Sermon Tone Analysis
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INTRODUCTION
Recap:
Wonderful Counselor: Jesus has both the sympathy and the ability to lead us through this dark world.
Mighty God: Jesus is called Mighty God not only because of who he is but also because of what he has done.
Everlasting Father: While in the midst of a cruel and changing world, Jesus loves like a father. . .
forever.
The previous three titles were all descriptive of the character of Messiah, yet also told of His future plans and this title is no exception.
Christmas Stress
How many of you would say that the holidays are a “peaceful” time?
OK, no introduction needed!
Ironically, it is during this “time of peace” that little peace can be found.
Grand majority of Americans admit to feeling more stressed during the holidays than at other times of the year.
Psychologists point out that holiday stress is of a different character than stress during the rest of the year.
People are trying to make the family happy and are stressed about strained relationships.
We even have a song about it - “Twelve Pains of Christmas”
Finding a Christmas tree
rigging the lights
sending Christmas cards
Five months of bills
facing the in-laws
This is all with the background of the normal stresses of life - the daily issues, threats of war, strained relationships which are made more obvious at the holiday times.
A study has shown that January 8th is the busiest day of the year for divorce lawyers when up to one in five couples will enquire about divorce after the pressures of Christmas.
Divorce lawyers call the first Monday after Christmas “Divorce Monday” as divorce filings surge by one-third on the first working Monday after the holidays.
All of this can add up to make us feel as though there is no peace on earth.
This is nothing new.
Remember, the people of Judah at this time were not in a state of peace, with war threatened literally on every side.
illustr.
- The Personnel Journal reported this incredible statistic: since the beginning of recorded history, the entire world has been at peace less than eight percent of the time!
In its study, the periodical discovered that of 3530 years of recorded history, only 286 years saw peace.
Moreover, in excess of 8000 peace treaties were made--and broken.
The Prince
Brings Hope
++of peace
The term “prince” here has a military meaning as well as a royal meaning.
“Administrator” is also a good translation.
The idea is that Jesus will not simply be a royal manager of peace, he will be the One to bring the peace about.
Why “Prince” of Peace and not King of Peace?
“Prince” may hint that despite what is now, a new era is coming.
Israelites were under Ahaz but knew that with a prince a new era would come.
This “Prince” will bring peace.
"He is a peaceful king, one who comes in peace and one who establishes peace, not by a brutal squashing of all defiance, but by means of a transparent vulnerability which makes defiance pointless.
Somehow through him will come the reconciliation between God and man that will then make possible reconciliation between man and man." - Oswalt
> Prince brings hope.
As Prince, Jesus brings hope.
- some have no peace and have lost hope – have been disappointed too many times (death, financial broke, diagnosis)
- you become cynical or hopeless, anxious.
- What do you hope in to bring peace?
- Test:
If I only had ________ I would be happy.
If only __________ were gone from my life I would be less stressed.
The problem is, this can’t bring true and lasting peace.
It attaches your sense of peace to something or someone who will fail you at some time.
True and lasting peace is not found by the addition or subtraction of anything from our lives.
It comes from the peace of God as we trust Christ with our lives.
As Prince, Jesus has authority.
- Jesus is King – not you
- The problem is that we believe we can rule ourselves – guaranteed, it will not bring peace – you were not meant to
- Jesus is not a figure head (ex: British monarchs)
- Jesus has the power that can bring peace
- ILLUST - Mr. Long and his baby
Of Peace
- Shalom שָׁלוֹם
Deeper than our usual understanding of “peace”
- Used for stone with no cracks (ref.)
- walls with no gaps (ref.)
- shalom as verb means to make complete
- the broken cannot fix the broken – you need completeness to fix the broken
Two facets of peace:
Popular definitions of “peace:”
“Freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility.”
“State of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict.”
“Absence of hostility.”
- Shalom שָׁלוֹם
Deeper than our usual understanding of “peace”
- walls with no gaps (ref.)
- shalom as verb means to make complete
- the broken cannot fix the broken – you need completeness to fix the broken
Absence of conflict
Presence of completeness
ILLUST – the kids stop fighting but there is not true peace – relationships are not restored
- Used for stone with no cracks (ref.)
- walls with no gaps (ref.)
- shalom as verb means to make complete
To complete a complex structure:
1 ki
To make restitution - make whole again:
- the broken cannot fix the broken – you need completeness to fix the broken
Two directions of peace:
Peace with God
- Jesus absorbed the gaps of our lives to offer us peace and completeness (God placed on him the iniquity of us all)
Peace with God came at the expense of the Son of God
Jesus did not come to bring a certain race/gender/socio-economic circle peace with God
– He came to bring YOU peace with God.
- Jesus absorbed the gaps of our lives to offer us peace and completeness (God placed on him the iniquity of us all)
* Without first having peace with God, you cannot experience the peace of God.
Peace with God always precedes the peace of God.
Peace with each other
Two fulfillments of peace:
If there should be peace anywhere it should be in the church for we are a part of:
There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
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