Advent Peace
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Open Bibles to Luke 2, Eph. 2, Rom. 14. Peace. Every person wants peace. How we go about getting peace is a different story. We search for it through a variety of ways - some healthy and wise, some foolish and destructive. Some look for peace in power, success, fame - others look for peace in drugs, violence, food. Some look for peace in possessions, religion or relationships - the list goes on – people searching for peace.
The problem, of course, is that nothing in this world can truly provide the peace people are searching for. No matter what we put on the list, no matter what we try, it's all temporary, unreliable – like building a house on sand. The peace we humans long for can never be found though human means. We must look elsewhere.
Well, God’s Word has something to say about peace. Peace, in a variety of ways is mentioned nearly 400 times in Scripture. Gideon, way back in the OT first called God Yahweh Shalom – Yahweh is Peace (Num. 6:24).
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.
700 before Christ told us that the Messiah, Jesus is the Prince of Peace. On the night Jesus was born (Sep 11, 3 BC) an angel appeared to shepherds who were keeping watch over their sheep.
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!”
So, all this talk about peace, but where is it? Even Miss America contestants know we need more world peace? Our world is anything but peaceful, so when the angels said, “Peace on earth because Christ is born,” again, where’s the peace?
Maybe our understanding of peace needs expanded? I think most of us would describe peace as an absence of conflict or being in harmony or being in a state of serenity. Most would probably associate peace with a “peaceful easy feeling.” MW defines peace in those terms as well. Those are correct, but there is more to this word than “imagining all the people living in peace.”
So what else is there to peace? Video
Let’s work this out a little.
The root meaning of peace is completeness or wholeness.
So, the idea behind “peace on earth,” I would say is
The idea behind “peace” is twofold.
1) Everyone can have peace with God through a saving relationship in Jesus Christ.
In Eph. 2, Paul wrote,
So remember that once you were Gentiles by physical descent, who were called “uncircumcised” by Jews who are physically circumcised.
At that time you were without Christ. You were aliens rather than citizens of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of God’s promise. In this world you had no hope and no God.
But now, thanks to Christ Jesus, you who once were so far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Christ is our peace. He made both Jews and Gentiles into one group. With his body, he broke down the barrier of hatred that divided us.
Jesus is the one who bridges the gap between a perfect God and sinful humanity.
Hark the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King.
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinner reconciled.
I don’t want to minimize what Christ has done for our salvation, but there is another side to peace, and it goes back to the root meaning of completeness and wholeness.
2) Everyone can find healing with God through a saving relationship in Jesus Christ.
Through Jesus, people who are broken, fractured, messy because of sin and tragedy can be made whole – can have their lives can be put back together and become complete – have peace.
Think of some words in Scripture that begin with “RE,”
like resurrection, rescue, reconcile, renew, restore, regenerate, redeem. These words are all connected to this idea of peace – of taking what’s used and abused, broken or incomplete and making it whole. Through the peace of Christ, putting the pieces of our lives back together.
“Ok, that’s wonderful in theory – but how can Jesus restore me, redeem what I’ve been through or what I’ve done?” I don’t know – I just know He can because He’s done it with me. If we humble ourselves before Him, surrender all to Him (junk, past, present …), He will lift us up, restore and renew … in time
James 4:6-10
No doubt God wants us external peace in our world, but the real work of peace begins inside with our healing. If we stretch this out, I think we can say that
The real work of peace is to mend those who are torn, repair those who are broken, restore those who are forgotten or overlooked, and give to those who lack.
Jesus said,
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed in one sense means happy, but in the fullest sense it means to have God’s favor and empowerment.
Said this before – if I bless you with $50, I am showing favor and empowering you to do something.
Who are the Peacemakers? The _________________.
We are the ones whom God has blessed and empowered to go and mend, repair, restore – we help bring completeness and wholeness to people, to communities. So,
Christians are not to merely pray for peace – we are to pursue peace.
Pursue the goal of peace along with everyone—and holiness as well, because no one will see the Lord without it.
So, it’s not only about having peace, but making it.
Think about the people in your world – people you know and people you don’t know but you cross paths with them on occasion. Who in your world needs peace – needs a little mending, restoring, reviving ...? What is one thing you can do to bring a little more peace into their world?
That’s called Kingdom work. And
God’s kingdom isn’t about eating food and drinking but about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Whoever serves Christ this way pleases God and gets human approval.
So let’s strive for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up.
See, there’s the idea of completeness and wholeness.
We are the peacemakers – the menders and repairers ….
Jesus has given each of us a piece of His Kingdom to help others find peace (completeness, wholeness, healing) on earth. What’s your piece?
You may be thinking, “I don’t have much, I can’t do much, I’m not talented ….” When Jesus fed the multitudes , He didn’t tell the disciples, “I need 5,000 fish and 3,000 loaves of bread.” What did Jesus do? He simply asked, “What do you have?”
“Not much. Just 7 loaves and some fish.”
“Perfect! That’s all I need. I can work with that!” Whatever your piece is, offer it to Jesus and say Lord, use this and use me in any way you see fit. If anything else, let’s take this Biblical idea of peace (completeness, wholeness) and read and pray our Advent prayer.
Advent Prayer
Congregation: Lord, make us an instrument of thy peace;
Pastor: That where there is hatred,
Congregation: may we bring love;
Pastor: That where there is wrong,
Congregation: may we bring a spirit of forgiveness.
Pastor: That where there is discord,
Congregation: may we bring harmony;
Pastor: That where there is error,
Congregation: may we bring truth;
Pastor: That where there is doubt,
Congregation: may we bring faith.
Pastor: That where there is despair,
Congregation: may we bring hope;
Pastor: That where there are shadows,
Congregation: may we bring light;
Pastor: That where there is sadness,
Congregation: may we bring joy.
Pastor: Lord, grant that we may seek to comfort, rather than to be comforted;
Congregation: To understand rather than to be understood;
Pastor: To love rather than to be loved;
For it is in giving that we are received;
Congregation: It is by forgiving that we are forgiven.
All: And it is by dying that we awaken to eternal life. Amen.
Adapted from Francis of Assisi, Italian monk (1181–1226)