves, let us have a heart of not wanting to be right at the expense of someone elses experience of Jesus.
7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”
14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.
15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
He is the prince of peace, don’t lose sight of that
Be a part of society
Don’t hide away
Don’t be weird
Don’t be combative
Keep praying
Keep thinking
Keep searching the word for God’s direction
Keep bringing the presence of Jesus
Jesus came to seek and save the lost
Conclusion
24 ‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. 25 May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. 26 May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’